Personal computing discussed
Moderators: renee, David, Thresher
just brew it! wrote:What if Dell adopted a policy that their computers would only work with Comcast Internet service? Or Comcast forced you to use HP computers? People wouldn't stand for it, and would vote with their pocketbooks.
tfp wrote:ATT is nickel and diming the user because they can, the iPhone is in demand and people will pay the price.
ludi wrote:just brew it! wrote:What if Dell adopted a policy that their computers would only work with Comcast Internet service? Or Comcast forced you to use HP computers? People wouldn't stand for it, and would vote with their pocketbooks.
Apple gets away with it because their hardware isn't strictly commoditized, and they make things people want to buy. If HP had a hardware device that was wildly popular, and comparable function and status were perceived as being unavailable anywhere else, they could write contracts like this easily.
tfp wrote:ludi wrote:just brew it! wrote:What if Dell adopted a policy that their computers would only work with Comcast Internet service? Or Comcast forced you to use HP computers? People wouldn't stand for it, and would vote with their pocketbooks.
Apple gets away with it because their hardware isn't strictly commoditized, and they make things people want to buy. If HP had a hardware device that was wildly popular, and comparable function and status were perceived as being unavailable anywhere else, they could write contracts like this easily.
The thing is it's really not just Apple. Every carrier does it with a number of phones from a number of manufactures. Many/Most phones are locked.
lex-ington wrote:This is what I am not sure, by going HSPA (yes Up and Down, so just HSPA) they are kind of joining the "GSM" family, with the eventually goal of going LTE (and Verizon is going there too, but they are not doing HSPA and straight to LTE). I wonder if HSPA allows "backward compatibility" so phones that are only GSM/EDGE can still get onto the network? That's the part I am not sure. Bell and Telus are pushing this now because of the 2010 Olympics and they don't want Rogers to be the only cell service provider when all those people with their GSM phones come to Vancouver/Whistler (incidentally I got no reception whatsoever on top of the Whistler Mountain with my Telus phone while my brother's Rogers RAZR was full bars during our trip there last year ). It is inconceivable that all foreign visitors will be carrying HSPA-capable phones. A significant portion should be just GSM/EDGE only, so will they turn on "compatibility mode"?I have heard Telus pushing the HSPA(?) side of things, as they don't want to go GSM (they are CDMA), at least not fully. They do have the Blackberry 8830 world edition phone, but that's as far as their GSM offerings go.
Kevin wrote:Thread moved to the Apple forum (from General Hardware).
Kevin
Flying Fox wrote:Switching gears once again (I'm sure the OP is disappointed with no flame wars erupting and instead we actually get some decent discussions on the state of mobile phone industry ).lex-ington wrote:This is what I am not sure, by going HSPA (yes Up and Down, so just HSPA) they are kind of joining the "GSM" family, with the eventually goal of going LTE (and Verizon is going there too, but they are not doing HSPA and straight to LTE). I wonder if HSPA allows "backward compatibility" so phones that are only GSM/EDGE can still get onto the network? That's the part I am not sure. Bell and Telus are pushing this now because of the 2010 Olympics and they don't want Rogers to be the only cell service provider when all those people with their GSM phones come to Vancouver/Whistler (incidentally I got no reception whatsoever on top of the Whistler Mountain with my Telus phone while my brother's Rogers RAZR was full bars during our trip there last year ). It is inconceivable that all foreign visitors will be carrying HSPA-capable phones. A significant portion should be just GSM/EDGE only, so will they turn on "compatibility mode"?I have heard Telus pushing the HSPA(?) side of things, as they don't want to go GSM (they are CDMA), at least not fully. They do have the Blackberry 8830 world edition phone, but that's as far as their GSM offerings go.
derFunkenstein wrote:tfp wrote:ATT is nickel and diming the user because they can, the iPhone is in demand and people will pay the price.
This, I think, sums it up entirely. If the phone was open to any carrier, AT&T would drop their plan prices, but then Apple would be out an exclusive deal.
The current setup is good for AT&T and good for Apple - they're getting everything they think they can get out of people at a high enough volume (enough units). If it wasn't true, it wouldn't be here.
adisor19 wrote:That's what they all said about the iPod in the beginning
Adi
syadasti wrote:adisor19 wrote:That's what they all said about the iPod in the beginning
Adi
The iPhone is in its second generation and a $1000+ minimum cell plan regulates it to niche status in a niche market. Smartphones are only 1/10 of cell phone sales. Apple sells about 10M smartphones since its launch over a year ago. Nokia sells about double A QUARTER.
RIM still easily beats Apple in the markets they compete including their biggest - the US. RIM marketshare has also been growing rapidly this year but smartphones will never be mainstream without affordable cell plans.
syadasti wrote:iPhone own3d in 2008 period, doesn't matter about Q4. RIM is in less markets than iPhone this year and beats them in the markets they both compete in so Jobs has nothing but hot air as usual. Small niche player in a small market.
syadasti wrote:syadasti wrote:iPhone own3d in 2008 period, doesn't matter about Q4. RIM is in less markets than iPhone this year and beats them in the markets they both compete in so Jobs has nothing but hot air as usual. Small niche player in a small market.
I was saying you have poor reading skills
adisor19 wrote:Ahh gotta lov'em well chosen words
Look at it any way you want it, but in the end the iPhone has sold more units then RIM. Tell me, how long has RIM been around compared to Apple ?
Adi
DrDillyBar wrote:with a contract that says I have to wear this elastic around my jewels.
derFunkenstein wrote:are you guys the same person? You're arguing awfully fast...
syadasti wrote:adisor19 wrote:Ahh gotta lov'em well chosen words
Look at it any way you want it, but in the end the iPhone has sold more units then RIM. Tell me, how long has RIM been around compared to Apple ?
Adi
They still haven't beaten RIM for 2008 total sales. There are four quarters in a year.
adisor19 wrote:Indeed, there are four quarters in a year. This is a taste of what's to come next year when i expect Apple to beat RIM for the entire four quarters.
Adi
syadasti wrote:RIM's growth is long term and sustained. They are well proven.
DrDillyBar wrote:syadasti wrote:RIM's growth is long term and sustained. They are well proven.
Nice edit speed there. RIM's stability is likely because they work for the Gove.ment, not just big buisiness.
syadasti wrote:DrDillyBar wrote:syadasti wrote:RIM's growth is long term and sustained. They are well proven.
Nice edit speed there. RIM's stability is likely because they work for the Gove.ment, not just big buisiness.
They've expanded to the consumer market also - Pearl, Curve etc however the iPhone is the better multimedia device. Most consumers don't realize they can just get a RIM device and add 8GB to it for $25 which takes care of the primary multimedia concern - music.
syadasti wrote:derFunkenstein wrote:are you guys the same person? You're arguing awfully fast...
I'm one of the original TR editors, I invented the Shortbread format
My first PC was a IIc, I was a sucker who bought into the Newton 120 scam, and I have a G4 mini.
derFunkenstein wrote:And I'm Santa Claus. That means nothing; you could be adi too.