NYT: iPhone 4 antenna problems a result of 'weakness' in software

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  • Reply 121 of 166
    diddydiddy Posts: 282member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mi_sat View Post


    Agree. Please post your diploma(s) from all schools attended. Offer up six references. Get a lie detector test.



    All of this is critical to "street cred" on some message board.



    Frankly, my sense is that if s/he did offer more detailed explanation, you (me, et. al.) wouldn't understand it anyway.



    As it stands though, just stating something on the internet is practically useless. If it had any meaning I could demand you bow to me since I am the king of Siam. Of course none of that matters without something to back it up. Making assertions on the internet is useless when you can make up whatever you want.
  • Reply 122 of 166
    pmzpmz Posts: 3,433member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by RBR View Post


    I am going to have to call you on this. An antenna is an antenna is an antenna. It does not know whether it is mobile, fixed or in outer space. It IS about antenna design.



    And herein lies the repeated post of probably 10 million know-it-alls across the web, who of course and to no surprise, actually know precisely **** about antennas, engineering, or whats going on with the iPhone.



    Thanks though, for making the last few weeks an example of why journalism and the internet, are definitely, 100%, not the same.
  • Reply 123 of 166
    pmzpmz Posts: 3,433member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by thespaz View Post


    I don't know what to believe anymore.



    Guess we'll find out at 1pm Eastern.



    That's a shame. Perhaps try, not basing anything you believe on internet rumors written by morons, and this won't happen.
  • Reply 124 of 166
    cliphordcliphord Posts: 72member
    For what it's worth...



    I was a late pre-orderer last month, so I just got my iPhone 4 this past Tuesday and I've had no signal issues or dropped calls. Of course, I've only been using my new phone for little over 3 days now, but reading these threads makes it seem like anyone can just walk up to an iPhone 4 and reproduce the problem.



    So I'm not saying the problem doesn't exist, but now that I have my own device, I believe it's not nearly as wide-spread as people are making it out to be. Shocker.



    * * *



    Also, as a side note, I feel like my Wi-Fi signal strength is a lot stronger versus my old iPhone 3G. I can confirm this because I conducted highly-accurate, scientific tests. I promise.
  • Reply 125 of 166
    So, if true this would mean the flack AT&T has been taking for iPhone dropped calls really should have fallen on the back of Apple. I'm sure that, if true, all the folks who had slagged on AT&T will now slag on Apple.



    Nah.
  • Reply 126 of 166
    mi_satmi_sat Posts: 39member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dacloo View Post


    You are not an antenna engineer, your mail sounds like you are a guy pretending to be one just to get your point across with some 'credibility'.



    And this is not about 'basic antenna engineering', but 'complex mobile engineering'.



    And your credentials are....?
  • Reply 127 of 166
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mobility View Post


    No you misunderstood the problem. If anything, it made AT&T's reception on the iPhone look good by showing 5 or 4 bars even when the signal strength dropped dramatically.



    No, it made the iPhone look good and then placed blame on AT&T when dropped calls, that were attributed to a problem with AT&T's network, were really the fault of the phone.
  • Reply 128 of 166
    chronsterchronster Posts: 1,894member
    wouldn't it be funny if there was some software developer at Apple who's been pushing for his version of the "communications software" he describes, so he leaked this bs to the press to get people demanding it from Apple



    It would be great for someone's resume.
  • Reply 129 of 166
    mi_satmi_sat Posts: 39member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by diddy View Post


    As it stands though, just stating something on the internet is practically useless. If it had any meaning I could demand you bow to me since I am the king of Siam. Of course none of that matters without something to back it up. Making assertions on the internet is useless when you can make up whatever you want.



    I agree with your comment on assertions. No one on an internet discussion board has any credibility.



    It is just frustrating when, time-after-time, people are so rude to others just because they can hide behind the anonymity of a "handle" on the internet. I cannot imagine people would say the same things to others if face-to-face.



    And, congrats on being King.
  • Reply 130 of 166
    chopperchopper Posts: 246member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jragosta View Post


    Please tell me which of the bloggers is better qualified to diagnose and fix the problem than Apple. That's the real absurdity of the Apple-hater's position. You'd rather believe that some silly blogger knows more about the problem and how to fix it than Apple. It's just impossible to argue with such stupidity.



    As for me, I haven't been playing the "I know the answer and here it is" game, so I don't know why you're including me - other than your usual inability to form a logical thought.



    "Let's just wait for real data interpreted by people who know what they're talking about (which does not include bloggers or NYT journalists or CR 'testers', apparently)."



    So you do believe you know who don't know the answer, which by extension means you actually are playing the "I know the answer" game (otherwise you wouldn't be in a positon to judge), despite your hollow protestations to the contrary.



    I can tell you that the least likely to admit culpability is the perpetrator. So your propensity to take Apple's word as the truth in this matter, before you even hear what their explanation is, clearly positions you as having prejudged the issue. Apple apologist you certainly are.



    You characterise me as an Apple hater when I am also clearly not. I readily confess to not being a mindless Apple suck-up such as yourself, however. And I'd believe the info from AnandTech and ConsumerReports over the sycophantic excuses you continually make for Apple any day. Your passion for Apple has clouded your judgement to the extent that you are spending way too much time 'defending' the indefensible.



    Take a few days off this quixotic mission of yours and take a breath or two. The imaginary Apple hater windmills will still be there to tilt at for weeks to come, I'm sure.
  • Reply 131 of 166
    anonymouseanonymouse Posts: 6,860member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Proximityeffect View Post


    He works for (and I quote) "space business."



    Is that like one of those mini-storage places?
  • Reply 132 of 166
    moofrankmoofrank Posts: 15member
    Doesn't the NYT usually post some kind of early insider piece the morning before an Apple press conference?



    So that this is more of a case of Apple PR intentionally leaking a few of the details of the press conference to see what the response is---giving them one last chance to tweak the exact content. Maybe?



    If that is true, that says that apple will announce:

    1. No recall.

    2. No bumpers.

    3. Software fix in Mid August. (within 30 days.)
  • Reply 133 of 166
    meh 2meh 2 Posts: 149member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by pmz View Post


    If you were that concerned you think you would actually read the article.



    Yet another blog genius without a clue.



    I'm not sure whether OC4Theo could be considered a "blog genius" or not. I'm certainly willing to concede that PMZ may be much more intelligent than me because - for what may appear to be at least one reason - OC4Theo is willing to weigh options and decide whether to return the iPhone or not. Certainly insight, and the willingness to act upon it, is just one of the characteristics that separates someone like me from those who are mentioned in the annals of history.



    For me, the choice seems a lot more difficult. It can almost be characterized in a humorous but sm*rt*ss fashion as thus:



    "Hmmm - here is this amazing device (the iPhone 4) that does many wonderful and admirable things. However, there is one problem I've noticed - signal strength starts to fade when I hold the iPhone is a certain manner. Admittedly, this is not then a perfect device. I can choose to continue to be vexed by returning to the "death grip" configuration even though I can see that it compromises the iPhone's value, or I can simply re-grip it and avoid the problem altogether.



    But - this is America, and while I do not expect perfection, I do want my hard earned money to make the best purchase possible, and it matters to me, on a personal level, how a company that has received my money responds after my purchase when alerted that their product is not perfect. I could also just go purchase a bumper that would erase the problem altogether, but this is America and I like the look of the iPhone without the bumper. In fact, had it come with the bumper, I for one might have had to stifle the urge to remove it from the iPhone so I could enjoy the look of the device unadorned with the bumper.



    (Now here it comes - the part I've been building up to):



    So now that I think about it, I am going to return my iPhone for a refund and get a (***** fill in the blank of a competing device). Even though I will have traded my iPhone 4 cellular experience for that of a device with what might be viewed as having its own set of problems in software design and/or manufacturing, at least I will no longer be bothered by the iPhone 4 antenna reception "death grip" issue. Ha!



    Several months later:



    I look at others who seem to be enjoying their iPhone 4 and wonder why they also didn't return theirs. By now I have become well acquainted with the problems inherent with my new (****** fill in the blank) phone but I am consigned to live with them and perhaps even overlook them. And I'm really steamed with Steve Jobs for waiting until after I returned my iPhone 4 to respond like he did to the "death grip" problem. He had all that time to find the problem before it was originally released - why didn't he hurry up and fix the problem before I returned it. I think I hate Apple. How can all these people around me, enjoying their iPhone 4, do so with the knowledge that Steve responded in the fashion he did?



    I think I will show them by buying a PC next time the opportunity comes up - I'm sure Windows 7 will be just as good as OS X, and the company behind Windows 7 is not deceitful like Apple is. Nor does it seem to put out less than perfect products that have not been perfected.
    "



    (Back to me now)



    I would like to apologize beforehand to anyone whose thought pattern this exactly lampoons, but - considering the alternatives - there's not an App for me that will fix the even bigger problem of jumping from the frying pan into the fire.



    Thank you.
  • Reply 134 of 166
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Plagen View Post


    Wouldn't be great if Jobs would say : " Thank you for coming. Now go and f... yourself. I have more things to worry about than pity people with fat thumbs. Just stck them back to where they belong. And for those that cry for free bumpers - no soup for you. Thank you".



    That kind of attitude is why Apple is having to hold a press conference today. Oh yea, that would be just great.





    The bottom line is this....if an iPhone doesn't work for a customer, it should be returned within the 30 day period regardless of what Apple promises at any press conference. Folks, don't buy complicated, computerized electronic equipment on the promise that it will be made to work properly at a later date with a software fix. People have been making this error since the IBM XT. No kidding, take it back. You can always buy another one later.



    If the iPhone works for you now, what are you doing here in the first place?
  • Reply 135 of 166
    sennensennen Posts: 1,472member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cliphord View Post


    For what it's worth...



    I was a late pre-orderer last month, so I just got my iPhone 4 this past Tuesday and I've had no signal issues or dropped calls. Of course, I've only been using my new phone for little over 3 days now, but reading these threads makes it seem like anyone can just walk up to an iPhone 4 and reproduce the problem.



    So I'm not saying the problem doesn't exist, but now that I have my own device, I believe it's not nearly as wide-spread as people are making it out to be. Shocker.



    * * *



    Also, as a side note, I feel like my Wi-Fi signal strength is a lot stronger versus my old iPhone 3G. I can confirm this because I conducted highly-accurate, scientific tests. I promise.



    i'm sorry to say that your experience and opinion is irrelevant here. only doomsday stories are creditable.
  • Reply 136 of 166
    diddydiddy Posts: 282member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mi_sat View Post


    And, congrats on being King.



    Thanks. Now KNEEL Before me!
  • Reply 137 of 166
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Chopper View Post


    "Let's just wait for real data interpreted by people who know what they're talking about (which does not include bloggers or NYT journalists or CR 'testers', apparently)."



    So you do believe you know who don't know the answer, which by extension means you actually are playing the "I know the answer" game (otherwise you wouldn't be in a positon to judge), despite your hollow protestations to the contrary.



    I can tell you that the least likely to admit culpability is the perpetrator. So your propensity to take Apple's word as the truth in this matter, before you even hear what their explanation is, clearly positions you as having prejudged the issue. Apple apologist you certainly are.



    You characterise me as an Apple hater when I am also clearly not. I readily confess to not being a mindless Apple suck-up such as yourself, however. And I'd believe the info from AnandTech and ConsumerReports over the sycophantic excuses you continually make for Apple any day. Your passion for Apple has clouded your judgement to the extent that you are spending way too much time 'defending' the indefensible.



    Take a few days off this quixotic mission of yours and take a breath or two. The imaginary Apple hater windmills will still be there to tilt at for weeks to come, I'm sure.



    That's weird, convoluted logic - even for you.



    I stated that the bloggers and NYT journalists don't know what they're talking about. That is obvious from the fact that there are 10,000 contradictory rumors flying around, none of them supported with any data. How in the world do you get from that statement to pretending that I claimed that I DO know what is going on? There is no such logical inference.



    As for Apple, you're free to believe that they're a lying bunch of scumbags if you wish. I couldn't care less. But my statement is 100% accurate. NO ONE is going to have more factual information about the problem and its solution than Apple. It's absolutely insane to think otherwise.



    Now, that doesn't mean that they'll necessarily tell the full truth, but it doesn't change the fact that they certainly know more about the problem than all the bloggers and anonymous posters here. As for telling the truth, Apple has a long history of admitting their errors and the best customer satisfaction of any computer or cell phone manufacturer. You don't get that by continuously lying to your customers, the press, the government, and so on. But go ahead and believe it if is somehow makes your feeble little life any better.
  • Reply 138 of 166
    ismofamismofam Posts: 41member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ghostface147 View Post


    Nope, not happening. Physics isn't currently up to be changed at will. At least not in my lifetime. (I'm 31)



    Since the antenna is exposed, touching it with your hand causes attenuation. Well then, use it to your advantage - you now have a chance to improve reception by adding an external antenna like this dude?

  • Reply 139 of 166
    boeyc15boeyc15 Posts: 986member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ghostface147 View Post


    Nope, not happening. Physics isn't currently up to be changed at will. At least not in my lifetime. (I'm 31)



    Off topic, perhaps not the basics physics that we see everyday, but I wouldn't be so sure about other stuff that may affect everyday technology items. Many things were discovered in the last few years that the physisists don't understand- Dark matter, dark energy to name a few. And lets face, quantum mechanics is just crazy stuff.



    In any case, Apple may have made a mistake about a press conference (made the main stream news big time), rather than just a simple press release that said-



    As of today we have sold over x million ip4's. We are humbled that so many customers agree with us that this is the best smart phone Apple has ever made.

    We have identified some quality control and technical issues that may be a problem for some users in low signal areas. We believe we have corrected those issues with manufactureing and software updates.

    Any one not happy with the ip4 can-

    Return it within xxx days for a full refund.

    Exchange it within xxx days with an appointment at the local apple store or xxx store.

    All ip4 users will receive a $50 credit for use in the Apple store.



    We sincerly apologize for an any inconvience this may have caused you
  • Reply 140 of 166
    rbrrbr Posts: 631member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mike Nassour View Post


    That kind of attitude is why Apple is having to hold a press conference today. Oh yea, that would be just great.





    The bottom line is this....if an iPhone doesn't work for a customer, it should be returned within the 30 day period regardless of what Apple promises at any press conference. Folks, don't buy complicated, computerized electronic equipment on the promise that it will be made to work properly at a later date with a software fix. People have been making this error since the IBM XT. No kidding, take it back. You can always buy another one later.



    If the iPhone works for you now, what are you doing here in the first place?



    That's sound advice.



    Apple has a very poor record of resolving hardware problems for customers. They may (or may not) resolve the hardware problem with subsequent production, but are extremely unlikely to offer a fix (free or otherwise) to customers with a hardware problem that is widespread.
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