Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Software, Odds and ends
Rumor: Apple and AT&T working on tethering deal
But now the rumor mill says that last one might just have been removed because Apple is planning a tether solution of their own. Gizmodo claims that one of their readers is corresponding with His Steveness himself (a fact we find obviously dubious, but hey it's Friday of Labor Day weekend, so we'll give 'em a pass). You'd think that Steve Jobs would reveal the fact that AT&T and Apple were trying to offer a tether solution through a slightly better venue than a quickly jotted "Sent from my iPhone" email, but remember how we first heard about the SDK -- the man knows how to stick important pieces of news in strange places.
The original emailer mentioned tethering for the fee of an extra $30 a month (which seems exorbitant considering that Netshare did it for a one-time charge), but then again, AT&T's networks are going to get even more waterlogged should something like this come down. So odds are if Apple does work out a deal, it's not going to be cheap.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Neil said 2:47PM on 8-29-2008
The thing that frustrates me about stories like this is that iPhone is now available in WAY more countries than those which are served by AT&T. Perhaps those making up these ridiculous rumours would do well to think of this before opening their mouths.
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LuminousNerd said 5:21PM on 8-29-2008
You're a side market. I'm sorry, but the US is easily the main marketplace for the iPhone. I'm not saying you don't matter, but when it comes to business, all the other markets combined probably don't add up to the value of the US market right now.
Just be happy you have it at all, and when people talk about stuff that only applies to AT&T, ignore it or something. Chances are, you'll get something similar as well, if it happens here.
But, as I said in my comment below, I really hope this doesn't actually happen.
Bassir said 5:29PM on 8-29-2008
This is the United States of America.
The United States of Ameirca, man.
Leo M. said 7:23PM on 8-29-2008
of course the U.S. is the largest market for this phone
in Europe, they/we don't tolerate everything being locked down...all the way from the actual phone to bluetooth crippling (it's amazing what we/those Amercians tolerate)
-Leo swiss/american
Nick said 2:59PM on 8-29-2008
$30 a month?
That doesn't sound like a plan, that sounds like a punitive fee. I can't imagine who's going to pay it, considering the increasing ubiquity of free WiFi on the road these days. I pay $5 more than that for 6Mb DSL from AT&T, and that includes unlimited WiFi at any of their access points.
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PSM said 3:07PM on 8-29-2008
I guess it depends how easy it is. If it's 1-click kind of easy, well it sucks, but it would be a lot more convenient than the current jailbreak method, which still requires the (one-time) purchase of other software. The iPhone plan is still cheaper than other smartphone plans.
Aaron said 3:31PM on 8-29-2008
Keep in mind too that it's $30/mo for 5GB. That's $6/GB, and if you go over that 5GB cap AT&T will terminate your service all together and charge you a $200 ETF, and then require you to createa whole new account, requiring another credit check, and starting your 2-year agreement all over again.
LuminousNerd said 5:25PM on 8-29-2008
If it's expensive, that's how it should be if they're going to have it at all. That way people who want it bad enough can get it, while everyone and their dog won't be getting it just for the hell of it and slowing down the entire 3G network by 500%.
THJ said 7:43PM on 8-31-2008
Cheaper than my 60$/mo aircard. Also, the guy who is talking about being disconnected and charged an ETF for using more than 5GB/mo is full of it, imo. I go through a ton of data on my aircard, often in excess of 5GB a month, and I have not heard a peep from ATT.
Michael said 3:52PM on 8-29-2008
I'll stick with Netshare, seeing how I got it the last night it was up on the app store, and to be honest it works very well. I am NOT paying 30 bucks extra for crappy 3G service, considering for the last 10 days its been up and down with AT&T in my area. I went to the local corp store and they said there working on the towers, than walked around the store and noticed all the demo 'LIVE" phones had NO 3G just edge and that was it .
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Some Dude said 3:07PM on 8-29-2008
Well, it looks like someone's been getting some use out of the Comic Life software that comes bundled with their Mac. It looks like we've been browsing Gizmodo as well, hmmm ?
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TUAWTF said 3:12PM on 8-29-2008
Seriously TUAW, what is happening here?
For the last week this website has been nothing but recycled stale material from around the same circle of tech blogs....someone is asleep at the wheel and we are a fickle bunch, unlikely to remain interested in old news for long.
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Victor Agreda Jr said 4:29PM on 8-29-2008
So you missed our back to school posts, Ask TUAW, Aunt iPhone, Talkcast, First Looks, Terminal Tips, Mac 101's, Fave iPhone/touch/Mac apps and tip-based posts, eh?
Sorry, we'll try to crank up the original content from now on.
LuminousNerd said 5:27PM on 8-29-2008
I don't know about everyone else, but I sure as hell don't read TUAW because they come out with news fast! I ****ing hate blogs and news organizations that are all about "get it out fast". It's seriously f***ed up. TUAW does a good job of presenting the information. I don't frickin care if it's a day late.
Buzz off. Go watch Fox news you little bastard.
TUAWTF said 7:03PM on 8-29-2008
Buzz off? Fox News? Bastard?
That's comical, passive-aggressive internet manboy (defined as someone with balls appropriate for bowling when behind a keyboard, but socially stunted and unable to deliver when not).
You had a point right up until then...
It's not about speed, but at the end of the day once you've read an article you've read it, and there really is no need to re-read it a day later, is there? I would bet it's safe to assume that most TUAW readers are active on the rest of the sites within this set, so chances are that day old news has already been read by a fair amount of visitors here.....so it strikes me as filler to post it.
Believe me I visit TUAW probably 50 times a day, it's always open on my desktop and I refresh often. I've directed people here. I'm a fan. An avid reader. Which is why a trend of increasingly niche content (back to school? What portion of your audience is actually going back to school?) is a little disappointing, combined with news I've already read on tours through other websites...it's all a little meh lately. So I posted.
And Luminous, reading your other posts, you should probably get out more, read a few books, expand your horizons, travel even, your contributions are a little.....how should I say.......ohhhh.......juvenile.
Peace.
THJ said 7:47PM on 8-31-2008
You obviously care enough about TUAW to make multi-paragraph comments about their posts.
Do what the rest of us do if we see an article we don't care for, or have read elsewhere - SKIP IT.
Seriously, it's a difference of 15 seconds versus 15 minutes. Is your time really that worthless?
Michael Jones said 12:25AM on 11-07-2008
"What portion of your audience is actually going back to school?"
Those with kids themselves or in their family? Maybe one of the readers would like to buy their daughter, son, niece or nephew a new computer? Lots of teachers use Apple hardware too, you know.
Sure, sometimes the articles posted here are somewhat filler and may not interest everyone. Just skip them and read what does interest you then... there is more than enough content for everyone. Besides, not everyone who reads this blog frequents all things Apple, and most readers probably don't mind seeing a story repeated here and there, it tends to happen when you have several places covering a central topic.
If you have a suggestion for ways TUAW can improve, why not try suggesting them nicely instead of going off in a rant? Just a thought.
(01) said 3:12PM on 8-29-2008
Intrestingly enough, Apple only has two apps out on the store currently:
Remote and Texas Hold 'Em (?). It would be nice to see some more "1st party" apps, but you're right, this one is going to cost...
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LuminousNerd said 5:18PM on 8-29-2008
At first, I was totally against either company stopping us from tethering if we want to. We pay for unlimited data right?
But after how much slower 3G has gotten (for everyone, not just iPhone owners) ever since the iPhone 3G came out, I hope to god they don't allow tethering.
3G will barely be faster than EDGE if people are also surfing via their computers.
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PSM said 6:34PM on 8-29-2008
Well in theory I guess that $30 could be put towards upgrading their towers to support the traffic created by tetherers. They need to get their act together now as it is. Like they're all shocked at the way this has turned out -- "OMG you mean if we release a 3G iPhone lots of people will buy it and use it?! We're so surprised at the level of network traffic!" They've already shot themselves in the foot by being unprepared for this launch, because all people are hearing about is the 3G problems. Either way, AT&T blew it and needs more bandwidth. They might as well collect some extra money and add a lot more while they're at it.