How Difficult Is It To Reactivate A Stolen iPhone? Not Very
July 31, 2008
Picture this: The phones rings, and you check the caller ID and see your girlfriend’s number. With great anticipation you answer the call, but then a gruff masculine “Hello” bellows from the ear piece. What the…? It sounds awkward but that’s what happened to James. His girlfriend’s iPhone was stolen a few weeks ago and the theft was reported to AT&T who had the phone deactivated. However, the new owner of the stolen iPhone had it reactivated and assumed the phone number of James’ girlfriend, thus deactivating James’ girlfriend’s replacement phone. How could this happen? James’ letter, inside…
About a month and a half ago my girlfriend sat down in a booth at the restaurant she manages and her iPhone slipped out of her pocket. She got up from the booth and went back to work when she noticed that it was missing. Upon returning to the booth it was occupied by two male patrons who when queried about the phone denied having seen it. We suspect it’s rather likely that one of the two of them pocketed it, after all who doesn’t want a free iPhone?
We contact AT&T and report the phone as stolen/missing and request that it be deactivated, which they’re happy to do. Fast forward to last night she calls me up and explains that her new iPhone is reporting, “no service”. We’re both puzzled but I dismiss it as faulty hardware or just plain crappy signals…this is AT&T we’re talking about after all.
An hour later I decide to send her an SMS text to see if things are back to normal yet. Here’s where things get begin to get interesting. I receive a call on my cell phone apparently from my girlfriend, the number matches and the iPhone loads up her picture. I answer assuming it’s her and I hear a male voice on the other end of the line. I do a double take and then inquire as to who this mystery man is. He explains that he’s Joe Blow from Victorville (more than 100 miles from where the phone was stolen/missing from) and that I’m texting him on, “his iPhone”. I explain to him that it isn’t his iPhone, it’s stolen property that was deactivated by AT&T the superior part of 1.5 months ago.
Long story short is, he’s bummed his attempts to rip the phone off didn’t go so smoothly. He’s out $50 and feels like simply giving it back to us. Ok fine, whatever I state keep it. So here’s the meat of the story…
The phone was reported stolen, AT&T de-authorized the phone effectively taking it off the network and flagging it as missing/stolen. The reason my girlfriends phone stopped working yesterday is because somehow this kid managed to trot himself in to an AT&T store and got them to re-activate the stolen phone and in the process got her new phone de-activated!?
We had to call AT&T customer support and explain this whole situation to them. They promptly de-activated Joe Blow’s re-activated stolen iPhone but were unfortunately unable to put her legitimate iPhone back into service. We were forced to come into a branch store this morning and exchange the SIM card for a new one.
The agents at AT&T assert that they’ve no way to ascertain how it is that someone with NO personal information on my girlfriend was able to have her stolen cell phone re-activated 100+ miles away from home. I assert that a company the size of AT&T must have a fairly sophisticated system for cell phone activation and de-activation. They honestly can’t tell what store or branch the phone was re-activated at? They can’t tell us which sales associated knowingly re-activated a stolen phone on an existing customers account?
Thankfully he didn’t run up a big bill, we managed to get the phone shut off (for the 2nd time) in fairly short order. I’m still fuming however that some random Joe off the street can waltz into an AT&T branch or affiliate store and re-activate a phone reported stolen 1.5 months ago with little or no effort and ZERO paper trail (according to AT&T). Something stinks and I think it’s AT&T’s customer service…
We’re happy to hear you finally got it straightened out, James. Given the fact that iPhones are stolen every day, we would hope there would be more safeguards in place to prevent someone from activating a stolen phone with the same number. We also find it strange that AT&T can’t or won’t tell you where the stolen phone was activated. We’d like to see AT&T be more proactive when it comes to protecting its customers. iPhone theft is rampant enough without AT&T accommodating the thieves.
(Photo: Getty)
Ridax first company to overprice iPhone 3G charging adapter
July 31, 2008
Filed under: Cellphones
Although the 30-pin Dock connector in the iPhone 3G looks the same as it has since it was introduced in the 2G iPod, it’s different in one important (and maddening) way — it doesn’t support charging the older FireWire charging pins, only the newer USB method. That means a whole host of older chargers and docks don’t work with the iPhone 3G — and it also means that we’ll be seeing a lot of adapters like this one from Ridax make the scene. Hopefully other manufacturers won’t see fit to charge a whopping $40 for two connectors and a resistor like Ridax, but if you’re desperate enough to drop two Jacksons on this thing, you’ll also be able to charge through the built-in mini-USB connector on the side. We’ll wait, though — we expect to see some cheaper, smaller options on the table by the time this thing ships in September.
Are iPhone 3Gs developing cracks?
July 31, 2008
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video
In what appears to be an increasingly common problem, hairline cracks are beginning to form on Apple’s new iPhone 3G. While most of the cracks are reportedly affecting the white model, this is likely due to the increased visibility of the… Continue reading
Samsung Instinct gets its first firmware update: too little, too late
July 31, 2008
Filed under: Cellphones
Quite a few Instinct owners were giving Samsung / Sprint one option: crank out a firmware update to show that they cared before the 30-day test period expired, or deal with all that messy RMA paperwork. Unfortunately for the aforesaid firms, the handset’s first update is coming ten days after that date (at least for the earliest of adopters), and initial reports recommend that glaring problems still exist. Some users are suggesting that Sprint Television is less pixelated than before and that overall snappiness is improved, but the patently awful browser still remains at 1.0 (and thus just as awful). Look, when the change that gets most people jazzed is the battery meter’s newfound capability to hit 100% (and not just 90% as in the past), something is seriously wrong. Anyone else find any nuggets of goodness in the new update?
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Update: A bigger, more life-changing update looks to be planned — hang tight, Instinct owners!
Are iPhone 3Gs developing cracks?
July 31, 2008
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video
In what appears to be an increasingly common problem, hairline cracks are beginning to form on Apple’s new iPhone 3G. While most of the cracks are reportedly affecting the white model, this is likely due to the increased visibility of the… Continue reading
White iPhones Are Cracking - How Frequently, We Do Not Know [Iphone Cracks]
July 31, 2008
One report, it’s an anomaly. Two reports, maybe one’s fake. But more and more reports have been surfacing—with photos—of cracking white iPhone 3Gs. So is the white iPhone constructed in an inferior manner to the black model? Or are black iPhone 3Gs just better at hiding the cracks? We’re not sure, and there’s still too tiny info to know at this point whether the trend is something to be worried about. But does anyone in the audience have a cracked white iPhone in-hand? [MacRumors and Nowhereelse via CrunchGear]
Are iPhone 3Gs developing cracks?
July 31, 2008
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video
In what appears to be an increasingly common problem, hairline cracks are beginning to form on Apple’s new iPhone 3G. While most of the cracks are reportedly affecting the white model, this is likely due to the increased visibility of the dark fracture on the white case as opposed to any differences in materials between the white and black units. At the moment, the issue seems largely cosmetic and doesn’t appear to interfere with the operation of the phone. Now bust out the magnifying glass and let us know if you’re seeing the same.
Update: Reader Darius shows off a whisker crack on his kid-glove handled black iPhone 3G with the help of some blue lighting — meow. See it after the break.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Read — MacRumors forum
Read — Apple Discussions
Continue reading Are iPhone 3Gs developing cracks?
AT&T Won’t Sell You iPhone Because “You’re Going To Unlock It”
July 31, 2008
Colin writes:
I went into my nearest ATT store and there were two CSR’s behind the counter- I asked for an 8gig Refurb iPhone thats being sold for $249 and the kid said sure and walked me over to the desk. The next words out of his mouth “What is your social security number?” No “How are you today?” “Thanks for coming in” No, apparently they just want my credit report to see if I’m “worthy”
“Um. What? Why do you need that?” He tells me that its necessary for activating a new account “I don’t want an account now, I’ll activate on iTunes later” He turns and asks some other CSR if they have the ability to sell it without activation- to which the other CSR says “No” I state, ok, whatever, I’ll buy the phone and just cancel the service, then I have the ability to keep the phone because I am paying full price for it. “No, you can’t do that, you would have to return the phone”
I’m starting to get upset at this point so I ask for a manager, and next thing I know, theres now 5 CSR’s behind the counter. (No other customers in the store- just me). Manager states no, and that if I purchase and activate, they’ll notate my account that I plan to cancel and keep the phone. I’m FURIOUS now, so I call ATT and explain the situation to a sales csr- she is confused and is useless and can’t resolve the issue anyway. Hanging up, I then approach the sales desk- now there are 8 CSR’s behind the desk!!?! (Only ONE other customer in the store btw) I tell one of the CSR’s I am ready to buy and activate on a two year commitment… Drum roll please…
“No”
“What?!!? Why not!?”
“Because you’re going to unlock the phone and we can’t allow that. Go purchase one on eBay.”
Now I am about to lose it.
“First off, you’ve NO right to dictate to me what I do and don’t do with a product I buy. If I pay FULL RETAIL PRICE for something, I can smash it with hammers and throw the pieces off the Grand Canyon if I so choose!”
Purchasing an iPhone at full retail price carries with it no commitment to anything, and to make assumptions to what I plan to do with the phone is complete discrimination. What if I wanted to give it as a gift to my girlfriend and she would be able to activate on her own accord???
I explain all of this, calmly mind you, and then ask them to call their corporate office. Mrs. CSR #1 says “We are corporate”
So now they’ve lowered themselves to LYING to my face. Awesome.
“You’re corporate? I make more money in one day then you make all week Mrs. Corporate”
Now THEY’RE really pissed and tell me they are calling security. I tell them go ahead! I’m not stealing, Im not breaking things, Im not wildly running around the store naked & screaming “The iPhones are your demi-god! OBEY!” I’m trying to PURCHASE a product and concur to the terms of their contract!!!!!
“We are denying to sell to you”
I fold my arms and wait. Three security guards show up and I take the ‘leader’ aside and explain. He has NO idea what to do. He actually calls the main office, his boss, and asks what to do in this kind of situation. The security boss says the store CAN deny me the sale and asks the security guard to pass along that message to me. I respect their decision, but once outside the store, the guard AGREES with me!
“You should be able to do whatever you want with the phone. If you bought it, its yours”
He apologizes and tells me that I should go to the main kiosk and file a complaint with the mall corporate offices.
Fast-forward 30 mins, I’ve driven to another store, I walk in, ask the same question “I’d like an iPhone 8gig refurb”
“Ok, here you go! No contract? No problem! That’ll be $249.00 plus tax”
That being said: They’ve NO rights to deny a sale because they “Suspect” I might unlock it. It is not spoiled to defend my rights as a consumer to purchase an item under the terms of the agreement set forth by the manufacturer and the distributer. To deny me purchasing the item at FULL RETAIL PRICE because they think I might “unlock it” or “sell it on eBay” is judgmental and discriminatory.
The whole point of being able to buy the phone at full retail price is the convenience of activating it in the comforts of home, or giving it as a gift to someone who will activate it themselves.
And like I said- you receive NO discount on the price of the phone for activating! So if you want to buy one, NOT activate it and merely hang it on your wall like a piece of art- That’s your given right as a consumer!
I apologize for the long rant, but I am furious that this kind of situation was even necessary…
Thank you for taking the time to read what occurred.
Sincerely,
Colin M.
Looks like one AT&T store has taken it upon themselves to grossly misinterpret company policy and procedures. Why should the store give a damn what you do with the phone after you walk out with it? It’s no skin off their hunched and scaly backs. Once again, when it comes to You, iPhone, and AT&T, the cellphone carrier is your 7th grade girlfriend’s hideous friend that kept showing up whenever you wanted to go makeout in the back of a dark motion picture theater.
White iPhones Are Cracking - How Frequently, We Do Not Know [Iphone Cracks]
July 31, 2008
One report, it’s an anomaly. Two reports, maybe one’s fake. But more and more reports have been surfacing—with photos—of cracking white iPhone 3Gs. So is the white iPhone constructed in an inferior manner to the black model? Or are black iPhone 3Gs just better at hiding the cracks? We’re not sure, and there’s still too tiny info to know at this point whether the trend is something to be worried about. But does anyone in the audience have a cracked white iPhone in-hand? [MacRumors and Nowhereelse via CrunchGear]
White iPhones Are Cracking - How Frequently, We Do Not Know [Iphone Cracks]
July 30, 2008
One report, it’s an anomaly. Two reports, maybe one’s fake. But more and more reports have been surfacing—with photos—of cracking white iPhone 3Gs. So is the white iPhone constructed in an inferior manner to the black model? Or are black iPhone 3Gs just better at hiding the cracks? We’re not sure, and there’s still too tiny info to know at this point whether the trend is something to be worried about. But does anyone in the audience have a cracked white iPhone in-hand? [MacRumors and Nowhereelse via CrunchGear]
