In his interview with Ad Age, McKenna says that people “want attention, but it often hurts startup companies because it sets high expectations.” He also says that getting a good ad doesn’t ensure the future success of a business. Indeed, he “learned in the 70s that the ads won all the awards, but the company went bankrupt.”

And that’s almost what happened to Apple. The “1984″ ad got all sorts of attention and it turned the gaze toward the Mac, but Apple “went into 10 years of decline after that.” McKenna goes on to say that the “ad was more successful than the Mac itself. The Mac was expensive to build, and Apple’s margins went negative in 1986. That conflict led to Steve’s ouster from Apple.” McKenna also says that Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs “was very negative on Steve” and that we shouldn’t believe everything that we read in it.

Here is the original commercial, in case you want a quick refresher.

The post Regis McKenna: 1984 Apple Ad “More Successful Than the Mac Itself.” appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

You might remember the whole “death grip” or “antennagate” thing that happened with the iPhone 4. This was supposed to be addressed with a slightly different design on the iPhone 4S, but it seems that the antenna reconfiguration may lead to yet another lawsuit, because it could infringe on a patent currently owned by Samsung.

The new iPhone 4S uses an intelligent switching mechanism for transmission and reception through the dual antennas. That’s supposed to fix the death grip, but it could conflict with “several patents” that were originally developed by Danish antenna professor Gert Frolund Pedersen, along with his colleagues at Aalborg University. The patents were sold to Samsung in 2007.

Samsung is already in the process of getting an injunction against the iPhone 4S being sold in France and Italy, because the phone reportedly violates some of Samsung’s patents. These are in addition to the patents that Gert Frolund and his research team sold to Samsung. So, it pretty much adds more fuel to the fire between Cupertino and Seoul. The saga continues.

The post iPhone 4S antenna design infringes on Samsung-owned patent appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Apple has been under scrutiny for the iPhone 4′s flawed antenna which loses signal if users hold the device in a certain way. Israeli company Tawkon developed an app that lets iPhone users see and lower their exposure to cellphone radiation, and the app showed that the iPhone releases an increased amount of radiation when struggling to find a clear signal.

Last year Tawkon had discussed the possibility of getting the app into the App Store with senior Apple executives. However, after emailing Steve Jobs in August 2010 and requesting for the app to be approved, Jobs replied back with two words: “No interest.” It’s not clear if Jobs was upset with Tawkon demonstrating that the faulty antenna is connected to increased radiation, or if Jobs personally rebuffs the notion that cellphone non-ionizing radiation affects human health.

Tawkon announced on March 23 2011 that they will provide the app for free on Cydia. The app has also been approved by RIM and is available on Blackberry AppWorld for $9.

In an ironic twist, Stephen Colbert recently revealed on his show that you can text “redcross” to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts in Japan, but the iPhone will autocorrect “redcross” to “reactor.”

What we wanted to know is, how can an app measure the amount of radiation in a cellphone? There are several factors that affect the levels of radiation we are exposed to when using mobile devices, Tawkon co-founder Ori Goshen explained in an email. The factors include the location of the cell phone, like whether the phone is shielded from a phone network in an elevator or behind a concrete wall. Additional factors include the shape and size of the phone, weather conditions and distance of the phone to your head.

The amount of mobile phone non-ionizing radiation we are exposed to is measured in units called SAR (Specific Absorption Rate). According to Goshen, SAR levels of mobile phones change constantly based on the factors mentioned.

All the information related to the radiation emitted by the mobile phone is stored in the phone itself because this information is required by the phone for its normal operation. For example, it needs to know how much power to transmit in order to keep the voice or data connection while the user is talking or browsing,

The Tawkon app collects and analyzes your phone’s changing SAR levels, network coverage, location, environmental conditions and phone usage and uses all these factors to determine actual radiation exposure levels.

The SAR values are being calibrated in an Radio Frequency (RF) lab on a SAR measurement machine to ensure radiation levels are accurately monitored, Goshen said.

The app demonstrates the level of radiation using a bar, and the cellphone user can set the app to send email alerts telling the user to switch to a headset or earphones if the radiation is higher than normal. While this could protect you from higher levels of radiation from your own phone, it does nothing for the radiation emitted by cell phone towers in the proximity, or the cellphone wedged against your ear by someone too close for comfort on the subway.

There has been debate whether non-ionizing radiation in cellphones causes any harm at all. In fact, is radiation the right word, with all its weight and connotations? Is Tawkon attaching too much importance to RF transmission?

According to the World Health Organization, no recent national or international reviews have concluded that exposure to RF fields from mobile phones cause any health effects.  However, many independent labs and organizations continue to find information contrary of WHO reports.

A 2004 Swedish study found that an increased risk of acoustic neuroma, a type of benign brain tumour, was associated with mobile phone use. It’s worth noting this risk occurred only if the cellphone user had operated mobile phones for more than 10 years. Most recently, out of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Brookhaven National Lab (BNL) have found the obvious fact that cell phone radiation can affect the normal functioning of the human brain.

However, the general conscencus among the medical and scientific community is that while there is no direct link between mobile use and health effects, “more research is needed” to fully repudiate the claim.

We have yet to see how and if Apple will respond to the jailbreak.

[Tawkon Download]

The post Radiation Detection App Rejected by Apple – Goes Through iPhone Jailbreak appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Obviously, Apple had to swap out the GSM radios for ones of the CDMA variety for Verizon, but it seems that the slightly altered antenna design might have been enough to prevent the death grip problem. In a hands-on test, the crew at Slashgear held the Verizon iPhone 4 in precisely the death grip position. And the result?

When they first started the test, they got four bars (out of five) for reception. Maintaining the “death grip” position, it was only after a full minute that they saw a single bar drop away. This could be due to just regular fluctuations, but it’s certainly not equivalent to the death grip on AT&T’s GSM take on the iPhone 4.

So, now you can have the world’s most popular smartphone on America’s (reportedly) most reliable network? Looks like Verizon could be cannibalizing some of its Android sales now.

The post No death grip problem for Verizon iPhone 4 appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Well, that’s one way to solve antennagate: go to another carrier. As you might recall, the iPhone 4 was plagued with all sorts of “death grip” concerns when it first launched with AT&T. People said they were losing bars and dropping calls when they held the smartphone a certain way. Not so, apparently, with Verizon’s version.

Obviously, Apple had to swap out the GSM radios for ones of the CDMA variety for Verizon, but it seems that the slightly altered antenna design might have been enough to prevent the death grip problem. In a hands-on test, the crew at Slashgear held the Verizon iPhone 4 in precisely the death grip position. And the result?

When they first started the test, they got four bars (out of five) for reception. Maintaining the “death grip” position, it was only after a full minute that they saw a single bar drop away. This could be due to
just regular fluctuations, but it’s certainly not equivalent to the death grip on AT&T’s GSM take on the iPhone 4.

So, now you can have the world’s most popular smartphone on America’s (reportedly) most reliable network? Looks like Verizon could be cannibalizing some of its Android sales now.

The post No death grip problem for the Verizon iPhone 4 appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Apple addressed these problems by giving out free bumper cases, and that comes to an end on September 30. After that day, the solution to address the problem will be on the onus of the owner, unless a revised iPhone 4 will be issued afterwards.  At this point, Consumer Reports isn’t changing their mind, and they don’t think you should buy the iPhone 4 until a “real” fix comes along.

“Our tests found the Bumper successfully mitigates the iPhone 4′s reception issue, which was a weak point in the phone’s otherwise-stellar performance in our tests. And we agree with Apple that not all iPhone 4 owners will experience reception difficulties with the device. But putting the onus on any owners of a product to obtain a remedy to a design flaw is not acceptable to us. We therefore continue not to recommend the iPhone 4, and to call on Apple to provide a permanent fix for the phone’s reception issues.”

Your best bet is to wait for an updated version of the iPhone 4 that fixes the reception problem, and it should be from the inside-out rather than the outside-in.

The post Apple iPhone 4 still not recommended by Consumer Reports appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

This comes by way of an executive from Telcel, a wireless carrier in Mexico. Marco Quatorze says that Apple will have a revised version of the iPhone 4 by the end of next month and it’ll take care of that whole antenna problem. The phone should be fundamentally the same, but it’ll be slightly altered to prevent the dropped signal.

Why does he think this? Well, in addition to his own insider reports, he notes that the free bumper case program ends on September 30th. Why would Apple do that? Because the revised hardware will be made available by that date and people won’t need the free bumper anymore.

Then again, Apple could easily extend the program until they come out with an iPhone 4S or something. Or, you know, there is that event later today. Maybe the “one more thing” is a fixed iPhone?

Mexican Carrier Executive Claims iPhone 4 Hardware Revision Coming by End of September [MacRumors]

The post iPhone 4 with Antennagate fix coming end of September? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Motorola’s full-page ad in the New York Times makes it clear that the Droid X doesn’t need any add-ons to work properly. The add states, “At Motorola, we believe a customer shouldn’t have to dress up their phone for it work properly. That’s why the Droid X comes with a dual antenna design. The kind that allows you to hold the phone anyway you like to make crystal clear calls without a bulky phone jacket.” It’s clearly a dig at Apple, who was forced to give out free cases to solve complaints about antenna issues with the iPhone 4. Will the ad convince disillusioned Apple fans to toss out their iPhones like rotten fruit? Or is the fact that Motorola bowls without bumpers nothing new to celebrate?

[Droid Life via Motorola's Facebook Page]

The post Jackets are for sissies: Motorola takes a stab at Apple appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

So the Cupertino-based company is now refunding the $30 asking price for the bumper case, as well as any tax or shipping costs involved, back onto customer credit cards. There’s probably a system for cash-based customers too.  In case this whole situation has you confused or you simply want an alternative to the fat rubber band Apple bumper case, then you may want to grab the iPhone 4 Case Program. This is an app available from the App Store that lets you shop for the bumper, as well as third-party cases from Speck, Belkin, and Griffin, among others.

This is all you have to do:

1. Download the iPhone 4 Case Program app from the App Store.
2. Launch the app on your iPhone 4 and sign in using your iTunes Store account or Apple ID.
3. Select your Bumper or case.

For iPhone 4 purchases made before July 23, 2010, you must apply no later than August 22, 2010; otherwise, you must apply within 30 days of your iPhone 4 purchase. To qualify for this program, you must purchase your iPhone 4 by September 30, 2010.

[Apple]

The post So you wanna get a free bumper appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Apple's test showing the Samsung Omnia II

Samsung today joined forces with RIM, Nokia and HTC by releasing their own statement towards Apple’s distraction of drawing the competition into their Antennagate problem.  Apple’s tests showed the Samsung Omnia II being susceptible to signal loss via the “grip of death.” Samsung took their time in responding, perhaps because Apple uses a good number of memory chips from the company.  So Samsung needed to be respectable and remain true to their manufacturing methods, but doing so without losing whiney customer.  Here is what Samsung had to say:

“The antenna is located at the bottom of the Omnia 2 phone, while iPhone’s antenna is on the lower left side of the device. Our design keeps the distance between a hand and an antenna. We have fully conducted field tests before the rollout of smartphones. Reception problems have not happened so far, and there is no room for such problems to happen in the future.”

[Korea Herald]

The post Samsung rejects Apple’s claims on the Omnia 2 antenna appeared first on Mobile Magazine.