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Death Grip Tested On iPhone Competitors

adeelarshad82 writes "Given Steve Jobs' recent claims about 'Death Grip' being a common problem among smart phones, PCMag tested out six major iPhone competitors to see how they would react to the grip. The test included Motorola Droid X, T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide, Droid Incredible by HTC, BlackBerry Bold 9650, and the Samsung Captivate. The signal strength was measured in dBm, which typically ranges between -50 to -110 dBm (numbers closer to zero show better signal). Interestingly, the test results video showed mixed results. T-Mobile myTouch 3G and Samsung Captivate showed drastic changes, dropping down to -89 and -97 dBm respectively. On the other hand, while the signal strength dropped for HTC Droid Incredible, Motorola Droid X and Blackberry Bold, it wasn't as severe. Results of testing showed that not all phones reacted the same way to the typical death grip and required variations of it to bring about results."

12 of 373 comments (clear)

  1. Re:So Jobs is not a liar? by jedidiah · · Score: 0, Troll

    Apple haters have no need to be sad.

    Steve Jobs has demonstrated himself to be a weasel that tries to deflect responsibility for his own failures on others.

    It really doesn't matter how bad the alternatives are.

    --
    A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
  2. So Steve isn't a liar? by mosb1000 · · Score: 1, Troll

    Can I stop explaining to people why I intend to purchase this phone despite a minor defect that won't affect me now?

  3. Re:Both hands?? by CannonballHead · · Score: 0, Troll

    That's because the other phones do not have any magic, and thus need to be treated differently. Magic is delicate, you see.

  4. Re:If everyone jumped off a bridge... by E+IS+mC(Square) · · Score: 0, Troll

    And then he goes on showing EVERY PHONE does that.

    NO - they don't do THAT while holding it THAT WAY.

    So, yes, he lied and did not accept that iphone was the only phone which did something wrong.

  5. Re:How many of them have bare metal antennas? by BondGamer · · Score: 0, Troll

    Most modern blenders have protective lockouts so that the blade won't spin if the pitcher is not attached.

    You can still turn the blender on and stick your hand in. Just because you can does not mean you should. There is one spot on the iPhone edge you shouldn't touch if you want to make a call. It isn't even natural to touch it when holding the phone for a call. If it bothers you so much, put on a bumper case or return your phone. What is wrong with people today.

  6. Re:Enough already! by hondo77 · · Score: 0, Troll

    Do you actually know anybody who is having this "problem" with their iPhone 4 such that they can't use it?

    Neither do I.

    --
    I live ze unknown. I love ze unknown. I am ze unknown.
  7. Re:If everyone jumped off a bridge... by E+IS+mC(Square) · · Score: 0, Troll

    Reading omprehension fail! Did I say no other phone drops bars AT ALL?

    Only iphone loses signal so much as to drop calls.

    Go on - try spinning it again.

  8. The tradeoff of the better antenna by SuperKendall · · Score: 0, Troll

    How many of them have bare metal antennas on the surface of the phone?

    I think we can forgive the other phones for lacking in this design area, as it has been fashionable of late to embed antennas.

    The thing is, the larger surface area of the external metal antenna does mean the iPhone gets really much better reception - both voice and data.

    This comes with the tradeoff that there is one specific location that, if you touch, can cause SOME interference (though if it really affects you depends on signal strength).

    In real life, this one weak location is not really an issue compared to the benefits you derive from a better antenna. I can make calls reliably from my house now where with the 3Gs, the calls would often drop out or sound terrible.

    Shouldn't we all be concerned with the antenna making a better phone or not? Because for many, many people (as witnessed by the return rate) - the iPhone does a better job of that. If the antenna produces better calls then it's not a flaw, it's just the tradeoffs leading to a better antenna are different than tradeoffs made before - but it's still progress.

    For all the whining about this look for competitors to start introducing external antenna soon.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  9. Re:So Jobs is not a liar? by mjwx · · Score: 0, Troll

    Luckily, I bought one of the magical iPhone 4s which isn't affected by any problem with dropped calls (0 over the last month), so I won't be returning mine.

    I guess the other guy always "accidentally" hangs up on you.

    I'm highly sceptical of anyone who says they dont have an issue. Normally it's just the ego covering up for a decision that you desperately want to be right. Regardless of whether it is or isn't a good decision your ego will not let you judge it rationally.

    The really sad thing is that all Apple need to do, was cover the damn aerial is a few mm of plastic or rubber and the signal loss would have been lessened to real world numbers (5-7 dBm). But Apple would not permit this, there have literally been dozens of studies on bare metal aerials and they have all concluded bare metal aerials are not suitable for phones due to interference cause by being touched.

    --
    Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  10. Nokia Illusion by SuperKendall · · Score: 0, Troll

    Nokia managed to convince the industry internal antennas works just as well.

    About time we brought the antenna back out and the signal reception back up.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  11. At least one other by SuperKendall · · Score: 0, Troll

    No other phone can acheive this signal loss (20db)

    From the video link:

    Last up came the newly released Samsung Captivate. The Captivate went from -81 to-97 dBm after we applied the standard left-handed grip

    Pretty close to 20.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  12. Re:How many of them have bare metal antennas? by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 0, Troll

    No point in answering that question-- I won't trust you.

    Here's a simple, factual answer to your query.

    1. If you don't want an iPhone 4, don't buy one.
    2. If you have one, and you don't like it, Apple has said you can return it for a full refund, no stocking fee.
    3. If you have one, and you like it, Apple has said they will give you a free bumper or reimburse you if you already bought a case.
    4. If you have one, and you like it, but don't want to put your phone in a case, then stop complaining. You've made your choice, you're going to have to put up with reduced signal strength if you grip it with your left hand.

    There's absolutely no need to be a troll about the whole issue. The loudest people I've seen complaining about it don't even own one, and the ones who claim they own an iPhone 4 come off sounding rather childish (meaning in all likelihood they're actually trolling), so I'm a bit hesitant to believe with them.

    --
    Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.