Sprint drops price of 16 GB iPhone 4S to $149.99
Sprint has cut the price of the 16 GB iPhone 4S by $50 to $149.99.
The move comes about five weeks ahead of Apple's expected launch of the next-generation iPhone on Sept. 12.
Sprint is also offering free activation when buying the 16 GB iPhone 4S online, an added savings of $36, according to its website.
A Verizon Wireless spokeswoman said she didn't have anything to share on reducing the iPhone 4S price. AT&T said it has a refurbished iPhone 4S for $149, but nothing further to announce. Both carriers offer the same model for $199.99. All three carriers require a two-year service plan. Read more...
Jailbreaking may again become illegal this year
If you plan on jailbreaking your iPhone 4S using the new Greenpois0n Absinthe software, you better hurry because there's a chance jailbreaking smartphones could become illegal again in the United States. Two exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that allow you to jailbreak and unlock your phone are set to expire this year.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital rights group, is hoping to have both exemptions renewed. This time around, the foundation is also hoping to legalize jailbreaking for tablets and video game consoles such as the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. If the jailbreaking exemptions are not renewed, the foundation says, jailbreaking could carry some stiff penalties including hefty fines. Read more...
Caution: iOS 5, iCloud and the iPhone 4S in the enterprise
Apple's iOS 5 and the new iPhone 4S, which went on sale Friday, are packed with new features, many of which should boost the productivity and on-the-road capabilities of professional users. But, as with many consumer-oriented mobile platforms making their way into the workplace, iOS 5 and Apple's new iCloud service present some serious challenges in business environments.
Security issues involving iCloud and several other features will likely be the first things IT professionals weigh when it comes to iOS 5, which Apple rolled out last week. That's good, because even though Apple quietly provided some new enterprise features in iOS 5 that should make iPhones and iPads better corporate citizens, new concerns have emerged.
What to worry about
Out of the 200-plus new features in iOS 5, there are really just three that pose new security challenges: iCloud syncing and backup, location-based services like the new Find My Friends app, and the Siri virtual assistant in the iPhone 4S. Read more...
It’s not an iPhone 5, but so what?
To some people, Apple's new iPhone 4S isn't the complete overhaul they have been hoping for. Its model number, which doesn't include a "5," reeks of the status quo.
That's ridiculous.
Sure, the 4S doesn't render the iPhone 4 hopelessly obsolete, and on the surface they're nearly identical. But with a faster processor, new software, a voice-activated personal assistant and a souped-up camera, it's a major improvement over the current iPhone.
The 4S will be available Friday in black or white. It will cost $199 to $399, depending on storage space. It requires a two-year service contract with Verizon Wireless, Sprint or AT&T. Read more...