I'm not an Apple fanboi either, but I personally don't have a problem with what Apple are doing - in fact, I think it was entirely predictable given the lucrative revenue streams that the iPhones represent.

Any hack that permits opting out of future Apple revenue contributions will be defeated with each new firmware release, leaving hacked iPhones with stagnating firmware until someone finds a new solution. Bricking phones may be extreme, but Apple owes the owners of hacked iPhones jack sh1t as the warranties were voided as soon as the devices were tampered with. If anything I think the bricking of devices just shows how p1ssed Apple are that people have hacked the devices - if I was losing $200+ per device I'd probably be hopping mad too!

In the long term, hacked devices may be a good thing for "legitimate" iPhone owners as it's now even more so in Apples interest to bring out insanely great firmware upgrades in an effort to tempt hacked owners to upgrade and get back on the Apple revenue gravy train.

I've never argued the closed nature of the iPhone is a good thing, however I think you either accept it and enjoy the device for what it is, or fight a (most likely) losing battle trying to hack the device as I'm sure Apple will make a far "better" job of closing the iPhone firmware than Sony ever did with the PSP. Bricking hacked devices is testament to that - Sony would never go that far!

And now that a bricked device is a possible future consequence for prospective newbie clueless fckwit "hackers" who need to be spoon-fed single-click solutions from the internet, they may think twice before avoiding to pay the Apple shilling.

Whatever my feelings for Apples motives in bricking hacked iPhones, it doesn't detract from my admiration for the top notch quality devices they have designed and delivered.