For those who have read the T-Mobile threads but still don't quite understand what is going on (as I didn't until I actually did it once and now twice) this is what I did:
(I was on Verizon off contract)
1. I signed up for T-Mobile (600 minutes 400 texts and will do the internet thing soon)
2. They sent me a "free" Nokia 6103 with a bluetooth headset which I googled and found out isn't half bad - funky design but the reviews said it was decent. The lady said just sell the phone and headset on Craigslist if you don't want them - had told her I just wanted the sim.
(My 8GB iPhone is a refurb that a friend purchased for me in New Hampshire) - it cost $249 (no tax) and $9 to ship to me
(When I received it, it was spotless with the exception of one very small rub spot about the size of a pin head about 1/4 inch from the camera on the back side - the screen had a piece of plastic static cling on it and it was flawless) - it was 1.1.2, week 47
3. I finally got up the nerve to actually plug it into my iMac (10.4.10). iTunes came up and wanted to activate it.
4. I had downloaded Ziphone v2.4 and used that the first time - did not work. I tried it again and again it did not work (I thought I had the latest version but I didn't). I downloaded v2.6 and it worked flawlessly - the first go round. However, I had just checked unlock so my T-Mobile sim did not work. I then did it again and checked jailbreak, unlock and activate and it worked perfectly (I had the T-Mobile sim in the iPhone during all this).
5. Made a couple of calls to my home phone and to my old Verizon cell phone and it worked fine. I then texted my wife who is out of town in another state and we exchanged 6-7 texts - again it was flawless.
6. I tried to connect via wifi to my home network but it did not work. Seems I typed in one wrong number when entering the MAC address in my router. After I caught that mistake and corrected it, wifi worked fine - I could make and receive phone calls, send and receive texts, get on the internet via Safari and play around.
7. I clicked on Installer and downloaded the files. I looked around, installed Tris, played a few minutes, downloaded a book but the book was no where to be found. I discovered you have to have the book reader installed first. It would not install - it said it needed 1.1.3. From other posts on this thread I decided I would upgrade to 1.1.4. Plugged the phone in again and iTunes comes right up and says there is a newer version (1.1.4) and would I like to download it. I clicked yes and it upgraded the phone to 1.1.4 with no problem. The phone is now back to needing to be Ziphoned or iLbertied.
8. After a suggestion from another member, I decided I would try iLiberty this time. Downloaded it and did it "all" this time and it worked flawlessly. Again, the T-Mobile sim card is in the iPhone during all this.
9. The phone found my wireless network immediately this time. I called my home and Verizon cell phone again just to double check - worked great. Clicked on Installer and installed Books (the actual reader app) and a book.
10. That's it.
I waited until now to get an iPhone because I don't have ATT so either I didn't get an iPhone or had to go with T-Mobile which I do have in my area. Also, ATT started selling refurbs for $249. I was very leery about all this jailbreaking, unlocking etc. I'm an old guy and really don't need headaches but after lurking on this site for a good 6 months finally joined in in January and started asking questions and reading almost every post. Almost without exception everyone has been super helpful. I even had one of the moderators post me a day or so ago to just ask how things were going (he had to remove one of my first posts).
I have found that almost without exception, people who know things like to share that knowledge. Good thing for me they do because I didn't have the foggiest idea about how I was going to get an iPhone.
The guys who wrote Ziphone, iLiberty and the rest are absolute genius' in my opinion. The few apps in Installer I have tried are phenominal - don't know how they do it.
Nuff for now - thanks to everyone for helping me get my iPhone up and running and for your generosities.
The Phone: wow, it really is a piece of work - ya, a few design flaws or "left outs" but if this is what Apple can do with their "first" attempt, can't wait to see v2 and up. It really is nice and with Installer and all the third party apps available RIGHT NOW, it does everything I need. I think June is going to be a real eye opener for some of the other manufacturers when they see what the iPhone community is really able to do with this piece of work Apple has given us.
One caution: the damned thing is very, very slippery IMHO. I have a clear skin coming for it so with a little luck I won't drop it before I get the skin on which everyone says gives it a bit of grip. Geeze, my sympathies go out to those who have dropped theirs and broken the screen.
(I was on Verizon off contract)
1. I signed up for T-Mobile (600 minutes 400 texts and will do the internet thing soon)
2. They sent me a "free" Nokia 6103 with a bluetooth headset which I googled and found out isn't half bad - funky design but the reviews said it was decent. The lady said just sell the phone and headset on Craigslist if you don't want them - had told her I just wanted the sim.
(My 8GB iPhone is a refurb that a friend purchased for me in New Hampshire) - it cost $249 (no tax) and $9 to ship to me
(When I received it, it was spotless with the exception of one very small rub spot about the size of a pin head about 1/4 inch from the camera on the back side - the screen had a piece of plastic static cling on it and it was flawless) - it was 1.1.2, week 47
3. I finally got up the nerve to actually plug it into my iMac (10.4.10). iTunes came up and wanted to activate it.
4. I had downloaded Ziphone v2.4 and used that the first time - did not work. I tried it again and again it did not work (I thought I had the latest version but I didn't). I downloaded v2.6 and it worked flawlessly - the first go round. However, I had just checked unlock so my T-Mobile sim did not work. I then did it again and checked jailbreak, unlock and activate and it worked perfectly (I had the T-Mobile sim in the iPhone during all this).
5. Made a couple of calls to my home phone and to my old Verizon cell phone and it worked fine. I then texted my wife who is out of town in another state and we exchanged 6-7 texts - again it was flawless.
6. I tried to connect via wifi to my home network but it did not work. Seems I typed in one wrong number when entering the MAC address in my router. After I caught that mistake and corrected it, wifi worked fine - I could make and receive phone calls, send and receive texts, get on the internet via Safari and play around.
7. I clicked on Installer and downloaded the files. I looked around, installed Tris, played a few minutes, downloaded a book but the book was no where to be found. I discovered you have to have the book reader installed first. It would not install - it said it needed 1.1.3. From other posts on this thread I decided I would upgrade to 1.1.4. Plugged the phone in again and iTunes comes right up and says there is a newer version (1.1.4) and would I like to download it. I clicked yes and it upgraded the phone to 1.1.4 with no problem. The phone is now back to needing to be Ziphoned or iLbertied.
8. After a suggestion from another member, I decided I would try iLiberty this time. Downloaded it and did it "all" this time and it worked flawlessly. Again, the T-Mobile sim card is in the iPhone during all this.
9. The phone found my wireless network immediately this time. I called my home and Verizon cell phone again just to double check - worked great. Clicked on Installer and installed Books (the actual reader app) and a book.
10. That's it.
I waited until now to get an iPhone because I don't have ATT so either I didn't get an iPhone or had to go with T-Mobile which I do have in my area. Also, ATT started selling refurbs for $249. I was very leery about all this jailbreaking, unlocking etc. I'm an old guy and really don't need headaches but after lurking on this site for a good 6 months finally joined in in January and started asking questions and reading almost every post. Almost without exception everyone has been super helpful. I even had one of the moderators post me a day or so ago to just ask how things were going (he had to remove one of my first posts).
I have found that almost without exception, people who know things like to share that knowledge. Good thing for me they do because I didn't have the foggiest idea about how I was going to get an iPhone.
The guys who wrote Ziphone, iLiberty and the rest are absolute genius' in my opinion. The few apps in Installer I have tried are phenominal - don't know how they do it.
Nuff for now - thanks to everyone for helping me get my iPhone up and running and for your generosities.
The Phone: wow, it really is a piece of work - ya, a few design flaws or "left outs" but if this is what Apple can do with their "first" attempt, can't wait to see v2 and up. It really is nice and with Installer and all the third party apps available RIGHT NOW, it does everything I need. I think June is going to be a real eye opener for some of the other manufacturers when they see what the iPhone community is really able to do with this piece of work Apple has given us.
One caution: the damned thing is very, very slippery IMHO. I have a clear skin coming for it so with a little luck I won't drop it before I get the skin on which everyone says gives it a bit of grip. Geeze, my sympathies go out to those who have dropped theirs and broken the screen.
