TO BRICK OR NOT TO BRICK
That is the question.
Especially after reading about the battle brewing between Apple and the geekiest users of it's iPhone (aka Godphone).
The brouhaha seems to be really heating up, at least if you judge things by the front page of Techmeme today.
Uber-geek site Gizmodo kicks it off with a "re-review" that gives a thumbs down to the iPhone, primarily for Apple's policy of:
1. Not allowing hacked unlocked phones to survive it's firmware updates, and
2. Not allowing many third party software applications to also survive these firmware updates.
Lot more bricks fly in the review, which is worth a read.
At heart here is a wide-spread desire by early adopters (or "Surly Adopters", as Valleywag calls them, channeling a New York Post headline), to do with the iPhone, what they were able to do with the multiple generations of the Palm Pilot. Use it as a mobile platform much like a PC.
From Apple's point of view, although this may be desirable in the long-run, it comes with some serious short-term issues, including:
1. Guaranteed reliability of the iPhone for mainstream users, especially in wireless communications, an area where this is but a first step for the company.
2. Maintain a working partnership with AT&T/Cingular, who has even a more draconian view of how closed the network should be.
3. Keep customer support costs in line for Wall Street, especially in the face of growing mainstream popularity of the iPhone.
4. Genetic desire by Apple to be control the overall user-interface and ease-of-use experience on all Apple products. They can't help themselves here. It's who they are, have been, and probably always will be.
Here's a glimpse at the true nature of this power struggle from Gizmodo's bottom line on the subject:
"Smart iPhone users, geeks or not, are hacking the iPhone; this is how people are choosing to use it.
So, Apple, even if you have to fight the unlocks, the apps deserve to live. It's what we all want. I hope we can work it out."
While some may consider this petulant, it's important to remember that Apple early adopters have always had a love-hate relationship with Apple.
They've loved the company's products but hated the relative lack of control and freedom.
It's how it's been and probably always will be.
One bright light in all this, is that the English language will likely gain a new word from all this, an entirely new twist to the age-old word "Brick"; as in, "Did your iPhone get Bricked after the last update?"
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