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Just found out a funny thing about iPhone 4 i recently bought. Whenever I played any music, it seems only the right speaker plays music and not the left one.
To test this play any song, and just cover right speaker and there will be almost no sound. Now switch and cover the left speaker you will almost see no difference in the sound level.
Now I cannot see any setting to switch between left and right speakers so I am assuming this is a factory setting.
Why the heck can’t it use both the speakers for playing music. It’s like you have two feet but you choose to walk with one. Mr. iPhone4 i guess you are limping.
OK guys …. Just found this out.
Ok, so I am hunting for an after market iPhone as I cannot buy one in the US off from AT&T (don’t have SSN… and don’t want to pay 650 bucks for an unlocked iPhone 4 from Apple). So craigslist has now become my favorite hunting ground. Being the thorough researcher that I am (yeah I like to know everything that’s out there, eval all my options before going for anything) I have researched and came up with some tips, that might help people like me from re-inventing the wheel. My research helped me in discovering a lot of small things which can help you in deciding whether the iPhone you are buying is genuine or a fake. So here goes guys, and hope it helps:
A real iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4 will have (and you should test all this before buying):
- video recording. this is not there in 3G out of the box.
- multi touch
- 2 speakers at bottom, on either side of the docking port
- speakers have a wire mesh
- the screen lock button works across width and not length. and has a red line mark when put on mute.
- multitasking – double tap home button for multitasking. Check this only if it’s iOS 4.
- hold down the home button activates voice control.
- folders
- does not have a manually removable battery
- accessories are original
- there is no FM
- is not dual sim
- 16 icons on one page. There are 4 more icons on the springboard, which are common across all pages.
- safari browser
- does not have expandable memory
- wifi
- compass application
- accelerometer (this is what switches to landscape view)
- inside the box’s top cover there will be a barcode
- box comes with apple stickers
- the wall chargers pin’s is tapered at both ends in A shape. applies to US models only.
- put the serial number on Apple’s site and try to get the info – https://selfsolve.apple.com/GetWarranty.do
Specifically for iPhone 3GS:
- has a 3 megapixel camera
- on top you will have – power botton, 3.5 mm jack, sim slot
- metal back cover and not plastic
- if you hold out the phone in bright light / sunlight, then on top left you will be able to see 3 dots, which are the sensors.
Specifically for iPhone 4:
- gyroscope and accelerometer
- glass on the front and back
- 5 megapixel camera
- small pin hole mic on top near 3.5 mm jack and a separataor next to it
- flashlight
- front camera
- the headphone has a volume adjust switch
The difference between a 3G and a 3GS phone (since they look almost like clones):
- 3GS has video recording, 3G does not
- backside bottom letters written in chrome on 3GS while they are written with paint on 3G
- compass on 3GS
How to know if your white iPhone is real or a black one converted to white:
- The difference is on a converted iphone, headphone jack & docking port are black. But on genuine white iphone they are white.
The fake iPhone mostly has these:
- has plastic screen not glass… waves on screen due to poor build quality
- opening video and music takes longer time and controls don’t seem to work seamlessly
- probably has 2 MP camera
- has no maps and compass
- has dual sim
- home button will be slightly above the body contour, a little like raised up if you see the cross-sectional profile
- will have big charger
- earphones’s volume switch will be different, mostly oval and not straight as in real iphone.
Tips to buy an iPhone off from craigslist:
- buy in public place
- never buy packed/sealed box
- if it comes with the box, see if the serial# on box matches with the serial# on the phone.
- see if logo is double stamped or blurred
- back should be aluminium and not plastic
- always charge the phone in front of you and see if it charges properly. If the phone’s port is water damaged it will not charge.
- try to use the headphones and see if the 3.5 mm jack works.
- try to flip all the buttons to see if they work e.g. volume buttons, mute button, power button.
You might also consider buying a factory unlocked iPhone directly from Apple store. Here are the prices:
- 3Gs 16 gig – 499
- 4 16 gig – 599
- 4 32 gig – 699
and of course you have to add tax on top of that, so bump the above figure by around 40-50 bucks.
Happy purchasing guys … And do let me know if this was of any help to you…
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