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Re:The iPhone Software Revolution by praptak on Friday June 26, 2009 @04:18AM (#675124)
I am pretty sure I am talking about the device as a whole. I don't care for the exact reason that prevents me from running arbitrary software on it, be it hardware, software or even legalware ("you agree not to execute any unapproved software...").

It might even have a supercomputer hidden inside - as long as someone else decides what I run on it, it isn't a fully capable computer.

Re:The iPhone Software Revolution by access_denied on Saturday June 27, 2009 @01:49PM (#677002)
I think the issue is what you called the legalware. And I agree with you: the legalware on the iPhone prevents it form beeing a full-fledged personal computer. OTOH the OP has a point: the legalware on the iPhone is far less restrictive than the legalware on other cell-phones (and other closed hardware like playstations). Is it enough to talk of a quantum leap? Maybe yes.