iPhone Banned in Syria
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As peaceful protests continue in Syria, the regime of president Bashar al-Assad had what must have seemed like a bright idea in the heat of the moment. As of today, Syria has banned the iPhone from the nation. Customs inspectors in the country will no longer allow shipments of the device in, and current users are strongly encouraged to stop using the iPhone. Take that, democracy.
Syrian protesters are obviously using more devices that the iPhone to plan and report the happenings there. However, it turns out that it is a surprisingly popular device among the crowds in the streets. Several iPhone apps have been used heavily to disseminate news on the brutal Syrian crackdown. This is hardly the first time a regime has gone after technology to stifle protests, but it could be the most shortsighted.
No other mobile devices have been affected by the new rules, so we don’t imagine this is going to have a significant effect. Still, this could be one more reason for security forces and police to detain protesters. Despite the governments best efforts, people are still managing to access social networks to keep their movement alive.
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Keith E. Whisman
December 04, 2011 at 10:51pm
Hey I just noticed that Syria is like SIRI only spelled with a Y and an A. Weird huh? What a small world.
Nimrod
December 04, 2011 at 5:59pm
With all the police brutality videos im seeing in the US and now that we have been declared a perminent war zone im hoping some other country will invade us and save us from this tyranny
keyzs
December 04, 2011 at 9:31pm
do kindly be careful with what you wish for, for it may soon come true....
i am from a country where all male, birth citizens are prisoners while others, including legal immigrants, others and of course our "grandfather" and gang bathe in the furit of all our labours. we are where when "grandfather" makes a mistake, the country pay for it; we are where when a common industry bands together gets hurled to court for "bad" business parctices!! we are where the single land transportation company, owned by "grandfather" decides to up travel fess and the rest of us have to keep quiet. and as peasants, we are kept from starvation yet we are never full!! give me a simple opportunity and i'll move off this rock!!
America, its all about the people and the opportunities... its where one has the liberty of thought and the options for success. looks at the early 1930's: Chicago, Vegas etc... "Freedom" no matter how you put it is never free... its what one believes in and works hard at to achieve… success and freedom a choice and all choices come with consequences. it is unfortunate most will make certain choices however not wanting to bear the accompanied consequences.
I HATE the rotten fruit company for all it stands for… its neither freedom nor democracy do they practice; its more of dictatorship; either follow or die…. Look at the way Flash is killed off and their owner being told that Flash is BS bla bla bla…. Look at itunes screwing up your media system on the PC, yet we are told… oh your PC must be unstable….. Best of all - rotting fruit exploding on aircraft… LOL
though this article is about some ishitZ product.... it just pains me to see resentment towards a democracy which has paved the way for the countless successes in this World.
God bless America!!
Nimrod
December 02, 2011 at 6:03pm
Its funny how if you talk about the mountains of black bodies that our al queda government in Libya is killing they will just shoot you.
Holly Golightly
December 02, 2011 at 5:59pm
Woooooooooow. I feel like dancing with joy. Finally a country has common sense to ban an Apple product. They should ban all things Apple. It is great to finally see a government use common sense. If I were the leader of that nation, I would blend every iPhone and show it to the public on a very large screen as a statement of common sense. Wow, how cool!
jimmythestu
December 03, 2011 at 7:17am
It's comments like this is why the rest of the world thinks that Americans are too stupid to live. You think he's going to stop at iphones! It's about repression of what the people want. That little thing called FREEDOM. You people think it's fucking funny? It isn't. To those people it's something worth dying for. You shitbirds have never been outside your respective towns much less out in the world to see what happens when you don't have the Constitution covering your back.
Holly Golightly
December 03, 2011 at 9:27pm
Having an iPhone... Or anything Apple at that is NOT a constitutional right. Maybe you should travel outside your home town a little more to find out that in third world countries, having an iPhone is a privilege! People starve just to get an iPhone just so they can look a little "cool" since everyone wants to be as rich and dumb like an American. Maybe if everyone else banned the iPhone... Maybe they would spend that $600 on food instead of annoying iProdu¢ts
Ghok
December 03, 2011 at 2:23pm
I assure you, Holly's crazy opinions have nothing to do with her nationality. Some people are just wacky. This is a little nuts even for her, I'm hoping she was joking.
The hate for Apple around here has become more than just an amusing friendly dislike. Though "power users" like us know that as machines they're not nearly as good in most ways to many other sorts of phones, not everyone is as into technology as us, nor do they value the same things out of their devices. Like it on not, iPhone are the de-facto smartphone at the moment. This means they'll be a lot of people's choice just by default. It also (apparently) means they'll be the first phone banned in the attempt to stop free speech.
jimmythestu
December 04, 2011 at 3:08pm
I told myself I wasn't going to come back to look but it's kind of like a train wreck. You just have to look. True to form. Just blew right over the top of the head. Actually I was responding to most of the people on this little section of the blog. Toro just happen to be first in line say something silly and I knew, I just knew, not to reply to her but I was so incensed at the lack of understanding I did it anyway. It's not about Apple, it's about oppression and brutality. Trying to suppress what is going on so that no one can see what is going on. The ban on the rest of the communications gear be it android or blackberry is coming soon. Restrictions on internet traffic, it's all coming unless they just flat overthrow that asshole. His days are numbered hopefully. And yes I've been out of the town, out of the state, out of the country and seen that kind of thing first hand. You really can't appreciate it untill you've seen it first hand. Besides I refuse to argue with an idiot especially when their off their meds. (yeah that's wrong but it's kind of like a train wreck you just can't help it)
Holly Golightly
December 05, 2011 at 12:48pm
Huh? Are you on drugs??? Nothing you say makes any sense... Like ever! You keep talking to yourself, and I'll get the popcorn ready.
Holly Golightly
December 03, 2011 at 9:30pm
Protests around the world are being silenced. However, people have come to think that an iPhone is a status symbol. They would steal from one another just to get one. It is like Apple makes people suddenly become idiots like you. An electronic gadget should not be about how cool you are. So hopefully banning the iPhone will become a trend. Imagine, a world with more common sense than you. Wooow.
jimmythestu
December 04, 2011 at 3:23pm
I don't own an iphone. I have an android. I barely use it to talk on. More like a GPS and mp3 player than a phone. Well hell, I did it again.
Quick, KenLV come save me
C'mon Panthr help out of this hole I'm digging for myself.
HHHHEEEEEEEEELLLLLPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!
Your such a freak of nature. And I'm done
Holly Golightly
December 05, 2011 at 12:53pm
Yesss!!! Bring your fanboys over. Heck, you should join too. Go ahead, I freaking dare you!!!
Biceps
December 04, 2011 at 12:02pm
I hope they ban people who think banning everything is ok. If you don't like iPhones don't buy them.
Holly Golightly, you make the entire internet look stupid with your comments regarding Syria. Go read a newspaper.
Holly Golightly
December 04, 2011 at 1:55pm
No thanks... I am happy with what I read here. No need to spam users away from MaximumPC. What Syria is doing is within the interests of their great nation and their culture. I encourage more nations to follow through if they want to help protect their own culture. Not everything should be Americanized.
jth
December 05, 2011 at 12:09am
All I hope is the the irony of Holly's inane rambling isn't lost on her. That would be nearly as sad as the embarassing drivle she posts.
Holly Golightly
December 05, 2011 at 1:01pm
I am for Syria. Not all of their phones should be iPhones. Heck, iPhones should never be the very tool of journalism. They should not be using devices made by the enemy. Maybe they should use phones made in their country. Of course, none of your American branded stuff are made in America either. Imagine if USA put their jobs back to the economy. Imagine how much better everything would be. You skimp on your middle class and you ruin your capital triangle that has been running this great nation for 300 years.
Keith E. Whisman
December 04, 2011 at 11:44pm
Why don't you just move to Syria since you hate the United States, democracy, and human rights so much. I'm sure you'll look great in a freaking dirka dirka burka.
In fact you should show your hatred by making yourself a martyr. Just strap on an explosive vest and drape yourself in an American Flag and martyr yourself in a desolate, area that is far and away from civilization like Detroit or some other Ghost town or desert like that.
Holly Golightly
December 05, 2011 at 12:57pm
Maybe you should wear a burka. Because you are not a man. You feel that Metro UI sucks because it is made by a woman, and you do not like it when I post here because I am a woman. Hot patriotic of you to recommend someone to strap a bomb on themselves and go to an American city like Detroit. I ought to report you to the government for encouraging terrorism.
livebriand
December 02, 2011 at 10:20pm
On one end, I love seeing stuff against apple products, on the other hand, the Syrian government is a bunch of assholes that are short-sightedly trying to stop free speech.
Holly Golightly
December 03, 2011 at 9:33pm
You know... I can still exercise free speech on a Windows Phone. I can also do it on Android and Blackberry as well. Even on flip phones. It does not matter what cellphone you get. However, seeing too many of a foreign product is annoying. Perhaps they are trying to boost sales of phones made in their country? I do not understand why an iPhone must be a tool of journalism!
keyzs
December 02, 2011 at 8:57pm
One of the better news in the mornig!!! This is gonna to be a great weekend. Retribution and about time.... And karma is a bitch!!
Holly Golightly
December 03, 2011 at 9:36pm
You are so right. Justice never seemed soo good. I am happy as well. I mean, Apple is always trying to file a lawsuit with just about every competitor imaginable. Then banned oneof their competitions in 2 countries. So what I say is happening now is pure karma. And it is only a matter of time before other countries start following through. Have a good weekend.
The Corrupted One
December 02, 2011 at 8:22pm
Let's take this as a petition to congress!
Apple shall no longer rule with shitty products that look good just because of an ad campaign.
Holly Golightly
December 03, 2011 at 9:38pm
You know... I wonder if Apple hired the same people who worked on those cigarette campaign back in the 1980s. "You are cool if you buy it." Very successful, but freaking annoying as hell.
Mortal_M
December 02, 2011 at 8:19pm
Holly, don't forget that we need Apple, without that "competiton" we can get stuck with shitty software/hardware.
Holly Golightly
December 03, 2011 at 9:42pm
Well, yes... They gave other cellphones serious competitions. However I do not see an overall boost in quality of cellphones in general. They all have poor battery life. They now can not have their batteries removed. If anything, I say things went for the worst. Now I have to pay Apple prices on a cellphone I hardly ever use. Also, broadband on every competition has been capped... Thanks to Apple. I say we were much better without them. Anyhow, I still game on my big desktop. No need to get stuck playing Angry Birds on a phone while stalking on FaceBook with an iPhone. What for?
std error
December 02, 2011 at 4:44pm
This room is steaming hot! I know! Lets ban the thermometer! That'l fix it!
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