Five seconds, just five seconds, all the iPhones 6s units are gone!

Mac Daily News ^ | September 25, 2014

[Swordmaker]

“Five seconds, just five seconds, all the iPhones 6s are gone!” Chin Lan reports for M.I.C Gadget. “[As] we have reported previously, the sales of iPhone 6S is messing up in Hong Kong. No kidding at all! It is almost impossible to purchase an iPhone 6S over here, because all the iPhones go straight into scalpers’ stock inventory.”

“We previously reported Chinese scalpers use a “special” Windows software for bulk iPhone purchases, and today, we discover the way they work with the software,” Lan reports. “So first of all, the reason why a team of scalpers have so many Apple user IDs is that the accounts are purchased from Hong Kong citizens. A Hong Kong citizen will get paid for 600 HKD (about $76.90) for providing an Apple user ID to a scalper. However, he/she needs to provide his/her credit card details, national (Hong Kong) ID number, and Hong Kong home address to the scalpers too. If you are willing to give them these details, you will get $70 of ‘reward.'”

“But you can only do this kind of business for once, because Apple will jot down your Apple ID details after you have made a purchase of iPhones,” Lan reports. “Apple is doing this to avoid customers to purchase the iPhone 6S repeatedly. Namely, the Apple user ID and Hong Kong ID that you are providing to scalpers have to be a clean sheet that has not made any purchase for an iPhone previously. We have no idea how are the scalpers going to find this out though.”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Why are people so willing to give up such personal and financial information to strangers? We can’t imaging handing over our Apple IDs and credit card details to some scalper for any amount (within reason), much less $75.

[Swordmaker]

I should have said 5 to 10 thousand dollars to make sure the sarcasm was clear. I just bought a used Samsung M400 for $50 because it has bluetooth to hook up to the car.

Since I was in the market for a cell phone replacement I thought I’d try a smart phone. That was a couple of weeks ago. It now sits on the desk and I don’t know what to do with it. I cannot fathom paying more than a hunert dollars for something I look at, talk to and listen from.

Samsung M400 Cellular Phone

Well, Allen, if you were intending to try a smartphone, the Samsung M400 is the wrong phone. It's not a smartphone. . . not even close. Just because it has bluetooth doesn't make it a smartphone. At most it is what is known as a "feature phone" in that it has a 1 megapixel camera, some downloadable games from the carrier's store and such vendors as they may contract with. It has a limited browser which allows you to use a MOBILE internet experience. . . which is very crippled. Same with email and messaging. Games you can download are very primitive. Even though the M400 was released into the market in October 2012, the basic technology is from about 2002, fifteen years ago. Sorry, but it is not at all a smartphone.

As to not knowing how to use it, if you need one, you can download a manual for your M400 on line. There are various versions, depending on which carrier you have. I just looked at the Samsung M400 manual for Sprint and it is quite clear the extreme limitations your Samsung m400 has, but the Sprint manual should be OK no matter who your carrier is.

Frankly, your Samsung M400 is a basic Flip Phone, not a smartphone, and almost not even a Feature Phone, Allen.

The Apple iPhone does not even COME with a manual because one is not needed, it is so intuitive to use.

[Chickensoup]

I prefer the LG EnV3. The perfect portable telephone.

[Allen In Texas Hill Country]

My bad for the confusion. The smartphone now sits on the desk and the Samsung 400 goes with me everywhere when I’m in the car.................. Just hooked it up today.

[Allen In Texas Hill Country]

Hey, I’ve got an HTC EVO 4G LTE sitting here and nothing nothing.

[Swordmaker]

OH, and thanks for setting me straight on the sarcasm in your pricing. . . but some people do think that's the straight dope. Take a look around for a used iPhone 4s . . . they are not that expensive used. They can be had for as low as $100 in good condition and are still a great smartphone to get the experience and will run iOS 9. Yes, they are not cutting edge tech anymore, but they are still good.

Here's one on a BUY IT NOW for $130, unlocked 16GB

[Swordmaker]

That's not a bad smartphone. . . find a thirteen year old kid who uses an Android smartphone to show you how to use it. . . it will help a lot! GRIN!

It's about the equivalent of the iPhone 4s with a bit larger screen.

[Chickensoup]

You are light-years ahead of me.

As the customer service man at Verizon said as he transferred my contacts to another Env3:

you are fighting the future just as hard as you can, aren’t you?

I just smiled.

[Swordmaker]

I prefer the LG EnV3. The perfect portable telephone.

i respectfully disagree. You haven't owned an iPhone.

[CurlyDave]

It is not at all "odd" that the prices end in 8 in China. . . Eight is considered an auspicious number in China because it sounds in Chinese like an other word that has good connotations.

Learn something every day. Who knew that "8" sounds like "Lewinsky" in Chinese?

[Chickensoup]

I said TELEPHONE, not computer.

[CurlyDave]

...I cannot fathom paying more than a hunert dollars for something I look at, talk to and listen from.

My wife costs more than that several times per week...

[Allen In Texas Hill Country]

You made me reread the phrase I wrote. What a cool reinterpretation.

[Swordmaker]

I said TELEPHONE, not computer.

Absolutely true. . . you did. You are one of the few who seems to know the difference.

[ctdonath2]

“I cannot fathom paying more than a hunert dollars for something I look at, talk to and listen from.”

I have a basic rule of thumb: if I really use it (whatever “it” is) daily, and it costs a dollar a day for its practical usage lifespan, buying it is a no-brainer.

I used my iPhone 5 almost hourly for near 3 years. Paying $900 for a maxed out iPhone 6S is a no-brainer.

[Chickensoup]

Absolutely true. . . you did. You are one of the few who seems to know the difference.

_____________

The ENV3 is just the best phone to talk and text with. And I can call my kids and have them look up things on their smart phones.

Although I do thing that life was a lot better when phones were tied to the walls.

[publius911]

I just wonder why they need to use "English as a second language" reporters to write an article about Apple products.

As "English," that is truly embarrassing.