Apple to Gizmodo: Return That $5,000 iPhone 4G

[tayb]

[citation][nom]kingnoobe[/nom]Mlop this hasn't been proven to be stolen but lost. I suggest you read some. Also whos the freaking idiot that took a PROTOTYPE out of the office in the first place. Why on earth would you do such a thing. Also I suggest you read some of the other posts as one guy posted in cliff notes whats going on.So yes you would be an idiot if you prototype bike over to somebodys house *probably bragged about it* got drunk, then took a taxi home and forgot it.[/citation]

The guy is a baseband engineer. Hardly an idiot. Apple has a history of giving out prototype models to employees for testing out in the field. It's pretty clear that this is the case because of the great lengths Apple went to to make a case that made the device look like an iPhone 3GS. I bet there are hundreds of these out in the wild right now collecting data for Apple. They did the same thing with the previous generations.

 

[NuclearShadow]

As long as Gizmodo doesn't claim ownership and hands it over I doubt Apple could do anything. While there are laws against buying stolen property this isn't technically stolen it was lost and will no doubt be returned.

 

[ds1495]

Hah, apple just pulled off a great ad-campaign, and without even spending a dime...

 

[Clintonio]

[citation][nom]grieve[/nom]It was planted by apple... Cheap, easy advertising to get people thinking about the 4G/HD now so when summer comes everyone is ready to blow $800 to much for it. Its all hype, perfect advertising.Good deal for Giz too, $5k for 20mil hits = priceless.[/citation]

No, Apple does not advertise like this. Remember the iPad launch? THAT was Apple. This is something a company like VALVe would do. Apple did not orchestate this. But they probably did fire the poor employee.

[citation][nom]SevenVirtues[/nom]Did no one at Gizmodo realise that Apple has to actually prove that it is theirs.[/citation]

I expect they just don't want the whole fallout of holding one of Steve's rattles from him. The kind of epic tantrum that would ensue is enough to make any legal department scared.

[citation][nom]ds1495[/nom]Hah, apple just pulled off a great ad-campaign, and without even spending a dime...[/citation]

They didn't 'pull it off'. It fell off, and it definitely wasn't planned.

 

[mlopinto2k1]

[citation][nom]tayb[/nom]The guy is a baseband engineer. Hardly an idiot. Apple has a history of giving out prototype models to employees for testing out in the field. It's pretty clear that this is the case because of the great lengths Apple went to to make a case that made the device look like an iPhone 3GS. I bet there are hundreds of these out in the wild right now collecting data for Apple. They did the same thing with the previous generations.[/citation]Sunshine peeking through in a storm of crap. Thank you kind sir!

 

[mlopinto2k1]

[citation][nom]kingnoobe[/nom]Mlop this hasn't been proven to be stolen but lost. I suggest you read some. Also whos the freaking idiot that took a PROTOTYPE out of the office in the first place. Why on earth would you do such a thing. Also I suggest you read some of the other posts as one guy posted in cliff notes whats going on.So yes you would be an idiot if you prototype bike over to somebodys house *probably bragged about it* got drunk, then took a taxi home and forgot it.[/citation]When the rumors first came out I totally thought it was planted. Things are obviously different now.

 

[mlopinto2k1]

[citation][nom]kingnoobe[/nom]Mlop this hasn't been proven to be stolen but lost. I suggest you read some. Also whos the freaking idiot that took a PROTOTYPE out of the office in the first place. Why on earth would you do such a thing. Also I suggest you read some of the other posts as one guy posted in cliff notes whats going on.So yes you would be an idiot if you prototype bike over to somebodys house *probably bragged about it* got drunk, then took a taxi home and forgot it.[/citation]Also, it was lost.. then stolen.. then sold. The reason it was stolen? The person who sold it didn't return it to the rightful owner. He knew who it was. He wanted money for it. Just like a crackhead would.

 

[pojih]

[citation][nom]mlopinto2k1[/nom]Also, it was lost.. then stolen.. then sold. The reason it was stolen? The person who sold it didn't return it to the rightful owner. He knew who it was. He wanted money for it. Just like a crackhead would.[/citation]

Like some crack head? Really?

/sigh

 

[HappyBB]

Apple to Gizmodo: Return That $5,000 iPhone 4G.
Gizmodo to Apple: Over my dead body!

Ha ha ah!

 

[nottheking]

[citation][nom]Hellboy[/nom]and the question every one asking is..can it last a day with out a recharge.. my 3gs dont..[/citation]
To be honest, I've never heard of a phone that could go 24 hours of constant, actual use on a single charge. Heck, all the phones I've ever had only went a few days of 100% standby.

[citation][nom]SevenVirtues[/nom]Did no one at Gizmodo realise that Apple has to actually prove that it is theirs.[/citation]
Gizmodo doesn't actually care. The simple fact that Apple made a public demand for it back basically proved EVERYTHING Gizmodo said. They're a tech blog, so they don't want to OWN an iPhone 4G, they want to REPORT on it. And Apple has inadvertently given them EVERYTHING they could've dreamed of: being exclusively first in reporting on its existence, as well as reporting some of its specs. Cost to Gizmodo? $5,000US. Earnings? Probably >$100,000US in ad revenue, due to tens of MILLIONS of hits as a result. Oh, and they're now basically bookmarked in every single copy of Safari worldwide. All told, Gizmodo made off VERY well.

In short, Gizmodo wanted to return it, becayse they got more out of returning it than keeping it.

[citation][nom]mlopinto2k1[/nom]Also, it was lost.. then stolen.. then sold. The reason it was stolen? The person who sold it didn't return it to the rightful owner. He knew who it was. He wanted money for it. Just like a crackhead would.[citation]
No, it's hardly like a crackhead. To be honest, VERY few people feel morally beholden to be nice to massive, multi-national megacorporations, as the majority of people know that those megacorps sure as hell don't feel a moral obligation to be nice to them. Apple isn't like the poor kid who just got a bike for his birthday; most people know that Apple has a long-standing history of skirting intellectual property law. And after all, they're the one tech company people love to hate, perhaps even moreso than Microsoft.

Chances are, the guy who found it merely just wanted it to not be his problem. And If someone promises to both take care of it all for you, AND waggles $5,000US under your nose, chances are you'll be at least SLIGHTLY tempted. As much as so many people would like to claim they're immune to temptations against doing the "right" thing, when push comes to shove they're so EASILY manipulated with the right touch. And money certainly helps.

 

[DjEaZy]

... and you get feedback about the look's and what is there to improve...

 

[katmandude]

perhaps it's not the real 4G, perhaps it's a fake so that peopel will think that's it's real, to get attention away from the real 4G. u know, lose it, then oh my gosh somebody's found it and shown it...😉 rraaahhh spoiled our big next thing!... duuuuhhhh
honestly u think somebody as savvy as apple on the PR front would let one loose before M. J can spread the good word? yeah right, and obama's an alien, stalone is a girl and my aunt just painted mount rushmore pink....

 

[TwoDigital]

Let me know when they add a CDMA crypto chip so I can use one with Verizon... so long as it's GSM-only (and stuck to AT&T) it's still a fun toy with very spotty coverage around where I live.

 

[eddieroolz]

I could care less about Gizmodo, they're just Apple freaks publishing pseudo-tech news anyway.

 

[Guest]

Wonder what's going to happen to the Apple dude. Also are they going to go after the guy who sold the phone to Gizmodo for selling something that was "stolen" property?