Antennagate hits Verizon's Android Motorola Droid 2
Apple's efforts to describe the antenna problems associated with iPhone 4 as an engineering issue facing all phone makers is getting a little help from Motorola, which has released Droid 2 to a series of complaints from users regarding poor signal.
A report by TechCrunch says "a good number of reports" from users of Verizon's new Android-based Droid 2, built by Motorola, are complaining about signal problems even without touching the phone.
The report also noted that all four of the Droid 2 phones tested by Engadgetin its review of the phone demonstrated "endlessly fluctuating bar counts," in addition to problems reported by two other reviewers.
Most of the Droid 2 users commenting on the report said they had also experienced signal problems with the new phone, which just shipped days ago, although a couple users said they hadn't seen any problems. Others reported a problem with low battery life.
Not holding it wrong
Motorola's problem differs from the issue related to iPhone 4; users can attenuate their signal on Apple's latest phone only by holding the bare phone in such a way that the lower left corner is covered up.
Using iPhone 4 within a case, or holding the phone in a more open grip, have both been reported to solve the issue, branded as "Antennagate" by the media after Gizmodo first published videos of a user demonstrating how the phone's signal could be manipulated at will.
With Droid 2, users who are experiencing the problem report that it happens even while sitting idle and "without holding it wrong," according to the report.
A report by TechCrunch says "a good number of reports" from users of Verizon's new Android-based Droid 2, built by Motorola, are complaining about signal problems even without touching the phone.
The report also noted that all four of the Droid 2 phones tested by Engadgetin its review of the phone demonstrated "endlessly fluctuating bar counts," in addition to problems reported by two other reviewers.
Most of the Droid 2 users commenting on the report said they had also experienced signal problems with the new phone, which just shipped days ago, although a couple users said they hadn't seen any problems. Others reported a problem with low battery life.
Not holding it wrong
Motorola's problem differs from the issue related to iPhone 4; users can attenuate their signal on Apple's latest phone only by holding the bare phone in such a way that the lower left corner is covered up.
Using iPhone 4 within a case, or holding the phone in a more open grip, have both been reported to solve the issue, branded as "Antennagate" by the media after Gizmodo first published videos of a user demonstrating how the phone's signal could be manipulated at will.
With Droid 2, users who are experiencing the problem report that it happens even while sitting idle and "without holding it wrong," according to the report.
Comments
I got the Droid Incredible as a replacement for my iphone because At&t doesn't work at all in NYC. The reception has been amazing and no dropped calls anymore where I had at least 3 a day from At&t. But the bar situation is completely worthless. I usually have 1 bar, and it jumps around all day so I don't even bother looking at them anymore. Made tons of calls with no bars at all. Surprised this wasn't something Apple brought up in their conference. Will hang out in my Android lair until iPhone comes to VZW.
Keep hanging. The only reason a CMDA phone makes sense for Apple to develop is to expand into the Chinese Markets.
Maybe I'm missing something, but does it say that they are dropping calls? I thought we established a while back that bars are meaningless.
I thought the anti-Apple folks made it clear that it was the CRUCIAL issue, no? I remember ALL CAPS screaming about it.
The truth is, they probably have to change their way of displaying bars and make it change only every twenty or thirty seconds or so. If no calls are getting dropped, so what?
A report by TechCrunch says "a good number of reports" from users of Verizon's new Android-based Droid 2, built by Motorola, are complaining about signal problems even without touching the phone.
Can someone help find this report? I can't seem to find it on TechCrunch. I can't seem to find any other reports about this issue online. I would think that sites that Engadget and Gizmodo would have mentioned something about it in their reviews/previews.
The report also noted that all four of the Droid 2 phones tested by Engadgetin its review of the phone demonstrated "endlessly fluctuating bar counts," in addition to problems reported by two other reviewers.
Seems like it's a software problem if the bars are fluctuating but no calls are being dropped.
Everyone who adds part of the name of a hotel that was involved in a scandal over 30 years ago to an unrelated issue is an idiot.
Idiotgate ?
Quoting the first line of the article: "Don’t fire up the Antennagate Alarm just yet..."
.....
Everyone who adds part of the name of a hotel that was involved in a scandal over 30 years ago to an unrelated issue is an idiot.
Yes, it's Miss-AssociationGate at its worst!
Everyone who adds part of the name of a hotel that was involved in a scandal over 30 years ago to an unrelated issue is an idiot.
Dude, if Watergate happened today, it would dubbed "Watergategate."
Everyone who adds part of the name of a hotel that was involved in a scandal over 30 years ago to an unrelated issue is an idiot.
BINGO!
Yep, almost 40 years.
Hell, most of these kids don't have any idea what went on, or what ...gate is supposed to mean.
The "media" - mostly a bunch of DA's trying to sell block ice at the North Pole as a new invention.
Keep hanging. The only reason a CMDA phone makes sense for Apple to develop is to expand into the Chinese Markets.
It makes a lot of sense in the USA also. It makes even more sense if the phone supports LTE that Verizon is rolling out.
Either way the signals are pretty clear, iPhone is coming to more providers in the US. Given that Verizon is a possibility the phone would have to support CDMA.
He he he! Now what are the apple haters going to do???????
Well, since Motorola probably copied the iPhone when they made their phone, it would still be Apple's fault. Blast you Apple!
Can we agree to call this one Droid-gate?
We can't use the word Droid without paying a royalty to George Lucas. Three decades ago he lopped the "an" off of the word "android" and for this burst of creativity he deserves to be paid every time someone uses the term droid.
If this is true then why isn't it plastered all over Gizmodo, along with a string of videos showing evidence, a petition to fix the issue and a long hate-filled rant by Jesus Diaz?
Because it may just show that Gizmodo is Googles bitch once and for all.
Plus maybe Jesus is a false profit?*
* sorry had to get the joke in there for namesake purposes.