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[perkiset]

The marketing guys here are working overtime ... these are hot.

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/11/08/verizon_continues_assault_on_att_with_series_of_holiday_ads.html

As brilliant as the new Republican push to assassinate the *efforts* of the Dems, not PBO, because his approval and likability level is really high ... go after that which is weak. Don't like them, but they are *hot.*

[kurdt]

Heh, they are really pushing. I'm not sure if that type of ad is going to appeal to a lot of people. But it's kinda ironic that Apple is known for their Windows bashing ads and now somebody is force feeding Apple their own medicine

[isthisthingon]

Those are all very well done IMO.  And I agree, going after the coverage kinda pulls the usability rug out from underneath Apple.  Really funny that they don't even have to say iPhone and the entire world knows precisely what phone they're talking about 

I swear it's gonna be scary when Apple breaks free from AT&T.  They may have some growing pains supporting multiple carriers, CDMA, etc.  It's been a luxury for them to only have to worry about one device, one OS, one transport and one carrier so I'm betting they'll face a few hurdles with interoperability.

Oh BTW - I'd own one in 2 friggin seconds with a pre-pay plan

[perkiset]

@ usability: exactly. People like the iPhone, but if they hate AT&T then you can diminish the market without looking like a spoiler.

@ multiple carriers: the market really agrees with you. Every indication is that if they break free it will be a tsunami.

@ pre-paid plan: that may be possible if you purchase the phone outright, then go with a carrier that supports it. Interesting thought.

[isthisthingon]

@ pre-paid plan: that may be possible if you purchase the phone outright, then go with a carrier that supports it. Interesting thought.

Ding!  I'd pay 4-5 hundred bucks up front for a device I knew I wanted with no contract.  Or at least a pre-pay plan like Go Phone, NET 10, etc (even AT&T has a pre-pay plan but not with the iPhone).  But I'm quite unusual in this regard, since nobody seems willing to consider 4-500 upfront for anything.  People would rather pay through the nose while stuck in some contract, blaming the carrier not themselves, than pay a bigger chunk upfront.  It does work really well though, and most people are happy to have the cash drained through payments than having everything on the table in the beginning 

I've completely changed how I look at these things and am no longer happy with play now - pay later.

[vsloathe]

"play now, pay later" is often the deal I take when something is going to make me money and the gains aren't realized upfront. But of course all that shitty "cell phone contract" business is a tax-deductible expense anyway. Do pre-paids allow text messages? I send and receive a total of around 900 text messages per month (yes, around 30 a day - it's my primary means of communication and if I could get rid of the voice functionality of my phone I probably would just so people wouldn't call the damn thing)

[isthisthingon]

NET10 Unlimited:

Now you can call or text anyone in the U.S. on any network as often as you want for only $79.98 a month WITHOUT signing a contract.
With the NEW NET10 Unlimited Plan you get: Unlimited local and long distance calling nationwide and Unlimited Text Messaging.

https://www.net10.com/direct/ValuePlans?app=NET10&lang=en

 

EDIT: My texts are limited so I just pay the $0.50 cents per sms and go straight hours/service days up front.

[perkiset]

Can you get a SIM-only deal, like in Europe? IE., your provide the phone, they provide the SIM and you're good to go? Then you could get a craig's list iPhone, JBreak it and off you'd go...

[isthisthingon]

SIM-only - not sure but they don't appear to be selling them without a phone.  Sounds like at least they're aware of the jbreak possibility.  They do sell many different manufacturers but not all of them have SIM cards. I'm on an LG with a card.

Some NET10 handsets have SIM cards. If your NET10 has a SIM card, then you agree to safeguard your SIM card and not to allow any unauthorized person to use your SIM card. You agree not to, and not to allow any other person to, directly or indirectly alter, bypass, copy, deactivate, remove, reverse-engineer or otherwise circumvent or reproduce the encoded information stored on, or the encryption mechanisms of, your SIM card. The Carriers, NET10, or its service providers, may, from time to time, remotely update or change the encoded information on your SIM card. Your NET10 is restricted from operating when you are located anywhere outside of the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, including offshore or in international waters. Any such usage is considered unauthorized usage by NET10 for which your Service will be immediately suspended.  In the event of suspension for this or any other unauthorized usage, you will not be entitled to receive any refunds for your handset or unused airtime.

 

[perkiset]

Wow. That looks like a contract. And technical restrictions as well!!!

(Sorry, simply too easy)

[isthisthingon]

CONTRACT:

• (1) An agreement between two or more competent parties in which an offer is made and accepted, and each party benefits. The agreement can be formal, informal, written, oral or just plain understood. Some contracts are required to be in writing in order to be enforced.
• (2) An agreement between two or more parties which creates obligations to do or not do the specific things that are the subject of that agreement. Examples of a contract are a lease, a promissory note, or a rental agreement.

Definition #1: bananas
Definition #2: n-year wireless contract

So yes, buying NET10 does involve abiding by the "Terms Of Service," which primarily include the explanation of how your minutes are deducted, services offered/not offered, no calls from Guam, etc.  Bananas bananas bananas...  No definition #2 applicable to buying bananas though, nor with NET10.  However if we break down the purchase of a banana we will find that in fact, there is a banana contract (albeit verbal or simply implied).  Here we go:

The banana is the "good" produced and exchanged for $1.00, or the "consideration."  (frozen concentrated orange juice??)  This is a contract.  It's just not the type of contract we're obviously talking about  

You're a  perks

[isthisthingon]

And yes, it is completely implied that you will not take the banana and poke out the seller's eye with it.  The implied banana terms of service have that clause covered although they still fall under definition #1 of contract, not #2 

[perkiset]

  Oooh! A scab!

But I was sort of referring to the Thou Shalt Nots in the agreement. Sort of how your un-Evil telco doesn't want you gumming around in the hardware that ... um, you purchased.   

Just a'busting you chops meng, don't go all Wikipedia on me 

[isthisthingon]

  I'll be saying bananas in every subsequent incarnation when faced with the same challenge 

[jammaster82]

b-a-n-a-n-a-s bananas...

lol..  the 50$ a month unlimited everything by frawg is the best phone
deal i can think of.. especially if that trick would work. i think its regional though.. beats the .33 cents a minute mortgage loan style contract original plans... and what was it like 200 bux for the Motorola flip phone? lol

http://frawgwireless.com/plans/