Apple bans screen shields and cases with sheilds from their stores.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

My point wasn't that the iPhone has more apps than Google. My point was that people decry the "closed" Apple App Store, yet iPhone users have more apps available to them than any other smartphone user.

Well Apple has had a huge headstart, and until a while ago didn't employ the Nazi like policies with the App Store. Like banning all adult content, well most of it. The Playboy app is still on there. Gee, I wonder why.

Android is now coming into a market that Apple and RIM have had a monopoly over and has had to hand craft in a sense their niche. Well, IMO they're doing pretty damn good.

Plus, 150,000 apps mean nothing when at least 50% of them are garbage.

For the vast majority of people who jailbreak their iPhones, it's not about wanting to install unapproved apps, it's about wanting to install approved apps without paying for them. I'm just trying to cut through the fog and get to the reality of the discussion.

Probably.

So you agree with security on the mp3 files you download that prohibit them from being used on more than one computer? DRM protected files or whatever its called.

Because that is basically what you're saying. Employ RIAA methods to keep people from illegally doing something on their iPhone, or computer, or mp3 player.

[Yeah_Baby]

I'm still waiting for someone to explain to me how Apple's policies are 'Nazi' like. Do you realize what you're actually insinuating when you write that?

[Azure]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

It's one thing to download a copy of M$ Office that would normally cost $500 to buy, and is something you use maybe 6 times a year... but it's quite another to skimp out of paying $3 for an iPhone app you use 6 times a day.

In spite of what popular culture may tell you, there's nothing awesome about ripping a guy off.

I tend to agree.

Jailbreaking a phone so you can put $.99 apps on them is stupid.

But illegal? My phone, therefore I can 'break' it any way I want.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

I'm still waiting for someone to explain to me how Apple's policies are 'Nazi' like. Do you realize what you're actually insinuating when you write that?

Apple is basically censoring the App Store.

A huge amount of apps with adult content have been removed, and only a certain few, probably those that Apple approves of or those that have a deal with Apple are allowed. Like the Playboy app.

Call it Nazi like, call it whatever you want.....plain and simple its ridiculous.

Apple is basically taking away the consumers voice by employing their stupid policies on what app is allowed and what app isn't.

Huge market for 'adult' apps. Probably a lot of companies out there that see that market and are just chomping at the bit. So the consumer wants it, the guys who make it are WILLING to provide it for the consumer, but the middleman is being a fundamental Nazi hack and saying on the apps THEY approve are allowed. Like I said above, that is the Playboy app. Really makes you wonder why IT is allowed, but similar apps are thrown out.

Photon had it right. With what Apple is doing, they're creating a business where people who are willing to invest time and money to create something are going to find out that there is no security involved. Apple could basically take all the time and money you invested into creating a certain app and throw it all away.

People start seeing that its going to create a bigger problem than illegally downloading paid apps and putting them on your hacked iPhone is ever going to create.

[Yeah_Baby]

Okay, so controlling an aspect of your business is equal to fascism. I get you now.

[photon]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

My point wasn't that the iPhone has more apps than Google. My point was that people decry the "closed" Apple App Store, yet iPhone users have more apps available to them than any other smartphone user.

As I already said, it's not about the volume of apps, it's also about what kinds of apps. There's 150,000 apps on the app store, but if I don't like one of Apple's apps there's no alternative because Apple won't allow any app that gets too close to one they have or are planning to have.

Or I can't have an app that shows memory usage and frees up memory, or one that changes the theme and default sounds of the phone or a ton of other things which are arbitrarily off limits.

The number of apps isn't relevant.

I get why they do it, I understand and appreciate the business reasons, I just don't like it. I want a mobile computing device and all that entails. Choice about what apps I can run.

The iPhone is still the best mobile device on the market and I use mine all the time. The iPhone was a game changer and other companies still haven't caught up.

Originally Posted by FanIn80

It's one thing to download a copy of M$ Office that would normally cost $500 to buy, and is something you use maybe 6 times a year... but it's quite another to skimp out of paying $3 for an iPhone app you use 6 times a day.

In spite of what popular culture may tell you, there's nothing awesome about ripping a guy off.

Who says he's talking about pirating apps? One nice thing about jailbreaking a phone is that you can install apps people have written for the phone that are given away free that are still good quality apps. I use a ton of free software on my computer, free as in open source not free as in stolen, and the guys who I know jailbreak their phone do the same, they have tons of free apps, not stolen ones.

[KTrain]

Before Own This World we had an app denied by Apple because it poked fun at religion. That's their right. I hold no ill will towards a company that wants to regulate what it sells in their stores (online or offline). It is their app store selling software for devices they produce.

The Bay doesn't sell porn because it's not good for their image. They could make a lot of money but just because there is a market for something doesn't mean everyone wants to get into that business.

I just downloaded the Playboy app to see what the difference is between that and some of the other "adult" apps. It appears to have much more content than the other "sexy lady" apps that make it into the top 100. It is also extremely well designed. I can see what you mean by the hypocrisy though. I think much of the adult apps getting denied has more to do with the quality of what they're producing and the history of Playboy producing quality products.

All for the sake of research.

I won't get into the jailbreaking and free apps because I'm obviously too invested in it. I do often wonder why people won't buy apps that cost 99 cents or 2 bucks. You'll drop that things that will give you far less enjoyment or you'll use for far less time.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by thesmugger

LOL. I've had my phone jailbroken for a few months now. Don't understand the "Cluttered" problem with Cydia. It's only needs be used a few times to download the main programs that hold the iPhone back. It's simpe to use, simply type in the program you need, it pops up and you install it. No such thing as "Wrong como of apps" That's just a joke. Wifi just outright stopped working? yeah ok

Battery life is the exact same. No need to pay for apps, and it just opens the phone up so much. Never again do I have to close a game to reply to a text message. Pay for apps, or have that pathetic default theme.

Jesus H ... Is there anything else about my situation (that you know nothing about) that you'd like to clear up for me? I suppose having a phone that needs charging once per day that suddenly can't make it to 11am the day after a jailbreak is all in my head hey? You're right ... I probably just subconsciously blocked all those times that I had to recharge 4 times in a single day.

In my opinion cydia is enormously cluttered and is terribly designed. It's not worth arguing because it's obviously a matter of personal preference.

I see I also lied about my wifi working. You're probably right ... these here gosh-darned iPhones are just so complicated I up and forgot how to make the wifi work! So strange that it also happened the day after I jailbroke too! What do you suppose the odds are?

If I've lied about anything else I'd appreciate it if you could enlighten me.

[Cactus Jack]

Back on topic, I put a press-on type thin shield on my mine and has worked pretty well but with a few falls there are a few scratches on it. I bought this shield at the Fido store.

My only complaint is that my fingerprints are often highly visible and the screen is hard to clean. Does anyone recommend anything? I've tried my clothes and even a little spit shine.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by Cactus Jack

Back on topic, I put a press-on type thin shield on my mine and has worked pretty well but with a few falls there are a few scratches on it. I bought this shield at the Fido store.

My only complaint is that my fingerprints are often highly visible and the screen is hard to clean. Does anyone recommend anything? I've tried my clothes and even a little spit shine.

iKlear!

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by Cactus Jack

My only complaint is that my fingerprints are often highly visible and the screen is hard to clean. Does anyone recommend anything? I've tried my clothes and even a little spit shine.

How about washing your grubby hands ever now and then?

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

How about washing your grubby hands ever now and then?

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Russic

Jesus H ... Is there anything else about my situation (that you know nothing about) that you'd like to clear up for me? I suppose having a phone that needs charging once per day that suddenly can't make it to 11am the day after a jailbreak is all in my head hey? You're right ... I probably just subconsciously blocked all those times that I had to recharge 4 times in a single day.

In my opinion cydia is enormously cluttered and is terribly designed. It's not worth arguing because it's obviously a matter of personal preference.

I see I also lied about my wifi working. You're probably right ... these here gosh-darned iPhones are just so complicated I up and forgot how to make the wifi work! So strange that it also happened the day after I jailbroke too! What do you suppose the odds are?

If I've lied about anything else I'd appreciate it if you could enlighten me.

I'll play devils advocate here. I've been running a jailbroke iPhone for 2 years. I bought mine in the US before the iPhone came to Canada, so I have no choice but to jailbrake to use it. I've never had any problems like you are describing. I am not saying you didn't have those problems, I don't doubt you did, I'm just saying. I'll totally agree that cydia is clunky, ugly and hard to navigate. But everything involved with jail breaking is fighting against the software, no? I'm sure if Apple opened up the iPhone these apps would work better.

Personally I am fine with Apple locking down their device. I think everyone knows that going into it. I only do it because it's the only way to get it to work for me. If I could restore it to normal I would. I've tried customizing it with skins and such and it was a pain and I don't really want to geek out that much with it. It's a small piece of hardware and I understand putting limitations on it. If people want to do geeky things on their phone they should not buy Apple.

However I don't like what Apple is doing with the app store. I totally support their decision to not allow certain apps into their store. I just don't like how they are doing it. Not having a set of rules for the app store is dumb. Randomly dropping adult themed apps was dumb. Like photon said there is no security for developers. Right now Apple has the security of having the largest app store to protect them from actions like this. But if the android market starts to catch up developers could flock to it because they won't have to worry about them suddenly banning boobs, or not liking the icon or being low functioning, etc. Developers will be mad if their app, that they put lots of time into, suddenly gets banned because Jobs doesn't like it. It could end up hurting us iPhone users.

[3 Justin 3]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

Okay, so controlling an aspect of your business is equal to fascism. I get you now.

I don't know why, but I laughed out loud when I read this.

I don't think censoring certain app's is Nazi behavior. It is Apple's choice whether they want "adult content" in their App store. I can see why they wouldn't for obvious reasons.

[Azure]

The other thing I read about lately is Apple banning apps that just replicate internet content.

For example an app that just tells you what the price of oil is.

Talk about creating a HUGE grey area.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by QuadCityImages

I think that the "Lite" versions of apps are really the right way to go. It lets people try things out for free, either with fewer features, or ad-supported, and then if they want the full features or no ads, they can upgrade to paid.

I disagree. I seldom download "lite" apps because they seldom expose the functionality I'm really interested in, which is typically some advanced feature that requires the full blown version.

One of the really interesting aspects of iPhone development is that there is already a full blown software emulator that lets devs test their apps on their Macs. iTunes needs to leverage the emulator technology so that apps can be tested in a non-persistent emulator right in the iTunes store. Imagine if the apps in the App store were live instead of just screen shots....

That would greatly enhance the apps store, and significantly raise the average price of applications in my opinion - I don't mind buying apps, but I'm sick to death of buy crap apps, even at $0.99, or trying to decipher reviews written by 12 year olds to determine if an app meets a specific need.

But if I got to test drive a $4.99 app in the iTunes store, I'd be very inclined to make a purchase even at the higher cost.

[Azure]

Or they could give you a 15 day period to test drive an app.

After 15 days it uninstalls itself from your hardware....be it the iPad, iTouch, iPhone...whatever.

[Yeah_Baby]

I hate 'iTouch' so much.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by Azure

Or they could give you a 15 day period to test drive an app.

After 15 days it uninstalls itself from your hardware....be it the iPad, iTouch, iPhone...whatever.

Or a lease model...you pay 0.25 cents per app launch or some such silliness, billed across all apps monthly, and when your usage of an app causes the cumulative billing to match the purchase price, the app is yours outright...

Tied into your subscription model for all the other iTunes content...