Apple had a similar myopia when the Mac was new.

What I dont get is how they can sell a PDA, what is basically a computer, and then tell me what kind of software I can run on it, and actually make so I can't.
Thats like telling me after I bought a Mac that I can't run MS Office on it...they dont approve. Or a game that Apple (or Microsoft) thinks is too violent...sorry. Wont run. Its just silly.

What I dont get is how they can sell a PDA, what is basically a computer, and then tell me what kind of software I can run on it, and actually make so I can't.

"Your product doesn't do everything I want it to! Waah! Make it do everything I want, for free or really cheap, and make it work with everything I want it to work with, or I'll say you're evil and condemn your business practices!"

Cost has nothing to do with it. (for me anyway) That new store charges for apps too. The difference is they are not subject to Apple's morality filter.

It makes perfect sense. Apple saves millions in customer support by making it difficult for less knowledgeable users to brick their phones. They also save themselves countless headaches from users complaining about inappropriate content. Finally, they are able to say they are discouraging behaviors their partners (AT&T and other providers) don't like (like VoIP, tethering, etc.).

At the same time, there are plenty of workarounds for folks who know what they're doing and are willing to risk voiding their warranty or bricking their phone. These people will still support Apple because they know the iPhone is the best platform and they can hack it to do whatever they want anyway. And if they screw up, Apple simply washes their hands of them.

If you think Apple is the bad guy with the tethering / MMS, you aren't paying attention.

The iPhone has been capable of these things for quite some time. AT&T is dragging their feet because they want leverage over Apple, because people blame Apple if their Apple device won't do it - even though the real problem is the network.

Nate summed it up perfectly, really.

Apple knows best.

At the same time, there are plenty of workarounds for folks who know what they're doing and are willing to risk voiding their warranty or bricking their phone. These people will still support Apple because they know the iPhone is the best platform and they can hack it to do whatever they want anyway. And if they screw up, Apple simply washes their hands of them.

This doesnt have anything to do with warranty issues...its money and control. They are pressing the feds to make modding your phone against the law. On claims of "cyber attacks" against cell phone towers.

Which people could do with ANY cell phone, really.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/07/jailbreak/

They are pressing the feds to make modding your phone against the law.

er, really? can you point us to something that says that?

Actually, I misunderstood. Apple is trying to use the DMCA to say its already illegal.

http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/02/apple-says-jailbreaking-illegal

The problem with tethering certainly appears to be AT&T's failure. The iPhone is quite capable of doing it -- even if not "jailbroken" -- and there are countless folks out there ready to pay an extra $10 or $20 a month for above-board tethering privileges. But AT&T doesn't seem to want their money, and so the users do it their own way, for free.

The AT&T-iPhone exclusive won't last forever. Thus, the current impasse won't last more than a year or two.

AT&T does not have the system capacity to handle all the tethering.

If tethering is your goal, there are cheaper alternatives using other GSM phones while using their $15 or $20/mo internet plans.

A long time ago, AT&T considered sophisticated software that would limit tethering to only those internet plans that authorized this use. Unfortunately, this was never implemented so just about any blue-tooth GSM Edge or 3G phone can provide this capability. Works for both locked and unlocked phones where AT&T has not altered the firmware capabilities.

The Apple fan-boy above is right in that Apple wants to work with its partners to assure that everything is copacetic. Except for the surplus of fart apps at the Apple Store.

If tethering is your goal, there are cheaper alternatives using other GSM
phones while using their $15 or $20/mo internet plans.

Nothing's cheaper than free. The iPhone on AT&T can do it for free -- and is doing it, for many people right now.

Note that Apple has complained to the copyright office about Jailbreaking, but hasn't actually filed any lawsuits over it, because they know that they won't get anywhere with it.

The DMCA has provisions specifically for "unlocking" phones for use with other carriers - it is explicitly allowed by the law.

Apple's complaint is that the "jailbreak" uses a modified Apple-written bootloader. Why the DMCA is brought up at all is a mystery to me, because this should fall under the law that already covers unauthorized derivative works, instead of the DMCA which mostly covers encryption and copy protection circumvention.

(I am not a lawyer, btw.)

AAPL bites App developer:
http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/10/riverturn-apple-applications-technology-internet-infrastructure-riverturn.html?partner=yahootix

BTW, it's still not too late to buy AAPL.