Apple: iPhone News and Discussion Thread
#3521
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![Dunno](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/dunno.gif)
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#3522
Карты убийцы
^ i've been with them since they were BellSouth... and I've had this stupid Sammy phone for 3 years and I still have to wait to the middle of July.
#3523
Safety Car
#3525
Карты убийцы
Yeah... family plan... one line is already eligible for the $299, the other (my number) is July 19th, and the last is way off.
I asked ATT when their records indicated when I bought the Sammy. They don't have a clue.
What pisses me off is that ATT can get me an iphone only 5 days before the reduced price, but they won't move on five days and want to charge $499.
With two lines free, I may pay the penalty and jump ship to the Droid X.
I asked ATT when their records indicated when I bought the Sammy. They don't have a clue.
What pisses me off is that ATT can get me an iphone only 5 days before the reduced price, but they won't move on five days and want to charge $499.
With two lines free, I may pay the penalty and jump ship to the Droid X.
#3526
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really?
my mom and sister were a month off when i went in to get my 3GS last july.
they had no problem with waiving the remaining period.
maybe try a different at&t store.
my mom and sister were a month off when i went in to get my 3GS last july.
they had no problem with waiving the remaining period.
maybe try a different at&t store.
#3527
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#3528
seizure force field!
iTrader: (1)
It's your lack of hashes on Cydias server that's holding you and others back from jailbreaking anything on a 3GS or iPhone 4. Apple's verification process makes the restore step of the jb process crash since Apple refuses to sign the cracked firmware. Until the dev team figures out a way for the new people to get around the verification process without having hashes, you're SOL.
#3529
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Not really liking where apple moved the vibrator, buzzes alot louder now
![Shrug](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/shrug.gif)
#3530
Sanest Florida Man
So I did the speedtest.net test and it's clearly obvious even if your bars don't drop alot. These are my results but just look at the two top entries. The top entry is with my hand covering the lower left corner and 2nd one is hands off.
![](https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4734507123_92bf599319_b.jpg)
If you couldn't figure that top result is ZERO up and ZERO down! ZERO! Nothing, zip zilch, nada! Even though I have 3 bars of 3G coverage. Now you tell me that I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill! Try if for yourself, get the speedtest.net app or any other speed test app and post your results.
On a positive note you can see by looking at my past results that my upload speed is much better with the i4 than it was with my 3G!
![](https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4734507123_92bf599319_b.jpg)
If you couldn't figure that top result is ZERO up and ZERO down! ZERO! Nothing, zip zilch, nada! Even though I have 3 bars of 3G coverage. Now you tell me that I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill! Try if for yourself, get the speedtest.net app or any other speed test app and post your results.
On a positive note you can see by looking at my past results that my upload speed is much better with the i4 than it was with my 3G!
Last edited by #1 STUNNA; 06-26-2010 at 02:11 AM.
#3531
Senior Moderator
hmm - would be nice if this is true -
According to Apple Insider, the issue may not be hardware-related but rather a software quirk:
Readers report that Apple's tech support forums originally confirmed that a iOS 4.0.1 software fix addressing the issue would ship early next week (as early as Monday)
Readers report that Apple's tech support forums originally confirmed that a iOS 4.0.1 software fix addressing the issue would ship early next week (as early as Monday)
#3532
Senior Moderator
damn..
but S90 can do better - user issues -
![](http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/726/fruitysmaller1893749.jpg)
view at original size -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattbuc...7624228235507/
but S90 can do better - user issues -
![](http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/726/fruitysmaller1893749.jpg)
view at original size -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattbuc...7624228235507/
#3533
Senior Moderator
more comparisons-
http://gizmodo.com/5572766/test-note...yline=true&s=i
http://gizmodo.com/5572766/test-note...yline=true&s=i
#3534
I shoot people
#3535
Banned
hmm - would be nice if this is true
-
According to Apple Insider, the issue may not be hardware-related but rather a software quirk:
Readers report that Apple's tech support forums originally confirmed that a iOS 4.0.1 software fix addressing the issue would ship early next week (as early as Monday)
Readers report that Apple's tech support forums originally confirmed that a iOS 4.0.1 software fix addressing the issue would ship early next week (as early as Monday)
![Shrug](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/shrug.gif)
#3536
I shoot people
Opps
![Doh](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/doh.gif)
#3537
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#3538
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So I did the speedtest.net test and it's clearly obvious even if your bars don't drop alot. These are my results but just look at the two top entries. The top entry is with my hand covering the lower left corner and 2nd one is hands off.
![](https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4734507123_92bf599319_b.jpg)
If you couldn't figure that top result is ZERO up and ZERO down! ZERO! Nothing, zip zilch, nada! Even though I have 3 bars of 3G coverage. Now you tell me that I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill! Try if for yourself, get the speedtest.net app or any other speed test app and post your results.
On a positive note you can see by looking at my past results that my upload speed is much better with the i4 than it was with my 3G!
![](https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4734507123_92bf599319_b.jpg)
If you couldn't figure that top result is ZERO up and ZERO down! ZERO! Nothing, zip zilch, nada! Even though I have 3 bars of 3G coverage. Now you tell me that I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill! Try if for yourself, get the speedtest.net app or any other speed test app and post your results.
On a positive note you can see by looking at my past results that my upload speed is much better with the i4 than it was with my 3G!
![Nod](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/nod.gif)
I was actually really surprised how fast I was able to upload a 4.3mb image to engadget.. Which they didn't use
![Sad](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/sad.gif)
#3539
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Reading the apple insider article, it makes sense that part of it might be related to the software because w/ the 3Gs there were no issues like this before iOS 4, but after it's having the same issues as the iPhone 4. If it was entirely hardware related then the issue would be only with the iPhone 4.
#3540
Go Giants
Going to hold it in my hand tonight
![Woot](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/woot.gif)
#3542
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#3543
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#3544
Sanest Florida Man
![](https://img688.imageshack.us/img688/2623/1277477480603.jpg)
#3545
Senior Moderator
#3546
Senior Moderator
#3547
I just played with my friend's iPhone 4 yesterday. The screen is amazing!
#3548
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#3550
Go Giants
Preparing to unbox after unpacking...
#3552
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#3553
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#3554
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one thing that sucks big nutts.
the bumper case really only fits the iphone USB charger cable.
i tried my car charger, and the plug wouldnt fit, it was too big![Pervert](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/pervert.gif)
even the usb cable for the ipod mini was too big
the bumper case really only fits the iphone USB charger cable.
i tried my car charger, and the plug wouldnt fit, it was too big
![Pervert](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/pervert.gif)
even the usb cable for the ipod mini was too big
![Mizouse](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/quagmire.gif)
#3555
Senior Moderator
just for the record -
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles..._ios_4_01.html
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles..._ios_4_01.html
Friday, June 25, 2010
Death Grip hysteria may end Monday with iOS 4.01
By Daniel Eran Dilger
Published: 06:30 PM EST
Reception issues observed by new iPhone 4 owners, derided as the "Death Grip" by bloggers, appears to actually be a software issue that an iOS update is expected to resolve early next week.
Identifying the problem
Clear observations of mobile signal strength and how they are affected by the placement of users' hands are difficult to perform in part because there are multiple factors involved in receiving a mobile radio link, including outside interference and the conductivity or mass of different people's hands.
Additionally, cellphones in general (and in particular the iPhone) have always only presented a very rough approximation of signal strength in the signal bar display, averaged over time. It appears that iOS 4, more so than previous iPhone software, presents a less accurate signal meter, showing less signal at times than an iPhone 3GS while still being able to achieve the same or better call quality.
This has led some to jump to the conclusion that the reception problems noted by some iPhone 4 users are the sign of a hardware design flaw related to its stainless steel band antenna design. Apple's chief executive Steve Jobs stoked a whiplash of blogger frenzy when he reportedly responded that users "were holding it the wrong way," blocking the signal with their hands.
A variety of people have demonstrated identical problems with other phones, from the Android based Nexus One to the iPhone 3GS. Yesterday, my wry tweet, "Blocking iPhone 4 antenna kills reception. Blocking mic kills audio, and covering the screen makes it impossible to see Retina Display" made it to the front page of Twitter and was retweeted more than a hundred times by people following the hullabaloo.
However, the fact that problems observed in the iPhone 3GS are much more pronounced when the device is upgraded to iOS 4 indicate that there is also a software issue involved in the matter. iPhone 4 users can't downgrade to earlier versions of the core software, making it impossible to compare its relative performance.
Software fix in the works
Readers report that Apple's tech support forums originally confirmed that a iOS 4.0.1 software fix addressing the issue would ship early next week (as early as Monday), before the comments were subsequently taken down along with all the other related discussion about the matter.
The fix is expected to address a issue in iOS 4 related to radio frequency calibration of the baseband. Readers who saw the original forum discussions say that the issue is believed to occur when switching frequencies; because the lag is allegedly not calibrated correctly, it results in the device reporting "no service" rather than switching to the frequency with the best signal to noise ratio.
iOS 4 introduced some enhancements to how the baseband selects which frequencies to use, so it makes sense that the error may have crept into those changes. Additionally, this explains why iOS 4 has also caused similar problems for iPhone 3GS users.
Additional readers have shared other related experiences that also corroborate the idea that the issue is related to iOS 4's software control of the baseband, including the fact that the issue seems easily reproducible when connecting to a WWAN 3G network but does not appear when connecting to a Microcell 3G. If the problem were simply hardware related issues of the antenna design, it should only affect iPhone 4 units with that new design and should occur at all times, regardless of the tower type. That is not being observed.
Talk to the hand
The core software problem is likely augmented by hand placement, as Jobs noted in pointing out that holding the new phone (or any mobile device) in such a way that attenuates the signal should simply be avoided.
Yesterday, antenna design expert Spencer Webb posted his early appraisal of the situation, noting that the FCC mandates that cell phone antennas need to be positioned as far away from the user's head as possible, effectively forcing antenna placement in the bottom of the phone, where it is most likely to be covered by the user's hand.
Webb also noted that neither the regulatory tests performed by the FCC during its approval process, nor the antenna efficiency tests performed by the carrier (AT&T) during its own device requirements testing take into account how a user's hand might play into the antenna design and the test results.
The bottom-mounted antenna design "evolved to meet [FCC] requirements," Webb explained. "And efficient transmission and reception while being held by a human hand are simply not design requirements!"
Webb points out that Bluetooth headsets also suffer from attenuation when the phone is positioned in such a way that the user's body absorbs too much of the signal. He assumed that the iPhone 4 design, which "moved the antenna action from the back of the phone to the sides," will likely only improve things when the phone is "suspended magically in air," but may actually make things worse when the phone is placed in the user's pocket.
At the same time, Webb says he voted with his dollars to buy the new iPhone 4 anyway, adding, "sometimes an antenna that's not great, but good enough, is good enough."
Death Grip hysteria may end Monday with iOS 4.01
By Daniel Eran Dilger
Published: 06:30 PM EST
Reception issues observed by new iPhone 4 owners, derided as the "Death Grip" by bloggers, appears to actually be a software issue that an iOS update is expected to resolve early next week.
Identifying the problem
Clear observations of mobile signal strength and how they are affected by the placement of users' hands are difficult to perform in part because there are multiple factors involved in receiving a mobile radio link, including outside interference and the conductivity or mass of different people's hands.
Additionally, cellphones in general (and in particular the iPhone) have always only presented a very rough approximation of signal strength in the signal bar display, averaged over time. It appears that iOS 4, more so than previous iPhone software, presents a less accurate signal meter, showing less signal at times than an iPhone 3GS while still being able to achieve the same or better call quality.
This has led some to jump to the conclusion that the reception problems noted by some iPhone 4 users are the sign of a hardware design flaw related to its stainless steel band antenna design. Apple's chief executive Steve Jobs stoked a whiplash of blogger frenzy when he reportedly responded that users "were holding it the wrong way," blocking the signal with their hands.
A variety of people have demonstrated identical problems with other phones, from the Android based Nexus One to the iPhone 3GS. Yesterday, my wry tweet, "Blocking iPhone 4 antenna kills reception. Blocking mic kills audio, and covering the screen makes it impossible to see Retina Display" made it to the front page of Twitter and was retweeted more than a hundred times by people following the hullabaloo.
However, the fact that problems observed in the iPhone 3GS are much more pronounced when the device is upgraded to iOS 4 indicate that there is also a software issue involved in the matter. iPhone 4 users can't downgrade to earlier versions of the core software, making it impossible to compare its relative performance.
Software fix in the works
Readers report that Apple's tech support forums originally confirmed that a iOS 4.0.1 software fix addressing the issue would ship early next week (as early as Monday), before the comments were subsequently taken down along with all the other related discussion about the matter.
The fix is expected to address a issue in iOS 4 related to radio frequency calibration of the baseband. Readers who saw the original forum discussions say that the issue is believed to occur when switching frequencies; because the lag is allegedly not calibrated correctly, it results in the device reporting "no service" rather than switching to the frequency with the best signal to noise ratio.
iOS 4 introduced some enhancements to how the baseband selects which frequencies to use, so it makes sense that the error may have crept into those changes. Additionally, this explains why iOS 4 has also caused similar problems for iPhone 3GS users.
Additional readers have shared other related experiences that also corroborate the idea that the issue is related to iOS 4's software control of the baseband, including the fact that the issue seems easily reproducible when connecting to a WWAN 3G network but does not appear when connecting to a Microcell 3G. If the problem were simply hardware related issues of the antenna design, it should only affect iPhone 4 units with that new design and should occur at all times, regardless of the tower type. That is not being observed.
Talk to the hand
The core software problem is likely augmented by hand placement, as Jobs noted in pointing out that holding the new phone (or any mobile device) in such a way that attenuates the signal should simply be avoided.
Yesterday, antenna design expert Spencer Webb posted his early appraisal of the situation, noting that the FCC mandates that cell phone antennas need to be positioned as far away from the user's head as possible, effectively forcing antenna placement in the bottom of the phone, where it is most likely to be covered by the user's hand.
Webb also noted that neither the regulatory tests performed by the FCC during its approval process, nor the antenna efficiency tests performed by the carrier (AT&T) during its own device requirements testing take into account how a user's hand might play into the antenna design and the test results.
The bottom-mounted antenna design "evolved to meet [FCC] requirements," Webb explained. "And efficient transmission and reception while being held by a human hand are simply not design requirements!"
Webb points out that Bluetooth headsets also suffer from attenuation when the phone is positioned in such a way that the user's body absorbs too much of the signal. He assumed that the iPhone 4 design, which "moved the antenna action from the back of the phone to the sides," will likely only improve things when the phone is "suspended magically in air," but may actually make things worse when the phone is placed in the user's pocket.
At the same time, Webb says he voted with his dollars to buy the new iPhone 4 anyway, adding, "sometimes an antenna that's not great, but good enough, is good enough."
#3556
Senior Moderator
^^
Yesterday, my wry tweet, "Blocking iPhone 4 antenna kills reception. Blocking mic kills audio, and covering the screen makes it impossible to see Retina Display" made it to the front page of Twitter and was retweeted more than a hundred times by people following the hullabaloo.
![Jack](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/jack.gif)
#3557
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kind of interesting looking at the screen between the 1st gen iphone, 3GS and iphone 4.
the 1st gen is cool, the 3GS looks warmer, and kind of yellowish? (dunno)
and the iphone4, looks white/gray.
im using the just light app which just puts up a white screen, and they're all cranked up to 100% brightness, auto dim or whatever turned off.
and looking back at the 3GS screen, man it looks like shit
!
the 1st gen is cool, the 3GS looks warmer, and kind of yellowish? (dunno)
and the iphone4, looks white/gray.
im using the just light app which just puts up a white screen, and they're all cranked up to 100% brightness, auto dim or whatever turned off.
and looking back at the 3GS screen, man it looks like shit
![Turd](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/turd.gif)
#3558
Senior Moderator
#3559
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#3560
Senior Moderator
no.. I was talking about something else -