Well, Steve Jobs says it's your fault anyway. Not a design issue, you just don't know how to hold a phone. Kinda like that old joke about the guy that goes to the doctor and says 'hey, it hurts when I do this' to which the doctor replies 'well, don't do that then'. Gotta love Apple ... oh, wait a sec ...
If you hold your phone tightly (wrapping your hand around the majority of it) your signal strength will drop anywhere from 1 to 5 dB. In lower signal areas this can lead to a dropped call.
You're supposed to hold it very daintily with the tips of your first two fingers and thumb.
And don't use a case. And if possible try to use a headset.
Also, AT&T's signal is based off of GSM technology, which already isn't great at in-building penetration.
Go with CDMA if you have an option.
The problem with the iPhone4 is that it uses the case as an antenna amplifier of sorts. So you can't help but cause yourself trouble if you touch it in a certain area. What I find amusing is that it's not a design issue, it's user error. Umm ... no. I've had all sorts of cell phones and have never had trouble of that nature. Granted, I don't have an iPhone4 (AT&T blows) so I don't know if it would be an issue for me. With the amount of complaints that seem to be floating around, though, it seems that this phone has more trouble than what's typically found. They actually recommend using a case in this ... case as it will isolate the metal ... case from your fleshy, interference inducing hands. But I'm with you on the headset thing. I got a Bluetooth headset for Christmas and I haven't looked back. With my current phone, answering while driving is a pain in the ass. Plus I keep it in a case on my belt and getting out from under the seat belt and, say, a long leather coat in the winter sucks. I know for a fact I'm a safer driver when on the phone now than I was before. They're nothing but good, IMO.
What I can't understand is how that problem was not detected during testing...
Or all their testers were right-handed...go figure...
I'm a lefty so I guess it means no iPhone4 for me. Now talk about Apple's elitism, your brain has to be configured the Apple way or you can't hold their thing correctly.
You like Flash, no iPhone for you.
You're a lefty? no iPhone for you.
Yeah, no soup for you.
Don't forget, if you do want an Apple product, you either need to be prepared to wait or be ready to buy it twice so you can get all the features you want thanks to their purposefully delayed releases. Yay.
Apparently you can also get early-release Apple products in bars located near the head office.
Only if you happen to be there when the employee is drunk enough to forget about it.
Errors like that often happens in us humans as your reports must have shown you.
The iPhone, like most smartphones, are ghey (unless you legitimately require one for work).
Coincidence, dammit! Does anyone else giggle like a school girl when an Apple owner legitimately thinks he's "fighting the Man" when he supports his apple addiction?
It's just such a delicious irony. You don't get more The Man than Apple. Period. well maybe if a company called itself The Man, and then followed apple's business practices you could.
And now freedom from left handedness.
Oh Steve Jobs, can't you see that you've become that which you hated so much for so long?
The iPhone, like most smartphones, are ghey (unless you legitimately require one for work).
Thank you for your valuable contribution to this discussion.
Thank you for your valuable contribution to this discussion.
No problem. Just doing my part.
Posted via mobile web.
(Even though I'm pretty sure I'm younger than you.)
I also am not down with how connected people need to be at all times. Unless its required for your job or something, I think its pretty rude to be checking e-mails, Twitter, and Facebook while having dinner (for example).
Additionally, I think it makes people dumber, lazier, and more dependent. My car has GPS but I'll rarely use it. Its because I found that when I was using often, I became dependent and couldn't remember how to get to new places which I drove to. So I think its good for an emergency or getting lost, I typically won't use my GPS if I can just get directions. And that's not nearly as bad as most people who "can't get places" without their GPS. Extend that thought to stuff like tip calculators, parking reminders, and other "apps". Think of those iPhone commercials which advertise apps which turn off your lights at home, pick out sushi places, etc. Just dumb.
So yeah, I kind of think that technology is used very poorly these days. Wow, I agree with Obama for once =P
And my phone has the internet so I can check scores, yet its still quite small. But overall, its just personal preference (I should live in either Europe or Asia where they like small, stylish phones) and annoyance at the (further) dumbing of people.
I just am not a fan of smartphones. First of all, I think they're way too big. I like small phones; mine (Sony Ericcson S200i) is less than 4x2x1/2". I typically just put them in my pocket, so that'd be uncomfortable with most smartphones.
My iPhone is 4 1/2" x 2 1/4" x 3/16" and fits quite comfortably in my pocket, so much so I sometimes forget it's there and think I've lost it. Are your pockets so tiny that these fractional differences in size make it "way too big"?
I also am not down with how connected people need to be at all times. Unless its required for your job or something, I think its pretty rude to be checking e-mails, Twitter, and Facebook while having dinner (for example).
Non sequitur, it does not follow. I own an iPhone and I too consider such behaviour to be both rude and unnecessary. I turn my phone off when I enter a theatre, restaurant, someone's home, etc. Having the capacity to check e-mails, Twitter, and Facebook at will does not necessitate doing so.
Additionally, I think it makes people dumber, lazier, and more dependent. My car has GPS but I'll rarely use it. Its because I found that when I was using often, I became dependent and couldn't remember how to get to new places which I drove to. So I think its good for an emergency or getting lost, I typically won't use my GPS if I can just get directions. And that's not nearly as bad as most people who "can't get places" without their GPS. Extend that thought to stuff like tip calculators, parking reminders, and other "apps". Think of those iPhone commercials which advertise apps which turn off your lights at home, pick out sushi places, etc. Just dumb.
Again, it does not follow. That some people choose to use apps like this does not mean everyone does or that it somehow makes smartphones inherently a bad technology. Many, if not most, of these functions can also be performed by PCs.
So yeah, I kind of think that technology is used very poorly these days.
Key word highlighted. The use to which some people put a technology does not invalidate that technology. Are microwaves an inhernetly bad technology cos some people use them to make Crystal Meth?
Wow, I agree with Obama for once =P
It was bound to happen eventually. You couldn't be wrong all the time.
And my phone has the internet so I can check scores, yet its still quite small.
I also am not down with how connected people need to be at all times. Unless its required for your job or something, I think its pretty rude to be checking scores while having dinner (for example).
But overall, its just personal preference
Except for the part where you make sweeping generalizations to justify that preference, sure.
(I should live in either Europe or Asia where they like small, stylish phones)
If you truly wish to move half way across the world solely cos you think you'll see fewer smartphones might I suggest serious psychological counseling. Immediately.
and annoyance at the (further) dumbing of people.
Again, key word highlighted. The people are the problem, not the technology.
I just am not a fan of smartphones. First of all, I think they're way too big. I like small phones; mine (Sony Ericcson S200i) is less than 4x2x1/2". I typically just put them in my pocket, so that'd be uncomfortable with most smartphones.
Heh. My HTC Touch Diamond (admittedly slightly out of date) is about 37/8x2x5/16" so, umm, pretty comparable. But I feel ya on the new trend in larger phones. Like I said, my mom has a Droid. It's friggin' huge. I'd never buy it simply because of how bit it is (and I'm not convinced I like the Android OS yet either). But people want to see what they're lookin' at on these high res screens. So I get it. When I need a new phone I'll be looking at size in addition to everything else. Anything too big is right out.
I also am not down with how connected people need to be at all times. Unless its required for your job or something, I think its pretty rude to be checking e-mails, Twitter, and Facebook while having dinner (for example).
I could do all that stuff at dinner if I so chose. I do not.
So yeah, I kind of think that technology is used very poorly these days. Wow, I agree with Obama for once =P
You kwazy bastard!
And my sweeping generalizations don't justify my preference. My preferences are based upon those sweeping generalizations. If everyone turned off their phones like Boraxe, then I would have no issue with smartphones.
So again, yes, its application and use. Kind of like how people complain about most technology. Technology itself is rarely bad.
Boraxe, what iPhone do you have? According to quick searches, the thinnest iPhone should be almost twice as thick. But there's lots of different models, so maybe I didn't search them all. But anyway, a half inch here and there make a difference when talking about small items (we're only talking about 4x2x1/2).
Related news (uhh ... related to the OP, I mean).
Apparently it may be a software issue - and not user error (which is stupid anyway - it's a ****ing phone and should be able to be held in more than one specific way. My HTC has no issues with the way I hold it when making calls, using the net, SMSing, etc). Anyhoo, an interesting wrinkle.
Boraxe, what iPhone do you have? According to quick searches, the thinnest iPhone should be almost twice as thick. But there's lots of different models, so maybe I didn't search them all. But anyway, a half inch here and there make a difference when talking about small items (we're only talking about 4x2x1/2).
I have a 3g. Apparently if you tell your cell phone company "screw you guys, I'm changing carriers" they give you free (if slightly out-of-date) iPhones.
And yeah, my mistake on the size. It's actually 3/8, not 3/16.
My wallet fits in my snuggest pair of jeans comfortably. And can be removed fairly easily if I'm not sitting in the car.
Second off, that's like blaming the gun, for someone dying by gunshot rather than the idiot using it Scypio.
My complaint and chief reason for not even having a basic cell right now, other than the exhoribitant price to use it every month is that frankly phones are too small.
When I do get a cell though you can bet your bottom dollar it's going to be a smart phone though. They are just too useful. And if I'm going to get ***** every month six ways backwards I might as well get some very nice features out of the deal.
And yeah, I also dislike people who are "always connected" because they always forget to remain connected to the people right in front of them so they can remain connected to their "friends" on Facebook or their followers on Twitter.
But for that you should indeed blame the people, and I tend to avoid such people when I can.
Also, Steve Jobs is a ****, judging from his mails.
Eh, people's application of technology is part of the worth of technology. If technology primarily yeilds annoying results without proper positives, you can complain about technology.
Its like the flying car thread. People dislike the idea of flying cars because drivers are bad, not because the technology is bad. So yeah people and their application is important when judging technology.
Cpt_Micha: I always put my wallet in my back pocket. I don't think I would put a phone in that pocket. I use my side pocket for my phone since I don't want to sit on it. And I don't use a normal wallet because of size. I use a card wallet and a money clip. I tend to think normal wallets are a bit on the big size.
I guess I just prefer more compact items.
Related news (uhh ... related to the OP, I mean).
Apparently it may be a software issue - and not user error (which is stupid anyway - it's a ****ing phone and should be able to be held in more than one specific way. My HTC has no issues with the way I hold it when making calls, using the net, SMSing, etc). Anyhoo, an interesting wrinkle.
So, a software update fixes a holding problem?
Modern technology is full of miracles!
So, a software update fixes a holding problem?
Modern technology is full of miracles!
Heh. Funny how something that's not a design issue could be fixed by improving the design.
So, a software update fixes a holding problem?
Modern technology is full of miracles!
Heh. Funny how something that's not a design issue could be fixed by improving the design.
My brother suggested that the patch will make the phone scream when the user is holding it wrong.
Eh, people's application of technology is part of the worth of technology. If technology primarily yeilds annoying results without proper positives, you can complain about technology.
Its like the flying car thread. People dislike the idea of flying cars because drivers are bad, not because the technology is bad. So yeah people and their application is important when judging technology.
Cpt_Micha: I always put my wallet in my back pocket. I don't think I would put a phone in that pocket. I use my side pocket for my phone since I don't want to sit on it. And I don't use a normal wallet because of size. I use a card wallet and a money clip. I tend to think normal wallets are a bit on the big size.
I guess I just prefer more compact items.
You could always just get a belt holster for it. (I use one for my mp3 player which is bigger than a Hero so I know you could get one to fit in one)
I use a normal wallet (well one made of nylon and polyester for sheer durability. Best wallet ever and I only spent 2.57 on it) in my front pocket. Back pocket anything is uncomfortable. I only use my backpockets when I'm out of front pockets, and am not planning on sitting down for at least ten minutes.
-david c.
www.d4d6d8d10d12d20.com - My Game Blog
Apparently the Death Grip doesn't actually drop your reception 4 or 5 bars ... because you likely never, ever had that good of reception anyway. It seems that the formula used to determine the display for signal strength has been wrong since the iPhone came to be. A total 'accident', of course. There's no way they'd have wanted customers to think that the phone actually got full reception even when it didn't - and likely rarely does. No chance of that.
Anyhoo, there's a fix in the works so soon your phones will display the correct number of bars. 'Course you still can't hold it in any more than two fingers without dropping calls, but whatever.
And get BP to supply all the needed oil.
More Apple fun.
Apparently the Death Grip doesn't actually drop your reception 4 or 5 bars ... because you likely never, ever had that good of reception anyway. It seems that the formula used to determine the display for signal strength has been wrong since the iPhone came to be. A total 'accident', of course. There's no way they'd have wanted customers to think that the phone actually got full reception even when it didn't - and likely rarely does. No chance of that.
Anyhoo, there's a fix in the works so soon your phones will display the correct number of bars. 'Course you still can't hold it in any more than two fingers without dropping calls, but whatever.
This is getting more and more ridiculous.
I assume the patch will bring the new formula and now signal strenght will be shown in a binary way. i.e. there is signal/there isn't signal
I thought my cell service was ok - until I got Verizon. Now I know how a phone really should work. As in, it should work.
If we can learn anything from these articles it's is that Apple has about as much PR sense as BP. Blame the customer, say it isn't a design flaw, release a patch to fix said nonexistant flaw, release notes stating that an unrelated flaw made the other flaw appear to be worse - even though that's patently untrue since no matter how many bars you lost, you still dropped the call - and who know's what's next? The gigantic ass Droid X is looking more appealing by the day ...