Consider Charlie&Chocolate Factory. While the impression on the kid characters often rubbing off on the reader is, "Wow, chocolate-covered paradise!" I couldn't help thinking, "HE HAS A FACTORY FULL OF DWARF SLAVES SWIMMING IN YOUR FOOD." Anything, no matter how ordinary (or ridiculous), can be woven into the most amazing robe by the right weaver.
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A Look Inside Apple's Wireless Testing Facilities
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Consider Charlie&Chocolate Factory. While the impression on the kid characters often rubbing off on the reader is, "Wow, chocolate-covered paradise!" I couldn't help thinking, "HE HAS A FACTORY FULL OF DWARF SLAVES SWIMMING IN YOUR FOOD." Anything, no matter how ordinary (or ridiculous), can be woven into the most amazing robe by the right weaver.
I'm on Verizon with a Blackberry Curve 8530 and I can recreate the signal attenuation with my hand easily.
One of my universities had a similar setup, they used to do some advanced sound wave analysissisisi stuff. Outstanding rooms.
But yea. Apple hired how many PhD-level antenna specialists? They invest how much in antenna research? Yet they still produced the iPhone 4. They could have hired 18 lions and a real cage and still had the same results.
But yea. Apple hired how many PhD-level antenna specialists? They invest how much in antenna research? Yet they still produced the iPhone 4. They could have hired 18 lions and a real cage and still had the same results.
They did test the iPhone 4 properly. They knew the problem, hence the bumpers, which do nothing to protect the phone but do shield the user from the problem areas.
The issue here is not Willie Wonka's tech factory, but the knowledge that there was an issue with the iPhone 4 before launch.
No body can seriously suggest that the bumpers are anything other than a band aid.
And the press call yesterday was an attempt to obscure and deflect. Basically saying that the phone is flawed and it needs a case to work properly.
The issue here is not Willie Wonka's tech factory, but the knowledge that there was an issue with the iPhone 4 before launch.
No body can seriously suggest that the bumpers are anything other than a band aid.
And the press call yesterday was an attempt to obscure and deflect. Basically saying that the phone is flawed and it needs a case to work properly.
But it's like Desperate Housewives for geeks with the added hilarity that some people take it even more seriously.
And aside from the reward of procrastination, I'm fairly sure the only ones winning in all of this are the CPM-sponsored Apple gossip sites.
Oh yes, perhaps it's easier for us not so technically minded to recognize this as 'geekbait'...
Do not trust them. That's not a testing facility. That's Steve Jobs' own house.
Back to the grave
Back to the grave
Does anyone else get reminded of Cerebro when they see this? (The giant room Professor X used in X-Men)
Whilst this does of course look impressive to the general person, and I'd sure it's a very good design of room as doing some aspects of the testing.
Like "it worked fine in the lab" you may of heard in various walks of life this is not the holy grail answer to everything.
No amount of "testing in the lab" is going to equal random people in the real "dirty" outside world some in a crisp clean boardroom on the 30th floor of "tech-industries HQ" or down on the ground in a building site in the dirty sweaty hands of someone pouring concrete on re-bar.
Whilst of course, testing phones in a totally clean "lab" environment is something they need to do to get some "starting raw numbers"
None of this matters, as no-one in the real work will be using their phone in such a room.
Perhaps what Apple needs is more honest real world testers out there in "general walks of life in various scenarios" and THOSE results should be the ones that take priority over everyone else.
It's like saying the Apple car did 75mpg in the lab with a controlled road surface a set wind speed/resistance, the car had been freshly waxed/polished with a ultra smooth shiny surface to it's body work.
No traffic lights, no other vehicles cutting you up so you had to slam on your breaks then accelerate again.
Yeah, print in some fancy glossy brochure that the iCar can give you 75mpg, but don't be surprised when real people come back and say they can only manage to get 50mpg out of it.
Like "it worked fine in the lab" you may of heard in various walks of life this is not the holy grail answer to everything.
No amount of "testing in the lab" is going to equal random people in the real "dirty" outside world some in a crisp clean boardroom on the 30th floor of "tech-industries HQ" or down on the ground in a building site in the dirty sweaty hands of someone pouring concrete on re-bar.
Whilst of course, testing phones in a totally clean "lab" environment is something they need to do to get some "starting raw numbers"
None of this matters, as no-one in the real work will be using their phone in such a room.
Perhaps what Apple needs is more honest real world testers out there in "general walks of life in various scenarios" and THOSE results should be the ones that take priority over everyone else.
It's like saying the Apple car did 75mpg in the lab with a controlled road surface a set wind speed/resistance, the car had been freshly waxed/polished with a ultra smooth shiny surface to it's body work.
No traffic lights, no other vehicles cutting you up so you had to slam on your breaks then accelerate again.
Yeah, print in some fancy glossy brochure that the iCar can give you 75mpg, but don't be surprised when real people come back and say they can only manage to get 50mpg out of it.
"OMG, I can't believe he just said that"
I love my mac(s), but never had an iPhone. Just this kind of an Apple user. I do admire apples' products, almost each and every one, and cherish its impact on the tech-sphere.
But I'm appalled by Apples' PR, especially in this "Antennagate" fiasco. Jobs' reactions all along were only meant to put out fires, and it doesn't feel to me there was one real honest reaction, but the fear of a PR disaster.
Such arrogance should cost anyone much more than the faint losses Apple suffered so far, for ignoring any shred of intelligence on the customers side. With a raised eyebrow, I join other people here, wondering what do those awe-inspairing facilities have to do with such faulty result.
This story is embarrassing, I thought no one was worse than Israel trying to explain it's ****-ups.
Just for liking Apple the way I do, I hope nothing like that ever happens again.
I love my mac(s), but never had an iPhone. Just this kind of an Apple user. I do admire apples' products, almost each and every one, and cherish its impact on the tech-sphere.
But I'm appalled by Apples' PR, especially in this "Antennagate" fiasco. Jobs' reactions all along were only meant to put out fires, and it doesn't feel to me there was one real honest reaction, but the fear of a PR disaster.
Such arrogance should cost anyone much more than the faint losses Apple suffered so far, for ignoring any shred of intelligence on the customers side. With a raised eyebrow, I join other people here, wondering what do those awe-inspairing facilities have to do with such faulty result.
This story is embarrassing, I thought no one was worse than Israel trying to explain it's ****-ups.
Just for liking Apple the way I do, I hope nothing like that ever happens again.
Lol fanboys. Apple make a phone that doesn't work if you hold it in your left hand and yet Windows is brought into it
.
This is how I see the whole iPhone 4 thing. The facts. Apple took a chance on a totally new design which puts the antenna on the outside. Some people have no problem with dropped calls others have more dropped calls. Apple cannot test every scenario on their new designs. If you are having more trouble then return it and wait until next version. Not sure to get it, ask around you of people that actually have an iPhone 4. Don't get rid of your current phone until you are sure you are satisfied with the iPhone 4. Or try the free case from Apple. Any time someone tries a new model of any phone there is a chance it doesn't meet their expectations. They return it then. RIM says it doesn't need a case when essentially its in a case inside the phone. The comparison should be of dropped calls between the phones on the same network in the same areas. Not the signal meter. For me the iPhone 4 has dropped 3 or so calls since launch day. But doesn't drop them where it used to with the 3Gs.
I was dumb founded by the picture of the rooms, until I learned that they were off campus, but was still in awe.
What I would give to work at a place like that... except not antennae design. Virtual Reality/Human Computer interaction research or Game Development (or both), thats where I want to end up. I would even spend the arbitrary 6 extra years to get a Masters and a Doctorate.
---
Willie Wonka comments do not do justice.
What I would give to work at a place like that... except not antennae design. Virtual Reality/Human Computer interaction research or Game Development (or both
), thats where I want to end up. I would even spend the arbitrary 6 extra years to get a Masters and a Doctorate. ---
Willie Wonka comments do not do justice.
Apple in the real world
Clearly Apple do all they can to research, develop and test their products. And sometimes, when out the real world, there are problems. All tech companies find this, especially ones pushing the latest designs.
People saying there should never be any design errors are actually saying Apple products should be safe, me-too products. That Apple should wait and only ever use standard technology in a standard product. Some companies do that. If Apple ever do that (again - see the state of the company before Steve Jobs returned) then they may as well call it a day.
So the test is the customer service they offer when things misbehave. In the case of the iPhone 4, I can't really see what more they could do. Problem with your phone? Change it for another and get a free bumper. Still not happy? Get a full refund and buy a standard phone from a standard company. It's easy. Don't like Apple products? Don't buy them. Easy.
As for a recall - well why would they do that? A dropped call isn't exactly a health and safety issue. If you think the iPhone 4 is fundamentally flawed - take the steps above.
For the record the only reason I don't have an iPhone just now is my personal finances. As soon as I can I'll be ordering one.
Clearly Apple do all they can to research, develop and test their products. And sometimes, when out the real world, there are problems. All tech companies find this, especially ones pushing the latest designs.
People saying there should never be any design errors are actually saying Apple products should be safe, me-too products. That Apple should wait and only ever use standard technology in a standard product. Some companies do that. If Apple ever do that (again - see the state of the company before Steve Jobs returned) then they may as well call it a day.
So the test is the customer service they offer when things misbehave. In the case of the iPhone 4, I can't really see what more they could do. Problem with your phone? Change it for another and get a free bumper. Still not happy? Get a full refund and buy a standard phone from a standard company. It's easy. Don't like Apple products? Don't buy them. Easy.
As for a recall - well why would they do that? A dropped call isn't exactly a health and safety issue. If you think the iPhone 4 is fundamentally flawed - take the steps above.
For the record the only reason I don't have an iPhone just now is my personal finances. As soon as I can I'll be ordering one.
Strawman. No-one expects Apple to produce perfect products (except maybe Apple). But most people hope Apple would not handwave with irrelevant distractions.
Intel.
On the subject of H&S (and privacy), I did feel a little uneasy to observe that one doctor I used from time to time was using an iPhone (not 4) as an administrative device in the surgery. Oh well, at least it wasn't logged into GMail!
Or how about this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbOxBANoriI&feature=related
I dance, I dance, I dance
Around the Mexican Hat
I dance, I dance, I dance
And that's the end of that!
Or is it? I guess I'll keep singing
My cell phone appears to be ringing!
Around the Mexican Hat
I dance, I dance, I dance
And that's the end of that!
Or is it? I guess I'll keep singing
My cell phone appears to be ringing!
Now, I'd have paid good money to see Steve Jobs do the Mexican Hat Dance See, you can do the Mexican hat dance around the iPhone 4 and not drop a single bar. Cool huh?
Same here as well. When I grip my Blackberry Curve 8530 on Verizon that I have for work, I've noticed the same thing. The bars go down from 5 to 3 in my house. I loose 2 bars when gripping my Blackberry Curve 8530.
It's AT&T's Fault, Not Apple
I have been an owner of the iPhone 3G for almost two years. At first, my reception was outstanding, better than any phone I have owned in the past. But for the last 6 months or so, I have experienced the worst reception I can ever recall. Typically, I have about two or three dropped calls per day, rarely am I on the "3G" Network AT&T brags about, usually I am on the "E" or, Edge Network that they don't talk about because it is so crappy. And no, I don't live in the sticks, I live in a large city that is about one hour away from Atlanta. This has been an ongoing battle that I, as an AT&T customer, am losing every day. Upon calling to question the poor reception on my iPhone 3G, they respond by telling me the entire State of Georgia is experiencing outages and it could take some time to repair. Now, I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday... is this what they tell all of their customers experiencing dropped calls and crappy coverage? I am convinced this is an AT&T issue, they refuse to acknowledge that they suck, and they are passing the buck to Apple.
I have been an owner of the iPhone 3G for almost two years. At first, my reception was outstanding, better than any phone I have owned in the past. But for the last 6 months or so, I have experienced the worst reception I can ever recall. Typically, I have about two or three dropped calls per day, rarely am I on the "3G" Network AT&T brags about, usually I am on the "E" or, Edge Network that they don't talk about because it is so crappy. And no, I don't live in the sticks, I live in a large city that is about one hour away from Atlanta. This has been an ongoing battle that I, as an AT&T customer, am losing every day. Upon calling to question the poor reception on my iPhone 3G, they respond by telling me the entire State of Georgia is experiencing outages and it could take some time to repair. Now, I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday... is this what they tell all of their customers experiencing dropped calls and crappy coverage? I am convinced this is an AT&T issue, they refuse to acknowledge that they suck, and they are passing the buck to Apple.