iPhone 4 Woes and Media Bullshit

Well, I’ve had my fill of this iPhone 4 rampage going on lately and am now in need of some venting. This is also convenient because I’ve wanted to get back to personal blogging for quite awhile now.

Being one that spends the large majority of my time online, with my career and interests focused around an array of different technologies, I hear tons of media repetition. It’s my job to stay informed about certain things and it’s my interest to stay informed about other things, namely the iPhone 4. Unfortunately, however, the media tends to feed off negativity and will stab anyone they can for traffic and ratings — including the hand that feeds them. So what am I getting at? This giant poo cloud of negative hype and its associated stabbing frenzy surrounding the iPhone 4.

Everyone is going bat-shit crazy over the iPhone 4’s current issues. So let’s all take a step back from the hype and come back down to earth, joining those of us already living in reality. Yes, the iPhone 4 has an antenna design flaw that can cause reception issues. This isn’t the first time a device, including one of Apple’s, has had some sort of hardware design flaw that was annoying. A point I’d like to make here is that it’s an annoying flaw, but doesn’t render the phone broken. This happens in technology sometimes.

So, the phone isn’t broken. If you want to use the iPhone 4 before Apple decides to fix the issue, then quit being a moron and hold it in such a way as not to force the annoyance to occur (or get a case). Great, now you can continue using your phone without complaining like a two year old until a solution surfaces.

Some people, however, are having issues with their proximity sensor. From what I’ve read, this is due to faulty hardware, which happens in technology (remember Xbox’s red ring of death?). Take it to Apple and they’ll either fix it or replace it, just like you would with any other faulty piece of technology.

The most annoying aspect of all this is that people who don’t know anything about the iPhone 4 are going around telling other people that they heard the iPhone 4 is plagued with issues and faulty hardware, which is due to the media, Apple bashers and people who love to exaggerate. Those that actually know anything about the phone, don’t feed off drama and don’t have an intense hatred for anything Apple, actually love their iPhone 4 and report that it’s quite fantastic.

I am one of those people. My iPhone 4 is a fantastic improvement over my 3GS and runs like a dream. Yes, I can cause it to loose reception by holding it in a specific way. No, I’m not an idiot and I don’t hold it that way when in use then run around and lie to people about how terrible it is. Is it unfortunate that Apple occasionally acts like a bunch of douche bags and ignores their customers? Absolutely, but that’s no excuse to act like a child. Apple isn’t the only company that does this either, though they are currently in the lime-light.

If you’re interested in buying an iPhone 4, don’t let this media hype bullshit stop you. It’s a fabulous device that you might find quite similar to that of devices we dreamt about in TV shows and movies years ago (Star Trek?). It works incredibly well, even with the minor antenna annoyance which will very likely be fixed (if it already hasn’t been) shortly.

On the other hand, if you’re part of this hype bullshit, get rid of your iPhone 4 and go get a different phone so the rest of us don’t have to hear your relentless bitching!

End venting.

By Jarel in: Tech Toys   -  Tags: , , ,
  • Bill Hance says:

    I happen to love the iPhone 4 as well.

    I also happen to understand why people are pissed. When you pay for the best you expect the best, without flaws.

    • Jarel says:

      Technology just doesn’t work that way. You have to expect a certain percentage of hardware failures and the occasional design flaw. After all, nobody is perfect.

      With that being said, I can understand being upset and frustrated with the issue(s). It’s how you deal with those frustrations that counts though. For example, Whoopi “murdering” her iPhone 4: http://j.mp/bdjPUH That’s just plain idiotic, even if it’s something she can easily afford.

      • Bill Hance says:

        Business works that way. Especially when the business prides itself on the motto “It just works” or when it wages a marketing war on it’s competitor because of their reputation for flaws.

        Let’s say it was an honest mistake by Apple. A company who is known for their attention to detail, usability, and design somehow missed this one. From a business standpoint, they should have apologized and rectified the situation immediately. Instead, they let their ego get in their way and told people to hold their phones differently. That is unacceptable in every way.

        I wish more people acted like Whoopi. Sure it was obnoxious but the more people kick and scream about it, the less of a chance of it happening again or, at the very least, the situation will be handled better next time.

        I have zero sympathy for Apple. When you convince the world that you are the leader of an industry then you are expected to act like a leader. If you ostracize the concerns of your customers then you deserve the criticism (even if it comes in the form of a media stunt).

        • Jarel says:

          I absolutely agree with most of what you said. When people act like Whoopi, they look and sound like children. What speaks louder than smashing your phone and purchasing another one (which Apple absolutely loves)? Send it back, get your money back and don’t buy another one. Loosing money is more effective against a company like Apple than purchasing two phones.

          I don’t have any sympathy for Apple either and I hope they learn their lesson in some way. We learned from Apple’s app store how Apple has been choosing to treat their customers and developers. But again, if people don’t like it (or can’t deal with it) then they shouldn’t invest their money in it.

          I guess my point is that there are more effective ways of dealing with things like this than exaggerating the truth and whining about problems all day.

  • Bill Hance says:

    I see what you are saying but what Whoopi did probably dissuaded a fair number of people who were on the fence about buying the phone so the net effect is lost sales.

    Apple doesn’t like that.

    Plus it’s such a pain in the ass to return something especially in regards to contract renewals.

    People are making noise. Some of it is childish and some is silently responsible. The bottom line is any noise about this particular issue is bad for Apple for well deserved.

  • Chris Sparno says:

    Thanks for venting. Even I feel better now.

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