back to article Nokia demos finger flicking exercise for iPhone 4 users

Nokia has latched onto its key advantage over arch-rival Apple's iPhone 4: you can hold the Finns' phones virtually anyway you want. Apple attracted derision from some techies and accusations of discrimination from lefties when it told the world that flakey reception of the iPhone 4 was down to the way people were holding the …

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  1. chr0m4t1c
    FAIL

    Yes, very droll.

    But I just tried the "cup" on my N97 and lost three bars off the signal strength meter.

    Pot, kettle?

    Mind you, this whole issue with the iPhone4 has made me pay more attention to my phone's signal & explains some of the reception problems I have at home (normally only have 1-2 bars that vanish when I try to make a call or send a text).

    1. RegisterThis

      No difference with my E72 ...?

      Mmmm .... first thing I tried after Apple's statement that it affects all phones ... in fact I wrapped my hands around the edges and back of my E72 and watched ... no such value added entertainment of signal degradation to be had! Tried with old Sony Ericsson and Motorola lying around and no degradation either? Personally I have never noticed it with any phone, so I suspect it is a case of 'MAY' happen with other phones - but the antenna design of Apple where you are pysically touching it with a conductive (skin) surface seems to make interference pretty predictable?

      I think it probably also depends how strong your signal is to start with, i.e. I suspect a very strong signal may be unafected. Where I am I have 3G and all 5 bars showing currently, so pretty strong.

      My guess is your case has less to do with interfering with the antenna (iPhone) as just blocking a weak signal? I suspect that is also why some iPhone 4 users don't see this problem if they are very close to mast with excellent reception. Of course I am no expert.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Badgers

      Nothing happened

      I'm a leftie. I just tried using the cup on my N97. No signal degradation whatsoever. Same for my HTC TyTN.

      Maybe it's because my area is close to a cell relay tower?

  2. Dazed and Confused

    And who says

    the Finns don't have a sense of humour

    1. Gannon (J.) Dick
      Alert

      Not sure.

      I'm not sure who says that, but I hope they are not German because they will turn off the GPS and we'll never find them.

      We may all have to live with the awful truth: Do the Finns really have middle fingers or is that just marketing ?

    2. Haku

      The Dudesons

      The Finns definitely have a sense of humour, go onto YouTube and search for: The Dudesons

  3. Ivan Headache
    Thumb Down

    It doesn't matter how I hold my Nokia

    It's rubbish most of the time.

  4. Will Godfrey Silver badge
    Happy

    @Dazed and Confused

    The Finns do, but some of the comments on that website seem to demonstrate a total humor extraction.

    Sheesh. Life is too short to take everything so seriously!

  5. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    not so fast...

    check your facts first, they have the same problems.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amPG52DVQuk and many other complains around the web.

    nuff said

  6. ktabic

    You missed a bit

    All the photos where of phones being held in the left hand.

  7. mafoo

    LOL

    I've had several nokia phones, and IIRC at least 2 of them came with an instruction in the manual that holding them by the back near the top would result in loss of signal. Generally about 2 bars.

    Most, if not all, phones with an internal ariel share this problem. Its just finding where the sweet (or sour) spot is.

    I'm surprised tho that no one has played the "apple discriminates against left handed people" gafw yet.

    1. mafoo
      Badgers

      oh wait

      it seems i spoke to soon. Seems some people have gafwed that "apple discriminates against left handed people"

      /facepalm

  8. M Gale
    Coat

    Most phones will lose SOME signal...

    After all they use near-microwave frequencies, and microwaves are rather infamously fickle when it comes to travelling through anything that contains water (like, oh, humans).

    However, putting the bare metal of the antenna outside the phone is pretty much guaranteed to futz with the signal severely when anything conductive (like, oh, humans) touches it.

    Worst part is, if you try and fix this by putting some kind of sticky plastic or lacquer over the bare metal, what's the reckoning you get rid of the conductance problem and start introducing a capacitance problem? Iphones leaking signal all over the spectrum? Whups!

    Mine's the one with an old FM radio in the pocket, that strangely enough gets a better signal when you touch the antenna.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Joke

      Sticky-backed plastic...

      "Worst part is, if you try and fix this by putting some kind of sticky plastic or lacquer over the bare metal, what's the reckoning you get rid of the conductance problem and start introducing a capcitance problem?"

      It's okay - Steve is about to announce that he has patented a non-capacitive insulator.

      /mines the rubber one

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Patent Alert

    Apple have already patented the whole "there is but one true way to hold your phone" thing.

    Expect a call from the lawyers Nokia.

    It is that big of a deal

  10. Wooky
    FAIL

    Nokia's Death Grip

    Let he who is without sin ....

    http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/06/28/nokia_pokes_at_iphone_4_death_grip_gets_called_on_it.html

  11. Ascylto
    Unhappy

    Pot, Kettle, Black

    And when all's said and done ...

    it's STILL a NoIKant.

    Just look at Nokia's own instructions to users on obstructing the antennae.

  12. Lionel Baden

    ihold

    http://yfrog.com/cb5kvj

  13. gimbal
    Pint

    All in good sportsmanship

    Maybe a good corporate roasting is just the kind of thing the Jobsatron needs. I think Nokia was actually very mild in their treatment - more to their credit, I suppose.

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