News - Apple emergency press conference: free sheaths for all iPhone 4 owners

[Barrichello]

Also Blackberrys suffer from the issue (Bold whas shown)

Nah think that was just a mock up tbh. First time i have heard of it ever happening, i been using mine for some months now and not noticed any issues (and i dont have a bumper) I tried it and no matter how much i try still full signal - can not get mine to do that. Apple are a joke. I like RIMS statement on it......

Apple's attempt to draw RIM into Apple's self-made debacle is unacceptable. Apple's claims about RIM products appear to be deliberate attempts to distort the public's understanding of an antenna design issue and to deflect attention from Apple's difficult situation. RIM is a global leader in antenna design and has been successfully designing industry-leading wireless data products with efficient and effective radio performance for over 20 years. During that time, RIM has avoided designs like the one Apple used in the iPhone 4 and instead has used innovative designs which reduce the risk for dropped calls, especially in areas of lower coverage. One thing is for certain, RIM's customers don't need to use a case for their BlackBerry smartphone to maintain proper connectivity. Apple clearly made certain design decisions and it should take responsibility for these decisions rather than trying to draw RIM and others into a situation that relates specifically to Apple

[mikerr]

I think Apple did the right thing. The cheapest thing which would save them face. They have done a VOLUNTARY product call, saying if you don't like it, return it and get your money back. Not that that option hasn't been available.

I notice they haven't extended that timescale of 30 days FROM PURCHASE,
just agreed to waive the "10% restocking fee" they normally charge.

[TAKTAK]

Could RIM do Apple for libel?

[rox0r]

Could RIM do Apple for libel?

RIM's response:

Apple’s attempt to draw RIM into Apple’s self-made debacle is unacceptable. Apple’s claims about RIM products appear to be deliberate attempts to distort the public’s understanding of an antenna design issue and to deflect attention from Apple’s difficult situation.

RIM is a global leader in antenna design and has been successfully designing industry-leading wireless data products with efficient and effective radio performance for over 20 years. During that time, RIM has avoided designs like the one Apple used in the iPhone 4 and instead has used innovative designs which reduce the risk for dropped calls, especially in areas of lower coverage.

One thing is for certain, RIM’s customers don’t need to use a case for their BlackBerry smartphone to maintain proper connectivity. Apple clearly made certain design decisions and it should take responsibility for these decisions rather than trying to draw RIM and others into a situation that relates specifically to Apple.

[BobF64]

It just goes to prove, not all "revolutions" are successful.

[Saracen]

Interesting one that, I must admitt the sound quality isn't as good as my classic ipod which I still enjoy from time to time. Still multifunction devices are all about compromises, I doubt the perfect one will ever exist despite what any manufacture may claim.

Do you mean the iPhone isn't as good as your classic iPod?

I'd agree about multi-function, at least up to a point, and in large part, it's why iPhones and the like don't interest me. By the same logic, I prefer to have my pick of PC security tools, so I go for my preference of firewall, my preference of AV product(s) and my preference of malware tools, rather than a suite. I understand the appeal of the integration of a suite, but I;ve yet to see any single suite product that I regard as being best of breed in each area.

And it's like that with phones. All I personally want from a phone is a phone, that makes and receives calls, is reasonably easy to use, has a few memories, has decent battery life, is small and light, and given that feature set, is cheap. Oh, and if I lose my £5, I'm not going to cry at the loss of an expensive multimedia fashion statement. I'm going to shrug, and get a spare out of a drawer.

Similarly, with the MP3 player, I wanted it for music. And only for music. As it happens, it's got a colour screen and plays videos, too. But I couldn't care less about that. A fried of mine tried for ages to get me to try watching video on it but, several years later, I never have. I deleted the sample tracks without bothering to look at them, and have never loaded so much as a single new video clip to it. Why? Because I have zero interest in watching video on a daft little screen like that.

That same friend tried to convince me that a camera on my phone would be useful. Well, maybe, on very rare occasions when I happen to be camera-less .... but very rarely have I seen a photo from a camera that I would have bothered to take if I had a camera in my phone, if that was the quality I was going to end up with.

And much like I don't want to watch video on a silly screen, I don't want to browse the web on it either. And unlike many people, I can't see much interesting or remotely funny in video clips that people link to on YouTube. Every time someone links to one and I go look, I end up wishing I hadn't wasted my time. So I no longer bother.

I know this is not how most people see it, and that phones that will do more and more are all the rage, but they leave me stone cold. I have no interest in doing the vast majority of what they will do when I'm out and about. I don't even want to be chased all over the place by emails. Anyone that knows me knows how to get me if it's really important, and I don't want to be pestered if it isn't.

So I'm not by any means typical, and smartphones don't do anything I want, or certainly not enough that I'd want that I'd pay what they cost. I don't expect many others to see it that way, but it's how I see it.

That Creative player, though, was the best suited for me on the market, because it had plenty of HD space and, of all I tried, sounded the best. Had the best sounding (to me) been the iPod, that's what I'd have bought.

And if the capabilities of the iPhone are, as you seem to suggest, a compromise because it's a multimedia tool, then as far as I'm concerned, it's a compromise too far. I'd rather have one tool that does one job really well, and another tool for another job, if I need that job doing. The downside is carrying several devices, but hey, that's fine by me.

[Biscuit]

Good response from RIM however the video clearly showed a Blackberry phone dropping bars when you held it in a similar fashion to the iPhone

[TooNice]

Yeah, I can't resist having a bit of a fun poke at iPhone.

Serious mode .... it's a great phone with a lot going for it. But .... the whole Apple thing is also a bit of a fashion statement. You may not have bought it for that reason, and I'd certainly grant there are good reasons for why it would appeal.

To be honest, I find it a bit tiring. For a while I've been thinking "Are people so close minded that they can't grasp the concept of 'different folks, different strokes' and that the constant dig at a product, or worse, users of a product they aren't interested in make them no better than those who constantly rave and treat the product as the greatest thing ever made". But then, I've come to the conclusion that it is a losing battle, and if I care as little as I claim about what people think (and a genuinely did not buy my iPhone to be praised nor ridiculed), then there is little point trying to argue what people think, however ridiculous I might think. That said now and then I still have to rant (I try to keep it every two/three weeks, given the frequency of Apple related threads, there are a lot of threads I have to ignore for my own sanity).

For the n time though I bought an iPhone 2G when they were being cleared to make way for 3G. I had some cash in my pocket from Ebaying a free upgrade for a contract I needed anyway, so no, I won't say that it was an educated purchase for a specific purpose. It was an impulse buy, and a second look at 'smartphone' (which I've used, then gone back to candybar type) - keeping in mind that some have already argued it wasn't a 'real' smartphone. Besides, I was getting tired of the inbox limitation in most candybar phones I've used up till then. Yes I was aware it didn't have feature found on candybar phones at the time, notably 3G, but yes I can genuinely say I never used 3G features back then (didn't have a cost efficient data plan, so never went online), nor did I *ever* bothered with picture messaging. Since I've started using an iPhone, I would say that the biggest hook is not about the hardware, but the apps. And I dare say that for the time being, there are productivity applications that are simply better on the iPhone, most likely by virtue of the head start the Apple enjoyed compared to, say, the Android platform.

Linking to post regarding multi-function. Yes I could have bought an iTouch (though if my memory is right, the price I paid for the iPhone was very close to the iTouch at the time), but there is also the issue of whether I will always carry it on my pocket. And I suspect not. Even an iTouch and the thinnest phone I owned at the time (W880i) on a daily basis would still be less than optimally comfortable. And my dedicated Japanese electronic dictionary, while more powerful than an iPhone app once I reached upper-intermediate level, is still too big to be pocketable (and too cumbersome if I need to find a word really quickly).

As a music player though, I can't see how the iPhone can compare to the iPod classic. We are on the same page as far as not giving two pence about the ability to watch movies on such device, though ironically, that is the reason why many chose the Creative route during the iPod 5G vs Creative M:Vision period. No doubt that the M:Vision had the best screen back then, but I'd argue that both the iPod and iAudio X5 were sonically superior to my ears - and the iPod had a better implementation of an analog out, and typically capacity second only to Archos (the bulk of which are geared towards video). Having the option of hooking one's own amp, or better yet DAC may not be valued equally by everyone, but while I do understand the argument that doing so defeat the portability of the device, and agree that the out of the box performance is important, I think it's a nice feature given the cost of those device (far more important to me than video playback). [Note that I am not too sure if the current iPod classic carry those features anymore, sadly the lack of demand mean the dumbing down of devices. This isn't just an Apple thing, I *think* the Creative Nomad actually had those features, as did the earlier H1xx series iRiver].

Umm, okay, gone off track. Bottom line, I find some of the implied comments aimed towards Apple users as insulting being told how to hold a handset. And frankly speaking, I find the Apple witch hunting brigade just as bad as the Apple zealots. Regarding the iPhone 4? Frankly speaking, I still don't know what to make of this whole drama. I've linked to Anandtech's review a few times, and not a single person here has managed to give a plausible explanation to their findings. What I do know however is that £600 (give or take) for the ownership of a phone and basic contract is rather steep, so in all likelihood, I will just take the 3GS off my friend when she buys the shiny new toy. Like I said, fashion device? Pah! If I cared so much about having the latest, I would've waited for the 3G version of that phone at the time. I just want something that'll run the applications I use faster, with GPS and is usable when I go to Japan (ie. 3G).

Oh, and it's good to rant once in a while

[Brewster0101]

Why did a £500 phone not come with a case in the first place. My E71 and E72 both came with cases. Do other phones like the desire come with cases included.

[kalniel]

Umm, okay, gone off track. Bottom line, I find some of the implied comments aimed towards Apple users as insulting being told how to hold a handset.

Please don't confuse comments aimed towards a brand with those aimed towards users. There's a huge and important difference.

[Biscuit]

Why did a £500 phone not come with a case in the first place. My E71 and E72 both came with cases. Do other phones like the desire come with cases included.

No the desire didnt... well mine didnt anyway.

My E52 didnt either

[TooNice]

Please don't confuse comments aimed towards a brand with those aimed towards users. There's a huge and important difference.

Absolutely, I've been pointed this out before, and I do realise that there are differences amongst critiques. Some criticise the hardware, fair enough, though I wonder how people never get tired of repeating the same comments on every Apple threads - i.e. every day, others criticise their advertising (I am well shielded against adverts given that I have no TV, though I acknowledge that the "This changes everything. Again." line is err, nauseating). Unfortunately, without wanting to single out anyone, who use such threads for one liner digs at the users. 'Sheep' is a favourite word that get thrown about - the irony being that without qualifying their comments further, it comes across every bit as 'sheepish'. Millions of buyers, probably hundreds of permutations in priorities, what's there to gain in looking down on people for what they have or don't have? It does drive me a little nut

But yeah I realise that my posts probably have the same effect as TheAnimus' posts to Santa's on the people I am talking about. It's not likely to get anywhere, so I am/making an effort to avoid senseless arguments over pointless things. It's work in progress

[It's also why I haven't replied directly to any of them]

[F1nn]

The only thing more foolhardy than saying something is objectively best is replying by saying something is objectively not best

Jobs stated that the iphone is the best smartphone in the world, I strongly disagree, what's your problem?

[kalniel]

what's your problem?

If I had an iPhone it'd be the external antenna design. But I don't, so I don't have a problem. Or did you mean something else?

[usxhe190]

Steve Jobs: "This antenna issue has been blown so out of proportion, it's....magical."

[SiM]

[It's also why I haven't replied directly to any of them]

I'll directly reply to you though [with a copy of one of my other posts]

The apple fanboy stereotype is a hilariously funny theme, you should accept that people will always poke at the fanboys for fun (i.e. don't take it personally if you are one of the few sane iphone owners).

I love to hear jokes about the fanboys, it make me and many others laugh.