buying an iPhone

CyberDave

I am thinking of buying an iPhone off a guy in eBay. I have asked him to send me on additional photos so I can have a closer look. This is one of the photos: http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=d5df573c75&view=att&th=11ec647615e613de&attid=0.1&disp=inline&zw

I have noticed that the icons look different to most of the generic screenhsots of the iPhone screen on the net and some of them have different tag names. For example, the SMS icon has 'Write Text' written underneath instead of 'Text'. Do people think this is a genuine iPhone all the other photos look fine. This is the one doubt I have.

ps. I am taking the risk of buying on eBay, so no advice on this please. Thanks.

Random

Your link doesn't work, probably because it links directly into your gmail account.

Download the photo to your hard drive and then attach it to your post or else upload it to www.wthax.org and link to it here.

Do keep in mind though that he could be sending you photos he got off the internet himself and having photos proves nothing.

fbradyirl

Can't see that photo. It sounds like a fake though

PCPhoto

the link doesnt work .... its a link to your e-mail account (an attachment there i guess)

my advice - dont buy unless you are 100% happy its a genuine advert and use paypal so you are covered.

I've bought off ebay a couple of times - been stung twice.

CyberDave

Random

Looks different to the official ones

http://images.apple.com/home/2008/images/apple_iphone3g_20080701.jpg

The gap above the button at the bottom is bigger ?

Have you asked him specifically if it's an Apple iPhone?

godskitchen

Thats the fakest thing I have ever seen...........

Just out of interest, how much is he looking for?

Villain

Thats a fake Chinese one, don't buy it

CyberDave

godskitchen wrote: »

Thats the fakest thing I have ever seen...........

Just out of interest, how much is he looking for?

£359 Sterling. I knew it was too good to be true. Glad I have acted on my suspicions. Now I'm off to make him admit, it's a fake.

godskitchen

CyberDave wrote: »

£359 Sterling. I knew it was too good to be true. Glad I have acted on my suspicions. Now I'm off to make him admit, it's a fake.

They are only £40 more to buy from the UK (16Gb)........or £360 for the 8Gb......why even look at ebay?

CyberDave

godskitchen wrote: »

They are only £40 more to buy from the UK (16Gb)........or £360 for the 8Gb......why even look at ebay?

I'm looking for a Sim Free version.

godskitchen

CyberDave wrote: »

I'm looking for a Sim Free version.

With yellowsn0w they are all "sim free"

CyberDave

miju

defo a fake one. looks nothing like the ones on my iphone anyways

ironictoaster

It's defo a fake. Look how fat it is, it's looks like my 2g one.

CyberDave

godskitchen wrote: »

With yellowsn0w they are all "sim free"

If you unlock an iPhone with Yellowsn0w, is it possible to update the software? Where in the UK would you recommend buying from?

godskitchen

CyberDave wrote: »

If you unlock an iPhone with Yellowsn0w, is it possible to update the software?

Impossible to say right now, worst case, you have to wait a week for the dev team to crack it. Most updates from now on wont really be offering much, the latest 2.2 did not really bring to the show.

Any O2 or Carphonewarehouse to get one, if something did go wrong all you have to do is bring it back to the store and it will be sorted, no messing about with some ebay seller................and yes you can wipe the hand set and apple will never know it was yellownn0w'd.

CyberDave

godskitchen wrote: »

Impossible to say right now, worst case, you have to wait a week for the dev team to crack it. Most updates from now on wont really be offering much, the latest 2.2 did not really bring to the show.

Any O2 or Carphonewarehouse to get one, if something did go wrong all you have to do is bring it back to the store and it will be sorted, no messing about with some ebay seller................and yes you can wipe the hand set and apple will never know it was yellownn0w'd.

I thought if you buy of either of these stores, that you have to buy into a contract? I am currently on Vodafone 'Pay as You Go" and would prefer to stay with Vodafone.

CyberDave

The seller insists that it's not a fake. :rolleyes:

Random

The iPhone in this photo

http://omg.wthax.org/_1_1.jpg

appears different to

http://omg.wthax.org/_2.jpg

Maybe it's just me ??

godskitchen

CyberDave wrote: »

I thought if you buy of either of these stores, that you have to buy into a contract? I am currently on Vodafone 'Pay as You Go" and would prefer to stay with Vodafone.

No its on pay as you go. go to 02.co.uk

miju

no your right random. the earpieces are completely different sizes. one has a small slit while the other has a large square hole with a "grille"

bk

godskitchen wrote: »

Impossible to say right now, worst case, you have to wait a week for the dev team to crack it. Most updates from now on wont really be offering much, the latest 2.2 did not really bring to the show.

I wouldn't say that. The update that includes notifications will be a major update.

Also the UI on the new Palm Pre looks excellent, a big improvement over the iPhone, Apple will likely need to radically improve their UI to compete.

drunkmonkey

CyberDave wrote: »

If you unlock an iPhone with Yellowsn0w, is it possible to update the software? Where in the UK would you recommend buying from?

Can you not unlock it with
http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=2538

02 (northern ireland) would be the best place then unlock it yourself...

CyberDave

Has anybody bought an iPhone off the O2 UK website? How do you get around the postcode problem?

cojomo2

the iphone in the first photo you showed is 100% fake, the gap between the home button and the screen is too big..

however, if u ask me, the second photos you showed us shows a genuine iphone 3g... thats not to say he will send u a genuine one tho..

CyberDave

cojomo2 wrote: »

the iphone in the first photo you showed is 100% fake, the gap between the home button and the screen is too big..

however, if u ask me, the second photos you showed us shows a genuine iphone 3g... thats not to say he will send u a genuine one tho..

I had suspicions about that seller alright, but was glad to get the confirmation from you guys. I have decided not to buy off this seller and am looking into buying off the O2 UK website, at least this way I can be sure. However, when purchasing, I get as far as the postcode, I don't have a valid code so it stops me going any further. I have tried entering IRL but it is rejected.

godskitchen

bk wrote: »

I wouldn't say that. The update that includes notifications will be a major update.

Also the UI on the new Palm Pre looks excellent, a big improvement over the iPhone, Apple will likely need to radically improve their UI to compete.

If you think Apple will alter the iphone UI in this generation of phone you are crazy! They dont need to, and to be honest if they did, the customers would be up in arms! The a ravage iphone user is not all that tech savvy, it has a much wider audience than just geeks. As a result any change made will be small.

I think you also need to remember what company we are talking about here, why they would add features to a phone that is the best selling phone in the USA and soon to be UK, for free, through an update, when they can make COPY/PATE and PUSH the big selling points of the next iphone.

I can see it now "and we have aded COPY/Paste to this new iphone" the crowd go wild like its the second coming!

Tom Dunne

CyberDave wrote: »

I had suspicions about that seller alright, but was glad to get the confirmation from you guys. I have decided not to buy off this seller and am looking into buying off the O2 UK website, at least this way I can be sure. However, when purchasing, I get as far as the postcode, I don't have a valid code so it stops me going any further. I have tried entering IRL but it is rejected.

You cannot buy off the O2 UK website with an Irish address, they will not deliver to this country.

Go up North and buy one.

CyberDave

Tom Dunne wrote: »

You cannot buy off the O2 UK website with an Irish address, they will not deliver to this country.

Go up North and buy one.

How about the Carphone Warehouse UK website or the Apple UK Store? Jesus, they really have it all tied up.

Tom Dunne

CyberDave wrote: »

How about the Carphone Warehouse UK website or the Apple UK Store? Jesus, they really have it all tied up.

Nope. Well, I haven't tried the Apple UK store, but I have tried the Carphone Warehouse website for iPhone accessories and they won't deliver to Ireland.

It's all to do with Apple's licensing. Sure if they allowed cross-border purchases, I think we all would be buying off the UK site and ignoring O2 Ireland.

CyberDave

Tom Dunne wrote: »

Nope. Well, I haven't tried the Apple UK store, but I have tried the Carphone Warehouse website for iPhone accessories and they won't deliver to Ireland.

It's all to do with Apple's licensing. Sure if they allowed cross-border purchases, I think we all would be buying off the UK site and ignoring O2 Ireland.

What's the story when you go up north to buy one then? When ever I have bought a phone in the past, I have had to give my address. Do you just give your Southern Address or do you have to tell a porky and give a fake northern address?

Tom Dunne

CyberDave wrote: »

What's the story when you go up north to buy one then? When ever I have bought a phone in the past, I have had to give my address. Do you just give your Southern Address or do you have to tell a porky and give a fake northern address?

No idea, I am talking about the pre-pay ones, so I presume you don't have to give a name and address for them.

I will be heading up North to buy the 3G version some time in the next month or two, if you can wait that long, I will let you know.

The 16Gig works out at around €410 vs. €569 with O2 Ireland. Go figure.

mobius42

Apple have a gift service that works between European countries: http://store.apple.com/ie/browse/campaigns/cross_border?mco=MTE3NzQ

I think it might be possible to use this to order stuff from the UK store.

CyberDave

Tom Dunne wrote: »

No idea, I am talking about the pre-pay ones, so I presume you don't have to give a name and address for them.

I will be heading up North to buy the 3G version some time in the next month or two, if you can wait that long, I will let you know.

The 16Gig works out at around €410 vs. €569 with O2 Ireland. Go figure.

I def want to stay on 'Pay as You Go'. It's the best for me. If I found out about the details part, I could go up this weekend. I have been thinking of getting an iPhone since before Christmas.

Tom Dunne

mobius42 wrote: »

Apple have a gift service that works between European countries: http://store.apple.com/ie/browse/campaigns/cross_border?mco=MTE3NzQ

I think it might be possible to use this to order stuff from the UK store.

Nope, just tried it. Good idea though. Thought you might have save me a trip up North.

godskitchen

bk wrote: »

I wouldn't say that. The update that includes notifications will be a major update.

Also the UI on the new Palm Pre looks excellent, a big improvement over the iPhone, Apple will likely need to radically improve their UI to compete.

CyberDave wrote: »

What's the story when you go up north to buy one then? When ever I have bought a phone in the past, I have had to give my address. Do you just give your Southern Address or do you have to tell a porky and give a fake northern address?

No name and address needed, just go up hand over cash and walk away.

eth0_

CyberDave wrote: »

How about the Carphone Warehouse UK website or the Apple UK Store? Jesus, they really have it all tied up.

Why would they sell a phone to someone who doesn't live in the country the network operates in? o2 make a LOSS on iphones if they aren't topped up every month.

Fecks sake it's not that big a deal to go on a day trip to the north to buy one.

eth0_

godskitchen wrote: »

No name and address needed, just go up hand over cash and walk away.

Not true..you are asked for your postcode so they can register the iphone to you.

godskitchen

eth0_ wrote: »

Not true..you are asked for your postcode so they can register the iphone to you.

Not true, its pay as you go, they have never asked for any info in the UK for this type of phone, the iphone is no different.

I have purchased two of them on Pay as you go in the UK and not once was I asked for anything other than payment.....

If they are asking for an address its to send you marketing crap.

bk

eth0_ wrote: »

Why would they sell a phone to someone who doesn't live in the country the network operates in? o2 make a LOSS on iphones if they aren't topped up every month.

No they don't, the contract iPhones are sold below cost, but the pay as you go phones are sold at a profit (both for Apple and o2).

Obviously o2 would rather you use it with their network, as they would make more money, therefore the locking, but they don't make a loss on the sale.

BlindedByGInge

cojomo2 wrote: »

the iphone in the first photo you showed is 100% fake, the gap between the home button and the screen is too big..

however, if u ask me, the second photos you showed us shows a genuine iphone 3g... thats not to say he will send u a genuine one tho..

I agree with this, also the ipod button is not labelled ipod its called audioplayer

gar

CyberDave wrote: »

I am thinking of buying an iPhone off a guy in eBay. I have asked him to send me on additional photos so I can have a closer look. This is one of the photos: http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=d5df573c75&view=att&th=11ec647615e613de&attid=0.1&disp=inline&zw

I have noticed that the icons look different to most of the generic screenhsots of the iPhone screen on the net and some of them have different tag names. For example, the SMS icon has 'Write Text' written underneath instead of 'Text'. Do people think this is a genuine iPhone all the other photos look fine. This is the one doubt I have.

ps. I am taking the risk of buying on eBay, so no advice on this please. Thanks.

Who is the seller on ebay? I was looking at one from a seller in ireland but have no way of knowing if it is genuine yet.

Gar

obsydion

Tom Dunne wrote: »

No idea, I am talking about the pre-pay ones, so I presume you don't have to give a name and address for them.

I will be heading up North to buy the 3G version some time in the next month or two, if you can wait that long, I will let you know.

The 16Gig works out at around €410 vs. €569 with O2 Ireland. Go figure.

Not anymore, the pound has recovered a bit. It'll cost 40 euro return to get up there on the train (the bus makes me sick) so it's bringing it closer to the Republic mark plus the hassle of the trip. If the pound drops to 1:1 again I will consider it.
Silly question: If I go pre-paid, will the phone be forever locked to the O2 network? I will return to Australia in 18 months or so and want to be able to use it there...

mobius42

It'll be locked to the O2 ireland network. But you can unlock it using the yellowsnow method, which you can find out about either here: http://blog.iphone-dev.org/ or ask in the iPhone 3G unlock thread.

eth0_

godskitchen wrote: »

Not true, its pay as you go, they have never asked for any info in the UK for this type of phone, the iphone is no different.

I've bought two phones here in Scotland, one in o2 shop and the other in Carphone warehouse, and in both instances I was asked for my postcode to register the phone to me for warranty purposes.

godskitchen

eth0_ wrote: »

I've bought two phones here in Scotland, one in o2 shop and the other in Carphone warehouse, and in both instances I was asked for my postcode to register the phone to me for warranty purposes.

They are talking crap, I have friends who work in both of those shops and they tell me its to send mail crap to you.

The two I got, I was not even asked for any address, if I had been I would have given a false one.

If you have your receipt, thats all you need, you are under no obligation to give any info, personal or otherwise for any electrical product (excluding something on credit or contract).

It is not for warranty purposes, the sales person may even believe that they are telling the truth, they are not.

If anyone does need a UK postcode PM me.

bk

godskitchen wrote: »

If anyone does need a UK postcode PM me.

Stormont Castle - BT4 3SD
Buckingham Palace - SW1A 1AA

eth0_

bk wrote: »

Stormont Castle - BT4 3SD
Buckingham Palace - SW1A 1AA

It will come up on their computer when they put that postcode in "buckingham palace"...:rolleyes:

Just pick one randomly from a google search.

bk

eth0_ wrote: »

It will come up on their computer when they put that postcode in "buckingham palace"...:rolleyes:

So what, maybe I do live there

obsydion

Ok so let me get this straight. I could just take an Aircoach for €22 return from Dublin to Belfast, grab myself a 16GB iPhone 3G pre-paid for €431.22 (most recent conversion from £394.45) saving about €140, bring it back to Dublin, pop in my O2 Pre-paid sim card and have it working no problems with the current network and wifi hotspots? No unlocking and jailbreaking necessary?