Thank god for the iPhone

[mwkeefer]

Hello all,

I woke up with no Verizon service today... according to repair, it will be back by 6pm so I am running very slow (sort of, tethered via iphone).

I ran out to the store for smokes and coffee (to clear my mind) and to hit MAC/ATM... I discovered my secondary savings account (the only one used online via paypal) was negative 890+ USD! I quickly hit the bank web interface from my iphone to discover a check I had deposited over 9 days ago (week/bank days) for 1400.00 had been "reversed" from my balance.... moved sufficient funds to replenish the account to 250 positive balance (1140 or so).. and left the store with smokes, trash bags and ice coffee (yes riding one handed, carrying a big ol 32oz).

So here I am no internet, TV and a valid check (payroll from a while ago) backed out of my account? I arrive at my townhome complex a moment later and think my luck is turning as I see a FIOS guy in the parking lot in front of another row of houses in my development... I pay a visit and inquire as to the status of the network... he says everything is fine, he has not received a service outtage announcement or page an the new install he is doing has internet and phone active?

WTF? Verizon's 800 number tells me they are down and engineers are working on it.... I tried for a real human being twice in an hour and was hung up on by verizons automated system.

So I came home to the next surprise of the day... 2 x Topeak Babysitter II seats with MTX quick release racks, well 1 mystery explained - I had thought the price I paid in the end was a bit high for a rack and kids seat, because I paid for 2 of them... so 1 to return = )_

Now here I am, dozens of things to accomplish in the next 2 hours - all requiring internet, without this phone I would be SOL 100%

In case your wondering how? PM me but in essence 3GS + JB + 3.1.2 + a patch = Plug and Play Internet Tethering (and fast too, tested against Speedtest.net > 2 mbit down and 800KB up)

Sorry for this obviously OT post but I had to vent somewhere and I have the feeling many of you will understand the cascade of BS I have awoken to today (after staying up till 4am talking with HK Post and trying to resolve what hobbyking is up to).

-Mike

 

[John in CR]

I don't even like my cell phone to ring, so I prefer to be totally unconnected when away from my desk. I use internet for business, so I do maintain both DSL and cable, and worse case I'll connect via dialup. That's one of the things I love about my ebikes, the freedom of being disconnected and "unavailable". My cell is for emergencies only, so business contacts don't even have it. An employee will call if necessary. "Don't call me, I'll call you" is still a good saying in my book.

John
one of the few left fighting to remain disconnected

 

[heathyoung]

Lucky. Try being on-call 24/7/365 for 5 years straight. I hate that phone. Being un-contactable is a blessing, enjoy it once in a while.

 

[mwkeefer]

I hate talking on the phone but man when the network went down it was a godsend...
TV and Phone are out still but I managed to get the ONT to give me ethernet again... so I can work with this there is hulu (I have a 3 year old remember).
-Mike

 

[gestalt]

I don't care for talking on the phone, but my iPhone my lifeline. I use tmobile, only 600 anytime min a month (I never even come close to using them all) and unlimited net for 65 bucks a month. When I'm driving my pedicab I can check the weather radar, forcast, what the game is doing so I know when I can pick up rides, check the sphere of course and use an app so I don't have to pay for text service in the rare occasion I need to send one.

So it's more than a phone, especially after you jailbreak it. I really hope the next version doesn't go strait to verison, because mycurrent one I bought used over a year ago is about to give up the ghost. But if they do I'll just upgrade to a used 3Gs, the compas function could be very usefull on the road.

 

[mwkeefer]

You can jailbreak 3gs up to 3.1.3 but that gives u a modem firmware Aja baseband which can't be unlocked the trick is to upgrade to 3.1 then 3.1.2 and stop!

Then jb and ulock if needed.

You want a used 3gs with no greater than 3.1.2 onboard.
Hope it helps!
Mike

 

[Toorbough ULL-Zeveigh]

Thank god for the iPhone

u mean thank Jobs.

no, wait.
i guess u did.

 

[el_walto]

Well you could have done also checked the bank etc with a normal iphone using the built in web browser.

The jail-breaking thing just doesn't seem worth the hassle to me (tell me how functional/up to date your jail-broken phone is in two years). Though I do agree that not permitting tethering out of the box is stupid.

 

[mwkeefer]

Well you could have done also checked the bank etc with a normal iphone using the built in web browser.

The jail-breaking thing just doesn't seem worth the hassle to me (tell me how functional/up to date your jail-broken phone is in two years). Though I do agree that not permitting tethering out of the box is stupid.

I've had my jb iPhones since 2 months after the release, running 3.1.2 and have tethering + no limits on what I can run on the phone making it a true computing platform in my palm.

My father is visually impaired and without jailbreak and winterboard I could never have customized the iPhone ui to a proper format he could use (everything white on black) high contrast.

That said, if u want tethering of any type at this time you have to jailbreak...

I never run the latest firmware for any device like this, too many unknowns

-Mike

 

[tostino]

I recently got a nexus one, and believe me, I have the exact same feelings for that as you do for your iPhone i'm sure.

I can honestly say I like the android platform way better than the iPhone though. After using my mothers iPhone (she has had it for a year now), and comparing it to mine... I just love where smartphones are going!

 

[mwkeefer]

tostino,

I can remember sitting at my hone office in the city (Philadelphia) which was so much like my home office here (a mess and too overcrowded with computers and electronics) about 2000 having just come home from my day job as an Application Architect for a mid sized specialty insurance company (650 people) in Bala Cynwyd, PA (or maybe it was designing CBT software for Assessment Systems Inc? I can't remember that long ago)... but I recall sitting at my desk looking for space to plug in my:

1.) Cell phone
2.) Digital Camera
3.) Handheld GPS (I used it with my laptop for warstumbling and other stuff)
4.) My iPaq PDA / Pocket PC
5.) MP3 Player - I said then I WILL NEVER OWN AN IPOD!

And realizing I was wearing a (heck with it) frocking BATMAN UTILITY BELT since I had extra spaces for batteries for the GPS and camera and also memory cards and such for the iPaq... the thought which ran through my mind at that moment:

"If only I could combine all this shit into a single device, save space... eliminate all these damn cards.. .built in wireless to the network and cell network to transfer files on and off, shit not only would it be like star trek which the internet reminds me of a bit but... I would be RICH!"

Then if I recall I fired one up (this was 10 years ago man) and laughed at the idea, even if I could do it... it was just one of my hairbrained ideas, who would ever want it besides me?

Know what I mean (we all likely had these ideas beginning with AT&T bag phones)?

-Mike