Seems to me that owning a top of the line Blackberry costs more than an iPhone. Especially for a business person. I'll AT&T's rates, where having a business data plan on a $200 Blackberry Bold will cost you $60 a month in data rates. Plus another $50 if you want to tether it. The iPhone, also at $200 has as small as a $15 per month data, and only $20 extra if you want tethering.

So, where's the money?

If you want cheaper, you'd have to get stuck with a texting wanna-be not-so-smart phone.

Same old solution, just put white bumpers on the black ip4's.

Re:Anthony
I think you'll find that most of the bad press Apple is now garnering is not really about the products, but because of the way Apple portrays itself. They have been saying for years that their stuff just works, so to bring out a product with quite a few obvious flaws will bring themselves some flack. They then drag into their problems some other well respected manufacturers (all smartphones have signal problems) and wonder why that has managed to anger a lot of people. It's simple really, people don't like to be taken for fools, regardless if they are or not, and will show this in various ways. I'm glad you like your Iphone, but for me it appears a dumb downed device where Apple controls what, where and who with you can do with it. That's my 2p's worth and is why I will spend my hard earned cash elsewhere...

The INQ's over criticism and sarcasm towards Apple is starting to wear just a tad thin. Yes, Jobs is arrogant. No, I don't think he cares as much about his customers as he makes out, and no, the iphone isn't perfect. And his products are stupidly expensive.

Most phones I've had haven't been perfect by a long margin - a Nokia E61(?) where bluetooth would only work on 50% of calls, and reboot daily, a blackberry which couldn't hold a call on 3G for more than a few minutes, another blackberry I still use where the much-hyped blackberry messenger locks up in such a way that I can't see what I'm typing... at least FIVE TIMES A DAY!!! and where the phone reboots in the middle of calls. I mean how can Blackberry boast of its communications features when something so bloody simple as a messenger up just isn't fit for purpose (but I digress)?

And an Iphone 4 where I can't make the signal fade no matter how I hold the damn thing, which holds onto calls better than my blackberry, which has so far failed to crash or reboot itself even once - no matter how much crappy fart-software I load onto it, and whose battery now lasts the course and flatly refuses to run down in the middle of the day like it's supposed to.

So sorry to disappoint, but I've got an iphone 4 with absolutely no problems and I find it eminently more usable than the blackberry (unless I actually want to write a long email - there - a design flaw!).

If the design is so intolerant to the thickness of a paint finish, then the designers haven't thought very well about how to manufacturer it. Anyone who's done any painting at all can tell you that it's not exactly a well dimensioned, high tolerance material. You slap it on, it dries, you get what you get. That's paint in a nutshell, pretty much. Though it is a bit odd that white paint is causing problems, but black isn't?

The problem of not having your own manufacturing plant is that you don't have immediate access to people who can look at something and tell you straight away "don't do that".

They should just spray the black ones with paint. This might add the required level of insulation to the antenna and sort that problem out at the same time?

No matter what, it is sad to see karma biting Steve back on his butt! He's been so very lucky to bring back Apple on the market as a strong company he always dreamed of (back when hanging out with "The Woz!").
Even with the serious illness he recently went through he was extremely lucky as doctor discovered that his case was one of those rare ones that could be treated!!! He should be thankful for every waking hour he's living! I know I am and I had the fortune not to have needed to experience such extreme difficult situations or health problems in order to be thankful each day for what I have... which doesn't mean I am not looking to grow and get more (obviously) since the two are not incompatible things! :D
Anyway Steve Jobs was lucky enough to get out of procedures and therapies a healthy man and I am really glad he did, I would not wish anyone anything bad, as staying away from negativity is the best we can all do at all times in all situations!
What saddens me is his overall spiteful attitude, his disregard for the people who believe in him and support his company and help pave his path to success.

Maybe he should stop and start to "think different" and find out where along his life path that Steve got lost because at this time more than ever is self evident that the Steve Jobs of the old Apple days with all those noble ideas, revolutionary concepts, emphasis on users and "friendliness" is completely gone... and for many of us so is the magic of Apple, no matter how many shiny toys and shiny crystal palaces they keep erecting.

No matter what, it is sad to see karma biting Steve back on his butt! He's been so very lucky to bring back Apple on the market as a strong company he always dreamed of (back when hanging out with "The Woz!").
Even with the serious illness he recently went through he was extremely lucky as doctor discovered that his case was one of those rare ones that could be treated!!! He should be thankful for every waking hour he's living! I know I am and I had the fortune not to have needed to experience such extreme difficult situations or health problems in order to be thankful each day for what I have... which doesn't mean I am not looking to grow and get more (obviously) since the two are not incompatible things! :D
Anyway Steve Jobs was lucky enough to get out of procedures and therapies a healthy man and I am really glad he did, I would not wish anyone anything bad, as staying away from negativity is the best we can all do at all times in all situations!
What saddens me is his overall spiteful attitude, his disregard for the people who believe in him and support his company and help pave his path to success.

Maybe he should stop and start to "think different" and find out where along his life path that Steve got lost because at this time more than ever is self evident that the Steve Jobs of the old Apple days with all those noble ideas, revolutionary concepts, emphasis on users and "friendliness" is completely gone... and for many of us so is the magic of Apple, no matter how many shiny toys and shiny crystal palaces they keep erecting.

"The firm, Lens Technologies, has said that it is having difficulty producing the right paint thickness and opacity that is deemed acceptable by the fruit-themed toymaker."

WTF? This doesn't make sense. The screen is made of glass and is supposed to be clear. It's not supposed to be painted.

I thought it was only the case that is either black or white. How hard can it be to manufacture white plastic and/or paint bare metal (i'm assuming aluminium) white.

....when you go overboard on secrecy with research and development.

You end up only letting folks work on a need to know basis, you dont get a joined up picture and testing doesnt work when its only done by four trusted sycophants who wont use it like the great unwashed.

Pathetic really.