Friday, August 31, 2007
Teen who unlocked iPhone gets car, job
A Louisville company that repairs cell phones will give a consulting job and a $40,000 car to a teenage computer hacker who spent his summer "unlocking" an iPhone.
Working with a team of other techies around the world, 17-year-old George Hotz of Glen Rock, N.J., spent an estimated 500 hours reconfiguring the iPhone so it can be used with wireless providers other than AT&T.
The device so far is available only in the United States through an exclusive two-year service agreement with AT&T. Officials with both AT&T and Apple, which makes the iPhone, have not commented about Hotz's unlocking project.
He made international news when he unveiled the results of the project on his blog Thursday, and it wasn't long before officials with Louisville-based CertiCell were in touch.
Hotz announced on his blog that he would trade an unlocked version of the phone to CertiCell in exchange for a "sweet" new silver Nissan 350Z, a consulting job and three unmodified iPhones.
"This has been a great end to a great summer," Hotz wrote on the blog, at www.iphonejtag.blogspot.com.
CertiCell has about 50 employees in Louisville, with offices on Shepherdsville Road near GE's Appliance Park. Among other things, the company runs a facility in Hong Kong that refurbishes old cell phones.
CertiCell said the company has no plans "at this time" to use the unlocking tactics as part of a commercial venture that, for instance, would modify iPhones so they could be used by consumers with cell phone plans other than AT&T's.
Some legal experts have raised questions about whether the hacking technique could be illegal, particularly if it is shared or sold. Jake Ducey, a CertiCell spokesman, said the company is approaching the matter "very carefully," and will announce details about its plans for the modified phone on Sept. 14 on its Web site, www.certicellusa.com.
Hotz plans to arrive in Louisville on Friday to pick up the car, which Ducey said has a retail value of about $40,000.
Hotz will be a freshman this fall at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Ducey declined to say how much CertiCell will pay Hotz for his consulting services, but he said the teenager will work from school in Rochester, N.Y.. He also acknowledged that the value of the deal was at least partially based on publicity, although the company does hope to use the hacking techniques for other projects.
"He's a bright, hard-working kid," Ducey said of Hotz. "It's the type of people we like to have working at CertiCell."
CertiCell co-founder Terry Daidone said Tuesday he called Hotz on Saturday and offered him the car and consulting deal with an interest toward encouraging him to take on more challenges.
Daidone said he had "no idea" that the trade would generate the publicity it has.
In recent days, Hotz has appeared on several national television networks, and he has been the subject of dozens of newspaper articles.
Rob Enderle, a technology analyst based in Silicon Valley, said the deal with CertiCell is probably more of a marketing stunt than anything else. He said it wouldn't make sense financially to mass produce phones using Hotz's techniques because of the intricate soldering work involved. And Enderle said at least one other company already has come up with a similar unlocking procedure using software, which would be far easier to bring to market.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Cancel your credit cards before you die [CITIBANK]
Just want to share this article with you guys, got this in my email :
Cancel your credit cards before you die [CITIBANK]
Here's something hilarious to tickle your funny bone. Enjoy!
It's all about money for CitiBank Credit Cards when you die......
This is too funny! It takes all kinds to make the world go round.
Be sure and cancel your credit cards before you die.
This is easy to see happening, customer service being what it is....
My Aunt died this past January.
Citibank billed her for February and March for their monthly service charge
on her credit card,
and then added late fees and interest on the monthly charge... the balance
had been $0.00...
Now it was somewhere around $60.00. I placed the following phone call to
CitiBank:
Me: "I am calling to tell you that she died in January."
CitiBank: "The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still
apply."
Me: "Maybe, you should turn it over to collections"
CitiBank: "Since it is 2 months past due, it already has been."
Me: "So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?"
CitiBank: "Either report her account to the frauds division, or report her
to the credit bureau maybe both!"
Me: "Do you think God will be mad at her?"
CitiBank:"...excuse me...?"
Me: "Did you just get what I was telling you... the part about her being
dead?"
CitiBank: "Sir, you'll have to speak to my supervisor!"
(Supervisor gets on the phone)
Me: "I'm calling to tell you, she died in January."
CitiBank: "The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still
apply."
Me: "You mean you want to collect from her estate?"
CitiBank: ".....(stammer)" ".... Are you her lawyer?"
Me: "No, I'm her great nephew." (Lawyer info given... )
CitiBank: "Could you fax us a certificate of death?"
Me: "Sure."
(Fax number is given)
(After they get the fax.)
CitiBank: "Our system just isn't setup for death"
Me: "Oh..."
CitiBank: "I don't know what more I can do to help.."
Me: "Well...if you figure it out,great! If not, you could just keep billing
her...I suppose... Don't really think she will care...."
CitiBank: "Well...the late fees and charges do still apply."
Me: "Would you like her new billing address?"
CitiBank: "That might help."
Me: "Nilai Memorial Park Cemetery (North South Highway and plot number
given.)
CitiBank: "Sir, that's a cemetery!"
Me: "What do you do with dead people on your planet?"
Cancel your credit cards before you die [CITIBANK]
Here's something hilarious to tickle your funny bone. Enjoy!
It's all about money for CitiBank Credit Cards when you die......
This is too funny! It takes all kinds to make the world go round.
Be sure and cancel your credit cards before you die.
This is easy to see happening, customer service being what it is....
My Aunt died this past January.
Citibank billed her for February and March for their monthly service charge
on her credit card,
and then added late fees and interest on the monthly charge... the balance
had been $0.00...
Now it was somewhere around $60.00. I placed the following phone call to
CitiBank:
Me: "I am calling to tell you that she died in January."
CitiBank: "The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still
apply."
Me: "Maybe, you should turn it over to collections"
CitiBank: "Since it is 2 months past due, it already has been."
Me: "So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?"
CitiBank: "Either report her account to the frauds division, or report her
to the credit bureau maybe both!"
Me: "Do you think God will be mad at her?"
CitiBank:"...excuse me...?"
Me: "Did you just get what I was telling you... the part about her being
dead?"
CitiBank: "Sir, you'll have to speak to my supervisor!"
(Supervisor gets on the phone)
Me: "I'm calling to tell you, she died in January."
CitiBank: "The account was never closed and the late fees and charges still
apply."
Me: "You mean you want to collect from her estate?"
CitiBank: ".....(stammer)" ".... Are you her lawyer?"
Me: "No, I'm her great nephew." (Lawyer info given... )
CitiBank: "Could you fax us a certificate of death?"
Me: "Sure."
(Fax number is given)
(After they get the fax.)
CitiBank: "Our system just isn't setup for death"
Me: "Oh..."
CitiBank: "I don't know what more I can do to help.."
Me: "Well...if you figure it out,great! If not, you could just keep billing
her...I suppose... Don't really think she will care...."
CitiBank: "Well...the late fees and charges do still apply."
Me: "Would you like her new billing address?"
CitiBank: "That might help."
Me: "Nilai Memorial Park Cemetery (North South Highway and plot number
given.)
CitiBank: "Sir, that's a cemetery!"
Me: "What do you do with dead people on your planet?"
Friday, August 17, 2007
Magic and levitation videos
David Copperfield - Levitation (...actually flying)
Criss Angel Levitation
Criss Angel - Levitates From Building to Building
Criss Angel : Luxor Light Levitation : HIGH QUALITY
criss angel reveals levitation secret
Balducci Levitation-INSANE VERSION!
Criss Angel Levitation
Criss Angel - Levitates From Building to Building
Criss Angel : Luxor Light Levitation : HIGH QUALITY
criss angel reveals levitation secret
Balducci Levitation-INSANE VERSION!
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