Apparently $ 10,000 is the going rate for a factory-sealed first-gen iPhone. At least, that’s according to two sellers on eBay, who have recently listed the historic device on the bidding site.
I would usually say that most electronics shouldn’t be seen as collectors items, as they only lose value over time and aren’t pivotal enough during their lifespan to warrant a resurgence in value. Yet, the original iPhone is a different story.
This is a device that changed the course of the future. The App Store itself, though not present on the original iPhone, has changed the entire tech industry. Plus, the first iPhone was the very first time we had a usable version of the Internet in our pockets. So yeah, the original iPhone is a big deal.
There have been no bids on either unit, though both come from seemingly trustworthy sellers. Samsonbible is a top-rated seller with 100% feedback, and phsledge also has 100% feedback. Plus, the pictures look totally legit, as even the box is still wrapped tightly in plastic.
Here’s the seller listing:
STUNNING RARE COLLECTORS CHOICE APPLE iPHONE 1ST GENERATION 8GB AND FACTORY SEALED..!!! YOU ARE SEEING A PIECE OF HISTORY..!!!! THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE COLLECTORS SHOW PIECE..!!!! THIS WOULD BE A CROWN JEWEL FOR ANY COLLECTION..!!!! AMAZING FACTORY SEALED BOX..!!! UNOPENED AND THE COLLECTORS DREAM APPLE iPHONE..!!!!!! THIS IS OFFERED FOR A LIMITED TIME….. !!!!!!! HAPPY BIDDING…!!!!
So, if you have $ 10,000 lying around and have held on to all of the previous iPhones (or plan on collecting them), hop on over to eBay and check it out. This well may be your only chance — the original iPhone is no longer available for sale.
And even if you can’t afford it, it’s always fun to check out the specs compared to what we’re seeing these days.
[Hat tip to iDownloadBlog for spotting the listing]
At the bottom of the page for Microsoft’s new tablet Surface, there is an odd little note: “Looking for the Samsung SUR40 with Microsoft Pixelsense? Visit www.pixelsense.com“. Huh?
It looks like Microsoft’s new Surface tablet is not the first Surface to surface at the company. Before it, there was a large LCD panel, made with Samsung, which could be mounted as a table, or on a wall, that enables people to “share, collaborate and explore together using a large, thin display that recognizes fingers, hands and other objects placed on the screen.” The last update for the product was released at the beginning of 2011, during the CES show.
Customers for that version, Surface 2.0, included Dassault Aviation, Fujifilm Corp., Red Bull GmbH, Royal Bank of Canada and Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.
But hey! It wasn’t only big corporates who have shelled out for the Surface. TechCrunch has one, too. According to Josh, who sits in SF (I am in London):
“It’s fucking huge and apparently cost around $ 15,000. We supposedly bought it thinking we could use it for meetings and brainstorming, collaboration, hoping a developer community would emerge. That never happened, and we hardly ever use it. Now it’s the world’s most expensive coffee table.”
Microsoft hasn’t necessarily discontinued the product but it’s currently done something kind of curious with it. In an Escher-like puzzle, the URL it gives for the product actually leads to a bing search page, listing lots of further links for PixelSense, the technology used in the Surface table. [Update: the link now goes to a new Microsoft product page.]
One of those older links explains a little more about what that is:
PixelSense allows a display to recognize fingers, hands, and objects placed on the screen, enabling vision-based interaction without the use of cameras. The individual pixels in the display see what’s touching the screen and that information is immediately processed and interpreted.
Think of it like the connection between the eye and the brain. You need both, working together, to see. In this case, the eye is the sensor in the panel, it picks up the image and it feeds that to the brain which is our vision input processor that recognizes the image and does something with it. Taken in whole…this is PixelSense
PixelSense technology replaced hardware in an earlier version of Surface, a clunky-sounding implementation that needed cameras under the screens surface to sense and respond to stimuli on the surface of the device.
It’s not clear whether the new Surface tablet is using any part of the older Surface technology — although both are based on touchscreens, so far at the event in LA, nothing has been mentioned about any connection. The Surface tablet will run on Windows 8, and the Surface LCDs first used Windows Vista and then Windows 7, according to this post.
Apart from the aptness of the name, there is another possible reason for why Microsoft chose an existing trademark it owned rather than try to develop something new for this tablet: it helped the company keep snooping journalists off its scent — a point noted by Nicholas James:
“FWIW I think @microsoft were smart using #Surface trademark to keep this under wraps for as long as possible!”
We will ask Microsoft for more details and update as we learn more.
Siri hasn’t been caught cooking dinner yet, but hackers worldwide have boldly taken Apple’s personal assistant to a whole new level by incorporating its functionality with a plethora of different devices. We’ve seen Siri use custom commands, change the temperature in your house, and even allow select car owners to utilize their automobile’s Bluetooth integration. Nifty, no doubt, but this assistant’s evolution towards greater heights isn’t over yet. Vimeo user toddtreece has whipped up a slick demo of the iPhone 4S’ right hand gal (or guy) taking command of his television set. From changing channels to turning off devices, with the help of a proxy and a few parts, you can get your own home setup running on voice activation. Feeling a bit guilty for your sudden interest in slothfulness? Fret not — Siri’s apparently quite good at calling you out. Have a look just after the break.
[Thanks, Jesse]
Continue reading Too lazy to grab your TV remote? Use Siri instead
Too lazy to grab your TV remote? Use Siri instead originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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True to its word, Nintendo has released a system update for anxious 3DS owners. The free update over WiFi delivers an internet browser and the eShop digital store to your multidimensional handheld. As a bonus, Ninty’s offering the 3D-remastered NES game, Excitebike, for free until Tuesday with additional cash-money content coming to the store on Thursdays. We’ll be hearing more from Nintendo, much more we hope, on Tuesday morning where we’ll be bringing you live coverage of its next generation console announcements from E3. Join us, won’t you?
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Nintendo 3DS system update is live, grab your free copy of Excitebike now originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 01:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Samsung Apps Reaches 100 Million Downloads Mobile application platform achieved a breakthrough milestone in just 10 months Middle East – April 10 th , 2011 – Samsung Electronics Co Samsung Electronics Co , Ltd. today announced that Samsung Apps, its mobile & TV application store, has hit 100 million application downloads since its service began with the Samsung Wave (GT-S8500) smartphone in June 2010. Read more on Zawya
U.S. Cellular Offers the LG Optimus U and LG Apex Android Phone to Prepaid Customers U.S. Cellular is offering Android-powered smartphones for prepaid customers. Prepaid U.S. Cellular customers have their choice of the LG Optimus U for just $ 199.99 or the LG Apex for $ 249.99 and can choose from two affordable prepaid data options. … Read more on PDA Buyer’s Guide
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So you got that new camera eh? Congrats! Now the whole family will expect you to be the camera guy at all of the get-togethers. Not only that, you’re probably trying to take picture of the kids opening their gifts. Here’s a few helpful tips on how to do it:
1. Sometimes, it’s ok to use auto mode – You just got the camera. Unless you’re upgrading from one DSLR to another, leave manual mode alone today. Set it in Auto, put up the flash, and let the camera make the decisions. The company that made your camera has spent millions investing in the CPU that controls Auto mode, put it to work!
2. If you have an external flash, get it off your camera – When taking portrait shots, it’s best not to use the flash that’s physically on your camera; you’ll end up with hard unflattering light. You should be able to make that external flash work remotely, or at the bare minimum bounce it off the ceiling instead of pointing it at people. Bouncing off the ceiling also means your offspring won’t have evil red eyes. Well, unless they were born that way.
3. You don’t need a tripod – Using a tripod in the house is silly. Just turn the ISO up a bit, and the camera will do just fine with less light. If you don’t know how to change your ISO yet, see tip number one. The exception to this rule is video. Unless your camera has stabilization, use a tripod. Or you’ll end up making everyone seasick with your “shakycam” holiday video.
4. Shoot low – Shots of kids opening gifts will look better if you get down on their level. So sit your butt down on the floor. You’ll end up with more natural shots, and better memories. Also, don’t wait for that “perfect” shot; remember you don’t have develop film any more so, you can delete any shots that don’t turn our how you want.
5. Have fun – Taking pictures should be fun, not an exercise in terror for your family as you make them pose into a Norman Rockwell scene. Let the kids rip and tear into those gifts, a natural looking scene will be more fun for everyone when you post them on Facebook for Aunt Faith in Mississippi to see.
Happy holidays to everyone, no matter who/how you celebrate, and I hope you enjoyed this guide!
Everyone knows that the only way to prove your non-conformity is to wear multi-colored headphones. At least that seems to be the theme Urban Ears is hinting at via its Tanto headphones, which are assembled from randomly colored parts at the factory — if that somehow wasn’t clear enough from the image above. Besides a terrible aftertaste of the 80s, these cans feature handmade 40mm drivers, an inline remote with a multi-function button for answering calls / controlling music, and even a microphone — making them ironically friendly for modern-day smartphone owners. Urban Ears even includes a few additional cables to ensure the headsets work with stereo sources and Nokia phones. These vivacious fellows are on sale now for $ 47 in limited quantities — if you like what you see, grab a pair before the remainder-part supply bins run dry.
Urban Ears Tanto multicolor headphones are a grab bag of ugly, but still cooler than you originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Nov 2010 00:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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