Hi guys,

As I mentioned in a previous thread, I decided to try to buy an iPhone while over here in the US.

I'm actually in Canada (where they don't yet sell the iPhone), but was visiting Niagara Falls so decided to make a quick dash to Buffalo, which had the nearest Apple Store.

Walked in and saw a bunch of boxes behind the sales girls girls (they're all using these mobile EFTPOS things now...actually pretty cool!)

Gave a BS story about "I heard the 1.1.2's have problems, so I'm after a pre-week 45 and can I please check the serial numbers on a few boxes to see?"

The first girl said "Umm, do you mean the 1.1.2's have problems being unlocked?" to which I replied "Ummm...yeah. "

She handed me one (a week 46) and said "I don't know how you'd check, what are you looking for?" I pointed out the 4th and 5th digits, and said I was looking for one pre-week 45.

She took it back and said "These are all fairly new, sorry, don't think we can help you."

Got chatting a bit (about Australia of course. Always a conversation point...one of them was saying how much she loves Australia etc...) and I dropped in that I used to work at an "Apple Store" in Australia (well, AppleCentre, closest thing we have atm). Asked again if she'd mind looking at a few more boxes, to which she replied "I really don't know how you're going to tell. Is it the IMEI you're looking at?" and picks up a week 41!

Now the funny part though...after telling her "Yep, I'll take that one!" she goes off to her computer for 5min, does some Googling, comes back and says "The 4th and 5th digits of the s/n represent the week. This is a week 41. Is that what you want?"

So after the usual "this will void your warranty" spiel, she added in "...but good luck with it!", processed the sale and I was on my way.

Now to get this thing unlocked...

Thanks to everyone for all the help.

Cheers,
- Febs.

Febs: http://jailbreakme.com

It'll do it all from the website on 1.1.1


Well done.

Thats brilliant see you talk to the Apple store folk nicely and they will help you.

Good luck on the unlocking we have great tutorials up now so the process is dead simple.

Nice story, shame she didn't listen to you when you pointed out the serial (and then decided to waste 5mins to google the information you already knew about).

I remember doing something similar with a PSP of course the store people had no clue, but I guess they only get paid to sell it (and not know anything about the product).

I have found that Americans have a problem with accents other than their own. One personal example happened whilst on holiday in Hawaii. I spent 10 minutes just trying to explain that I would like to book a reef dive for 10am the next day. The woman I was speaking to was actually from mainland USA and she didn't understand what I was talking about until a local (true) Hawaiian guy repeated what I had said... word for word.

Well done on getting over the language barrier and getting the desired result

You missed the most vital piece of information:

Was she cute?



(Just kidding, folks.)

Bugger. The hotel wireless isn't working on it (it's an open network, but one you then authenticate through a website). It find the WiFi network, has decent signal strength and gets an IP/DNS servers/etc.. perfectly well, but Safari gives:

for all websites (even Google). I even tried setting the proxy to auto, no luck.

Will try to find another Wireless network tomorrow, and see how we go.

Cheers,
- Febs.

Go to Starbucks and use the free WiFi to unlock your phone

Awesome idea, completely forgot about Starbucks, thanks! There's one a few km away with WiFi. Lunchtime tomorrow, too easy!

Cheers,
- Febs.

Starbucks doesn't give you free wifi. They give free access to wifi for the iTunes Store only as far as i know.

How do you go about cancelling the contract with the iphone? Don't you have to sign up with AT&T?

You should've bought a few, brought them back here and paid for your trip! Hell, I'd have bought one!

Heh, yeah I know that now.
Looked for other wireless networks but really didn't have a choice, so paid for WiFi at Starbucks. Unfortunately my colleague has a T-mobile account I could've used, but Starbucks here in Canada use Bell. Had to pay twice too - first time to Jailbreak, second time to download AnySim (had to rush back after jailbreaking as was late for a meeting).

Annnyway, long story short, I've now got a working unlocked iPhone and I absolutely LOVE IT! Such a fantastic phone. The biggest deterrent for me was always the size, and I actually think I prefer it! Sure it's wider/taller than my K750i, but being so much slimmer it actually sits in my pocket much better.

Loving the accuracy of the touchscreen too, and it's quick, intuitive, and generally awesome. Only things I don't like are those which I knew I wouldn't like - lack of MMS (specifically, receiving) and a pretty average camera. Still, I can live with it.

Quick question though - can I link it with iTunes on one computer, then remove that relationship and join it to iTunes on another computer, without having to wipe the whole phone (unlike the iPod?) I don't mind wiping my Mp3s etc... but don't want to lose my settings.

Reason I ask is - I only have my PC laptop over here with me, but when I get home I'd like to link it with iTunes on my Mac.

Thanks all. This is a seriously awesome phone. Oh and the charge came through on my CC today - $501AUD. Not too bad...would've been slightly cheaper in another state, but there's always the risk that I wouldn't have found another <week 45.

Ha, I'm actually going back tomorrow as my colleague wants one (I'm going to unlock it for her). I was seriously considering buying another one, but I'm a bit concerned that, on the off chance, Apple might release a 3G, or newer, or cheaper version, and I'll be stuck with something I can't sell. I'm sure it wouldn't happen this close to Christmas, but you never know....

Cheers,
- Febs.

Awesome work, that Febs charm never fails hey?

[EDIT] Yes to your question - if you mean using it like an iPod, that certainly works. You should be able to sync the iPhone-data to the second computer and simply change the playlists / albums etc that are put into the iPhone from iTunes/iPhoto etc...

Ha, seems it worked again tonight.

Went back with my colleague who wanted...a few. Spotted one of the girls from Sunday night, asked if she'd mind "helping me with a few more iPhones". She went over, grabbed the closest few boxes and said "these are week 41's. That's what you want right?"

She'd ordered them oldest at the front, newest (week 48's) at the back...they had 3 x week 41's left.

So yeah...don't bother trying to find a week 41 in Buffalo.

Cheers,
- Febs.