A Thank You to Apple for pushing the open source issue.

Hint for AT&T: Look The Other Way Or Shoot Self In Foot

They're selling unlocked iPhones in France now, and that should be interesting to see the reactions and how this affects the contract with Orange to be the exclusive European iPhone dealer/provider.

In the U.S., AT&T has the exclusive rights to offer the phone with their service only, but who can they go after here on both sides of the Atlantic? It's either after everyone who is violating their contract - individuals with unlocked phones, or vendors - or nothing. Apple has complied with its obligations to the best of its abilities, and AT&T is the only one here with anything to lose. They are the ones who are clipping the wings of the "Angel of the Age of Mobility" in the eyes of the informed public. They may as well have slapped an injunction on the Dalai Llama to get equal negative reaction. Perhaps Sony consultants moonlight for AT&T as well?

The New Economy chess match heats up a few more degrees.

If AT&T comes down on customers or vendors, they ain't gonna' have any left... If they do nothing, what do they actually have to lose? A few techie customers who go through the trouble of hacking?

Thank you, Steve Jobs and Apple, for pushing the issue of who owns what in today's economy. The implications industry-wide are astronomically positive. "You can't stop progress." I think that's one of the rare Old Economy ideas that translates into today, and nice to see it bite itself in the ass! And hopefully Apple itself gets it before it creates another Microsoft with its own proprietary strangleholds.

You're move, AT&Seeyawouldn'twannabeya!

http://www.hardmac.com/news/2007-10-12/

http://www.pcinpact.com/actu/news/39414-Leclerc-vente-iphone-debloque-999.htm

http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,...-941701,0.html

http://www.iphon.fr/