Category: News

If you get hold of a used Verizon iPhone, you may be interested if it can be “unlocked” to work on another CDMA network like Sprint. The short answer is that it’s possible, but a hack will be much harder and have different legal ramifications from traditional GSM-iPhone unlocking, (which is now legal). The reason is, due to the sim-cardless nature of CDMA networks, it’s up to the carrier to give an individual phone permission to connect to its network. With CDMA networks, you are identified by your device. With GSM, you are identified by your sim card.

For an iPhone to connect to Sprint’s network, Sprint would have to give that specific iPhone permission. Historically, Sprint has not allowed “foreign” smartphones to connect. Their probable motivation is they want you locked you in to a two-year contract by forcing you to purchase a new (subsidized) iPhone.

You could attempt to hack an iPhone so that it appears to be a device that it isn’t—a device with permission to connect to the network. But that is likely cellular fraud, as defined by the FCC.

Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID)

When it comes to locking down CDMA phones, networks previously used something called an ESN (Electronic Serial Number) to identify specific phones. Because those numbers ran out, they now use a Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID), which the Verizon iPhone uses. CDMA networks check a device’s ESN/MEID before allowing it to connect.

In the past, Sprint has not given permission for “foreign” ESN numbers to connect their network. Better possibilities are that the smaller regional CDMA networks like MetroPCS, Boost, or Cricket will look the other way and let the Verizon iPhone connect to their networks, but there could be legal ramifications from Apple/Verizon for doing this, especially if an exclusivity agreement is in place (Apple’s Tim Cook says there isn’t).

Can the MEID (or ESN) be Hacked or Changed?

In the past, people have hacked (switched) the ESN on cell phones, but it’s also likely illegal, possibly fraud. Because people have figured out how to switch an ESN, it’s no great leap in logic to think a MEID-switch hack is possible, or that an MEID can be changed to ESN, etc. But the legality question makes it unlikely that the common citizen would want to risk it.

There are still few iPhone cases available that are compatible with the Verizon version of the iPhone 4. The cases below are all recommended cases that we’ve reviewed and which are compatible with the Verizon iPhone 4. We’ll keep adding more recommended Verizon cases as they are released. Be sure to check out our Best iPhone 4 cases reviews as well.

Picture	Rating	Review Summary and Link to Full Review
	9.5	The Otterbox Defender ($35) is a multi-layer case that combines a hard-plastic interior, silicone rubber exterior, and clear-plastic front screen to offer the most protection we’ve seen in a case. It’s the best designed case we’ve seen, and allows you to use all to functions of the iPhone as normal. Otterbox recently updated the Defender to create a “universal” version that will fit both the Verizon (CDMA) and AT&T (GSM) iPhone 4. The downsides to the Defender are that it increases the bulk of the phone and makes accessing some of the iPhone’s ports less convenient. Still, if you’re interested in the Defender, it’s toward the purpose of optimum protection, and the case is the best for that we’ve seen. Full review and photos.
	8.8	The >Case-Mate Pop! ($25) is a dual-layer case that combines hard plastic with silicone rubber to offer the best of both worlds. The case is lightweight and slim while still offering solid protection. It has a few minor flawsin the form of a hard-to-access ringer switch and a scratchable glossy surface (the scratches weren’t too noticeable in our testing). Overall, the Pop! is an excellent case we can highly recommend. It’s compatible with the CDMA (Verizon) and GSM (AT&T) iPhone 4. Full review and photos.
	8.3	The Speck Fitted ($20) is a stylish hard-plastic case that combines superb protection (thanks to a thicker form factor) with a fashionable cloth-covered back featuring an attractive plaid pattern. Available in 7 colors. The case has a minor flaw in that the sleep button is more difficult to press in the case. Overall, the Speck Fitted is a well-designed combination of function and style. Compatible with both Verizon and AT&T iPhones. Full review and photos.
	8.3	The <ZeroChroma Teatro ($45) is the best case/stand combo we’ve come across. The stand rotates so that it can hold the iPhone in both portrait and landscape. When not in use, the stand lays perfectly flat and out of the way. The case has a svelte profile and stylish lines. Its only flaw is a thin profile that does not offer up much in the way of shock absoprtion. Overall, a highly-functional case that justifies its expensive price tag. Compatible with both Verizon and AT&T iPhones. Full review and photos.
	8.3	The Case-Mate Vroom ($10) is an inexpensive silicone rubber case with a tire-tread pattern on its back. A solid all-around case, the Vroom offers good shock absorption for accidental drops, a good fit, and excellent accessibility to all the iPhone ports. Compatible with both the Verizon and AT&T iPhones. Full review and photos.
	8.0	The Monaco Flip Style Case ($25) features a flip cover that offers privacy for your iPhone’s screen when not in use. The Monaco offers excellent protection via its thick form factor. A negative side effect of the bulk is less pocketability. Made of quality materials, the Monaco is a well-designed case, made of quality materials with a professional look. Full review and photos.
	8.0	The iChair ($25) is a case that includes a flip-out stand capable of supporting the iPhone in landscape and portrait orientations. The iChair offers excellent protection, which is rare for a hard-plastic case. We found it an all-around well-designed case, with only minor flaws in the form of a hard-to-press sleep button and limited angles for the stand (one each for portait and landscape). Compatible with Verizon and AT&T iPhones. Full review and photos.
	8.0	The Scosche Kickback ($25) is a two-layer case combined with a stand that can hold the iPhone up in landscape orientation only. It’s an overall well-designed case that offers solid protection and good accessibility to all of the iPhone’s ports and buttons. The only minor flaws are that the stand offers a single viewing angle, and case’s rubber layer is thin, limiting its shock absorption. Full review and photos.
	7.1	The Splash Cruiser Slim-Fit ($15) is a thin hard-plastic case with a slide-off bottom perfect for use with iPhone docks. The case has a special coating on its surface that gives the hard plastic a soft feel. The case features a few minor flaws: a thin profile means little shock absoprtion and a few of the iPhone’s buttons become more difficult to press while in the case. Overall, a nice-looking case. Compatible with both the Verizon and AT&T iPhones. Full review and photos.
	7.0	The iLuv Fusion ($15) is an attractive hard-plastic case with a functional stand that can hold up the iPhone in both portrait and landscape orientations. The case also offers better-than-average protection compared with most hard cases. The Fusion’s major flaw is that the stand’s hinge makes the iPhone wobble when rested on flat surfaces. If you’re willing to live with the minor annoyance, the Fusion is an overall nice, inexpensive case with high functionality. Compatible with both the Verizon and AT&T iPhones. Full review and photos.

iQueue Free (free) is a free app that lets you manage your Netflix DVD and Instant queues on the iPhone, which is something, for some bizarre reason, the official Netflix app won’t let you do. While iQueue Free won’t win any design awards, it does have a nice drag-n-drop interface that makes it a snap to manage your Netflix queues. Overall, iQueue Free has all the basics you’d want from an app to manage Netflix, and it’s the best free solution we’ve come across so far.

There aren’t many free solutions for managing your Netflix account on the iPhone. Our previous app pick for managing Netflix, PhoneFlicks, is barely better than using the website on the iPhone. But we recently came across iQueue Free, and we like it a lot, mostly for its drag-n-drop interface for rearranging your Netflix queues (both DVD and Instant). Other than that, the app is a stripped down, iPhone-friendly version of Netflix, without the ability to watch movies, of course. You’ll still need the official Netflix app for that.

The interface of iQueue Free follows a familiar template for iPhone apps: a navigation bar on the bottom with information showing on the top. The navigation bar features 4 options: DVD Queue, Instant Queue, Browse, and Search. The DVD Queue and Instant Queue options allow you to view those queues in a list form and tap on individual movies for more information. Movies can be deleted from the list by swiping left to right. A Reorder button in the top right of the screen opens a drag-n-drop interface where you can rearrange the order of your queue.

The Browse button is a way to find movies to watch. Tapping it brings up Netflix’s movie lists, including personal recommendations, Top 100, New Releases, New Watch Instantly, etc. You can add any movie to your queues by tapping a red Add button in the top right. If the movie is available in both DVD and Instant, a pop-up will let you select which queue to add it to.

The Search feature words just as you’d expect, allowing you to type in keywords to find movies and add them to your queues. The app also supports rating of movies using their five-star system. You can also rate movies within the app. Simply tap on the stars and a pop-up will ask you to rate the movies from 1-5 stars.

Conclusion

iQueue Free won’t win any design awards, but it gets the job done, which is giving you complete access to managing your Netflix account. Its best feature is its drag-and-drop interface, which makes rearranging your Netflix queues a snap. And it’s free, so can you really complain about? We like it enough overall to make it one of our Best of iPhone Apps.

Download iQueue Free from iTunes App Store.

The CNN App for iPhone is now free to download, having been lowered from a previous price of $1.99. Also introduced today was the CNN App for iPad, which is free to download as well. The CNN app garnered many positive reviews when it was first released in the fall of ’09, although there seems to be a lot of complaints lately in iTunes about ads and performance issues.

There are many iPhones apps that let you track your weight lifting routines, including popular apps like iFitness and FitnessBuilder, but none treat the ability as a primary feature. That’s why I was glad to discover Gym Buddy ($2.99, download) an app specifically designed to help you record your weight training stats in the gym.

Using Gym Buddy. The basics of using Gym Buddy are that, as you rest in between sets in the gym, you take out your iPhone, tap in your reps and weight in the designated fields, and tap a green checkmark to record them (the app will automatically add the date and time). Then, as you move from exercise to exercise in the gym, you follow along in the app by tapping an arrow and moving through a list of exercises you’ve previously set up. Reps/weights from your previous workouts are displayed at the bottom of the screen, so you’ll know how much weight to use or how many reps you’ll need to do to best yourself.

The app’s interface is simple and easy to use: a few taps and you’re in and out of the app and ready to go on to the next set. The biggest bother was taking the iPhone in and out of my pocket between each set , but since I don’t usually do anything between sets anyways, it wasn’t that big of a deal, and I quickly got used to it. I felt using the app was still more convenient than carrying around a clipboard and pen.

Add your own exercises to the app.

Rest Timer. There is one other sweet feature: a rest timer that will let you know when it’s time to start your next set. You can start the rest timer countdown by tapping one of three buttons along the top, or you change the app’s settings so that the timer automatically starts after recording in your reps/weight. The automatic rest timer is one of my favorite features of the app.
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The Crazy on Digital Folio iPad Case ($20) is high on looks, but low on functionality and features. And because its ultra affordable price can’t make up for its numerous flaws, iPad users should take a pass on this cheap (and cheaply made) case.

The Folio is made out of an attractive fake leather material that features two tones of brown: a light tan color along with reddish brown accenting. The case has stitching visible around the rim of the case as well as on the darker brown strap that runs across the case’s middle. The case has an old-fashioned yet professional look to it, and its appearance is its strongest feature.
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