Another “V” Day for History

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Did you take a vacation right after New Year’s and miss out on all the CES news?   If you did, don't worry about it.  However, the biggest news to break out from Las Vegas was nothing that was introduced at the world famous convention but instead trumped its very existence.  More specifically, on Friday afternoon, privileged members of the tech press core, minus one naughty iPhone 4 prototype buying blog, received invitations for a special event in New York with Verizon serving as their host.   A matter of fact, Verizon even held their usual unveiling of products at their CES Press event but completely stayed away from the words iPhone or Apple saving it for a separate day. Insiders privy to this announcement have already drawn conclusions that it will mark the day that Verizon will introduce their version of Apple’s fourth generation iPhone.  Over the last few days, other tidbits have risen about the event.  From data plans said to be remaining “unlimited” at $29.99 a per device combating AT&T recent introduction of tiered data plans and further speculation of what models and whether or not Steve Jobs will show up are floating all over the internet.

Causing various controversy, ranging from Gizmodo’s ban from future Apple press events to the now famous Antennagate scandal, this device is marked to be a breath of fresh air for the iPhone 4.  Not only with the placement of the external antenna but most importantly the capability to take advantage of a network that has yet to experience the deluge of iPhone users and their hormongering data habits.

Questions range from mobile voice and data pricing plans, to Early Termination Fee costs, will the new iPhone have LTE capabilities or come equipped with the standard 3G CDMA technology, will it be capable of simultaneous voice and data and is there something special accompanying the set date of January 11, 2011?  I mean, we've also already read around that the iPhone 4 won't be for sale until the end of the month, so why now?

We’ll all know for sure in less than 12 hours so stay tuned for a summary of today’s exciting event right here on adellelijah.com.

Migrating from AT&T to Verizon? What it'll take...

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To start, it just so happens that Adelle had her iPhone 4 ripped off from her while walking through the Atlanta Airport. Since then, she has reverted back to a hand me down / kindly donated Blackberry Curve suffering various withdrawls from using an aged handheld. It hasn't been pretty and it hurts me to see her not be able to play Words with Friends or check Facebook and Twitter every moment she gets. Being a "valued customer," AT&T is offering us the lower price of $399 to replace the stolen iPhone the stolen iPhone 4 but I keep on coercing her to wait until Verizon's unveiling. Hesitantly, she has agreed and now the question comes to, "Will it be worth it...what it will take and why?" Back in July, when AT&T and Apple announced the iPhone 4, many owners of the Apple iPhone 3G found themselves at a crossroad. Do I upgrade to Apple's new God phone and deal with the crappy service for 2 more years praying that it will improve or just wait till next year when Verizon and Apple announce they've copulated. I made the decision to just dive in and stick it out because honestly, the iPhone 3G experience was just getting to be awful, irritating and frustrating. Buying everything in twos, one for me and one for my significant other, I bought two new iPhone 4s online, renewed our awesome unlimited data contract which by the way still costs an arm and a leg, sold the previous models at a price that paid off the upgrade and have been feeling good ever since. Win-win right?

The experience with the phone was tremendously better but the overall network experience was still (is) lacking. With the looming prospect of a better network, I set out thinking of the economic costs. Currently, we both have unlimited data plans under AT&T which is worth the figurative bird in the hand. If I were to terminate in next February (that's about 8 months proration at $13.54/mo = $108 from the $325 gets me to about $217 for each contract), I'm guessing I can sell my iPhone 4 32GB for around $400 canceling the ETF and then I'm out of pocket another $199 x 2 plus whatever Verizon offers on their plans. Simple math, not much of a hassle and I'd assume that I'd be happier on the new network.

But what will it take? If Verizon has an unlimited data plan for iPhones, I'm in. If they are somewhat more affordable / cheaper and unlimited...I'm in. Shoot, if they pay my ETF, I'm in. I'm willing to forgo the crappy AT&T service and will even help others switch, scouts honors, but for now, we haven't seen any changes or any kind of caving in from the big V. Instead, all we have seen is their continued arrogance in being the the best and now the Rules the Airwaves Campaign? Pure crap I say. Trust me. No Droid phone or campaign you have released has wanted me to change. Its all been for naught when trying to lure others away.

If Verizon wants to capitalize on this earthquake announcement and take in the massive tsunami wave of customers who are eagerly willing to sign away their lives and wallets for two years, they can take advantage of it but the time is NOW! If I was a shareholder, I'd be bothering Mr. CEO and texting him non-stop. The bottom line is, by offering something that current unhappy AT&T iPhone customers want, we will migrate! SO DO IT ALREADY!

Just my usual rant, but hey, I'm just saying. Happy weekend!

Review: Contour Showcase for the iPhone 4

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Nearly six months has passed since the debut of the iPhone 4 and up until two days ago, I've been forced to either go naked or use Incipio's Silicrylic Hard Shell Case with Silicone Core which, by the way, didn't even prevent the front glass from spiderwebbing from a 3" drop! Lucky for me, Apple has been there time and time again. In case you didn't get it yet, adellelijah is an Apple fanboy/girl but then again, we love anything we can get our hands on to review! Two years ago, I reviewed the Contour Showcase for the iPhone 3G which was the best and only case that I recommended for the iPhone 3G/S.   It wasn't until the day that I took mine off that my iPhone 3G suffered a devastating front glass crack after being dropped.  It was within a 24 hours of taking off the case that I dropped it hat making a $75 mistake.

Onto the review.  Packaging as always remains the same as previous generations and if you don't take a close look at the name of the specific case you are purchasing from Contour, you might just end up with a something else besides the Contour Showcase iPhone 4 offering Premium Protection.  Priced as one of the most expensive offerings, it comes with a holster that doubles as a flip out stand for enjoying movies or FaceTime moments and of course, the case itself.  Made of a light weight polycarbonate, and bordered in a rubberized finish, Contour boasts that its case is shock absorbing.  You can clip it into the holster face out of face in for some privacy vertically or horizontally and whatever your choice, you can't go wrong as this is the best of the best.  Appropriate holes for all necessary access and covers for the sleep / wake button and volume buttons offer superb tactile feedback.

The Showcase protects every edge of the iPhone 4 as well as offering a full clear cover for the back.  Without the White iPhone 4, I guess it doesn't matter whether or not its clear, but it still gives hope to showing the world that you have the latest and greatest mobile phone. Gone is the top quarter plastic layer from the previous generation leaving unobstructed views when using the front facing camera. When plugging in the Apple charger or USB cord, the case doesn't come in the way of the connector although, other connectors might have issue with the spacing available.

One of the biggest differences from the previous generation Showcase is placement of a side latch which effectively does a great job of keeping the device in the case.  The case snaps in closing from right to left which is a little backward but I'm guessing Contour did that so you can properly get snug to the volume buttons. Holding it in your hand actually makes for a comfortable fit and doesn't get in the way. Occupying the space in your pocket, the case doesn't feel too bulky.

A negative change is the absence of a thumb latch which helps you take the phone out of the holster.  This makes it a little harder to remove the device in case and with the holster doubling as a stand, Contour degraded the actual utility of the clip itself.  Since day 1, I've already had the entire phone in holster come off of my belt in the car, on the aircraft while sitting down and even when wearing a jacket bending down to pick up a pen.  Good thing the jacket kept it from falling to the pavement.  I've taken pictures of the clip and if you look closely, it's rounded off which doesn't provide much of a grab to the belt.  I have to admit that this is really bothering me lately as it always feels like the holster + phone can be easily snatched away.  I actually don't like it one bit.  The holster makes for a perfect stand but then again, it might as well not be called a "holster."

Conclusion: Even with the short comings of the holster causing a little frustration, I'm giving the latest Contour Showcase my personal recommendation as the case to protect your Apple iPhone 4. This is my 3rd case housing my iPhone 4 and you can bet your dollar that this is my last. I've included a barrage of photographs below. Click on any of them for a larger shot. Because of the holster not living up to 100% of functionality, I am forced to give it a 9/10.

Apple's Mac OS App Store Opening January 6th!

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Opening up on the 6th of January (which, surprisingly is a Thursday) is Apple's new portal for downloading the latest and greatest desktop applications. Come one, come all, come develop for $99/yr and have Apple take away 30% of your revenue. The bigger questions lay ahead in that will current developers actually want to take part in the store or continue the traditional means of sales? I'm not necessarily focusing on the big box software makers that sell at brick and mortar shops but the way independents have thrived. The truth is, I've always just downloaded software right off of the web when installing a Mac OS X application. This accounts for just about 90% of my current applications that I run on my MacBook Pro as well as Adelle's MacBook Air. Granted a lot of the free apps will now reside and get a "store" front hence free marketing, but those that will cost? Why give Apple 30%?! Please post your opinions below.

This "store" will be able to be downloaded for Mac OS X Snow Leopard users only through a free software update. Just be at peace that it was able to evade the huge monster that iTunes now is. Hopefully this is a way for iTunes and the iOS App Store to begin their divorce.

Press Release

Bing 2.0 + iPhone = Bliss

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If you haven't checked out the latest app from Microsoft to hit the iPhone, do so now. It offers multiple app check in goodness but that's not all! First is that it includes Facebook integration but the kicker is Bing Streetside. Straight from the Press Release:

Familiarize yourself with a location before you go, using Bing Streetside. Streetside, a new mapping feature, gives you a multi-street level panorama of a location so you can take a virtual walk through the streets with a view of a location and its landmarks. Slide the street level imagery sideways, and the view of the sidewalk is seamlessly constructed, including an overlay of business listings, street names and store fronts.

Watch the video and try it out for yourself!

Review: iTunes Ping

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So i downloaded iTunes 10 last night to play with the social networking component Ping. I didn't listen to the Apple Press Event yesterday so I didn't know what to think. I had this grand idea that it would integrate with all the other social networking sites that I frequent (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc.). I also though that it was kind of weird since there are existing online music sites that have integrated social networking and have a very mature model, like LastFM. I also thought to myself that this could be something huge with the 100 Million worldwide users of iTunes. That's a huge user base to start with! With that being said, there is a very high bar for Ping to at least get close to. In the few hours that I've had to play with Ping I have to say, I don't get it. What is the point to Ping? Upon activating Ping to my iTunes account the options are very rudimentary. Basic stuff about you and what picture you want to use as your avatar is available to you. If you have an acccount, you've been asked this a Million times over.

You are then asked a simple set of questions to gauge your musical tastes. Strike 1: I can only choose 3 genres of music I like.  I"m very eclectic with my choice in music. This does not set well with me.  Strike 2: When asked what albums to represent the music I like, I'm limited to 10 items. This DOES allow me to get past the 3 genres failure, but I'm going to need more than a couple minutes to define myself with 10 albums. To some audiophiles, this is going to take more than a couple minutes.

Getting past the account creation part, I'm still confused by the use. In my opinion there aren't enough people that are registered on the site to get any value. I THINK the point is to find like minded people who are making reviews on the music they purchase via iTunes and befriend them because they have similar musical tastes as I do. Since the release last night, none of my Real Life friends are not on. I value their input 1st before some random person I met on the interwebs.

Getting past the Friend finder, I attempt to register for a couple artists that I want to follow. I start off with their suggestion for Dave Mathews Band. Hey, Under The Table Dreaming, was like the anthem to my 1995. My knee-jerk response is, this has potential. I can see some simple posts by the band about Tours, Music, and Videos from the band and comments from their fans. Honestly, most of the posts are pictures from their current tour. OK, this is starting to look like all the other social networking sites now.  It even has it's own comment bombers that want to peddle their get-rich-quick schemes. I followed Jack Johnson as Ping suggested and I see several comments to his posts about how to get a free iPhone.

In my few hours of exposure to this feature of iTunes, I'm at a lose of how they are going to bring something new to the social networking environment. As I mentioned before there are several existing behemoths that do this job well. I'm reminded of LastFM and their format. They allow their users to discover new music, follow the artists tour schedules and even has a wiki like interface for fans to dump their knowledge about the band. LastFM also allows the users to listen for free. Apple, why didn't you just partner with them? There's an existing user base with lots of content?

That brings me to my point; this experiment into social networking via iTunes brings no value add for me. I've already spent the time on other sites like Facebook's Liked pages, MySpace Music, and LastFM to want to recreate in Ping. The current Ping user base is not very helpful and the artists that are using it are few. I think Ping might have some growing up to do before it becomes useful. I think I"ll let it sit for a month and come back to it and see what it's become.

Additional Links:

iTunes Ping: http://www.apple.com/itunes/ping/

LastFM: http://www.last.fm/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/

MySpace Music: http://www.myspace.com/music

Twitter: http://twitter.com/

Dave Mathews Band: http://www.davematthewsband.com/

Jack Johnson: http://jackjohnsonmusic.com/

Netflix iOS goodness

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Netflix Logo I've been using the new Netflix iOS application on my iPhone for a couple weeks now. Initially released on Thursday, August 28, 2010.  This is a wonderful addition to my already growing application library on my iPhone. This app allows you to access the Netflix Instant Streaming library of Movies, TV Shows, and Documentaries .

Cost of the App:

The Netflix iOS application is available for iPhone and iPod touch in the App Store for free. Who doesn't like free? I also have a Slingbox. To access it, via my iPhone,  I needed to purchase the SlingPlayer Mobile app ($29.99 USD) plus the cost of the Slingbox device.  When looking at how much a somewhat similar application costs to access a device you had already purchased, free is a great move by Netflix. This allows more people who do not have a Netflix account consider joining.

Netflix :

To access the content, you will need to have a Netflix account. The most basic Netflix account allows you access to 1 DVD out at-a-time and unlimited instant access for $8.99 USD per Month. Don't bother with the Limited account, you won't have access to the instant streaming library.

I've been a Netflix member for a while now and I have to say the online library gets better with each week. There have been recent agreements with studios that allow their content to be streamed online increasing the quality of the content avoidable to users.

Use:

I've had the pleasure of using the app for a couple weeks now. I've tried it out on both by home wireless network and the AT&T 3G network. I have to say, it works well. The online content streams at a resolution of 480 x 360. On my iPhone 3Gs this looks great. I can notice some jagged edges, but the normal everyday user won't see those imperfections. On a mobile device, watching online content in HD resolution is a waste. It would cause a lot more bandwidth to stream the content and the mobile device size wouldn't do it justice. The only other reason to upscale the resolution would be to connect your iPhone to a TV.

Netflix iOS Application - Home

The interface is rather easy to use. The layout is simple which is good. When you start the application, you are brought to the Home menu which displays Netflix's categorized recommendation to you. If you don't want to view those recommendations there is a option to browse via Genre. If you are looking for something specific, there is a Search option available.  You also have access to your pre-existing Instant Queue. All of these feature work as they well as they should. The only improvement I would recommend to Netflix is to add the functionality of using the horizontal on screen keyboard instead of slaving me to making spelling errors with the vertical one.

Pushing Daisies Title

I've been using the Pushing Daisies: Season 1 content as my test for this application. Using my home WiFi connection, the content load quickly and streams well. I also turn off my WiFi connection on my iPhone and do see a slight degradation in quality of the picture, but not enough to lessen my enjoyment. It's so insignificant that a normal person wouldn't see it. So big kudos to Netflix for the online content on the iPhone. The only issue that have is with switching from WiFi to 3G on the same episode. When I stopped the playback and changed to the 3G network, the app seams to have an issue with picking up where it left off. Sometimes it's able to correct itself, but often I'm having to start the show over again.

One last warning. If you already have a Netflix account and have several Netflix approved streaming devices (PS3, XBOX, Roku, Approved TV... etc.) you want to make sure you haven't reached your limit. Netflix allows for 6 devices to stream online content. Using your preferred browser counts as a streaming device. I was surprised to find out that when I added my iPhone I maxed out and was not able to watch the online content from my browser unless I removed one of the devices from my profile.

Overall:

I would recommend this app to anyone who has an iPhone and unlimited data plan. If you don't have unlimited data, you don't want to be wasting your data minutes on watching movies at work, on the bus, or on the train.  Go out there and get it! Watch some good movies on your iPhone and recommend some to me.

Additional Links:

Netflix: http://www.netflix.com/?

Official Netflix Blog: http://blog.netflix.com/2010/08/netflix-now-available-on-your-iphone.html

Sling Media: http://slingmedia.com/

Apple Magic Trackpad + Inertial Scrolling for most MacBooks/Pros!

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I just downloaded, updated and installed Magic Trackpad and Multi-Touch Trackpad Update 1.0 and BOOM...I have inertial scrolling on my Apple MacBook Pro 5,1 (late 2008)!  I've been dreaming of this moment for quite a while since using my colleague's newer MacBook Pro that touted this feature.  Thanks Apple for looking after the older guys with the first-gen trackpads. =) If you have any of these models below, update away and be impressed!  Supported gestures include a three-finger drag and inertial scroll for MacBook and MacBook Pro systems.

MacBook
MacBook (13-inch, Early 2009)
MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2009)
MacBook (13-inch, Late 2009)
MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008)
MacBook Pro
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2010)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010)
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2009)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2.53 GHz, Mid 2009)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009)
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009)
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Late 2008)

In other normal tech news, just in case you haven't already heard, Apple released the "Magic Trackpad" to accompany the newer updated iMacs and Mac Pros. Paving the way for a complete mouse-less computing experience, the glass is here to stay!

Apple Magic Trackpad

Thoughts on Apple's Impromptu Press Conference re: iPhone 4 FAILtenna / Antennagate

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People are forgetting that next Tuesday is going to be HUGE!  Why do you think that Apple decided to have a press conference the week before this event?  Since the ongoing issue and media coverage of the iPhone 4's FAILtenna Antennagate, class action lawsuits have been filed, Consumer Reports has gone back and forth in recommending the device and even a Senator had time to write a letter to Steve Jobs addressing the issue (antenne-gate). Free cases for everyone!!! Not just Apple's Bumper but any case that you want from from a list of approved partners. (updated from Mr. Steve G's comment for a more accurate quote....Thanks Steve!) Apply on Apple's Website starting next week.  What are your reactions to how Apple has addressed this issue?    Is that going to quench everyone's thirst?

Here's the video that Steve Jobs and Apple played at the beginning of their press conference. Awesome!!!

Apple knew this but we didn't care either

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When did people ever care more about functionality than design; is your iPhone 4 completely useless because of it?  No.  The consumer public has been aware of this issue the last few weeks but are still flocking to Apple stores in droves to purchase the new iPhone 4.  Some of us (females) wear the most ridiculous and uncomfortable shoes sometimes just to look good so that's the same idea right?  We have seen people complaining left and right about the loss of reception under the "Death Grip" but I can't say that I've actually experienced it myself nor have I encountered an individual that is holding out for this very reason.  My fiance hasn't complained much about reception issues greater than her negative AT&T coverage on the previous iPhone 3G, but then again, we both have Apple's Bumpers as our solution to protection.  We're enjoying FaceTime moments and it couldn't have been done without Apple's new iPhone 4.  It also became law this past year that you need a handsfree device to talk in the car, and in other states, you cannot text while driving which might cover browsing the internet and reading up on your tweets.  So what's the big deal?  Put the phone down already while talking. This post is a response to this morning's Bloomberg's article which unleashed a storm startling us out of bed with the inside scoop that one of Apple's senior antenna experts, Ruben Caballero, warned Steve Jobs about how the innovative antenna design might lead to dropped calls.  We all know what the final outcome led to; one of the most beautiful devices on the planet hands-down. Now it's under fire.  Apple's image is under fire being compared to Toyota's recall debacle.  Apple's stock has taken a 9% dive since it's record breaking all time high of $274 and the world doesn't know what to do.  So Apple is finally dealing with this issue.  Stay tuned for tomorrow's event at 10am Pacific Time.  Will Steve Jobs be around?

In the meantime, how do you hold your phone?  Here's how I hold mine

Share photos on twitter with Twitpic

Update: Apple's online store is showing shipping times of 3 weeks from today.  Does this mean a hardware change is in place in their China factories?

The Question: To Buy or Not To Buy, the iPhone 4 - Part 1: Hardware

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Here's the article about my internal debate with trying to buy into the Apple's new iPhone 4.  Elijah has been pestering me for a while to start writing for his site; I guess persistence is the key, because here I am writing my first article. Readers: please be gentle with me, it's my first time.

I have a few hesitations with just going to the store and demanding the new iPhone 4, ignoring the fact that I wouldn't be able to do that with the inventory shortages.  So here we go with Part 1: Hardware.

#1: Hardware

I've read enough articles on Gizmodo, Engadget and various other Tech Blogs to know that that the guts of the new iPhone are better than the 3Gs, but I'm still not impressed by it.

-Camera -

Lets start with the 5.0 mega-pixel camera. I know that I should be excited about this, but it feels like we're adding something to the iPhone that probably should of be replaced by some better devices features. When I think of the all the additional mega-pixels that I can add to my sub-par photography skills, it seems like a waste because these pictures will be posted to  Facebook in all its glorious 530x660 maximum resolution. See, with Facebook albums, you are only looking at that small picture. At that resolution, I can't tell the difference if the picture was taken with a 5.0 Mega-pixel iPhone 4 or a 3.0 Mega-pixel 3Gs. Moving away from Facebook, what would I do with those high resolution pictures? Nothing. When I get an urge to look back at pictures of all the fun times I've had, I look at the pictures online to never print them out on a photo printer or edit it in Photoshop. Again, what would I need all those mega-pixels for?

I'm a normal every day user. It seems to me that an internal projector or an actual zoom lenses should of been added to it. Think of the implications of having a projector available to you. Imagine that you are in a meeting and you have a PowerPoint that you want to show the return on investments for your project. Awesome, you just made your company a ton of money using your iPhone. Getting back to the camera, if you have a physical zoom lenses then those pictures would make more sense to me. I hate trying to pinch-zoom for a software zoom on your picture. It seems like cheating and not a good idea in the long run.

-Antenna-

There are a lot of articles and videos documenting the iPhone 4 FAILtenna.  Documenting my frustrations with this would be like shooting fish in a barrel, therefore, I'm not going to get into details about it.  I like the idea of integrating the antenna into the chassis of the device thus adding more space to implement more tech particularly the larger battery.  I just don't get how it made it through QA without someone noticing the "Death Grip feature."  Maybe that's exactly what it is, an undocumented feature.  This could be a new game that was installed with the phone so you don't have to purchase anything though the iTunes Apps Store.  Just knowing that this is still a known issue that's probably software related, creates doubt in my mind about buying a new iPhone.  In the videos that I've seen, that's exactly how I normally grip my phone if I'm looking up something on the go. So this brings me to my next subject, chassis because the workaround for the FAILtenna is put a rubber band around your iPhone so you don't complete the circuit between the WiFi and Cell antennas.

-Chassis-

I like the look of the new iPhone 4, but I'm pretty rough on my phones so an all glass enclosure scares me.  I normally carry my phone in my back pocket because I've grown out of wanting to clip my phone to my belt like it was a Peace Maker and I'm about to get into a gunfight at the O.K. Coral.  I know that I could buy a case to protect it, but isn't that deterring from all the time the designers and engineers spent on developing such a nice looking chassis?  That would be like saying the Venus de Milo is a great piece of art, but since it's no longer structurally sound, we're going to spray it with a layer of rubber around it so that it doesn't further deteriorate.  It's just cheating.  I'll admit, I have a case for my 3GS so, I'm not stranger to cases but that's to cover a metal backing that get scratched up, not a "unbreakable" glass backing.

Bottom line, I still have hesitations about the Apple's new iPhone 4.  I probably will buy one, eventually, but these are some of the things that I think about.  Sorry about the random string of thoughts but it's my first blog.  More to come so stay tuned and keep reading adellelijah!

Hello adellelijah and Hello apple

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Greetings readers! This is my first post on adellelijah so I thought that I would kick it off with the fact that Apple is going to address their "FAILtenna" this Friday, June 16th, at 10:00am Pacific Time.

I can't say that I know what they will have to say but I'm leaning towards the fact that iOS 4.1 is addressing the over exaggeration of reception bars and maybe...just maybe...FREE BUMPERS FOR EVERYONE!!!  Since this is my first post and the news isn't really anything more than just an announcement, I'll leave it at that.  Stay tuned for my ongoing internal debate with trying to buy into Apple's new iPhone 4.

The Current State of Apple's iPhone 4

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Warning: I get blunt near the end.

Since the release of the iPhone 4, there has been a plethora of praise and negativity culminating in today's repeal of Consumer Reports recommendation of Apple's latest device due to possible interference and degradation of reception.  On July 2nd, Apple released a Press Report addressing this issue found here upon multiple complaints and initial reports of loss of reception.  Consumer Reports demonstrates the loss of reception when the iPhone 4 is held a particular way in this video below.  Mind you, there are multiple YouTube videos that also demonstrate this but there are also fellow tech bloggers that aren't reporting this issue.

During the first week of the iPhone 4's release, Techworld posted an article how an early adopter figured out a way to "improve" and prevent interference with the addition of scotch tape to the bottom left side of the the critically flawed device.  Since then, multiple lawsuits have been filed, a class action suit has been submitted, and random people and friends are inquiring me asking if I'm experiencing the issue.  (list of lawsuits via @Gizmodo)

Bottom line:  AT&T has always been terrible.  I was always using my iPhone 3G on Edge to save battery coupled with the face that the 3G service was horrible.  I've always had Apple's Bumper on my iPhone 4 since day 2 of ownership and cannot specifically admit that I've experienced this issue.  Sincerely, it's not any worse than my two year ownership of the iPhone 3G.  In fact, I'm loving my iPhone 4 which allows me to do SO much more.  Yes, I'm an early adopter, I love Apple Products but I'm not going to be a little bitch and complain about something that a simple a fix can't solve.  Everyone needs to get over the flawed American Mentality of suing companies for "flawed" products and just don't buy the damn thing.  It's not flawed!  How can it be when 1.7 million people bought the damn thing in the first 3 days! (Apple's PR)

Grow a pair, leave AT&T, dump the iPhone 4 and get an Evo already.  Because of the Apple and the success of their iPhones, I was able to sell my two previous versions (1 black iPhone 3G 8GB and 1 white iPhone 3G 16GB) almost paying for the new phones!  It's ingenious that their hold a certain value on the used market which makes me a happy consumer.  Yeah there might be an asterisk and for some unknown reason when Apple was beta testing the design they missed this detail, but come on, the iPhone 4 is awesome!