The iPhone 4 unlock software allows you to use your iPhone on any GSM carrier. The only problem: Planetbeing’s iPhone 4 unlock solution has not been released to the public. Furthermore, iPhone 4 has not yet joined the list of jailbreak solutions.

The tweet that bore the news about the iPhone 4 unlock achievement also boasted this photo of the unlocked iPhone:

Watch planetbeing showing off “the world’s first and only carrier unlocked American iPhone 4″ in this YouTube video he recently posted:

Will you attempt to unlock your iPhone 4?

iPhone 4 Unlocked is a post from Apple iPhone Review.

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An Advanced Search of the completed listings for “iPhone 4″ on eBay turns up results for over a thousand iPhones that have recently sold for anywhere between $985 to $2,650.

I estimated about 1,200 iPhone 4s were sold between June 29 and July 12 in the price range of $999 to $2,650. The vast majority of those sold for somewhere between $950 and $1,200.

The ones selling in the $2,000 ballpark usually claim to be unlocked or “unlockable.” It remains tricky (if not impossible) to jailbreak and unlock an iPhone 4, so be wary if you expect an unlocked iPhone from an eBay seller.

I have yet to receive my iPhone 4 in the mail, and will be waiting until August 5, according to my purchase confirmation email from Apple. If the eBay iPhone market is any indication, my patience will save me a considerable amount of money.

What’s the highest you would be willing to bid for an iPhone 4 on eBay?

iPhone 4s on eBay Selling for $1,000 to $2,500 is a post from Apple iPhone Review.

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If you are like me and many other AT&T iPhone customers, you have logged on to Apple.com to find out how much a new iPhone 4 will cost you, and you have been startled by the exorbitant price tag. Apple ads say the iPhone 4 starts at $200/$300, but the fine print reveals that this discount price applies only to new AT&T contracts.

If you’re like me, your heart stopped as an unanticipated $700 price tag forced you to reconsider your iPhone 4 purchase. Well don’t get discouraged just yet. There is still hope for getting a cheaper iPhone 4, if you’re willing to ask a friend or family member for a favor.

Read on to find out how to save $200 on an iPhone 4 with the help of a close friend or family member:

Disclaimer: This story is for entertainment purposes only. I encourage everyone to abide by all the terms and conditions of their AT&T contracts. This article is not to be construed as counsel or advice. Attempt any of the following at your own risk.

First, let me outline some of Apple and AT&T’s iPhone rules and regulations.

Apple’s rules for iPhone 4 sales in the US:

• As most of you know, iPhone remains exclusive to AT&T as of this writing. That means you are not officially allowed to use another carrier on your iPhone. Note: It is not against the law to use another carrier. You can do so by jailbreaking then unlocking your iPhone, but be aware it will void your warranty.
• If you purchase an iPhone at your local Apple Store, you must activate it (i.e. link it with an AT&T account via iTunes) in the store at the time of purchase.
• If you are on a family plan, the primary account holder must go to the Apple Store to purchase iPhones for any of the other family members on the account.
• If you purchase an iPhone online, it must be shipped to the address of the primary account holder.

AT&T’s rules for iPhone 4 sales:

• AT&T will subsidize the cost of an iPhone 4 and offer it to new contract signers at $200 for the 16gb model or $300 for the 32gb model.
• AT&T offers “early upgrade” eligibility to certain users, meaning they can get a reduced price on a new iPhone 4. Early upgrade eligibility is determined by several factors in addition to your contract length, according to ZDNet’s guide to iPhone upgrade policies:
  

  AT&T takes into account your spending level, whether you are a good customer who pays his bill on time, and how far you are into your contract to determine whether you can upgrade early. AT&T has said that it will allow existing iPhone customers who are eligible for an upgrade between June 7 and the end of this year to get the best pricing for the iPhone 4 with a two-year term commitment.

• Upon purchasing the iPhone 4, you must select a data plan for your account. All iPhone customers must have a data plan.

As you can see, Apple and AT&T make it considerably difficult and nearly impossible for people to buy iPhones that are not linked to your own AT&T account. But there are ways to get around this.

How to Get a Cheaper iPhone 4

Imagine this scenario:

You have a friend or family member who is one of those “non-tech” people that is perfectly content with a modest cell phone with basic functionality. In my case, this person could be my mother. She has a basic camera phone that she is happy to continue using with her AT&T account, which has always served her well.

If you have a spouse, family member, or close friend who fits this description, they may be able to help you get a $200 discount on the iPhone 4, assuming you are in the position to pay $600/$700 with your own AT&T account.

Now imagine my mother has early upgrade eligibility and is allowed to purchase the iPhone for $400/$500 instead of $600/$700. I send her a $427 (with taxes) check for a 16gb iPhone 4, she purchases the iPhone and links it to her phone number, mails it to me and I place my SIM card in and activate it with my phone number.

As a result, I get an iPhone 4 for $200 cheaper, and she goes back to her old cell phone.

A couple of caveats:

1. She has added a $15 data plan to her account, which she doesn’t actually need. To remove the data plan, we will call AT&T and simply tell them she has switched back to her old phone and no longer has any need for the data plan.
2. This may prevent her from getting an AT&T-subsidized cell phone in the near future.

Does This Work?

Yes. Although the thought never occurred to me in previous years, my friend recommended I do this after learning about it from one of his friends who works at AT&T. Many people are on family plans, so it is easy to do this “bait and switch” with a family member who does not care to get a fancy phone. Even if you are not on a family plan, this should still work. My friend has successfully reduced his iPhone price with this method a couple of times already.

Is This Allowed?

To the best of my knowledge, the above strategy is not illegal, though it may technically go against your AT&T contract (who knows? did you actually read the whole thing?). According to ZDnet’s iPhone upgrade guide, this is a tricky issue:

Let’s say that I have an iPhone 3GS. I’m not eligible for an upgrade, but my husband who is on my family plan and has an LG flip phone is eligible for an upgrade. Can I use his upgrade to get a new iPhone 4 for $199 or $299 for myself?
This is tricky. Technically, the answer is no. The upgrade is only for the subscriber whose contract is expiring. But a way to get around this is to “replace” the old LG phone with the iPhone 4. Then you can switch the phone numbers and continue to use the LG phone and reduce the service on that line.

Source: Demistifying AT&T’s iPhone upgrade policies (FAQ)

Who Should You Ask for the Favor?

It takes a generous person to do this for you, and that’s why I recommend only asking people who are close to you and who you think would not mind doing you the favor. Ask someone who is not tech savvy and is perfectly content with a basic cheap phone. I have a few friends and family members who just don’t care to have an iPhone or a new cell phone. These are the perfect candidates to ask.

Conclusion

Again, please attempt this at your own risk. However, it is a shortcut that has worked for a friend of mine and that I expect would work for me, based on the research I have done.

Let me know if this works out for you and if you have any other tips for saving money on a new iPhone.

How to Get a Cheaper iPhone 4 With the Help of a Friend or Family Member is a post from Apple iPhone Review.

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I have noticed in the last couple months that my iPhone 3GS home button is growing gradually unresponsive. Whereas a light click used to activate my home button without fail, the same amount of pressure now goes unnoticed by the iPhone. I now have to press harder for the home button to respond to my touch, and the constant double-tapping required to bring up iOS4′s app switcher places noticeable stress on my thumbs.

The home button issue was raised by a user in the MacRumors forum in November 2007, and the thread contains 4 pages of related complaints from iPhone customers with faulty home buttons. The complaints range from first-gen iPhone to 3G to 3GS users, though I have found no reports about an iPhone 4 home button issue as of this writing. It may be too early to tell.

Although the weaker home button on my iPhone 3GS has been apparent for a couple of months, it was never a huge inconvenience since I normally only tapped the home button once at any given time. Now that the iOS4 update has brought multitasking to the iPhone, the double-clicking required to activate the feature makes the home button problem that much more aggravating.

Pushing towards the bottom of the home button seems to work better, though not reliably.

These days, using my iPhone for a long period of time reminds me of the sore thumbs I had as a kid after playing too many video games. This is not a good sign, given the hand health risks associated with video gaming. No one deserves to get carpal tunnel syndrome from their iPhone, yet the possibility is a real one if Apple has not improved this issue with the iPhone 4.

I have not yet attempted to take my iPhone to the Apple Store, since there is no store in my town and my expired warranty has discouraged me from driving to a distant Apple Store only to be turned away. Although I will soon switch to an iPhone 4 (still awaiting delivery), I would like to sort this issue out if possible so that I can get a good price for my iPhone 3GS when I sell it on eBay.

Is Your iPhone Home Button Faulty, Too?

Is your iPhone home button less responsive than when you originally got the phone? If you were able to solve the home button issue, I would love to know your advice for fixing it.

iPhone Issue: Home Button Hard to Press, Losing Sensitivity Over Time is a post from Apple iPhone Review.

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Update #1: Amanda of CraftyGalDecals has offered to donate 10 single packs of the iPhone 4 decal wraps. Leave a comment on this post to receive yours. Let me know if you have a color preference.

Not satisfied with Steve Jobs’ answer to the iPhone 4 antenna issue? To avoid blocking the antenna signal when holding the iPhone 4 left-handed, Jobs says simply “stop holding it that way” or use a case. Gee, thanks. Jobs’ suggestions are not ideal fixes for many people, including Etsy seller CraftyGalDecals, who came up with her own smart solution to the iPhone 4 reception issue.

CraftyGal has devised a simple vinyl strip that blocks the conductivity from your finger from interfering with the iPhone 4 antenna. Although I have not tested the decals myself, they should theoretically work, considering an iPhone case has the same effect. As someone who sometimes likes to go without a case — to get the “real” iPhone experience, as Apple intended — I appreciate this alternative solution.

The decals come in a multitude of colors, and add style to your new iPhone without the need for a case. Plus they will protect the bezel of your iPhone 4. You can purchase them from the CraftyGalDecals Etsy store in single packs or in sets of three.

The seller has offered to donate a few decal sets to my readers, so leave a comment if you want one and I will select the winners by Tuesday, July 6. In exchange for the gift, I simply ask that you come back here and comment to tell me if the decal solved your iPhone 4 antenna problem.

Leave a comment below for a chance to win.

[Free Giveaway] Solve the iPhone 4 Antenna Issue With These Decal Wraps on Etsy is a post from Apple iPhone Review.

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My initial impression was that the iPhone 4 feels great in your hand. It’s slightly heavier, but the extra weight gives it a solid feel. What’s more, it has almost all of the features that I have been wanting for years.

iPhone 4 Camera

The camera quality is excellent when compared to my 3GS, and the HD video quality is stunning. My friend also showed me a movie he made in 5 minutes on the iMovie iPhone app, and it was impressive, considering it was made on a phone.

I also love Apple’s implementation of the flash options and the front-facing camera switcher in the Camera app. To enable the flash, disable it, or set it to Auto is as simple as tapping your preferred option at the top of the screen. Switching to the front-facing camera is also a matter of tapping once at the top of the viewfinder screen. And the LED flash itself seems to be of reasonable quality.

iPhone 4 Speaker

The speaker seemed to me to be louder and improved with regards to audio quality.

Other Observations

It was also just a pleasure to hold in my hand. Touching the buttons and using the interface was a characteristically-Apple experience. The speed was also noticeably improved, and iOS4 is a great acquaintance to the iPhone 4. Folders and multitasking were meant for iPhone 4.

I didn’t get to make any calls or use any apps, but overall the experience was undoubtedly superior to the iPhone 3GS. While I have been plenty critical of past iPhones, with the iPhone 4 there is less to complain about — though, don’t worry, I will have plenty to critique once I receive mine in the mail and begin to actually use it. Nevertheless, to me it seems that the iPhone has finally come of age. If the iPhone were a human male, I would say that after three years of growth and experience, iPhone 4 is now, at last, a man.

No one is without flaws, however, and I am sure I will become acquainted with the iPhone 4′s weaknesses given some time. But overall I am impressed and almost proud to see that this device, which I have scrutinized and observed since its infancy, has finally grown up.

(Of course, let’s not forget there have been issues reported that should make any reasonable person hesitate to spend hundreds on the iPhone 4.)

Here are some more photos, taken with my 3GS:

What Do You Think?

Do you agree with my initial impressions of the iPhone 4? Is it all it’s cracked up to be? I would love to know what you think.

iPhone 4: First Impressions [Review] is a post from Apple iPhone Review.

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You may have heard of the critical issues facing a number of iPhone 4s as early as launch day. Most notably, many iPhone 4 owners report a diminished cellular signal when holding the phone by its left bezel (where the antenna is located), others report shattered phones (not just displays), and some people have even had seemingly-permanent yellow spots on their iPhone 4 displays.

Should You Be Worried?

Let me say right off the bat that the iPhone has always had issues, and some of its problems are unresolvable. The iPhone is a stunning piece of hardware, but even Apple engineers can’t create a perfect product. My previous iPhones have suffered from a faulty dock connector, an echoing earpiece, shattered glass, a stained bezel and lately a weakened home button on my 3GS. It is inevitable that iPhone 4 will have its issues, too, especially over time.

Luckily, most of the time I had a problem (with the exception of the shattered glass incident), I got a replacement iPhone from the Apple Store for free. If your iPhone 4 has a serious issue, you will likely have no problem getting a replacement from Apple, as long as the incident is within the terms and timeframe of the warranty. Yes, you may be inconvenienced if you buy a faulty iPhone 4, but in most cases Apple will probably accommodate you and replace your phone without a problem. My experience with the Apple Store Geniuses has overall been positive.

Still, it is worth evaluating the claims made about faulty iPhone 4s, so that you can decide whether or not to take the plunge and buy the new iPhone just yet.

Here is my evaluation of the three main iPhone 4 issues, according to my research and best judgment. Note: As of this writing, I have yet to get my own iPhone 4.

1. Yellowing Screen

Some of the alleged problems may actually be non-issues. Consider the Apple support tech who said the yellowing on some screens is “residue from manufacturing” that will disappear in a short time.

Then again, other support technicians told customers to replace their yellowed phones at the Apple Store. We will have to see if these yellow marks disappear over time.

2. Weak Signal

The antenna in the bezel seems like a more serious problem. Many iPhone 4 owners report that covering the bottom left side of the iPhone with your palm or fingers causes you to lose reception and transmission.

Ironically, Apple placed the antenna in the iPhone 4 bezel in an attempt to improve cellular signal, but the placement is affecting the signal when the bezel comes into contact with your hands. However, when you put a case (or an Apple Bumper) on the iPhone 4, the signal issue goes away.

Could this antenna issue trigger a recall of iPhone 4′s? In my opinion, it is doubtful that Apple will admit to the problem, but if they do, I imagine they will simply tell you to put a case on your phone. We’ll see.

Update: Steve Jobs’ response to an inquiry on the issue: “Just avoid holding it in that way.” Or use a case.

3. Cracking Glass

iPhone has a history of cracking, and it seems the problem could be worse this time around, since the entire body is now made of glass.

One iPhone 4 owner, Jared Franklin, shattered the rear glass on his new iPhone after dropping it on the same day he received it. Ouch!

I shattered the glass display of my iPhone once, and it cost me $250 at the Apple Store to replace it. Now I have to worry about the back of my iPhone 4 as well as the front!?

Judging by the amount of comments from my readers on that post who also cracked their iPhone screens, it looks like Apple is going to make even more of a killing off of the poor iPhone 4 users who drop their devices.

Don’t expect much to be done about this issue. Apple never has, and probably never will, admit that they are creating easily crackable iPhones. They will simply blame your “negligence” and make you cough up a couple hundred more dollars.

Time Will Tell

Clearly, the question of the iPhone 4′s reliability is a bit hazy right now. There have been early reports of potentially serious issues, but only time will tell whether these problems will plague a significant number of iPhone 4s.

For this reason, if you haven’t yet bought an iPhone 4, I would urge you to consider waiting 2 or 3 weeks to see how all this pans out.

Who knows? Maybe given enough complaints, Apple will acknowledge the antenna issue and correct future shipments. And maybe the yellow hue will disappear and the iPhone 4 screens will be undamaged afterall. But… don’t expect much to be done about the glass — cracked iPhone screens are a common occurrence, and Apple rarely shows mercy when it comes to replacing iPhones that have cracked.

As for me, I am not going to lie and say that I am waiting for the problems to go away before I buy the new iPhone. I actually called all around town today and learned that the iPhone 4 is sold out everywhere. I decided not to pre-order when I read claims that Apple would ship pre-ordered iPhone 4s a week late, but now I am without the new iPhone while preorders actually arrived a day early for many people.

Despite the issues, the iPhone 4 is a remarkable piece of hardware. If you haven’t gotten a chance to drool over it yet, go check out TiPB’s iPhone 4 gallery.

What is Your Experience?

Have you gotten an iPhone 4 yet or will you wait to see if the issues are resolved? Whether you have or have NOT had problems with your new iPhone 4, I would love to hear about your experience in the comments.

How Serious Are the Reported iPhone 4 Issues? is a post from Apple iPhone Review.

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iOS4 brought some much-needed improvements to the iPhone in terms of app management. Now, apps can be grouped into folders and a multitasking panel lets you switch among active apps (for 3GS users only). The problem is, these features are underwhelming additions to a platform that should have had these capabilities as soon as the App Store was introduced.

Apple should have added folders to iPhone two years ago. What they should be doing at this point is paying attention to the details and making the app management process more fluid.

App Management & Notification Handling

As I began to drag app icons from page to page to organize my folders, I wondered why that process is so difficult. I had to move each app, one by one, across pages to its destination folder. Why can’t Apple simply apply the same select/copy/paste system to icons to make organizing apps a cinch?

Another thing that’s sorely missing from the iPhone is a notification handling system. The iPhone is far too advanced to be missing this feature. Right now, if I get a notification for an item in my Todo list and I close it, I will never see that notification again. iPhone is in desperate need of a notification handling system (like Facebook) so that I can keep track of my many notifications. If I choose to be notified about something, then it’s obviously important enough to me to be kept in a list of recent notifications.

Too Little, Too Late?

It seems to me that Apple did not think ahead when it introduced the App Store. When the iPhone came out, everyone cried for third party apps and Apple told us to use web apps.

Then, the App Store hit the iPhone and you quickly had a mess of icons cluttering pages and pages of your iPhone. Furthermore, to this day you are still forced to keep Apple’s default apps on your iPhone, even if you don’t need them. I never use Stocks, Contacts or Weather yet I can’t delete them. How arrogant of Apple to force us to keep their rarely-updates junk apps.

Conclusion

Folders and multitasking are great, but Apple, please give us the following to make using the iPhone a better experience:

1. Let us grab and drag multiple apps at once to organize into folders.
2. Let us choose to delete default apps that are useless to us, like Stocks, Weather and Contacts in my case.
3. Give us a history of notifications so that we can keep track of our important items.

These are the features I hope to see in the iOS 4.1 iPhone update.

What Say You?

Are folders enough or does iPhone still need some app handling improvements?

iPhone Still Needs Better App Management, Notification Handling is a post from Apple iPhone Review.

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I assume you already know about the major features in the iOS4 iPhone update like multitasking and folders, but what small changes has Apple made to the iPhone in this update?

Here are the seven iOS4 features that have intrigued me the most — note: I own an iPhone 3GS:

1. Whenever music is playing in the background, you can bring up rewind, fast-forward and play/pause controls by swiping right in the multitasking panel. (To go to the multitasking panel, double-tap your home button.)
2. To lock your iPhone into portrait (vertical) orientation at any point, go to the multitasking panel by double-tapping your home button, swipe right, then tap the lock to fix your iPhone’s orientation in portrait mode.
3. To add Bing as your default search engine, go to Settings >> Safari >> Bing. I am not a fan of Bing myself, but Apple has added Microsoft’s search engine to the iPhone for those of you who are.
4. A section has been added to the Settings to add or remove certain types of searches from Spotlight Search. For example, you can now exclude notes and messages from Spotlight for privacy or convenience purposes.
5. You can now turn off all cellular data in Settings >> General >> Network. Whenever I’m low on battery, I temporarily turn off 3G, but EDGE always used to remain on. Now, I can turn off all cellular data to preserve my battery for important uses only.
6. If someone who is in your Contacts emails you, you will see their photo next to the subject heading.
7. Perhaps the coolest “mini-feature” is the ability to zoom in the camera viewfinder. Simply tap the screen when in Camera and a zoom bar will appear at the bottom. Slide the zoom bar to zoom in and out.

What do you like most about the latest iOS4 iPhone update?

Seven iOS4 Mini-Features You May Not Be Aware of is a post from Apple iPhone Review.

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First, download the latest iTunes update 9.2 via the Apple website.

Connect your iPhone to your computer via USB and open iTunes. Navigate to the “iPhone” in the left-hand sidebar and click “Update.”

iTunes will prompt you with a notification that iOS4 is now available. Click Download & Install to install it automatically.

The installation wizard will show you a list of features in iOS4. Click next and agree to the Software License Agreement.

You will be asked whether to create a backup of your iPhone. I recommend that you create a Backup so that you do not lose any of your data.

iTunes will begin downloading iOS4. Be patient, it is a 378 MB download.

From there iTunes will backup your iPhone and install the latest iPhone software update.

Look forward to multitasking, folders, customizable backgrounds and much more. Let me know how you like iOS4.

iOS4 iPhone Update Now Available: How to Download & Install is a post from Apple iPhone Review.

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