One thing that would clearly deter people from buying and reselling is that when you buy the phone, you have to get a GSM chip and a two-year service contract (as far as I know). Also many existing GSM phone users (like T-Mobile) already have existing contracts and cannot easily transfer their current phone number to the i-phone, because it is locked to AT&T.

You can't sell the phone with the original chip that is registered to you, at least not if you don't want to run foul of anti-terrorism laws. If the phone is unlocked so that it can be used with any carrier, then its value is increased.

There are already people advertising unlocked i-phones "coming soon", so I would not be surprised if Apple has carefully leaked how the phone may be unlocked and used with any GSM carrier. This would enormously increase its saleability worldwide, especially in markets where there are only two main carriers and people are reluctant to switch, or for people who travel overseas.

For example with my unlocked Voq smart phone (cost <$100) I can use a local cell phone service wherever I am simply by setting up service and inserting a locally issued GSM chip into my phone. As things stand, you can't do this with the i-phone, though I predict that unlocking i-phones will soon be big business.

I looked on E-bay and could not find ANY i-phones on sale. There were about 7000 silicone covers for i-phones, but that is hardly the same thing.

This is a states' rights issue, and each state ought to have its own condom. Texas, of course, would have the biggest one in honor of the current president.

A star for Pacificwhim.

The only kind of self-help books that are really any good are the type that tell you how to pass the General Contractor exam, or how to get into Law School.

johhnyrandom

What you say about visual voicemail may be true, but I find it hard to imagine why one would need visual voicemail. Perhaps there are business purposes, or perhaps I lack imagination.

Part of the problem with the i-phone or any multifunctional phone is that the more features it has, the more likely the user is t be paying for some features that they don't need or want. Obviously if you have a business that is dependent on visual e-mail, then the i-pod is probably cheap at half the price and depreciable for tax purposes when you issue it to all your staff. For the ordinary person, it probably is worthless.

All GSM cell phones sold by major carriers in the US come locked so that you can only use a GSM card issued by that company, and I don't believe that this has anything to do with them developing the software.

And I still can't find any i-phones for sale on e-bay, not that would want one. What happened to the ten thousand?

Interesting that there were less letters on Salon yesterday (July 4th). Does this mean that Americans spent the day away from their computers barbecuing, picnicking, marching in parades, visiting grandparents etc., or does it mean that a lot of Salon readers post letters when they are on the job?

Sure, some antiabortion campaigners, perhaps the most virulent among them, are antisex, period. But going on the information from another letter writer, it appears that politicians of all stripes know that it is political suicide to be pro abortion in Mississippi.

I don't believe that the large numbers of Mississippians who are opposed to abortion are composed all or even mainly of chastity freaks or antiabortion activists.

It doesn't even make sense, because I suspect that the majority of women who get pregnant when they don't want to are not rampant sexual athletes in pursuit of perpetual orgasms at any price, and willing to seek out and destroy parasites that get in the way of their pleasure, but powerless women who cannot even negotiate a latex barrier if it diminishes the sexual pleasure of their mate.

I never thought that this would happen, but it appears that AKA Smith and I have something in common--that we don't watch TV, and for the same reason. I am not sure if this is a case of great minds think alike, or fools seldom differ, and I don't want to give this too much thought.

I have never had any trouble with dogs, though. Exactly as with people, you have to mean what you say, and say what you mean, and they will soon get the message or be looking for a new home.

No I don't have Attention Deficit Disorder, I just don't watch TV because it is stupid, becomes a bad habit, and ultimately rots your brain. I watch a little Spanish language TV from time to time (average 2 hours per month), but that is all.

Can't you be nice to the woman? Make friends with her? Cook them a meal? What is wrong with the LW?

In Biden's televised appearances as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, he has come across as pompous, bloviating, and unable to cut to the chase or get to the point. Are these the qualitities of a chief executive?