With the internet still buzzing over the whole iPhone 4 Antennagate debacle, Xtreme Labs has teamed up with the folks from Fixmo Tools to help create Antenna Meter. The application itself is pretty straightforward. It allows you to test out different "death grip" scenarios and visually measure what, exactly is going on with the device while doing so. Does your signal drop? If so, by how much? You can also share your stats with others via email. Of course, we would be remiss if we didn't also mention that same information can be gained by pressing ALT NMLL on your devices keyboard. After which, your "bars" will then be displayed as more accurate dBm levels. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to grab a few things in preparation for the iPhone 4 launch in Canada.
Reader comments
Xtreme Labs releases Antenna Meter for BlackBerry
Grip doesnt seem to affect my 8900
I have the 8320 curve and believe it or not...the "death grip" made my signal stronger; 4 to 5 bars; -81 to -85/86 db... iphone can kiss my crack-berry ass!!
mine is at -100 out here in the country. is that good?
Tried different combination of grips and cannot see a pattern. Nicely done RIM.
This program is a hoax, isn't it? My Bold 9000 always reads a signal strength of -70 dBm. Everywhere in my house, upstairs to basement, it reads -70 dBm. I put it into my microwave oven and closed the door (no, I didn't turn it on) and it still reads a signal strength of -70 dBm.
The thing is that gripping and covering the phone will reduce signal strength on all phones to one degree or another, that include the iphone 4, the crucial difference with the iphone 4 is that it has an additional design flaw beyond this basic issue and it is very devious of Apple to try and merge these into one issue when the reality is very different.
..is just pathetic, so we BB users shouldn't be trying to prove that BB is the best!! It is really!! So leave the iCrap 4 to the Jobs followers and enjoy your BB. VIVA la Blackberry!!
Steady as she goes.
What is the code to turn on the db in a storm (no "alt" key)? I tried the storm 1 command shown above from the message in-box, but nothing happened.
no change
on my Bold 9700. Signal stays the same
I don't notice ANY difference between 1 bar or 5 bars (calls and data). So, why does it even matter?
In fact, I've even been able to initiate calls when I had no bars showing up that were crystal clear (don't know if it stayed at 0 bars though).
I can't get my Bold off 70 to save my life.
At my client, i usually sit at about -75 to -85. A decent, fairly strong signal.
With my Innocase II on, I cannot force a drop in signal. With the case off, holding the phone in all kinds of ways, I saw it blip to -90, but that is still a good signal here.
I found a good article about the bars vs. decibel measuring and this whole thing. A good explanatory read:
http://www.tested.com/news/cell-phone-reception-explained-what-the-bars-...
Could you post the link again? it got cut off, and I'm really curious to this article :)
In my office I have tested this, I do go from full bars to sometimes 1 or 2. My office however, is located in a giant steel building...so my signal strength varies anyways... When I go outside and "death grip" my 9700, no difference at all... and I walk no more than 50 feet outside lol
Nice little program, interesting to see how the grip DOES make a difference, although I see have a good signal either way, but there is a difference. Oh yeah and this was done on a 9650
Thanks
Why do you think the edges on most Blackberries that look like chrome are really plastic. BTW two Bold 9000's with 5.0.0.822 and one 8700G, all three lose bars when held in the left hand even remotely closed around them.
The only Blackberry you would ever hold like the iPhone would be the Storm. I will hold my 9000 with both hands or I would rest it on my fingers and use one thumb to type.
The closest to a "death grip" I would get would be talking on it holding it my left hand but even then I would never grip it like that.
And dropping a few bars is no big deal unless you are in spotty coverage anyway. The iPhone will drop the connection just by touching a single spot on their external antenna....now that's "magical"
I have a bold 9700 and never had a problem with signal strength with the way I hold the phone. The only problem I had was the usual, service provider does not have a cell tower in the rural area of my county, and cell phone signal is weak any way. I though the Iphone user have a good complaint, the phone had a problem during the demo with the Steve Smart, that told the whole story right them. Buy a Blackberry!
OK folks this is what Apple wants us blackberry users to do...start checking bars on your BB and and take the focus off Icrap 4. Here is the difference...when my bars drop the phone still works, the icrap doesn't it goes dead. Let's stop the madness, we don't need a bumper for our BB for it to work.
The phone is flawed and Apple knows it...let's put the focus on back on icrap4 and leave our BB alone.
U r so right Jehu!
+1
Couldn't have said it any better myself.
Kudos Jehu!
This issue has been blown out of proportion.
And most of the people around (who aren't on awesome forums like CrackBerry) really dont even know what the real issue is.
For instance, like one of my colleague who "actually" went and sold off his Bold 9700 just because of Steve Jobs's press release.
What a bunch of morons filled earth do we live in?!
Strange times really, where logic and rational thinking no longer exists!
For that, I'm happy there are people amongst us who belong to CrackBerry.
Cheers!
No matter what I do, my old 9530's signal strength stays perfectly solid.
Mine is always at -70dbm
I have da 8530 thru Sprint and my bars actually go up when I pick it up and grip it with both hands and I'm in da house surrounded by trees but with dat being said ima try it later
Using my left hand and gripping my Storm 2 9550 like the first image, slightly open the signal strength on my phone is -97 dbm. The strength of my phone with a tight grip like the second image is -104 dbm. Whereas in my right had the results are -95 dbm and -102 dbm respectively in my house.
I go from -70db to -81db with the Death Grip full clamping hand round the phone.
If I touch it with my little finger anywhere around the outside, as per the iPhone4 issue, nothing happens.
I have the Tour thru Sprint and my bars actualy go UP when I pick it up and grip it! I'm at work right now, so I will try outside of here and at home to see what it does.
Weird huh?
Not one change.
Death Grip
Two Handed Grip
Not one drop in signal (when im in my house). Cant try it at work bc well...i struggle for 3 bars in that building as it is...
what a joke... i tried this on my 9000 a couple days ago... signal dropped, then the phone realized it dropped and picked it right back up... apple... thats a low blow to RIM....
mine is the same as bmwmpower soon as i pick it up sos not all the time but sometimes but most of the time im on 4 bars its very anoying
I never had any antenna issues with my 9700.
Neither in city nor in rural areas (where signal is very low)
Installed it:
Leaving on floor (cement) for 10secs: 58 to 60
Gripping sides: 50-54
Bottom: 52-58
Should mention never experienced any drop calls Heck it's funny that I can take calls in an elevator, where having to hold the elevator door for my iphone buddy's, second they walk in...dropped call.
I have a Storm 2 how do I get bars to display as more accurate dBm?
Hold "Alt" and press "N", "M", "L", "L"
Storm2's keyboard.
Here is the trick
0- Go to Options, Screen / keyboard
1- Assign virtual keybord to one of the convenience key
2- Set the portrait keyboard to be the FULL KEYBOARD
Save your changes then go back to home screen.
Hold the phone in portrait and press the virtual key assigned to show the keyboard and press <,> <"> <"> ( You have to press 8 keys )
Locking and pressing <,> <"> <"> does not do it.
Tested on 9530 with 5.0.0.591
You need to do ! , " " to get it to work...
Yea no "Alt" key on Storm 2. I tried doing it in all caps and still nothing. Anyone else know how to get this to work on a Storm 2?
When in landscape mode:
-Press BB button
-Select Show Keyboard
-Select "number lock"
-Type ! , " "
I tried it on my Storm 2 and it doesn't move a single dBm....
Yes it makes a difference. This has been happening to me every day in my office for the past 4 years since the Blackberry 8700G. As soon as I pick up the phone to start texting/jivetalking/emailing, the phone goes to SOS mode. I put the phone back down to regain signal, or even in some cases I have to toggle the radio on and off. This happened to me with every single Blackberry model from the 8700G, to the pearl 8100, to the curve 8300, to the 8800, to the Bold 9000 and currently the Bold 9700. Not a darn difference. They ALL do it. My unlocked iPhones on T-Mobile as well. Same thing. Daily basis since 2006.
I think it's time to change your office or job
http://shop.crackberry.com/wilson-electronics-signalboost-dt-dual-band-8...
I have the same issues..... and it drives me crazy!
I have a Storm2 and since the app doesn't have a picture of the Storm2, i decided to find my own death grip. Turns out, i found one for the Storm2. It dropped from 4 bars to 1. I posted a thread about it explaining the grip.
Bravo. Nice jab.
haha niceee
Wonder how long it takes Apple to buy Extreme Labs so they can change the formula in order to display less bars.