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This day in Engadget history: The iPhone jailbreak era begins
Engadget has been around for 14 years and counting, which means our archives contain a veritable treasure trove of technology history. From notable reviews and news to the more mundane or ridiculous finds from across the internet, there's a lot to explore here. "This Day in Engadget History" will take you on a historical voyage as we look at what made the headlines in years past. Join us, won't you? It's definitely been a while since anyone seriously needed to jailbreak their iPhone. While undoubtedly some people still do, it seems like there's little need now that we've seen the tenth anniversary of the iOS App Store. There are plenty of apps these days and a whole different OS (Google's Android) for those who want something a little more customizable.
The Daily Roundup for 03.05.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
iPhone 5th anniversary: I stood in line all day for an iPhone and I also got this lousy t-shirt
Five years ago today, on June 29, 2007, I spent the entire day sitting in front of the Aspen Grove Apple Store in Littleton, Colorado. My mission? To be one of the first people to own an iPhone. I got the iPhone, and also a little souvenir that fortuitously appeared in my dresser this morning. I remember getting to the store shortly after 7 AM and being surprised by the length of the line already. About eighty people had made it into the line ahead of me, so not knowing what Apple's plans were for the new device, I was worried that I wasn't going to get one. I had my trusty Palm Treo 680 with me, and my major concern was that I was going to have to shut down my T-Mobile service. It was hot in the morning, as the front of the store faces east and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Many of us in line became friends as the day wore on, holding places while people skipped away to get food and beverages, go to the bathroom, or just alleviate boredom by going somewhere else. Looking back, Apple wasn't very prepared. Unlike today, when an iPhone line usually means that you're going to get a few free bottles of water and/or a muffin, I don't believe they handed out anything. However, there was a company (FastMac) that apparently saw something in this phone that Apple was creating, and they were handing out the t-shirts you see in the image above. I didn't even remember having that t-shirt, and by some quirk of fate it bubbled up from the depths of a drawer this morning, so I'm wearing it honor of that long, hot day. Did I also get an iPhone? Yes, but 6/29/07 was also the day that another Steve Jobs product -- Pixar's Ratatouille -- came out, and since we had to go stand in line at the theater for that movie, I didn't get to activate my iPhone until the next day. That actually ended up being a blessing in disguise, since Apple and AT&T had some real problems for the first few days getting phones activated. I'm now on my sixth iPhone -- each generation, plus a second iPhone 3GS to replace one that I lost -- and they keep getting lighter, slimmer, and more powerful. I wish I could say the same about myself, as this t-shirt seems a bit tighter than it did five years ago...
Dear Aunt TUAW: Is AT&T killing my iPhone?
Dear Aunt TUAW, I just received this text from AT&T: "Network changes may soon impact your 2G phone service. Exchange 2G phone @ AT&T store w/free 3G AT&T U2800A phone by 5/15 & avoid service impact." I wonder what this means? On the one hand, it's an excuse to get a new iPhone; on the other, I really wanted to hit the 5 year mark using this phone. :( It has served me well, even after an unpleasant fall into a toilet. Anyhow, I'm sure I'm not the only one still using the original phone. Is AT&T making my original iPhone unusable? :( Your loving niece, Lisa Dear Lisa, AT&T announced this policy about a year ago. If you want to keep using an iPhone, you can pick up a free 3GS from them in exchange for agreeing to a 2-year contract. Otherwise, you might consider buying one used from eBay. It will let you continue service sans contract, but be aware. Once you start using 3G service instead of EDGE, your monthly unlimited data will rise from $20 to $30 a month. You can, of course, accept their offer for the free U2800A phone -- but why give up your Apple iOS lifestyle? Hugs, Auntie T.
Steve Jobs apparently says original iPhone won't be upgraded in the future
Now that the iPad is out and iPhone OS 4 has been announced, it looks like Steve Jobs is taking a little time to catch up on his email -- in addition to taking up the new SDK rules, it appears he's very tersely confirmed what we sadly suspected all along: the first-gen iPhone won't get an upgrade to iPhone OS 4. That makes a certain amount of sense, given that Apple's subscription accounting model for the original iPhone only booked free upgrades for 24 months, but really, that's just paperwork -- we don't see why Cupertino couldn't at least allow for an iPod touch-style paid upgrade, especially since the upgradeable iPhone 3G runs essentially the same hardware. And let's not forget that first-gen iPhone owners paid more or less full price for their devices, so if this is true, Apple's summarily dead-ended a $400 phone just under three years after it launched. Of course, none of this is officially confirmed yet, so anything can change -- we've pinged Apple for comment and they haven't responded yet, but we'll let you know what we find out. [Thanks, Tanzeel]
TomTom updated to support iPod touch and original iPhone
Back in much simpler times, TomTom's navigation app had claimed compatibility with all iPhone and iPod touch models. Then suddenly, somewhere along the primrose path to publication, original iPhone and iPod touch support evaporated. But no more. TomTom's pushed an update that allows for turn-by-turn navigation, but of course, you'll still need the car kit to work. Was this the missing link between your $100 and owning this app? [Warning: iTunes link] [Thanks, Scott M]
