Mobile Fun Blog

Four ways to fix the signal problem on iPhone 4

Friday, June 25th, 2010

Well, Apple have almost acknowledged that there is a problem with the signal on the new iPhone 4, but they’re saying that the problem is actually caused by you holding the phone incorrectly. I think that’s a strange thing to say when users that are having the problem (myself included) are holding the phone in the exact same way that it’s being held in the promotional videos on the Apple website.

We don’t really think that holding your phone differently is the answer, so we’ve carried out our own testing and have come up with four ingenious ways that you can stop your iPhone 4 from losing signal.

1. Use a Bluetooth Headset

It might seem obvious, but if you’re using a Bluetooth Headset you can leave the phone on your desk, in your pocket or on the seat next to you. No contact with the phone means that there’s no chance of losing signal and dropping the call!

Using Bluetooth removes the need to touch your phone

2. Get an iPhone 4 case

As mentioned yesterday, the most effective way to resolve this problem is to fit a case to your phone. We’ve got almost 200 iPhone cases to choose from and all of them will stop the phone from losing signal.

Fitting a case will prevent signal loss

3. Wear Gloves

I know, you can’t use the iPhone if you’re wearing gloves. Well, technically that’s not true. Fingerless gloves work a treat. They cover the palm of your phone, preventing the antenna from touching your skin and detuning, while still allowing you to use the touch screen. It’s the perfect solution for anyone who doesn’t want to spoil the look of their new iPhone 4 with a case.

Use fingerless gloves to fix signal problems

4. Sellotape

I bet by now you’re thinking we’ve really lost the plot, but trust me. This works. Cut yourself about 1cm of sellotape and place it on the antenna on the left hand side of the phone over the black plastic joining strip. Fold it round so that it covers the back of the antenna and job done.

Use Sellotape to cover the Antenna Join

What do you think? Got any other suggestions for us? How have you fixed the signal problems on your iPhone 4?

Let us know using the comments below.

iPhone 4 Signal Problems – Fixed?

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

Like a lot of people, I was up very early this morning to secure my place in line for an iPhone 4. After 5 hours of waiting I finally got my hands on one, but after the sim had been activated, I began to notice the same unusual signal problems that have been widely reported online.

Bizarrely, when you’re holding the iPhone 4 (particularly in your left hand,) the signal drops down one bar at a time until there’s nothing left, resulting in dropped calls.

iPhone 4 - Out Now

It turns out that it’s caused by your palm bridging the two antennas on the phone, causing the 3G antenna to ‘detune’ and lose signal.

Fortunately, there is a really quick and simple fix that requires no technical knowledge at all. All you need to do is get yourself an iPhone 4 Case!

It doesn’t matter too much which style you go for, as long as it’s non-conductive and puts a barrier between your hand and the stainless steel band that runs around the sides of your iPhone 4.

There are 4 cases that I’d recommend to solve this problem, an iPhone 4 FlexiShield, an iPhone 4 Bumper, an iPhone 4 Silicone Case or a Cygnett iPhone 4 Snaps Duo. Here’s why:

iPhone 4 FlexiShield

FlexiShield Skins are by far our most popular case. They’re made from a tough, thin gel and cover the back and sides of the iPhone, leaving the screen and buttons fully accessible. As they wrap around to the front of the phone, they completely cover the metal sides of the phone, eliminating any chance of you touching the antenna.

iPhone 4 FlexiShield Skin

Cygnett iPhone 4 Snaps Duo

These covers from Cygnett are similar to the iPhone 4 Bumpers from Apple, but cost less and come in a twin pack. They completely cover the sides of the phone and give it a little more bounced when dropped, but most importantly prevent you from catching the antenna. Another nice touch is that they also include 2 iPhone 4 screen protectors – one for the front and one for the back of the phone.

Cygnett Snaps Duo for iPhone 4

iPhone 4 Silicone Case

Silicone Cases are great value for money. They’re similar in many ways to FlexiShield skins, but are thinner and more flexible. They don’t offer quite as much protection as a FlexisShield, but will still cover up the antenna and prevent you from touching it.

iPhone 4 Silicone Case

iPhone 4 Bumper

Apple’s first case for the iPhone caught people by surprise at the Keynote presentation earlier this month, but having now played with iPhone 4, I can see why Apple thought it necessary to develop these cases – to prevent the signal loss. The bumpers are made from a combination of plastic and rubber and completely cover the edges of your phone.

Apple's new iPhone 4 Bumpers

Apple iPhone Bumpers aren’t the cheapest iPhone 4 Case, but they are made to Apple’s usual high standard and have ‘push through’ metal buttons to control volume control and to turn the phone on/off.

Most of these iPhone 4 Cases are available now, but as it’s launch day, you may find that some of these sell out quite quickly. We’re expecting more iPhone 4 Cases to arrive daily over the course of the next few weeks, so keep an eye on the Mobile Fun Blog for updates.

How to update your iPhone or iPod touch to iOS 4

Monday, June 21st, 2010

We’re all waiting patiently for Apple to roll out the long awaited software update to the iPhone operating system – now renamed to iOS. Version 4 for iPhone and iPod touch is due at some point today, but in usual Apple style, they’re not announcing a time, although from past experience I’d expect it around 6-7pm tonight.

The update adds a number of new features to the latest versions of both devices, including multi-tasking, unified in-boxes for email, home screen wallpapers and an all new iBookstore.

For the first time, this major new software update is free for both iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch users and will come pre-installed on the all new iPhone 4 when it hits the shelves on Thursday.

Will it Work on my iPhone?

For the first time, the software update will provide different functionality for different devices. If you’ve got one of the first generation iPhones or iPod touch, you’re left in the cold as this update isn’t supported by the hardware on your device so won’t be available to you.

iPhone 3G owners miss out on some of the new features too. Multi-tasking, fast app switching, orientation lock and the iBookstore are both excluded from the update. The only devices to fully support everything new in iOS 4 are the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and the 3rd generation iPod touch.

Should I upgrade?

Yes. Even if you’ve got the iPhone 3G, the new features that you get make it worthwhile, and if you’re planning on upgrading to the all new iPhone 4 on Thursday, this will give you a preview of some of the new features you’re going to get later in the week.

How do I Upgrade?

Chances are, unless you’re really new to iPhone, you’ll have already completed at least one software update on your phone and this one will be no different.

To update your device, you need launch iTunes. If you’ve not already downloaded the latest version of iTunes (Version 9.2), do it now – before you start and before the update is released. Once it’s out, iTunes is going to suffer a bit of a melt down and is likely to struggle to cope with the volume of devices trying to update.

If you can force yourself to wait a day to update, you’ll find that it will be a much easier process as the initial rush will be over and the whole process should be quicker

Once you’re running iTunes 9.2 connect your iPhone or iPod touch.  After a few seconds it will be recognised by iTunes and should automatically check for an update. If it doesn’t prompt you to update, you’ll need to select your device from the list of devices in the left hand pane of iTunes and click on the summary tab.  Here you will see the option to ‘Check for Update’.

iTunes will connect to Apple’s servers, and after a few seconds you should see a message similar to this one:

To start the update, click on ‘Download and Install’ and you will then be shown a screen that shows you more information about what is included in the software update.

When you click on Next, the download will start.  It’s a hefty download, the exact size will vary depending on your device, but it will be several hundred MB and will take a while to download.

While it downloads and updates, make yourself a drink and if you’re upgrading later this week,  go shopping for a nice new iPhone 4 case while you wait for it to finish.  Once the download is complete, it will back up your existing device and begin the update process.

Depending on your download speed, the update process will take around 20-30 minutes to complete – although don’t be surprised if it takes longer than this. In previous years the sheer volume of phones being updated has caused Apple’s servers to buckle and updates can take longer than normal.

Once the update has completed, the phone will show the connect to iTunes screen while it attempts to activate itself with Apple’s servers. Last year this part of the update process went down and activating your phone took quite a while and meant your phone was out of action for quite a while.

How to work out which iPod or iPhone you’ve got

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

Every June and September Apple announce an upgrade to the iPhone and iPod line up (iPhone in June, iPods in September). For months the media speculate as to what the latest and greatest device to come out of Apple HQ will be called, often getting it wrong and causing no end of confusion in the process.

iPhone Naming

iPhones don’t follow the same naming pattern as iPods. The ‘G’ in iPhone 3G and 3GS refers to the technology within the handset and not the generation of phone. To avoid any future confusion over mobile technology and versions of device  Apple have decided to drop the ‘G’ completely from the name of the new phone and have simply called their latest handset iPhone 4.

What does the “G” mean?

When Apple launched the early iPod’s, they weren’t given names like they are today. The original iPod was replaced by a newer model also called iPod. As the newer model had several advanced features over its predecessor, it was unofficially dubbed the new generation of iPod, this over time change to 2nd Generation, which in turn got shortened to 2G.

The number preceding the “G” just determines where that particular model sits in the range of iPods. Even now with the iPod nano, we are seeing 2nd and 3rd generation models. The original style of iPod is now called the iPod classic, and no doubt as time goes on, more generations will follow.

So which iPod or iPhone have I got?

The list below shows all Apple iPods and iPhones from the last few years. I’ve put the dates that the different generations were released along with the available storage capacity so you should be able to figure out pretty easily which one you’ve got. If yours isn’t listed here, take a look at last years post which shows all models of iPod and iPhone up to March 2009.

iPhone 4

iPhone 4

Available from June 2010 and available in 16GB and 32GB models. The iPhone 4 is a brand new design with a lot of new features over the 3GS. It has a faster processor, higher resolution screen, video calling and a 5MP camera. iPhone 4 is released alongside a major new version of the operating system, iOS4.
Status: 16GB and 32GB launching 24th June 2010
View all iPhone 4 Accessories

iPhone 3G

iPhone 3GS

Available from July 2009 and available in 16GB and 32GB models. The iPhone 3GS is essentially the same as the iPhone 3G, but with improved battery life and a faster processor. There are cosmetic changes but a major new version of the operating system added many new features.
Status: 8GB Current, 16GB and 32GB discontinued 24th June 2010
View all iPhone 3GS accessories

iPhone 3G

iPhone 3G

Available from July 2008 and available in 8GB and 16GB models. The iPhone 3Gis essentially the same as the original iPhone, but with improved battery life and 3G connectivity. Some minor cosmetic changes and the introduction of a white 16GB model. iPhone 3G shipped with software version 2.0 which added the App store and support for Microsoft Exchange.
Status: Discontinued
View all iPhone 3G Accessories

iPhone

iPhone

Available from November 2007 and available in 8GB and 16GB models. The iPhone is a revolutionary Phone, iPod and Internet Device. The iPhone combines all the features of the iPod Touch with a mobile phone.
Status: Discontinued
View all iPhone Accessories

iPad

iPad

Available from June 2010 and available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models. The iPad is a whole new type of mobile computer from Apple. It has a much larger touchscreen display that makes emailing, browsing and using your apps much easier. It has the same powerful processor as the all new iPhone 4 and comes in two versions, a Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi and 3G.
Status: Current
View all iPad Accessories

touch 3g

iPod touch 3G

Available from September 2009 and available in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB models. No visual changes compared to the 2nd Generation Touch. Main upgrade was to processor speed to bring it inline with the new iPhone 3GS.
Status: Current
View all iPod touch 3G Accessories

touch 2g

iPod touch 2G

Available from September 2008 and available in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB models. The the black beveled edges and back cover on the original iPod Touch gets replaced with stainless steel. Physical volume keys and a speaker are introduced into the slimmer design. Support for Nike+ is added with software version 2.1, along with “Genius” playlists.
Status: Discontinued
View all iPod touch 2G Accessories

iPod touch

iPod touch

Available from September 2007 and available in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB models. iPod moves to a whole new level with the introduction of the iPod Touch. The click wheel is replaced with a wide screen, touch sensitive display. Wi-Fi is introduced to the iPod range to give internet and email access.
Status: Discontinued
View all iPod touch Accessories

nano 4G

iPod nano 4G

Available from September 2008 and available in 8GB and 16GB models. The iPod Nano returns to its earlier, slimmer design, but with a 2″ widescreen display. Slimmer than previous versions, the iPod Nano 4G has an inbuilt motion sensor which allows you to change track just by shaking it. The iPod Nano 4G is available in 9 new vibrant colours.
Status: Current
View all iPod nano 4G Accessories

iPod nano 3G

iPod nano 3G

Available from September 2007 and available in 4GB and 8GB models. The iPod Nano now lets you enjoy TV shows, music videos, video podcasts and more.
Status: Discontinued
View all iPod nano 3G Accessories

iPod nano 2G

iPod nano 2G

Available from September 2006 and available in 2GB, 4GB & 8GB models. The second-generation Nano come in a variety of scratch-resistant colours.
Status: Discontinued

shuffle 3G

iPod shuffle 3G

Available from March 2009 and available only in 4GB models holding up to 1000 songs. The iPod Shuffle 3G is even smaller than the second generation model, and has no buttons to press to control your music. Instead the iPod Shuffle 3G has a new remote headset that controls volume and play back and a new voice menu system that talks you through your menu’s.
Status: Current
View all iPod shuffle 3G Accessories

iPod Shuffle 2G

iPod shuffle 2G

Available from September 2006 and available in 512MB, 1GB & 2GB models. The second-generation Shuffle comes in only one capacity in a clip-on case that’s roughly half the size of its predecessor. In September 2008 the iPod Shuffle receives a minor make over, with the introduction of 5 new colours.
Status: Discontinued

iPod Shuffle

iPod shuffle

Available from January 2005. Apple gets into the flash-based music player business, introducing the iPod Shuffle. About the size of a stick of gum, the shuffle comes in 512MB and 1GB capacities.
Status: Discontinued

iPod classic

iPod classic

Available from September 2007 and available in 80GB and 160GB models. Re-named the iPod Classic, the iPod Video sees an increase in capacity. In September 2009 the iPod Classic 120GB sees an increase in capacity to 160GB and the 120GB model is discontinued. The iPod Classic continues in Silver and Black
Status: Current
View all iPod classic Accessories

iPod Video

iPod video 5G Available from October 2005 and available in 30GB & 60GB models. The fifth-generation iPod Video plays video on a 2.5-inch, 320-by-240, 260,000 colour TFT display.
Status: Discontinued

iPod Color

iPod colour

Available from June 2005 and available in 20GB & 60GB models. The iPod and iPod photo lines are merged into the iPod Colour, ending the availability of monochrome-screen music players.
Status: Discontinued

iPod Photo

iPod photo

Available from October 2004 and available in 20GB, 40GB or 60GB models. The iPod Photo plays music as well as displays photos on a 220-by-176-pixel resolution screen.
Status: Discontinued

Wondering what’s next from Apple?
You shouldn’t have too long to wait. The next expected announcement is normally a music themed event that takes place in September and normally includes a refresh of all iPod models. This year, I’d expect the iPod touch to get the biggest update, with a new look to bring it in-line with the new iPhone 4 as well as camera and video capabilities. Look for more news on the Mobile Fun Blog nearer the time.

How to Boost your Mobile Broadband 3G Signal

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

One of the great things about Mobile Broadband is that you can go online anywhere you like – but you can almost guarantee that the place you need it the most is the place where signal is at its weakest.

While 3G coverage is getting stronger with all networks, there will still be blackspots where it drops out, or you can only pick up a 2G signal. Thankfully, a couple of solutions are now available to try and get round these signal issues. If you don’t have a dongle yet and are looking for the network with the strongest 3G signal, then the OFCOM website has just published updated coverage maps (as of 31/12/08) that allow you to view the 3G coverage by network.

UPDATED: There are now three different types of antenna available:

• Clip Antenna: This Antenna is designed to be a portable solution that clips onto the screen on your laptop or sits on your desk. It is omni-directional, which means that it will pick up signals from all directions.
• High Gain 3G Directional Antenna: This is a much more powerful signal booster than the clip antenna and is ideal for people who have problems with 3G reception or use their dongle in a fixed location. They are directional, which means that you will need to point this towards your network’s transmitter in order for it to improve the signal. The High Gain antenna when positioned correctly will make a significant difference to the signal you receive and can be wall mounted as a permanent fixture.
• Mobile Broadband Outdoor Panel Antenna:This is also a more powerful signal booster than the clip antenna and is ideal for people who have real problems with 3G reception. They are also directional, which means that you will need to point this towards your network’s transmitter in order for it to improve the signal. The Outdoor Panel antenna when positioned correctly will make a significant difference to the signal you receive and is designed to be wall/pole mounted outside.

Each of the antenna’s can make a big difference to the signal you receive. Some will have an ariel connection that will plug straight into the dongle, and others will use a Universal “strap on” connection. Antennas are available for Dongles and Data Cards made by:

To help you find the right antenna for your dongle, you can now check the 3G Antenna Compatibility chart or, to view all available antennas, head over to the Mobile Broadband section of the site, and then choose your device – either a USB Dongle or a Data Card. You’ll need to know the model number of your dongle, but this should be printed on a label on the underneath of your Dongle or Data Card.

Your model number is printed on the base of your dongle and is not the CE number

Setting up your Antenna

Clip 3G Antenna to screen

Set up is quick and simple. The Clip Antenna easily clips onto the screen of your laptop or can be mounted in the desk stand (if included).
The High Gain Directional Antenna needs to be mounted on the deskstand, or fixed to the wall (bracket included)

3G Antenna Installation

Next you’ll need to connect the antenna to the adapter cable. If your dongle has an antenna connection, carefully connect the end of the cable to your dongle.

The Clip Antenna includes a 50cm cable, the High Gain Directional Antenna comes with a 1.2m cable. Longer 3m cables and 5m cables are available for the High Gain and Outdoor Panel Antenna.

Universal 3G Antenna Installation

If your dongle doesn’t have an antenna connection, wrap the universal adapter round your dongle and make sure that it doesn’t stop it from going in to your pc/laptop.

The High Gain 3G Directional Antenna and Outdoor Panel Antenna will need to be positioned so that they are facing your nearest mobile phone transmitter.

Our post on Finding your Nearest Transmitter should help you to work out which way your antenna should be facing.


That’s it! All done. Use your Dongle or Data card as normal and you should see an increase in signal strength straight away.