Engadget RSS Feed http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2013 AOL Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[iPhone 4 antennagate comes to a close: your $15 settlement check's in the mail]]> http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/23/iphone-4-antennagate-settlement-check/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/23/iphone-4-antennagate-settlement-check/ http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/23/iphone-4-antennagate-settlement-check/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments iPhone 4 antennagate comes to a close your $15 settlement check's in the mail

Remember when you were holding it wrong? Remember when Apple was supposed to compensate you for holding it wrong? No? Well, if you didn't opt for the free rubber bumper back in the day, apparently that $15 "we're so sorry your iPhone 4's antenna sucked" settlement check alternative's finally being sent out via snail mail. So, case closed iFans. It's time to move on to greener, 5S pastures.

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Source: TUAW

]]> antennagateappleclosureiphone4mobilepostcrosssettlement Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:44:00 -0400 21|20547608 <![CDATA[Editorial: A conciliatory Apple would be real innovation]]> http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/12/editorial-a-conciliatory-apple-would-be-real-innovation/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/12/editorial-a-conciliatory-apple-would-be-real-innovation/ http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/12/editorial-a-conciliatory-apple-would-be-real-innovation/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Editorial A conciliatory Apple would be real innovation

There are signs of a new attitude emanating from Cupertino, extending across Apple's relationship management of customers and competitors.

One of the two most important things you can say in English is "I'm sorry." (The other is "Thank you.") Failure to get the apology right brands a person as arrogant. As with people, so with companies -- to whatever extent they have personal relationships with their customers. In Apple's case, its best customers definitely feel personally involved with the company's ethos, products and leaders.

Apple's main personifying force is its CEO. That individual manages both the connection with customers and the competitive relationship with other industry players. Now, following an unusual apology to users, Apple startlingly unplugs one of its Android lawsuits against a competitor, and a profound personality change seems to be in progress. Apple is not apologizing for its historical Android rage. But the brand's official temperament might be changing at the core, with the company possibly becoming a more conciliatory actor in the field.

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]]> antennagateApplecolumnEditorialgooglehtcsteve jobsSteveJobstim cookTimCook Mon, 12 Nov 2012 15:00:00 -0500 21|20376730 <![CDATA[iPhone 4 owners can register for $15 antennagate settlements (updated)]]> http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/29/iphone-4-owners-who-dont-want-free-bumpers-can-register-for-15/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/29/iphone-4-owners-who-dont-want-free-bumpers-can-register-for-15/ http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/29/iphone-4-owners-who-dont-want-free-bumpers-can-register-for-15/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments The official website for the iPhone 4 "antennagate" class action settlement is live, as pointed out by co-lead counsel on the case Ira Rothken. Of course, speaking of cases, if you're an iPhone 4 owner who has taken advantage of the free bumpers Apple's been offering since 2010 then you're not still eligible for the $15 settlement. Customers who meet the requirements (experienced antenna issues, couldn't return your phone without incurring costs, don't want to put on a bumper or case and either completed troubleshooting or no longer own the phone) can opt for the payout and file their claim at the website linked below. Of course, assuming you're not a stickler for that skin-to-metal and glass feel the case is probably the better deal overall, but as long as this issue is finally dead and buried we can probably all walk away happy.

Update: Turns out it doesn't matter if you scored yourself a free bumper or not, so long as you don't actually use it you can still register for your share of the settlement. So, if you took the consolation prize offered at the time, but have grown to hate it, now's your chance to make $15.

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]]> antennagateapplebumperclass actionclass action lawsuitClassActionClassActionLawsuitiphone 4Iphone4lawsuitmobilepostminisettlement Thu, 29 Mar 2012 06:55:00 -0400 21|20203576 <![CDATA[Apple secures patent on multiple-arm, multiple-frequency antenna design]]> http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/27/apple-patent-multiple-arm-multiple-frequency-antenna-design/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/27/apple-patent-multiple-arm-multiple-frequency-antenna-design/ http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/27/apple-patent-multiple-arm-multiple-frequency-antenna-design/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments ImageIf not for Leap Day, Apple would've seen this one granted a year to the day after it was filed; as it stands, 365 days will just have to do. At any rate, Apple has not only managed to secure a patent this fine morning for an ejectable SIM tray, but also one for an antenna isolation apparatus. In simple(ish) terms, the patent details an antenna structure in a portable electronic device that's comprised of "first, second, and third resonating elements aligned along a common axis parallel to a ground plane," with a multiple-arm, multiple-frequency design taking shape. It's also pretty clear that the intention here is to reduce radio-frequency interference between the antennas -- something that'll prove increasingly important as wave support is added in future iPhones. Unfortunately, there's no word on whether this patent will allow AT&T-infused iPhone 5 handsets to display "7G" in the indicator bar.

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]]> antennaantennagateapplecallingcommunicationdual antennaDualAntennamobilepostcrosspatentreception Tue, 27 Mar 2012 10:38:00 -0400 21|20201850 <![CDATA[iPhone 4 antennagate class-action lawsuit settled, owners to receive $15 or a free case (update)]]> http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/17/apple-iphone-4-antennagate-lawsuit-settlement/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/17/apple-iphone-4-antennagate-lawsuit-settlement/ http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/17/apple-iphone-4-antennagate-lawsuit-settlement/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments According to CNET, a class-action lawsuit over the iPhone 4's troublesome antenna, aka Antennagate, has been settled. The planned resolution will net US residents who bought one and presumably either $15 in cash or (another?) free bumper case. CNET quotes co-lead counsel Ira Rothken (who, by the way, also represents Megaupload) saying that he believes the settlement is "fair and reasonable", affecting some 25 million people who will be notified by email and through print ads in USA Today and Macworld. Once they've received the heads up, they can go to www.iPhone4Settlement.com (not up and running yet) to register their claims. When the issue first came to light back in 2010 Apple suggested holding it differently before saying it would tweak its signal display formulas and, eventually, offering the free cases. Hopefully for the company and its users, this resolution puts the issue -- which is not a problem on the new 4S -- to bed.

Update: We spoke to an Apple representative who confirmed that the settlement is for those customers who chose not to take a free case or return their phone back in 2010. It looks like holding out didn't get you much more than the option to take $15 cash instead, but we'll simply consider it a much-needed opportunity to reflect on the International Year of Biodiversity that was.

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]]> 15antennaantennagateappleclass actionClassActionfree caseFreeCaseiphoneiphone 4iphone 4 antennaiPhone 4 antenna design flawIphone4Iphone4AntennaIphone4AntennaDesignFlawira rothkenIraRothkenlawsuitmobilepostcrosssettlement Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:54:00 -0500 21|20174675 <![CDATA[Verizon sidesteps Galaxy Nexus antennagate, claims signal indicator is to blame]]> http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/21/verizon-sidesteps-galaxy-nexus-antennagate-claims-signal-indica/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/21/verizon-sidesteps-galaxy-nexus-antennagate-claims-signal-indica/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/21/verizon-sidesteps-galaxy-nexus-antennagate-claims-signal-indica/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments This is just hilarious. Remember when Verizon Wireless stated rather unequivocally that its Galaxy Nexus suffered from a "signal strength issue" and that a fix was coming? Worry not, dear readers, because the company now claims that it's identified the issue: apparently, there's really no problem at all. According to Big Red, the Galaxy Nexus doesn't suffer from poor reception, but simply reports its reception poorly. To resolve these 'perception' issues, the carrier states that it will deliver a software update that "will adjust the signal strength indicator to more closely match other Verizon Wireless devices." So, whether or not there really is a problem with the Galaxy Nexus (LTE), one thing is for certain -- very soon, its owners will have more bars to look at. Huzzah, indeed?

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]]> antennagatecdmafixgalaxygalaxy nexusGalaxyNexusissueltemobilepostcrossproblemreceptionsamsungsmartphonesolutionverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvzw Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:11:00 -0500 21|20133319 <![CDATA[Consumer Reports finds iPhone 4S to have worthwhile antennas, says newer iPhone 4 is still problematic]]> http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/08/consumer-reports-finds-iphone-4s-to-have-worthwhile-antennae-sa/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/08/consumer-reports-finds-iphone-4s-to-have-worthwhile-antennae-sa/ http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/08/consumer-reports-finds-iphone-4s-to-have-worthwhile-antennae-sa/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments "Consumer Reports recommends the iPhone 4S." It's only half a dozen words, but to the engineers (and marketers) at Apple, it spells "relief." After being profusely impacted by Consumer Reports' decision to recommend against buying the iPhone 4 due to those Antennagate issues, the entity has allowed all in Cupertino to breath a sigh of relief by effectively declaring the reception issue dead on the newest edition. To quote:

"Apple's newest smart phone performed very well in our tests, and while it closely resembles the iPhone 4 in appearance, it doesn't suffer the reception problem we found in its predecessor in special tests in our labs. In special reception tests of the iPhone 4S that duplicated those we did on the iPhone 4, the newer phone did not display the same reception flaw, which involves a loss of signal strength when you touch a spot on the phone's lower left side while you're in an area with a weak signal. (The iPhone 4, which is still available, continues to exhibit that problem, we confirmed in tests of new samples of the phone. Because of the flaw, we continue to omit the iPhone 4 from our list of recommended models, despite its otherwise fine performance.)"

In other words, even the newer samples of the iPhone 4 (perhaps even that one for Sprint?) continue to have antenna quirks, but at least the latest and greatest seems to have addressed 'em. Hit the source link for the full report.

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]]> antennaantennagateapplecallcallingconnectionconsumer reportsConsumerReportsdeath gripDeathGripfixiphoneiphone 4iphone 4sIphone4Iphone4smobilepostcrossproblemreception Tue, 08 Nov 2011 09:59:00 -0500 21|20101301 <![CDATA[How would you change Apple's iPhone 4?]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/27/how-would-you-change-apples-iphone-4/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/27/how-would-you-change-apples-iphone-4/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/27/how-would-you-change-apples-iphone-4/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments We know, half of you aren't even going to read past the headline before you start angrily banging away about Apple's admitted antenna gaff and the still-not-totally-fixed proximity sensor, but we're urging you to look deeper. Think harder. Critique your criticisms. In all seriousness, Apple's iPhone 4 garnered more attention (negative or otherwise) than any other phone released this calendar year, and for good reason -- in fact, Apple itself had to hold an emergency press event just to announce what could've been announced in a PR blast: everyone's getting a free case. That said, Cupertino has still managed to move millions of units in just a few months, and that demand doesn't seem to be dropping off at any significant rate. If you're one of the lucky (or unlucky) ones that have managed to procure Apple's latest iPhone, we're overly anxious to hear your thoughts on changing it. How would you have addressed the antenna issue? Would you have preferred a less drastic departure from the 3GS form factor? Would you have offered more colors than white and black? Thrown in Bluetooth 3.0 for kicks? Go ahead, the floor's yours -- just don't abuse it, cool?

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]]> antennaantenna issueantennagateAntennaIssueappleapple iphoneapple iphone 4AppleIphoneAppleIphone4attfeaturesfixHow would you changeHowWouldYouChangehwyciosios 4Ios4iphoneiPhone 4Iphone4problemproblemsreceptionreception issueReceptionIssuesmartphone Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:58:00 -0400 21|19590918 <![CDATA[WSJ: Apple lost confidence in Papermaster months ago, Jobs accepted iPhone 4 antenna risks]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/09/wsj-apple-lost-confidence-in-papermaster-months-ago-jobs-acce/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/09/wsj-apple-lost-confidence-in-papermaster-months-ago-jobs-acce/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/09/wsj-apple-lost-confidence-in-papermaster-months-ago-jobs-acce/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments We may never know the truth about the ousting of Mark Papermaster, Apple's VP in charge of the iPhone and a direct report to Steve Jobs. However, a report in the Wall Street Journal co-authored by Yukari Iwatani Kane -- widely considered to be Apple's favorite go-to source when it wants to control a story in the press -- is as close as we're likely ever going to get, from Apple's perspective anyway. Citing several anonymous sources familiar with Papermaster's downfall, the WSJ says the following:
Mr. Papermaster had lost the confidence of Mr. Jobs months ago and hasn't been part of the decision-making process for some time, these people said. They added that Mr. Papermaster didn't appear to have the type of creative thinking expected at Apple and wasn't used to Apple's corporate culture, where even senior executives are expected to keep on top of the smallest details of their areas of responsibility and often have to handle many tasks directly, as opposed to delegating them.
In other words, it wasn't just about the iPhone 4's antenna. In fact, the WSJ claims that Jobs knew about the risks of the antenna design as much as a year ago and it was his decision, not Papermaster's, to move forward with its development. Whatever the real story is, we're sure that Steve, visibly agitated at having to host an antennagate press conference, wasn't too pleased at having stood in front of the media promising an "end of July" ship date for the already delayed white iPhone 4 only to delay it again just a few days later. Straw, meet camel.

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]]> antannaantennagateAppleBob MansfieldBobMansfieldcorporatefiringindustryiPhoneiphone 4Iphone4Mark PapermasterMarkPapermastershakeupsteve jobsSteveJobswhite iphone 4WhiteIphone4 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 02:31:00 -0400 21|19585690 <![CDATA[Motorola takes another shot at the iPhone 4, says Droid X is 'no jacket required']]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/28/motorola-takes-another-shot-at-the-iphone-4-says-droid-x-is-no/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/28/motorola-takes-another-shot-at-the-iphone-4-says-droid-x-is-no/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/28/motorola-takes-another-shot-at-the-iphone-4-says-droid-x-is-no/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Well this is getting good. Motorola was one of the first to take a subtle swipe at Apple's iPhone 4 antenna dilemma with an ad saying you could hold the Droid X "any way you like," Apple came right back with a video purportedly showing the Droid X suffering similar attenuation issues when held in the right hand, and now Moto's responded with this cheeky ad that plays off Apple's free iPhone case solution by saying the Droid X can make calls "without a bulky phone jacket." Yeah, it's pretty good -- particularly because unlike most other phones, we haven't been able to death grip the Droid X with any noticeable effect on 3G reception. (Although, truth be told, we can drop the WiFi signal by a few bars pretty easily.) Either way, we're certainly enjoying this little slice of swagger from Moto -- check a larger version after the break.

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]]> adadsadvertisingantennaantennagateappledroiddroid xDroidXiphone 4Iphone4motorolano jacket requiredNoJacketRequiredreception Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:29:00 -0400 21|19572606 <![CDATA[Best Buy to offer free invisibleSHIELD 4fix to aggravated iPhone 4 owners]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/28/best-buy-to-offer-free-invisibleshield-4fix-to-aggravated-iphone/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/28/best-buy-to-offer-free-invisibleshield-4fix-to-aggravated-iphone/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/28/best-buy-to-offer-free-invisibleshield-4fix-to-aggravated-iphone/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments It's hard to say for certain what exactly this flyer means, but it sure looks as if at least some iPhone 4 owners will be able to snatch a free invisibleSHIELD 4fix (valued at $9.99 or so) from their local Best Buy. Based on a number of tips that we've received, we're getting the impression that the yellow-tagged retailer could be handing out (and installing) completely free side coverings for any iPhone 4 owner that waltzes into a store, presumably as a proactive measure to fend off returns or to upsell consumers on an entire invisibleSHIELD / separate case. Nothing about this notice makes clear that you actually have to buy your iPhone 4 from Best Buy in order to take advantage, but we probably wouldn't waste a lunch break giving this a go without a verbal confirmation from your local store manager. Until it's made official, of course.

Update: We've heard from another tipster that the deal is indeed legitimate, and it's for any human with an iPhone 4, not just those who purchased their phone from Best Buy. We'd recommend calling your local store to double check, but things are looking up.

Update 2: Ah, so we've finally received the full skinny from another tipster. The offer only applies to those who purchased their iPhone 4 from Best Buy / Best Buy Mobile or for Best Buy Reward Zone members. Granted, it's pretty easy to sign up for the aforementioned reward program, but those are the stipulations. The official BB name for the product you'll be getting is the Zagg SideShield, which would cost you $9.99 otherwise.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Gallery: Best Buy's free invisibleSHIELD 4fix for iPhone 4 offer

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]]> antennaantenna issueantennagateAntennaIssueappleapple iphone 4AppleIphone4Best BuyBestBuycaseexclusiveinvisible SHIELDinvisibleSHIELDinvisibleSHIELD 4fixInvisibleshield4fixiphoneiphone 4Iphone4reception issuereception issuesReceptionIssueReceptionIssuesSideShieldzagg Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:53:00 -0400 21|19571741 <![CDATA[Switched On: Of guiltlessness and giveaways]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/24/switched-on-of-guiltlessness-and-giveaways/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/24/switched-on-of-guiltlessness-and-giveaways/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/24/switched-on-of-guiltlessness-and-giveaways/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

Beyond an opportunity for a lucky few to visit the surreal and sophisticated wireless testing labs buried deep within the Apple campus, the Steve Jobs "Antennagate" press conference had few surprises in terms of using a tool at Apple's disposal -- its own Bumpers (augmented by those of third parties) -- to address a vulnerability of the iPhone 4 antenna design. The difference between the iPhone 4 and other devices is the clear marking of the spot at which physical contact causes the signal to degrade. Optimists could consider this a visual reminder to avoid contact while pessimists could see a constant reminder of imperfection. Regardless, at its press conference, Apple added - and continues to add -- visual verification of its assertion that multiple handsets (or at least smartphones) can fall victim to a strategic grasp.

Beyond that, the only muted revelation of the day was that AT&T is reporting that the iPhone 4 is monitoring dropped calls on the iPhone 4 at a rate ever so slightly above that of the 3GS. However, the 3GS did not have a reputation for being particularly tenacious at holding on to a call. Indeed, were it not for all the heat the previous iPhone took at AT&T, perhaps Apple would not have had to push for so radical an antenna redesign. Therefore, it would have been interesting to know how the iPhone 4 compared to the AT&T smartphone average (skewed as it is to iPhones anyway), especially given the earlier Apple demonstration of how other smartphones can suffer from attenuation.

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]]> antennaantenna gateAntennaGateapplecolumncolumnsiphoneiphone 4Iphone4switched onSwitchedOn Sat, 24 Jul 2010 19:00:00 -0400 21|19567236 <![CDATA[Apple begins iPhone 4 Case Program: apply for your free case or Bumper now]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/apple-begins-iphone-4-case-program-apply-for-your-free-case-or/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/apple-begins-iphone-4-case-program-apply-for-your-free-case-or/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/23/apple-begins-iphone-4-case-program-apply-for-your-free-case-or/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Well, there's nothing like masking bad news with good news, right Apple? Just moments after quietly announcing that the white iPhone 4 is now scheduled to ship sometime between tomorrow and your New Year's Eve party, the company has also fired up its iPhone 4 Case Program. Just as Jobs promised last week at an emergency press event, this program will ensure that anyone who purchases an iPhone 4 prior to September 30th will be able to receive an iPhone 4 Bumper or select third-party case from the company at no charge. 'Course, you need to be located in a country or territory that Apple actually ships to, but if that's all squared away, feel free to hit up the App Store to download the iPhone 4 Case Program app. Once there, you'll need to sign into your iTunes Store account, select your Bumper or case and wait oh-so-patiently (read: "3 to 5 weeks"). Better hurry -- wouldn't want the servers to get overloaded, now would we?

Oh, and if you happened to have already purchased a Bumper, the company should be hitting your credit card with a full refund (including any applicable taxes and shipping) momentarily. As for the case / Bumper choices? Every single option is available in any color you like... so long as it's black, of course. There's a black Apple Bumper option, an Incase Snap Case, Belkin Shield Micra, Griffin Motif, Griffin Reveal, Speck Fitted and Speck PixelSkin HD, but again, don't go in hoping to select your favorite hue. Yeah, you're free to bicker about free things -- we won't judge.

Update: If you're one of those wise guys who purchased an iPhone 4 right away just to sell it, you can forget about getting a free case for the handset you no longer own. Apple has arranged this so that only one case can be ordered per iPhone 4, so even if you ordered two under your account name, you'll need two phones to place both of those orders. Check out the error message below if you still don't believe us.

Gallery: Apple iPhone 4 Case Program app

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]]> antenna issueantennagateAntennaIssueappapp storeappleapple bumperapple iphoneapple iphone 4AppleBumperAppleIphoneAppleIphone4AppStorebreaking newsBreakingNewsbumpercasefreeiphoneiphone 4iphone 4 case programIphone4Iphone4CaseProgramissueproblemreceptionreception issueReceptionIssuerefund Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:53:00 -0400 21|19565904 <![CDATA[iPhone 'End Call' sticker is an ironic solution to your reception problem]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/iphone-end-call-sticker-is-an-ironic-solution-to-your-receptio/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/iphone-end-call-sticker-is-an-ironic-solution-to-your-receptio/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/iphone-end-call-sticker-is-an-ironic-solution-to-your-receptio/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Not sold on those iPhone Antenna-aid bandages? Fret not, as we've got a whole 'nother round of laughs coming your way. What started as a concept has landed on Etsy as a buyable product: the 'End Call' vinyl sticker. As you'd expect, you simply place this guy over the iPhone 4's "weak spot" and then press it whenever you'd like to conveniently drop whatever call you're on. The only problem? This $4 add-on actually won't accomplish what it says in plain English.

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]]> antenna issueantennagateAntennaIssueappleapple iphoneapple iphone 4AppleIphoneAppleIphone4comedyend callEndCallfunnyiphoneiphone 4Iphone4receptionreception issueReceptionIssuesticker Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:28:00 -0400 21|19565111 <![CDATA[Apple shows Nokia's N97 Mini can be force choked, too (video)]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/apple-shows-nokias-n97-mini-can-be-force-choked-too-video/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/apple-shows-nokias-n97-mini-can-be-force-choked-too-video/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/apple-shows-nokias-n97-mini-can-be-force-choked-too-video/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Nokia claims it always prioritizes antenna performance over physical design, and we'll take them at their word, but that apparently didn't exempt one Espoo handset from Apple's grip of doom. Here's the Nokia N97 Mini going down for the count, from a full seven bars to two. Of course, Apple doesn't mention whether calls or data drop when the handset's held this way. Video after the break.

[Thanks, Lyndon W.]

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]]> antennaantennagateAppledesigniPhone 4Iphone4Nokiaperformancereceptionrfsignalwireless Tue, 20 Jul 2010 23:21:00 -0400 21|19562211 <![CDATA[Antenna-aid bandages your iPhone 4 reception issue, hopes for role in next Eminem video]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/antenna-aid-bandages-your-iphone-4-reception-issue-hopes-for-ro/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/antenna-aid-bandages-your-iphone-4-reception-issue-hopes-for-ro/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/antenna-aid-bandages-your-iphone-4-reception-issue-hopes-for-ro/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Oh, Steve -- you should've known better. You show up and remove a laptop from a manila envelope, and Earth's most creative go and create a case fashioned out of one. You go and suggest that Eminem could "come out with a band-aid that goes over the corner" of your controversial iPhone 4, and well... this happens. You could wait for a free case, or you could buy six of these Antenna-aids for five bucks. The choice is obvious.

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]]> antennaantenna issueAntenna-aidantennagateAntennaIssueappleapple iphoneapple iphone 4AppleIphoneAppleIphone4band aidband-aidBandAidcomedycoveragefunnyhilariousiphoneiphone 4Iphone4reception Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:29:00 -0400 21|19561361 <![CDATA[Samsung joins the crowd, rejects Apple's Omnia 2 antenna claims]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/samsung-joins-the-crowd-rejects-apples-omnia-2-antenna-claims/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/samsung-joins-the-crowd-rejects-apples-omnia-2-antenna-claims/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/20/samsung-joins-the-crowd-rejects-apples-omnia-2-antenna-claims/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Samsung joins the crowd, rejects Apple's Omnia 2 antenna claims RIM and Nokia aren't the only ones saying "WTF Steve!?" after last Friday's press conference attempted to draw the competition into the Antennagate saga. Samsung has issued its own choice reaction about supposed problems with the Omnia 2, though this one is somewhat less sternly worded than the others:
The antenna is located at the bottom of the Omnia 2 phone, while iPhone's antenna is on the lower left side of the device. Our design keeps the distance between a hand and an antenna. We have fully conducted field tests before the rollout of smartphones. Reception problems have not happened so far, and there is no room for such problems to happen in the future.
Why is Samsung being rather more polite? Because it's full of really nice people? Or, is it because the iPhone 4 is stuffed with Samsung memory chips? We'll let your level of cynicism be your guide here.

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]]> antennaantenna issueantennagateAntennaIssueappleiphoneiphone 4Iphone4omnia 2Omnia2samsungstatementsteve jobsSteveJobs Tue, 20 Jul 2010 09:31:00 -0400 21|19560904 <![CDATA[HTC fires back at Apple antenna demo with percentage pew-pew]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/17/htc-fires-back-at-apple-antenna-demo-with-percentage-pew-pew/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/17/htc-fires-back-at-apple-antenna-demo-with-percentage-pew-pew/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/17/htc-fires-back-at-apple-antenna-demo-with-percentage-pew-pew/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments Apple's Friday press conference may have left a bad taste in some rival handset manufacturer's mouths, but not all of them are taking Cupertino's derision of their devices seriously -- HTC's Droid Eris was arguably the most affected by the grip of doom, its bars dropping to zilch when held, but the Taiwanese company's keeping any controversial opinions to itself for now. Instead, it's sharing a simple percentage to help clear the air. Whereas Apple claimed over 0.55 percent of customers called AppleCare with reception-related complaints, HTC's Eric Lin told Pocket-lint the Droid Eris technical support rate was 0.016 percent, nearly thirty-four times lower -- though even with a seven-month head start, we have to wonder if the Eris sold close to three million by the time Verizon brought the axe down.

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]]> antennaantenna issueantennagateAntennaIssueAppledesignDroidHTCHTC Droid ErisHtcDroidErisiPhone 4Iphone4receptionsignalVerizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessVZW Sat, 17 Jul 2010 20:08:00 -0400 21|19558499 <![CDATA[Apple affirms: no software fix for iPhone 4 antenna issue]]> http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/16/apple-affirms-no-software-fix-for-iphone-4-antenna-issue/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/16/apple-affirms-no-software-fix-for-iphone-4-antenna-issue/ http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/16/apple-affirms-no-software-fix-for-iphone-4-antenna-issue/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments In case it wasn't obvious enough from Apple's agitated response to our question during today's iPhone 4 Q&A session in Cupertino, there's no software fix in the pipeline for the antenna issues that are plaguing users today. A prior report in the New York Times seemed fairly confident that the troubles could (and would) be solved in the near term by a simple software update, but the company's own Scott Forstall called said report "patently false." So, there you have it -- the only thing that'll be fixed via software is how big your smallest bar of signal is. Beyond that, you'll need to grab some Duct tape, a free case or a white glove if you're looking to avoid attenuation entirely.

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]]> antennaantenna issueantennagateAntennaIssueappleapple iphoneapple iphone 4AppleIphoneAppleIphone4debunkiosios 4Ios4iphoneiphone 4Iphone4issueproblemScott ForstallScottForstallsmartphonesoftwareupdate Fri, 16 Jul 2010 17:38:00 -0400 21|19557923