Locked phones (was Re: A timely rant: Time for SIM-free phones.)

Andreas Kostyrka andreas at kostyrka.org
Mon Feb 26 19:52:46 CET 2007


* Sam Kome <sam.kome at motricity.com> [070226 19:41]:
> When my mother/brother/friend in the US wants to buy a phone, they are
> very likely to go to one or two cell phone outlet stores, RTFMA, and see
> a plethora of plans with minutes and calling circles and
> free-after-x-o'clock.  They will not be able to reasonably compare these
> to each other without performing sophisticated systems analysis on the
> fly.  They will and do sign up for 2 year contracts _and/or_ locked
> devices.

Stupid users^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Husers that don't care, or don't
compare plans are an universal problem. Trust me, comparing calling
plans in Europe is not less complicated than in the US. 

> 
> This by the way, makes my job (creating mobile content) more difficult,
> so I have both the philosphical and selfish professional incentives to
> try to both educate the general public and solve the core problem as I
> see it, which is a sea of proprietary devices that have lousy software
> and worse user interfaces.
> 
> How'd I do? Still childish boring bullshit?  

Well, it's not exactly a stellar observation, and yes, the OpenMoko
platform has some promise, if it succeeds, to change the realities in
the cellular industry. But it won't be fast, nor do I expect it to
happen without some severe backfighting. (Consider, not only there is
a known ecosystem that is to the (shortsighted) benefit of the
companies involved, the group that has the most to gain from OpenMoko
are the endusers. Worse the powerusers, which are a bad deal for the
networks anyway. I do compare plans, and I tend to use what I buy.)

Andreas

> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: community-bounces at lists.openmoko.org
> [mailto:community-bounces at lists.openmoko.org] On Behalf Of Shawn
> Rutledge
> Sent: Monday, February 26, 2007 12:51 PM
> To: community at lists.openmoko.org
> Subject: Locked phones (was Re: A timely rant: Time for SIM-free
> phones.)
> 
> SIMs are great - I don't like SIM-free phones like Verizon ones that
> require somebody at Verizon to switch the service to a different
> phone.  With GSM you just switch the SIM yourself.  Of course it would
> also be nice to be able to use different devices without having to
> physically switch the SIM (like use the GPRS connection in a laptop or
> PDA).  Anyway "SIM-free" is misleading as you are using it, because
> you are actually complaining about locked phones that will only work
> on one network.   And BTW it's not so hard to buy new unlocked phones
> on the net if you are willing to pay unsubsidized prices for them.
> 
> As for Jobs, I think he negotiated a lot of unique stuff that cannot
> typically be negotiated with a carrier.  It's too bad the phone still
> costs $500-600 even with a contract.  Makes me wonder what the real
> manufacturing cost is; is the hardware that super-duper or are they
> just wanting to have even better margins than they get on ipods?
> 
> On 2/26/07, Sam Kome <sam.kome at motricity.com> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > We should paper the world with (something like) this rant ahead of the
> wide release of Neo1973.
> >
> > The fettered masses really don't get it yet.
> >
> >
> >
> > Covers 8 myths which drive folks to buy locked phones and/or 2yr
> contracts:
> >
> >
> http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/features/item/Its_time_to_buy_SIM-free_ph
> ones.php
> >
> >
> >
> > "How would Apple fans react if the latest Mac computer was exclusively
> locked to a particular ISP, was only available to people who live in
> that ISP's service area, and people had to sign up to a 2 year contract
> with that ISP? The Apple fans would be mad as hell, so why on earth are
> they having to put up with exactly the same restrictions on a portable,
> pocket-sized Mac computer called the iPhone?"
> >
> >
> >
> > "How is it that Finland, a poorer, lower-density country without phone
> contracts, and with a law banning locked phones, developed far better
> phone coverage than America, the land of locked phones and 2 year
> contracts?"
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Sam Kome
> >  UX Team Member
> >
> >  www.motricity.com
> >  view corporate video
> >
> >
> >
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> >
> >
> >
> 
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