With Apple’s labor practices in the spotlight, an online group has started a petition asking the company to make its next iPhone model “ethical.”

Nearly 40,000 people have signed the petition to Apple on the online petition site called SumofUs.org, asking Apple to “overhaul the way its suppliers treat their workers in time for the launch of the iPhone 5.”
Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman, executive director of SumOfUs, said that — as an Apple user herself — she would like to see Apple reform its labor practices, even if it means taking a hit to it profit margin or passing some of the costs onto consumers.
Apple’s voice-activated, personal assistant, Siri, is a cool app to show off at parties, but is it useful enough for me to upgrade to the iPhone 4S? And how can I make sure that I don’t get socked with a surprise $1,000 bill when I return from my winter vacation in the Caribbean Islands?
These are the questions Ask Maggie tackles in this edition.
Dear Maggie,
I’ve had the iPhone 3G for a couple of years. But recently, I’ve really gotten tired of the slow download speeds for emails and Web surfing. Would the iPhone 4S be better? Also the Siri app looks really interesting, and I can’t get it on my iPhone 3G. Is it worth it for me to upgrade to the iPhone 4S for this app?
I’m going to be buying a new phone in the next couple of weeks, and I am curious as to whether or not you think it is worth the money to get the iPhone 4S, or if I should consider something else. Now that I’ve been retired for almost five years, I’ve lost touch with the latest technology so your advice is much appreciated.
Thanks,
Jim