macdavid pro

iPhone 4 pre-order access has failed on two fronts: both Apple and AT&T’s pre-order sites, but probably due to AT&T’s servers getting locked up or should I say clogged with requests. I got these two screens some time after 5:40am today. My wild guess is that everybody thought to do what I did. “Oh I’ll just check the site in the early morning, do my pre-order, no problemo.” Nay. Instead, we are all hit with a strong sense of déjà vu. Think back to the release of the iPhone 3G. I was among the many people that walked a out of AT&T in my area with a shiny black brick for several hours after purchase because AT&T’s iPhone sales processing literally went from a run to a crawl then a halt 30 minutes after opening it’s doors.

Apple

AT&T

Anyway, there is a bright side to having woken up early this morning. Apple decided to suprise us all with a new Mac Mini.

Besides the obvious physical changes to bring it in line with the unibody design that Apple’s other products have gone through there are these configurable options:

• Processor up to 2.66GHz
• Memory up to 8GB
• Hard drive up to 500GB
• HDMI port
• 24-inch Apple LED Cinema Disply

Then there is the Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server.

No. You will not lose your Unlimited Data plan when purchasing the iPhone 4, assuming you already have a smartphone.

My close friends and I were talking about this question yesterday while at work. So I did a simple browsing of AT&T’s forums and found a page with a clear answer. In so many words, it states that you have the option of switching to the new available plans, but you do not have to. So I’m personally glad to know I won’t lose my unlimited data plan.

[AT&T Moderator]: Thank you for taking the time to post your comments, inquiries, and suggestions regarding the New Smartphone Data Plans. We see that there is much discussion and some confusion regarding these new plans.

We would like to begin by saying that current Smartphone customers are not required to switch to the new plans but can choose to do so without a contract extension. In addition, current Smartphone customers with the unlimited data plan are not required to switch to the new plans if they renew their contract or switch to another Smartphone; however, if you choose to change to one of the new lower-priced plans, you will not be able to go back to your unlimited plan in the future. All NEW activations or new-to-Smartphone upgrades must choose from the New Smartphone Data Plans. Read more…

Finally, if you want to know about your upgrade eligibility dial *639# on your mobile device and you’ll get a text message from AT&T. Or you can just go to MyWireless: att.com/wireless/iphone.

You’re welcome! *bows* jk

from cultofmac.com

As the FCC calls Fake Steve’s fast-growing Operation Chokehold “irresponsible,” Fake Steve is backing down from the protest he started as a joke.

Contacted by ABCNews, the chief of the FCC’s public safety and homeland security bureau warned iPhone users against crashing AT&T’s network. In a statement, he said:

“Threats of this nature are serious and we caution the public to use common sense and good judgment when accessing the Internet from their commercial mobile devices… To purposely try to disrupt or negatively impact a network with ill-intent is irresponsible and presents a significant public safety concern.”

As reported earlier, Fake Steve’s Operation Chokehold — which started as a joke — is growing fast. The number of Facebook fans has jumped from about 300 on Tuesday to more than 2,000 by Wednesday afternoon.

I totally didn’t know about this, but I am not surprised that AT&T has gained the ire of the masses because of it’s network’s performance and policies. I am, obviously, a person on AT&T’s network, with no complaints because my area doesn’t get sucky anything from the company. The only time that I’ve complained about my service is when I’m traveling throughout Florida. AT&T sucks in Tampa, Tallahassee, various parts of Central and Northeast Florida, etc. Just plain crap. But as for where I live for the most of the year, it’s smooth sailing 3G all the way, and raaaaarely is a phone call dropped.

I do dislike one thing with the heat of thousand suns (drama, lol). iPhone owners cannot stream live video like some other phones on their network.

I wonder what AT&T is planning to do to remedy their poor 3G network coverage. According to Verizon, they have the largest 3G network coverage in America. I guess I can take them at their word, right? Too Naive? Eh.

You can read Fake Steve’s response earlier this week (December 16th) about how this little joke spun out of control here.

Well it appears to me that AT&T has jumped on board and created it’s own navigation application that gives turn-by-turn navigation. It only has a few reviews in the iTunes App Store, but most of them are favorable.

One review reads:

by HexOnxOnx

First of all, the maps are clean and accurate. The colorful map display seen on the app iTunes page only shows up when a route is planned, otherwise, the maps look a lot like Google maps. Directions are spoken nice and loudly including street names. Lane assist is not a feature. Maps are not downloaded which can be a problem when traveling in remote areas. I’ll be giving a good trial for one month but it is doubtful that I will keep it. This is good for those who only need temporary…GPS for a vacation or road trip without the expense of a stand alone GPS.

Concerning that last part, my response would be, “Ya think!” While the app itself is free, the monthly service is $9.99 per month, charged to your AT&T wireless bill. However, you can cancel at any time. The reviewer above gave the app three stars.

Personally, I’d give it 2 stars because I’d have to pay a monthly fee just to use it. Any thoughts on this fellow iPhone owners?

I have been noticing some down-in-the-mouth remarks regarding the iPhone 3.0 release that is to come, which brings long awaited features that should have been a no-brainer from the beginning. Moreover, it’s the latter point for which some are giving Apple a lot of flack (like here) and the point I want to talk about now. In Apple’s defense, YEAH!! That just might be the biggest new features Apple may be bringing to the current iPhone. It would seem logical to me for Apple to focus it’s energy on the next version of the iPhone. Finally. these folks that complain should know better. Apple’s signature move is innovation. The iPhone changed the industry in a single year. But silly and unnecessary complaints about Apple dragging it’s feet for a thing like copy-and-paste pales in comparison to what the iPhone has achieved in the bigger picture.

So in conclusion, I want to tell those obsessive and un-pleased folks to do something wise by just hushing it up. The iPhone is and has lead change and it should be given that credit and that fact should be seen as it’s crowning achievement. Therefore, anything that would come later and supposedly “kill” the iPhone is not, in my view, a killing but a succession….that is if Apple hasn’t already preempted it’s many iPhone-iClone competitors.

Would you agree with my assessment?

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