Consumer Reports Still Can't Recommend iPhone 4

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snotling

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[citation][nom]back_by_demand[/nom]Maybe after September 30th they will coat the metal on the antenna with a clear non-conductive coating.Looks the sameDoesn't create a conductive bridge when you "hold it wrong"Should "fix" the problemBefore that date Apple should offer to have the coating applied for free or swapped out for one that has it.[/citation]
coating stainless steel: good luck. I think they will continue with a case solution
 

snotling

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[citation][nom]rohitbaran[/nom]Why should they recommend it? Out of sympathy for Apple having to spend 3mill. dollars to give free rubber bands to cover up up its mistake? No way.[/citation]
Actually the estimate is 50 millions out of their revenue for the solution. Remember, they have to buy 3rd party cases and give them away. not just bumpers.
 

snotling

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[citation][nom]back_by_demand[/nom]Maybe after September 30th they will coat the metal on the antenna with a clear non-conductive coating.Looks the sameDoesn't create a conductive bridge when you "hold it wrong"Should "fix" the problemBefore that date Apple should offer to have the coating applied for free or swapped out for one that has it.[/citation]
Coating is unlikely, membrane maybe...
 

snotling

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Still I guess if you really hate Apple and you want to make a statement they opened the door: Go buy one and return it.

They will have to ship it back and forth, make new packaging and pass it as refurbished at a lower price. not very environmental but still a statement for hardcore haters it will only take 30 minutes or so of your day... and you will have cost Apple money and influenced the "return and complaint" statistics.

The contract will be null and void and there is no restocking fee. So what are you waiting for?
 

namdur

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Fact is that the apple response albeit nothing more than typical apple spin and rhetoric needs to be seen to the end user as business as usual for a company who keeps is secrets internal and then tries to lie about its flaws (sounds like American politics). Do not support such organizations, support open source Android, open standards like adobe flash and let Steve Jobs know that he is nothing more than a fascist in jeans clothing.
 
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"Doesn't create a conductive bridge when you "hold it wrong""

I have a Panasonic wireless phone in my office. If I hold it upside-down, am I holding the right way?
 

soo-nah-mee

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[citation][nom]back_by_demand[/nom]So you are saying you can't coat stainless steel with anything non-conductive.Is that what you are saying?Don't talk technical bollocks, you are obviously a fuckwit[/citation]Agreed.
snotling: Coating 300 or 400 series stainless is not a problem. Know your facts before you knock someone else's brainstorm.
 

snotling

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[citation][nom]soo-nah-mee[/nom]Agreed.snotling: Coating 300 or 400 series stainless is not a problem. Know your facts before you knock someone else's brainstorm.[/citation]
well, back up that claim with an actual product to use as coating. make sure it is scratch resistant and non toxic, we wouldn't want that coating to peel off on your hands before you lick your fingers at KFC
 
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@snotling

im going to guess the antenna is a sheet metal formed part, apple can just buy the metal coils pre-coated with a clear lacquer thats hard baked onto the metal, good luck with getting that stuff off seeing as the stuff can survive sheet metal forming process intact and unscathed and having pre-coated metal is dirt cheap, im sure that right up apple's alley
 

randomroger

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Let's see, we have Whoopi Goldberg smashing an iPhone (http://www.tomsguide.com/us/whoopi-goldberg-iphone-4-defect-reception,news-7505.html), the funny video from Taiwan (http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Steve-Jobs-VOTW-Darth-Vader-iPhone-4-antennagate,news-7515.html), memes (e.g."you're holding it wrong"), t-shirts to go along with said memes (e.g. http://www.zazzle.com/SteveSays*), and Consumer Reports saying "Don't buy it." Is there anything else that can be against Apple here?
 

snotling

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[citation][nom]bendoverplease[/nom]@snotlingim going to guess the antenna is a sheet metal formed part, apple can just buy the metal coils pre-coated with a clear lacquer thats hard baked onto the metal, good luck with getting that stuff off seeing as the stuff can survive sheet metal forming process intact and unscathed and having pre-coated metal is dirt cheap, im sure that right up apple's alley[/citation]
that process would solve half the issue (bridging antennas) but wouldn't make the antenna much farther from the hand which is the other half of the issue that is found on ather phones as well: you hand and face shielding the antenna. The bumper is a little bit better at doing that.

My other doubt is "is it sheat metal?" looks molded to me with the screw holes and everything... Remember the launch pics where the antenna was disassembled from the phone?

So if it is sheat metal... might happen but otherwise, I'm still with the bumper being bundled in the resale package.
 

captaincharisma

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[citation][nom]snotling[/nom]well, back up that claim with an actual product to use as coating. make sure it is scratch resistant and non toxic, we wouldn't want that coating to peel off on your hands before you lick your fingers at KFC[/citation]

nah man he sounds like more of a Popeye's guy than a KFC guy :)
 

snotling

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[citation][nom]back_by_demand[/nom]Yep, that would do it.I guess what is essentially a thin layer of melted plastic, which by any definition it is "coated" with, or a "covering", or a "membrane" or whatever.Hell, if push comes to shove dip it in enamel paint and it will still have the same effect.When these engineers in your quote talk about being resistant to coating they tend to mean galvanising or electroplating, which is the reason why galvanised stainless steel wall-ties don't exist. This presents a double problem, I can understand why someone would want to galvanise or electroplate stainless-steel, perhaps to add additional protection from rusting or to give colour options, however these would still be metallic in origin and therefore still able to create a conductive bridge which would not solve the reception issue.Spray the damn thing with liquid polyeurathane. They use that stuff to repair cracks in motorbike helmets, no more conductivity, still looks like the original material, now 10 times more scratch resistant and no more reception issue.Problem solved.[/citation]
I won't expand on why enamel paint wouldn't do the trick, lets just say I preffer the polyurethane. but for this to work, you need to coat all around (otherwise it would probably fall off over time) the antenna which would mean changing its dimensions so the total thickness of the assembly remains unchanged. and I would worry about the phone loosing some of its rigidity with the glass surface laying on a layer of polyurethane instead of steel.

Obviously not impossible, I have to admit Coating may be a solution but its clearly not a spray it yourself solution and there verry well may be some bumps on the road that prevent it from making its way to retail.
 

long2know

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I don't have, and don't plan to buy, a case for my EVO 4G. Nor did I have a case on my previous Nokia 5800XM smartphone. I don't like cases.

I have had no issues with reception or dropped calls.
 
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