More on Cell Phones.

This is gonna be a bit harsh. Maybe I'm off my head for thinking this. Or, maybe it's just time that someone stood up for the average consumer once again.

Every cell phone has a unique IMEI and Serial number. With the combination of these two number they KNOW where and when the cell is used again. You may get it blacklisted from your current provider BUT, once it's unlocked, they can use it at any other provider. And, now you have to either buy a new phone from them at retail, buy a new phone and pay a penalty including renewing your contract or you have to search craigslist for a new phone. This is WRONG! They are profiting from your misfortune. A blacklisted phone should be blacklisted globally or at the very least regionally. There is no reason at all that a blacklisted phone should be available for use by any other provider unless license is given.

With legitimate software and many hardware items that are computer related, you have to transfer license in order to maintain any sort of support. That means downloading updates or generally using a software or hardware that is registered to someone else.

With a car you have to transfer license in order to legally insure it.  This isn't something new. It's inconvenient but wouldn't you be happy to know that you could find your phone simply because someone tried to use it. Wouldn't it be nice if any incentive to steal your phone went out the window because they can't profit from it unless it's pieced out into parts?  Hey, I'd even pay a fee to recover my phone. Wouldn't you? Why aren't these provisions already made?

Someone is profiting from theft. That is ILLEGAL. They call a person who buys stolen goods a fence. So, what do you call a person who benefits from the sale of stolen goods?  A thief or indirectly, an accomplice The cell phone companies are accomplices to crime. They need to be brought to justice.

Let's help each other out to change this. Recovery of stolen goods is a NECESSARY service that should be provided WITHOUT QUESTION. Especially since it would be so simple to incorporate into an existing database.

Do you have a beef with the cell companies regarding a stolen phone? I want to hear about it. The more the better.


Perhaps it is time for a class action law suit. I'm dead serious. These corporations are taking advantage of us. Not because we are stupid but because they think that we are. And, they think that we don't have to cahones to speak up about it.

A New Low

Bruno Mars.

Need I say more? Seriously. Who signed this guy? Does he have an uncle in the music industry? He's a no talent hack. His songs are mediocre at best. I thought we got past that with Jewel. Even Jewel had one good song. Even if she didn't write it as it's credited.

Come on. You know that Jewel didn't write that song don't you? You've probably seen this before but here it is again:

Okay. So we know that Jewel didn't write that song from her own experience. We can tell that just from listening to her other songs. Prime example:

Alright. Sorry to put you through that. "You stood in the doorway besides some comment on the weather". Yeah. Classic. No. Not at all. Sappy. Not even poetic. Whiny. It just lends itself to butchered mockery.

Getting back to Bruno Mars and idiotic Lyrics: The Lazy Song? Marry You? It's high school drama? Even then, there are better writers in most high schools. Better song writers. Better musicians. Seriously. You don't have to go further than youtube.

Not a one of them over 20. The singer couldn't be 18.  These kids are not only good musicians, they write intelligent lyrics.

The Pop world needs to get a clue. Stop dumbing down the music. Stop force feeding feces to the masses. They don't enjoy it because they like it. They simply have no choice. There are no other options. Musicianship is trivial to these music execs. It's all about the numbers.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not all shred head. I firmly believe there is crap in all genres. Here's another high school band but something about them screams POSER! This should make you laugh out loud and maybe puke in you throat just a bit.

Truth be told, they're a pretty decent band but that video. UGH! It's a stinky ball of cheese.


Let that stew for a while.

iPhones and Theives.

Alright. Maybe I'm a little choked because my iPhone is gone.......again. I mean, this is the second time in 6 months. I'm seriously pissed off. It's not just that it's inconvenient. It's entirely unnecessary. Every cell phone has an IME number and a serial number. If I call in my iPhone stolen that should automatically go to a national or at the least, regional list so that anyone trying to hook up that phone will be nailed right away. Unlocked or not. If the IME and serial number are on the list, they shouldn't be able to activate it. PERIOD.

But, you and I know this isn't going to happen. Why? Because, the cell companies make a killing off of people replacing their lost and stolen phones. Why does everything have to be a cash grab? Why cant good service  and quality products be the draw?

No. Instead they profit from the misfortune of people and the dishonesty of others. Because, they could turn the phone in to a lost and found or return it to a Rogers store but that brings them nothing but a clean conscience. Instead they take it to some dusty little shop to get it unlocked, then sell it for cheap. Hey, they can even turn an iphone in to an Apple store and they will "fix" it for them so they can use it again. Thanks Apple. You guys rock. 

To the person who stole my phone: I hope you get a severe case of genital herpes, complicated by a severe case of syphilis. May you have gonorrhea so severe that only by peeing your pants would you dare to urinate.

Here's some reading in the meantime.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2368102,00.asp


http://iphonetheif.blogspot.com/2010/01/iphone-theif-bust.html

Here's more:

"Apple / AT&T Condone iPhone Theft?

By ThinGuy on Aug 29, 2008

Less than a week after getting my wife an iPhone 3G, it was stolen.  Here's what I've learned.  Neither AT&T nor Apple care that your phone was stolen.  AT&T will not black list the IMEI or SIM, meaning that whoever stole the phone can go right down to AT&T and get the phone switched over to their account with ZERO questions asked.
Apple will not black list the serial number and will allow it to be registered with iTunes, just by plugging it into the computer.
Even if you deactivate your phone service, the iPhone (either model) basically becomes a fully functional iPod Touch.
Condoning theft is a strong accusation, but it would be simple for either AT&T or Apple to brick the phone.   Furthermore they refuse to offer insurance on the iPhone (far more expensive phones are insurable) which begs the question why?  I'll tell you why, because AT&T get a new customer with the stolen phone locked into a two year contract, the theft victim has to continue paying for two years with no option but to pay full market price ($499 USD) to replace their phone AND get locked into another two year contract.  Luckily you can drop the 3G data plan at will, and luckily we still have her old Motorola RAZR.  Otherwise, we'd be out of luck and spending at least $150 USD on the most basic of phones.
The rotten cherry on top of this crap cake story is that I bought the phone with my Corporate American Express Card since that's the card I have on file with AT&T to pay my bill with.  American Express offers a great service called Buyers Protection that covers you from damage or theft in the first 90 days.  It's complimentary service available on every American Express Card...EXCEPT the Corporate Card.  Nice.
I've given both Apple and AT&T a lot of my hard earned money and they flat out don't care.  I honestly think "iPhone Theft" is viewed as another revenue stream for them."

http://blogs.oracle.com/ThinGuy/entry/apple_at_t_condone_iphone