Found a 3GS, should i sell my 3G??

**frankydabull** · 10-22-2009, 12:43 AM

Ok, this is the situation that I am facing.

I currently own a 16GB 3G, Unlocked to TMo... I am a manager of a nightclub, and MUST have an iphone for the amount of time that I'm on the road, quick emails, web, etc...

So, one of the guys that clean up for me finds a 16GB White 3GS. Says that he will trade me a touch bc he already has a 3GS. But the LCD is broken...

So, I tried loading 3.0 on it, hoping it hasnt been upgraded and got the error msg basically saying that I cant roll back... So I know its at least 3.1

So, my question is, can i use like a TurboSIM to use the phone? Anyone had success with this? I dont know the history of this phone, but know that I can jailbreak. I've foudn a touch at a good price, and will more than likely cover its price by selling my 3G, but... can't go without a phone!

So before I go restore crazy, what would someone on here suggest? 3GS in my hands, hard to kind of let it go, you know? Looking for honest opinions. Thanks ahead of time

**nickh** · 10-22-2009, 01:00 AM

Honestly.... why don't you try & find the rightful owner of the white 3Gs? And your a bar manager,is this the normal practice in your bar, find something and keep it. Glad Im not 1 of your customers!!

**GIRLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL** · 10-22-2009, 02:28 AM

Yes, he should hunt down the rightful owner and fix it for them while hes at it.

Anyway, you can't unlock soooo.. fix it and sell it.

**boozie** · 10-22-2009, 05:34 AM

I agree with nickh. Keep your place honest!

**adp** · 10-22-2009, 05:36 AM

Isn't the IMEI locked after it is reported stolen? I thought I read that they locked them in all US carriers, which is why you see all these people "trading" phones between different continents.

But either way, I hope you do the right thing.

**boozie** · 10-22-2009, 06:52 AM

Nope! I just went through this from the other end. AT&T will not lock your imei for a couple of reasons. They have no way to verify the phone was lost, stolen, sold, gave as a gift etc... They will not do anythin unless there is a court order. Also it is a money maker for them and apple. Now the person who lost the phone has to get a new one at regular price or keep paying their iphone plan with no iphone and sometimes whoever "finds" the phone will then have to sign up for an iphone plan with at&t.

As a person who has been through this, I repeat what I said earlier: Try to find the owner. In my eyes, not returning it is the same as stealing it! First thing, I would look for a "home" number in contacts and try calling it. If none I would look for "mom", "dad", etc.. if none, then I would call the police and report if found. They will try to contact the owner. Maybe call at&t and see if they will contact the owner (although I doubt it) The owner will be extremely gratefull for your trouble and possibly offer a reward as I did.

**Sadhunni** · 10-22-2009, 06:58 AM

Well, if I were you, I will keep it because when I owned a N97 back then, I lost it in the bar and the butthead found my phone and start pranking my friends. I even offer to give him or her some money to get my phone back and it was rejected. Dont be the nice guy. Keep it for yourself. Imagine you lost your phone in the bar and someone found it and they even wont return it to you. If they do, you got lucky then.

**Lecram25** · 10-22-2009, 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by Sadhunni

Well, if I were you, I will keep it because when I owned a N97 back then, I lost it in the bar and the butthead found my phone and start pranking my friends. I even offer to give him or her some money to get my phone back and it was rejected. Dont be the nice guy. Keep it for yourself. Imagine you lost your phone in the bar and someone found it and they even wont return it to you. If they do, you got lucky then.

What's this world coming to?

**Sadhunni** · 10-22-2009, 07:55 AM

Sorry. That was the experience I went through. I lost my phone twice and never got it back when I offer them something. Why would I have to be the ms. nice lady to return their phones when no one willing to return mines? The decision belongs to frankydabull but Im just giving my advice. if he lost his phone somewhere, 9 out of 10 people will mostly keep the phone to themselves unless your lucky to meet that 1 out of 10 people. Sorry to be harsh. If whoever lost their phone, it was your fault for not watching your property. Take it as a lesson like I do.

**frankydabull** · 10-22-2009, 08:37 AM

Wow, well seeing how this has turned into a moral debate, lets look at it like this...

I know FOR A FACT, that if I go to the Apple Store and say that I found an iPhone, the original owner will not get their phone back. Scratch that

Now, seeing I work in a nightclub, and things are lost every day, once the club is closed, the general rule is if the person doesnt come and ask for it, then oh well. But I will do what all of you suggest

Tomorrow night when I go into work, I will get on the mic, and wait until we are at capacity, and scream over the music "Whoever has lost your iphone 3GS, come to me, I have it."

My question is, So when all 350 people come claiming the phone, who do I give it to?

Anyway, BACK TO MY REAL QUESTION, does a TurboSim work on a 3GS on latest firmware. Nobody addressed THAT issue.

BTW: Ive lost my iphone before, and you know what I did? Said it was my fault and bought another one. I live in Atlanta, I dont know where the rest of you live, maybe Never never land, but where I'm at, we chalk that sh*t up as a loss.

**Sadhunni** · 10-22-2009, 08:49 AM

So far, I searched ebay and theres no turbosim for 3.1 firmware yet. Your not the only one who stuck on 3.1.

Well, dont return it. Finder's keepers lol. Did the person ever call their phone to ask for the phone back? If not, then this person doesnt really care lol

**adp** · 10-22-2009, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by frankydabull

Wow, well seeing how this has turned into a moral debate, lets look at it like this...

I know FOR A FACT, that if I go to the Apple Store and say that I found an iPhone, the original owner will not get their phone back. Scratch that

Now, seeing I work in a nightclub, and things are lost every day, once the club is closed, the general rule is if the person doesnt come and ask for it, then oh well. But I will do what all of you suggest

Tomorrow night when I go into work, I will get on the mic, and wait until we are at capacity, and scream over the music "Whoever has lost your iphone 3GS, come to me, I have it."

My question is, So when all 350 people come claiming the phone, who do I give it to?

Anyway, BACK TO MY REAL QUESTION, does a TurboSim work on a 3GS on latest firmware. Nobody addressed THAT issue.

BTW: Ive lost my iphone before, and you know what I did? Said it was my fault and bought another one. I live in Atlanta, I dont know where the rest of you live, maybe Never never land, but where I'm at, we chalk that sh*t up as a loss.

Right...because the phone has NO contacts or information in which you can find the owner right? Of course the right owner won't be there tonight - it's not like everyone goes clubbing every single day of the week! No one told you to take it to the Apple store.

**frankydabull** · 10-22-2009, 09:37 AM

Well, Im 100% sure that the phone has contacts on it, hundreds, but you know what? By the time it got to me, it says iPhone Disabled - Connect to iTunes bc someone tried to put in the pw too many times. So if we can get back on track...

I guess I will just hold on to this one. Might just repair the LCD and sell it. Would be nice to move up to a 3GS. My jailbreaking ends at a few apps and would be nice to have the built in video rec app, and a phone thats faster as well...

Ive been using an iphone since the 1.0.2 days, and downloading 100 apps has killed me. I dont even use winterboard anymore... Plalin and simple for me, LOL

**GIRLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL** · 10-22-2009, 10:45 AM

Well yeah exactly, I would repair the LCD and off load it. You'd have to get AT&T at this point if you wanted to use it. No unlock for when you restore it. Everybody wants to be such an upstanding citizen when it's not their problem. If no one claimed it I don't see what the issue is.

**gary86** · 10-22-2009, 11:16 AM

Try and hunt down the owner

**GIRLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL** · 10-22-2009, 11:17 AM

Ugh.

You know what. I lost an iPhone when I was clubbing in ATL, a 3G S 16GB with a cracked screen to be exact. Now gimme!!!!!!!!

**adp** · 10-22-2009, 01:15 PM

If I would have lost my iPhone at a club I would have thought someone had stolen it for sure. This is probably why the person has not attempted to claim it. But that's not the point. What we were trying to say is that the person who found it can be proactive and do something to attempt to find the owner. If the phone is stuck in the "connect to iTunes" screen by now, then there's nothing to do - since the phone can only be resored as a new phone. All the previous info will be lost. In this case, yes, I'd sell it. There's no way of tracking the previous owner.

**CaptainChaos** · 10-22-2009, 01:26 PM

Scroll all the way up to the top of the contacts list and it will say: My Number Is

Call that number, leave a voicemail saying that you found their phone and how they can contact you. Worked for me when I found a white 16gb 3G. The look on the owners face when we met to give the phone back was payment enough for me. I would hate to lose my phone!

**BDCruz** · 10-22-2009, 03:37 PM

I would say wait awhile (maybe a week) fr the rightful owner to contact you to see if you found anything. If no one contacts you then like someone aid previously - finders keepers. If you're afraid f the whole 'someone may hunt me down' thing, just sell it for a decent amount and turn around and buy another; that way you don't have to worry.

As for the being unlocked with a turbo sim, i don't think they currently have that

**babyblue_pimp** · 10-22-2009, 07:09 PM

yeah theres no turbo sim...

When you plug it in, doesn't it say "My number is" at the top of itunes? if not you can put his/her sim into your phone, can see if you can get his number. Give it a call, or if you feel like being a nice guy give AT&T a call, i'm sure they have a way of checking who purchased what phone via the ICID number, or just by the sim card alone they could probably link it to an account.

I know most people think, "well if someone found my phone they'd keep it, so screw you i'll keep your phone". That maybe the case, but it depends on your own situation. If you are low on funds or something, just have the LCD fixed, restore it back to 3.1.2 and sell it for cheap to someone on AT&T. If you aren't that broke, and dont really need the money, then i would definitely visit the AT&T store, or an Apple Store.
As a nightclub manager the "if they don't return by tonight, then o well" is RETARDED. Most people go to the nightclub, and get DRUNK and are trying to have a good time. Do you know how many times i've woken up the next day and the first thing is "where is my phone?" lucky people in college arent assholes, and i've ALWAYS gotten my phone back, regardless of whos room i forgot it in. As a manager, your policy is pretty flawed.. and whom ever disabled the iPhone is more of an idiot than anything, because that literally was the only way to see if the "owner" is telling the truth or not. Good luck dude.

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