[HTC EVO 3D] cobraboy85:
First... let's start with a a few definitions.

com·put·er - n.

1. An electronic device for storing and processing data, typically in binary form, according to instructions given to it in a variable program.

2. Also called processor. an electronic device designed to accept data, perform prescribed mathematical and logical operations at high speed, and display the results of these operations.

3. A device that computes, especially a programmable electronic machine that performs high-speed mathematical or logical operations or that assembles, stores, correlates, or otherwise processes information.

tel·e·phone - n.

1. An instrument that converts voice and other sound signals into a form that can be transmitted to remote locations and that receives and reconverts waves into sound signals.

SO... I was browsing around XDA, and I couldn't help but notice all of talk we have accumulated over this whole HBoot 1.5 deal, not have the NAND unlocked, crummy source code releases from phone companies, sprint and many other phone companies monitoring every little thing we do, people's contracts being terminated for "accessing torents".... a whole laundry list of problems people are having with various aspects of owning their "phone" and not having freedom to truly do whatever they want with it.

I started pondering the idea that cell phones, tablets, the whole scene, are slowly starting to replace the use of a personal lap top or desk top. Many people, such as myself, use their "phone" as a very handy mobile business tool - much like you would a computer - checking/sending emails, downloading music, managing bank accounts, keeping up with the latest news on facebook, recording/sharing/editing high quality media, playing games, programming and testing software, composing and looking at word, excel, powerpoint, adobe... just to name a few... documents. Oh, and making phone calls.

Back to the "thought" that came to mind as I was contemplating this, it occurred to me that my phone, is becoming much less of a phone to me, and more like a computer, and just like my computer it is something I have paid and continually pay good money for...

My question, then, is would the free world (society) ever tolerate the limitations, and obnoxious "control" over their personal computers that we are all rolling over on our backs and accepting from phone companies? Could this idea that phones are becoming, and ARE, more a computer than a phone in the year 2012 and furthermore at what point will we stop accepting this type of tyranny from the dealers of these devices? Could this not be comparative to best buy selling you a laptop, then the cable company telling you exactly what you are and aren't allowed to do with said laptop, simply because they are providing you the PAID FOR service of their internet? Where and when are we going to draw the line with this type of double standard and make a valiant effort to bring this to the attention of people who are walking in blindness, with their little computers in their pockets, with their big phone company telling them exactly what they can and cannot do with their phone? If I want to buy a lap top, then turn around and rebuild it to my liking, knowing the warranty may be void if something goes wrong, and maybe over something as simple as not liking the color of the menu screen, do I not have that ability? Likewise, if I pay hundreds of dollars for a portable computer, which fits conveniently in my pocket, and I decide I want to tear apart the software simply to rebuild it or improve on things that do not fit to my needs EXACTLY, am I not allowed to do this simply because I am paying for internet and radio reception and the company selling me such service says "no, that is not allowed" because they say so? If this type of control or dictatorship was ever forced upon our personal computers, there would be riots on the doorsteps of the people selling us the computers and internet service. Why then do we tolerate this bull**** with something cell phone companies call a "phone" but something we all know is just as useful, and extremely more convenient than, a lap top.

Why is there no freedom to do whatever we please with our pocket sized computers? Why do cell carriers tell us what we can and cannot do with the devices they sell us, then make us pay for continually? The average person will spend approximately $1,800 dollars on "cell phone" services over the course of a contract. By the time that contract is up, their hardware is outdated, and needs replacing to keep up with the software and hardware advancement in the mobile electronic world. Does that wreak of computer or phone to you? My parents have had the same house phone in their living room for the past 10 years, and it does exactly what it was always designed to do, and does not need "upgrading". Why are "cell phones" being called cell phones by Sprint, Verizon, T Mobile, and many other companies that sell these devices by the millions when they are hardly phones at all? If my laptop has an application on it, which it does - skype, that is designed to simply make a phone call every now and then among the hundred of other things I use it for, does that mean I should call my lap top a cell phone? Simply because I can talk to cell phones from it? Or is it a computer, because it's primary function is to compute data that I store on it, and read that data back to me in millions of different ways and interact with me based on what data I decide to access/store in it? "Cell phones" are not cell phones, and why are we allowing people to tell us otherwise, simply so they can dictate to us what we do with them? I think it is time we start bringing this to people's attention. I think it is time to start raising this question to "cell phone" companies and manufacturers of these expensive devices, then turn around and tell us what we can and cannot do with our "cell phone." I say we start giving a big fat middle finger to this injustice and go on the offense here about this huge issue. I don't want your spyware bull **** on my computer, I don't want to be told what websites I am allowed to visit/not visit, I don't want you locking me out of my computer's OS, I don't want you collecting random statistical data about what apps I use, I don't want you invading my privacy. I just want to buy my damn computer, pay for your radio service like I do with my laptop and comcast, and not have any other relationship with you other than a monthly payment. I am one of those who enjoys freedom. And if I want to pick apart the software that you pre-loaded into my device, for learning experience, for ****s and giggles, for the pure sake of not being bored, give me the freedom to do it ENTIRELY... Not in some half ass way.

Our "phones" are not phones. Make this known the next time a "phone" company calls you with their ridiculous "rate your experience at our store" phone calls. In fact, request that they do call. Write a letter. Hell, copy and paste this entire rant and email it to dan@sprint.com... whatever the hell you do, stop letting people walk all over you by feeding you lies about what that device in your hand truly is, which you are reading this post from.

Be vocal, and be defiant with this major invasion of privacy and freedom. It will turn heads and cause people to question the powers that be. Does ANYBODY have a right to tell me what I do with MY computer? Hell no they don't.