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Clean Hands = No Antenna Problems (WIRED Article)

This explains a lot. Especially why certain people are having so many problems.
:eek::eek::eek:
 
I noticed this before with my friends' phones. They both experience the death grip problem, but when I held it (I wash my hands often) it would only go down 2 bars at most. A few hours later, I was getting it to go to no service. Just washed my hands maybe 10 minutes ago, and it lost only 1 bar.

Didn't bother to post anything about it because 1) I assumed someone already mentioned it by now 2) thought I was just holding it the wrong way (the wrong way).
 
If individuals want to come up with crazy theories and test them out, I'm fine with that.

If an organization like Wired, Consumer Reports, and others are going to go to the trouble to talk to an engineer and write an article about it, then actually TEST SOMETHING!!!

How about this?

- Get a few engineers together who know what they're talking about.
- Get together with some people who have actually had the problem and can repeat it.
- Try out a bunch of theories and run speed tests and any other tests while you do it.
- Record your results on video.
- Post the results and the video for all the world to see.

Is it really that hard? If I read one more article from an engineer "speculating" on what is causing the problems, despite the fact that he hasn't experienced them himself, I'm going to start shooting people.*

*virtual people
 
Damn it. Guess I'm going to have to quit my job cleaning sewers. :(




(That was a joke.)
 
In reality, washing your hands should be something you do very often, so you wouldn't be going out of your way to test this. I wash my hands often so I'll post my experience when I get my iPhone 4 later tonight.
 
Hmm... i don't pretend to be a bio-chemist but after a quick hand-washing and thoroughly drying my hands, a quick, barely-scientific test seemed to improve the situation.

Interesting conversation piece, perhaps some merit to this theory.
 
To really test this theory to the fullest extent, try wiping your iPhone 4 down well and then try grasping it with clean hands. For those of you who aren't noticing clean hands noticeably improving reception, it may be because the antenna is already dirty, so dirt/oil is still making contact with the antenna and your hands.
 
It's pretty hard to get everything conductive off your hands. I think it's because the folks at Apple aren't really people.
 
I wash my hands often and it doesnt seem to make much of a difference. But then again the Zagg on the back (and the one that use to be on the front) attracts a lot of dirt and oil.
 
No effect here, but this was already attempted when the phone was first received anyway. Never seemed to have any effect for the friends of mine that purchased iPhone 4's here in town as well and have since returned 'em.

And I'm in the desert as well so, the fairly low humidity isn't having any effect on signal propagation either.
 
I think perhaps the issue has less to do with "dirty" hands per se and more towards damp, moist hands. Test that -- sweaty palms like on a first date versus dry hands.
 
I think this theory is just a little bit ridiculous. This guy is a bio chemist not an electronics engineer or antenna expert. Clean hands? C'mon.

Seems like everyone has an answer to Apple's problems.
 
When I read that yesterday, I tired it. Cleaned the phone, triple washed my hands, and dried them throughly. No difference.

Really makes these guys sound dumb. The idea is a little far out there as it is, and apparently they never even tested their idea. No wonder why Apple never responded.
 
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