Thursday, September 20 12:00 AM ET

iRate iPhone Users Protest with "Lock-in"

Cupertino, CA – Hundreds of irate iPhone users, tired of being locked into using AT & T and barred from adding third-party applications, descended on Apple headquarters and literally locked themselves to their iPhones.

Stefan Cordevant, who organized the “lock-in” said, “The iPhone handcuffed to my wrist symbolizes my lock-in with AT & T, my protest sign expresses my outrage at Apple for not allowing third-party applications, and this Starbucks travel mug keeps my cappuccino hot.”

Many see the protest as a sign that the goodwill Apple developed after the successful launch of the iPhone is evaporating. The crowd, which police estimated to be in the low to mid teens, had no love for Apple, though several squealed in delight as Steve Jobs waved to them from the iCopter as he departed for the day.

“I want to use my iPhone however I want,” said protester Ivan Bricklin. “I paid $600 for it, I should be able to modify it to shoot death rays if I want.”

Chants of “Venti lattes, raisin scones, Steven Jobs unlock our phones!” and “Hey, hey, ho, ho, vendor lock-in contracts and firmware updates that cause problems on our unlocked iPhones have to go!” could almost be heard across the street.

Many drivers honked in support of the protesters, or at least to get their attention so they could wave their Blackberries and their middle fingers at them

An Apple representative called the protest “ridiculous” and said that the protesters “signed an agreement, they know the deal. We'll continue to lock users in if we want to and they'll like it.”

The protest lasted for nearly a half hour, when many protesters said that their “break was over” and they had to get back to work. Police sensing a lost opportunity hurried in and tased many of the protesters causing cries of horror as iPhones hit the sidewalk, cracking touchscreens.

No arrests were made.