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Posts tagged IPhone 4G

A spy toolkit for iPhone

Aug24
2010 Leave a Comment Written by hotrao

Michael Trei at Dvice (http://dvice.com/archives/author/michael_trei) reports that Brickhouse security markets an “[...] innocent looking USB drive has only one purpose, to download and copy most types of data stored on an iPhone. That means everything including your text messages, voice memos, photos, GPS tracking info, and web searches can be copied quickly be anyone who gets access to your phone for a few minutes [...]“. The price is $199 and is available at the moment for iOS3, with iOS4 support coming in september (full article at http://dvice.com/archives/2010/08/spy-stick-lets.php, manufacturer site at http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/iphone-spy-data-recovery-stick.html).

While I don’t endorse neither support the use of such a device, I’m curious about it and ask how can Apple have left such a flaw in security. And we were discussing for antenna problems… :-)

This post as a comment at http://dvice.com/archives/2010/08/spy-stick-lets.php

Posted in Uncategorized - Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Antennagate solved

Jul18
2010 Leave a Comment Written by hotrao

Kit Eaton at Fast Company (http://www.fastcompany.com/user/148610), writes a couple of good articles on Apple announcement of giving refunds or cases to iPhone 4G buyers in order to solve antenna problem and on Apple $100 Million sound testing facility (full articles at http://www.fastcompany.com/1670989/antennagate-apple-explains-all-at-its-iphone-4-press-event and at http://www.fastcompany.com/1671022/apple-anechoic-chamber-science-rf-testing).

Se my comments on what Kit reports:

  • Smartphones aren’t perfect, and neither is Apple. True, but this problem is a macroscopic one, because phones are made for calling.
  • AppleCare hasn’t been as slammed with complaint calls. Could be, but is mainly because users are not, generally speaking, using the phone so much and for mission critical things (i.e. if you loose a call, you make it another time and say bad words to carriers, not to phone makers…)
  • There was an algorithmic error in the iPhone software [...]. Again is not the problem it self, is how much it is big 
  • The antenna isn’t perfect, and it actually does drop slightly more calls than the 3GS does, on average. Yes, but is not a justification, otherwise Mr. Job’s would not have made this press conference.
  • Because some users have reported bumper cases help, Apple is giving them away for free. Helps in not getting the calls dropped, but is not enough, since when you spend all that money for a phone you don’t want to use a work around.
  • Apple’s also offering a full refund to unsatisfied customers who return undamaged iPhone 4s.  That’s better :-)

This post as a comment also at http://www.fastcompany.com/1670989/antennagate-apple-explains-all-at-its-iphone-4-press-event

Posted in Economy, Tech - Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Confirm of iPhone 4G antenna loosing signal

Jul04
2010 Leave a Comment Written by hotrao

Brian X. Chen at Wired (http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/author/bxchen/) reports that ” [...] study led by AnandTech saw a major drop in signal strength when the iPhone 4 was “cupped tightly,” covering a sensitive area in the lower left corner. The iPhone 4’s external band is actually two antennas — one for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS, and the other for voice and data — and according to Anandtech, touching the point in the lower left, where the two antennas meet, causes attenuation. [...]” (full article at http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/07/iphone-4-anandtech/).

Apple gave the information that an upcoming update is going to solve the problem (Letter at http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/07/02appleletter.html).

The saga continues

Posted in Economy, Tech - Tagged , , , , ,

Lawsuit for iPhone 4G problems

Jul02
2010 Leave a Comment Written by hotrao

Jlister at Geeks are sexy and Jesus Diaz at Gizmodo report thats there’s an ongoing lawsuit for problems related to iPhone 4G (full articles at http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2010/07/01/iphone-4-problems-theres-a-lawsuit-for-that/ and at http://gizmodo.com/5577010/first-iphone-4-class-action-suit-filed-against-apple-and-att).

The article says that “[...] 

The lawsuit formally names Kevin McCaffrey and Linda Wrinn of Maryland as the plaintiffs. If the application to become a class action case is successful, there’d be a single trial where the outcome would apply to any US iPhone 4 buyer who added their name to the case.

Whatever the merits of the case, it’s fair to say the lawyers involved are going full throttle. They’ve come up with nine different claims against Apple:

  • General negligence (they should have known the problem would occur)
  • Defect in design, manufacture and assembly (they didn’t make a working phone)
  • Breach of express warranty (they said the phone worked)
  • Breach of implied warranty for merchantability (whatever they said, it should have worked anyway)
  • Breach of implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose (seriously, it’s a phone, it should still get a signal when you hold it)
  • Deceptive trade practices (it didn’t work and they took our money anyway)
  • Intentional misrepresentation (the dude in the commercial was holding the phone normally, and they didn’t mention the whole not working deal)
  • Negligent misrepresentation (OK, a little mistake we could live with, but come on, a phone that doesn’t work when you hold it?!)
  • Fraud by concealment (two hundred bucks, a monthly fee, and still it doesn’t work?)

[...]”

While I think there’s enough to discuss with Apple attitude, I don’t really like this kind if lawsuits, because seems to me that go beyond the simple discussion between customer and provider of a good.

Why are those people suing Apple or AT&T: to get back the money of they telephones or to claim some more money as a damage (in this case for what?)

Don’t we all have more serious reasons to have class actions (oil spills, violence at G20, climate,…) than problems arising from the iPhone?

This post as a comment at http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2010/07/01/iphone-4-problems-theres-a-lawsuit-for-that/#comment-255990 and at http://gizmodo.com/5577010/first-iphone-4-class-action-suit-filed-against-apple-and-att

Posted in Economy, Tech, Thoughts, Uncategorized - Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

IPhone 4G antenna matters

Jun25
2010 Leave a Comment Written by hotrao

Chris Foresman at Ars technica (http://arstechnica.com/author/chris-foresman/) and Jason Chen at Gizmodo (http://gizmodo.com/people/diskopo/posts/), reports a formal communication by Apple guru Steve Jobs on problems with reception and antenna. In extreme synthesis, the position is: holding the phone in that way could lead to signal attenuation, so to avoid the problem….just don’t hold it that way! (full articles at http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2010/06/jobs-on-iphone-4-antenna-avoid-holding-it-in-this-way.ars and at http://gizmodo.com/5572279/apples-acknowledges-iphone-4-reception-issues-says-dont-hold-it-like-that. Steve Jobs letter at http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2010/06/jobsmeail2.jpg).

Matt Hartley at Lockergnome adds that one solution, sponsored also by Steve Jobs BTW, is to have a case in order not to touch antenna (this article at http://www.lockergnome.com/it/2010/06/25/first-iphone-requiring-a-case/).

On one side I can understand that some problems may arise in any technological object, IPhone included.

On the other side I ask a couple of questions:

  • When you buy every object (either phisical or “logical”) you want a functioning one. At most reason if you spend so much money (and time) on a gadget
  • Do words like “testing” and “non regeression” make sense at Cupertino :-) ? Come on! Despite the appearance is a phone. The antenna and software related is worth a little bit intensive testing (which have been done for sure), also holding it in the left hand…

This post as a comment also at http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2010/06/jobs-on-iphone-4-antenna-avoid-holding-it-in-this-way.ars?comments=1&p=20551714#comment-20551714 , at http://gizmodo.com/5572279/apples-acknowledges-iphone-4-reception-issues-says-dont-hold-it-like-that and at http://www.lockergnome.com/it/2010/06/25/first-iphone-requiring-a-case/comment-page-1/#comment-212751

Posted in communication, Tech - Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Apple IPhone 4G vs web os

Jun12
2010 Leave a Comment Written by hotrao

rothgar at Lifehacker (http://1n73r.net/) posted a comment to previously mentioned Iphone 4G vs Android (full article at http://lifehacker.com/5561282/iphone-vs-android-vs-webos-a-counterpoint).

A little bit angry discussion, but all in all a good addendum to discussion.

The chart is summarized here http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/17/2010/06/iPhone-vs-Android-vs-webOS.png (credits and Ip belong to their respective owners).

Posted in communication, Economy, Tech - Tagged , , , ,

Going deep into IPhone 4G

Jun09
2010 Leave a Comment Written by hotrao

Joe Wilcox at Betanews (http://www.betanews.com/author/joewilcox) reports 5 things that should be known on Iphone 4G (full article at http://www.betanews.com/joewilcox/article/5-things-you-should-know-about-iPhone-4/1276015529).

What follows are my comments:

  • Job’s health is back: You’re true on this. Steve is the engine of Apple, driving strategy and innovation. And the key note given last monday is the demonstration of his thought and charisma
  • Jobs showed developers the money in iOS: Too many times this is a point where CEOs don’t go in deep. Steve showed the point to developers as the carrot for using iOS. And, again, he’s correct: IPhone is a great platform and Apps are the engine, the enabler and the differentiator of this Apple product. Giving the access to this potential money to developers is the key to make them going on on developing winning applications.
  • FaceTime won’t be big time — at least not anytime soon: another correct point, where IMHO we’ll also face the problem of networks not being capable of supporting all the induced traffic.
  • AT&T will hurt iPhone 4 in the United States: I have no basis for this
  • Apple’s approach to rights usage assures the iBookstore will succeed: Apple is one of the most safeguarding companies on IP rights, but I think that iBookstore will succeed if e-bookstores will get a step further (means a greater diffusion of kindle and nook like devices).

This post as a comment also at http://www.betanews.com/joewilcox/article/5-things-you-should-know-about-iPhone-4/1276015529

Posted in Economy, Other, Tech - Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

IPhone 4G presented and compared

Jun08
2010 3 Comments Written by hotrao

Apple presented last monday its last creation (the Iphone 4g) and is just time of a comparison with the supposed enemy: the HTC EVO 4G based on Android.

Priya Ganapati at Wired (http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/author/pganapati/), makes a well detailed comparison between the two contenders (full article at http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/06/iphone-4-vs-htc-evo-4g).

The article features also a handy table reported below:

They are very close in performance, but some points are meaningfull:

  • IPhone is lighter of about 1/3
  • HTC is 4G enabled, while IPhone is not (just a question: why IPhone 4G if not 4G? :-) )
  • IPhone has native video conferencing, HTC doesn’t (was so costly to have it no board instead of delegating to an application?)
  • IPhone has more sensors

This post as a comment also at http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/06/iphone-4-vs-htc-evo-4g

Posted in communication, Economy, Tech - Tagged , , , , , , ,

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