signals

iPhone 4 sales hurt more by carriers than antennas

Though "antennagate" may have persuaded some people to avoid the iPhone 4, the device's lack of Verizon access is putting a larger damper on sales, according to Piper Jaffray.

Among 258 cell phone users surveyed by the investment firm, 177 people (or 69 percent) said they were aware of the antenna issue affecting the iPhone 4. Of those, 20 percent said this issue impacted their decision of whether or not to purchase the iPhone 4.

Though this means a smaller percentage of all the users surveyed were turned off by the antenna problem, Piper Jaffray believes the issue has affected sales. Under a worst-case scenario, the firm is estimating that sales lost due to "antennagate" could cost Apple around 11 cents a share in earnings for its fourth quarter ending September.

Piper Jaffray expects Apple will update its customers about the antenna issue at the end of September. It doesn't think Apple will modify the design of the iPhone 4 but instead may extend the free case offer or reveal further results of its own testing.… Read more

Microelectrodes help brain signals 'speak'

While still in its infancy and primitive, even crude, two grids of 16 microelectrodes implanted atop the brain of a volunteer with severe epileptic seizures are somewhat successfully decoding brain signals into a small set of words, thanks to work out of the University of Utah.

The volunteer, who was already having part of his skull temporarily removed so doctors could implant larger electrodes (see button-like numbers in photo) to locate the source of his seizures, agreed to also have these two grids of tiny electrodes implanted over the speech centers of his brain.

His brain signals were then recorded … Read more

Analyzing your Android device

Apple may have mysteriously removed the Field Test mode from iOS4 and the iPhone 4, but Android users continue to have such information at their disposal. Though Android pros have no doubt discovered this option already, novice users may not know that it exists.

To start, access the main Settings page and choose the "Status" option under the "About phone" menu. There you'll find an assortment of useful facts like the battery level, the carrier and network you're using (such as whether you're on 3G or not), your roaming status, the Wi-Fi and … Read more

Handset world: Don't speak for us, Steve Jobs

It may be true that no cell phone is perfect, but the handset world isn't taking too kindly to Apple CEO Steve Jobs' public assertion that other smartphones suffer from the same antenna and signal problems that have been widely reported regarding the iPhone 4. And, in what's turned into an ugly back-and-forth PR mud fight, Apple is firing back by making its internal signal test results public to insist that it's not just pulling rivals' flaws out of thin air.

Hui-Meng Cheng, chief financial officer at HTC, told The Wall Street Journal on Monday that "… Read more

5-bar phone signal: What's it get you? (FAQ)

Apple's recent explanation of iPhone 4 reception issues--that they're linked to Apple's miscalculation of how it measures signal strength on iPhones--has left many people wondering what that five-bar icon displayed on the phone really means.

Earlier on Friday, Apple issued a statement blaming iPhone reception issues on a software miscalculation rather than on hardware design. Since the iPhone 4 launched last week, thousands of consumers have complained that when gripping the phone around the lower left-hand corner of the device, the signal degrades or calls are dropped.

Apple acknowledged the problem, and explained that customers were simply … Read more

iPhone 4 antenna issues: Software or hardware?

A few reports are surfacing that claim the current reception problem with the iPhone 4 could be an issue with the phone's OS software instead of the phone's construction.

Similar to the recent videos showing the grip on the iPhone 4 resulting in signal loss, others have released videos showing the same things happening on older models after having upgraded to iOS 4. This indicates the problem is in the operating system instead of the phone's hardware, which is promising for people who have been impacted by the reception issue.… Read more

At-a-glance stock info

If you find yourself constantly checking the Web for the latest and greatest stock information or for updates on your own stocks, you'll certainly appreciate what StockPoint has to offer. We're not exactly experts when it comes to the stock market, but we still found the program intuitive and easy to use.

StockPoint offers a tabbed user interface that keeps your stock information organized and easy to find. The various tabs are organized into three categories: Research, Earnings Releases, and Browser. The Research tab let us quickly find stocks with the help of its Screener Options drill-down feature. … Read more

AT&T expands 3G Microcell availability

Remember that 3G Microcell that AT&T pushed out to a public market trial in Charlotte, N.C. last year? Well, AT&T has finally decided to expand the availability of its femtocell to just a few more places--sorry, New York and San Francisco not included. The extended areas include "select counties" in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, San Diego, and Las Vegas.

If you'll recall, the 3G Microcell essentially acts as a mini tower in your home, designed to boost both voice and data signals. Its maximum coverage is approximately 5,000 square feet. … Read more

Backfires, retardant helping to save Mt. Wilson

Mount Wilson's famed observatories and broadcast towers now seem in a better position to survive Los Angeles' Station wildfire, thanks to the ongoing and relentless efforts of firefighters.

Officials on Monday and Tuesday braced for the worst as they expected the wildfire to hit the Mount Wilson Observatory. But by setting a series of backfires and dropping retardant, firefighters kept the flames from spreading as initially feared.

Today's report from the Incident Information Web site offered encouraging news:

"Yesterday the fire continued to move west toward Mount Wilson. Currently there is a large contingent of fire engines, … Read more