This is a guest commentary by Bryan J. Ball, a stand up comedian and long-time Apple fanboy.

My relationship with Steve used to be such a happy one. He would create beautiful bits of electronic amazement and I would buy them, show them off and feel generally superior to my non-Apple friends and family. That’s still mostly true but I’m starting to have my doubts.

My life is pretty Apple-centric. I have an iMac, an iPad, all manner of iPods and I was literally first in line to get an iPhone 4. I’ve been pretty happy with everything I’ve had so far. My area has excellent AT&T coverage so I’m not even plagued by the death grip reception issue on my iPhone.

Yes… I’ve been called a fanboy on more than one occasion. I used to categorically deny this but after watching Steve Jobs’ behavior and listening to myself defend it over the last couple of weeks, I’m starting to wonder.

Apple’s antennagate issue has been in the news for weeks now. It’s the dominant story about the iPhone 4. This is why PR experts have compared Apple to Toyota. Not because the two problems are equivalent — they aren’t — but because the media equates Prius with dodgy brake pedals, and the iPhone 4 with dodgy reception issues. Note: No one said it’s a Prius-style problem; they said it’s a Prius-style PR problem.

Tape is the cheapest DIY fix for the much-disputed iPhone 4 — even Consumer Reports recommends wrapping up your phone if you can’t get your hands on a bumper case.

Now you can do something good while fixing your phone: for $2, buy a roll of iTape on eBay and all of the proceeds for the quick fix go to the American Cancer Society. (It’s worth a visit to check out the iTape slide show, a nicely-done take on the iPhone 4 ads.)

Seller Jason Nolasco says:

“Yes, I will ship you a roll of tape in exchange for your assistance in fighting cancer. No, I can’t guarantee it will look like the picture. No, I don’t hate Apple. All in good fun. 100% of the proceeds go the American Cancer Society.”

We like.

Apple’s stock is taking a pounding today after Consumer Reports‘ negative iPhone review, and our story that the company may have to issue a hardware recall.

Apple’s share price fell 3-4% in heavy trading today, reports VentureBeat:

Apple’s stock price fell 3 percent on Tuesday after Consumer Reports gave a negative review of the iPhone 4 because of its reception problems.

… In the wake of the Consumer Reports review, experts speculated that Apple would have to recall the units it has sold to fix the antenna problem, which may be more complicated than the software fix that Apple talked about on July 2.

VentureBeat: Apple shares slide after bad iPhone 4 review, recall concerns

We start with a deal on an 2.4GHz MacBook. The computer, with a 13-inch LED-backlit screen is $989.99, but includes a $65 rebate, bringing the price way down. Also, nothing’s better than a game of bubble-shooting. There is a deal on Dubble for the iPad – just $4. Finally, “Put Things Off,” the perfect to-do application for procrastinators.

Along the way, we also check-out various app price drops, speakers and software for your iPhone, iPod and Mac. As always, details on these and many other items are available at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page after the jump.

According to a recent tweet published by the DevTeam member planetbeing, he and MuscleNerd have finally managed to unlock iPhone 4 using the ultrasn0w tool by DevTeam, thus allowing it to be used on any GSM network worldwide.

My soft-unlocked iPhone 4 (in Canada). I’ll have video in a couple of hours once I can top-up the SIM https://twitpic.com/24ycdv

Although not a permanent unlocking solution, it’s still a big deal for all the iPhone 4 owners as not only does it mean freedom from AT&T and its outrageous international roaming charges but also the ability to use it in countries other than the five where it has been officially released.

With the upcoming spirit jailbreak for iOS 4, it will be much easier to unlock the new device. However, they are waiting for Apple to release a firmware update (4.0.1 or 4.1) but once it’s released, the unlock will be released too.

@planetbeing via Redmond Pie

Send in the clowns: Jeremy Clarkson, Britain’s alpha dog of all things auto-related, sucker punched the iPhone 4  on his uber-popular TV show “Top Gear.”

He’s not even particularly funny, but the point is the “death-grip” reception issue has become so widely known that it’s good for a chuck-let on a mainstream TV show. (On this side of the pond, David Letterman took a pot shot at Apple a few weeks ago.)

Not so good for Apple’s “it just works” selling point and one more sign that the Cupertino company has a PR debacle on its hands, however you hold it.

Via Crunch Gear

Apple iPhone sales expectations could be at risk if Apple’s current problems with the iPhone 4’s antenna increases, one analyst warned investors Tuesday. “Should this antenna issue become a bigger deal, there could be risk to our as well as consensus estimates,” Kaufman Bros. analyst Shaw Wu wrote.

However, the analyst reaffirmed his estimate of 7.5 million iPhones sold in the June quarter and 40 million for calendar 2010. “So far, in our supply chain and industry checks, we have not seen any change in build patterns or demand patterns,” he added.

Way too little, way too late: speaking at the opening keynote at the Worldwide Partner Conference, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer told his audience that we should expect Windows 7 tablet computers “sometime before the end of this year.”

“We know you really want to know what’s coming,” said Ballmer. “[Tablets] will come from the people you would expect. From Asus, from Dell, from Samsung, from Toshiba, from Sony.”

Microsoft just doesn’t get it. Their business is software, so it’s understandable they are focusing on selling a tablet operating system instead of a single iPad-challenging tablet themselves (even if that business model is so stagnant that it has directly contributed to the death of possibly revolutionary products).

The problem is: Windows 7, as an operating system, isn’t capable of taking on iOS. One was built from the ground-up to support multitouch; the other is a bad hackjob rlaid on top of a desktop operating system.

HP knows full well that Windows 7 isn’t up to the job of taking on iOS: that’s why they killed the Windows 7 Slate and purchased Palm’s mobile, multitouch operating system, webOS. It’s only a matter of time before Microsoft’s other hardware partners get the same memo.

At the end of the day, Microsoft is going to enter the slate arena several years late, just like they did with Windows Phone 7. How can a company this hopelessly entrenched in the business models of the past hope to survive when the likes of Google and Apple are swimming in the same waters, faster, stronger and smarter?

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_TFHqIHBqM

A lot has been made of the iPhone 4’s incredible Retina Display, but the handset’s unprecedented screen clarity won’t do you any favors if you’re blind.

Even so, it seems like iOS might be built from the ground-up to support blind users, as this video from musician Victor Tsaran reveals: he was able to effortlessly pair his iPhone 4 with a Bluetooth Braillant 32 display. Coupled with iOS’ innate (and somewhat hyperactive) voice-over accessibility feature, Victor is able to easily take advantage of most of his iPhone 4’s core functionality. Now that’s an attention to detail.

[via Gadget Lab]

Having issues getting FaceTime to work on your home network? Your firewall might be the problem. Apple’s just posted a note to their support website giving tips on getting FaceTime through your router’s prophylactic layer.

According to Apple, the ports FaceTime needs to be open are 53, 80, 443, 4080, 5223 and the 16393 – 16472 UDP block. Obviously, opening these ports up is going to differ according to your network setup, so check your router’s manual for instructions before fiddling around.

Look, at this point, it’s pretty incontrovertible: at the very least, you need to have a case or bumper for your iPhone 4.

Exogear’s latest case, the Exolife, is a sleek rechargeable battery case packing a 1500-mAH lithium ion capable of doubling your iPhone 4’s already impressive battery life. It also features a hard polycarbonate shell, a USB 2.0-to-micro-USB cable for charging and syncing and the ability to switch off the external battery when your phone doesn’t need the juice.

Needless to say, the Exolife will also guard against the iPhone 4 Death Grip just as well as a cheaper bumper. The price doesn’t seem too exorbitant to me at $89.95, and if you wait until September, you can even get one in white.

[via TUAW]

Last week, the Fring iPhone application supported Skype video conferencing over 3G. This week, it doesn’t, ending a four year relationship between Fring and Skype. What the heck happened?

According to Fring, their recent update to the iPhone app resulted in such a huge volume of video calls that they needed to temporarily “reduce support” for Skype, after which point, Skype demanded Fring not restore connectivity.

But that’s not what Skype is saying. According to the VoIP company: “There is no truth to Fring’s claims that Skype blocked them, it was their decision and choice to withdraw Skype functionality.” They then go on to say that Fring “misus[ed] the Skype software in ways which it was not designed for and which does not scale to meet consumer demand.”

It’s really hard to parse this bickering. Was Skype just upset that Fring beat them to the 3G video-conferencing punch, using their own API? Or was Fring’s decision to pull Skype support violate their licensing agreement somehow?

Either way, the only clear winner here is Apple’s FaceTime. The cross-platform video chat providers just can’t seem to get their act together.

It’s that time of year again. MacWorld — the annual convention for all-things Mac bringing together thousands of enthusiasts and developers alike under one roof — has just announced next year’s dates and venue: January 27 through the 29th.

Even better: free registration is now open. If you register your attendance before July 26th, you can expect a free ticket to the convention. So get on it now: in just two weeks, you’ll have to pony up some cash.

So who amongst our readers can we expect to bump elbows with at MacWorld next year? Let us know in the comments.

There’s no point debating exactly what collective aneurysm in Apple’s generally unassailable design hive mind has led to Cupertino’s corporate blind spot when it comes to their cross-platform Notes application and its inexplicable reliance on the hideous Marker Felt font.

The good news is, there’s no reason to use it: the App Store is filled with better and more attractive note-taking apps. The newest on the scene is HelvetiNote, a gorgeous note-taking app for the iPad that is as minimalist, muted and beautiful as another Cult of Mac favorite, Reeder.

It certainly looks gorgeous and functional. My only complaint would be the lack of syncing with other note-taking services… namely the likes of SimplenoteApp. If you’re looking for an alternative to the eye sore of the iPad’s default Note.app, HelvetiNote is three bucks well spent.

Animated Knots by Grog is a great app that teaches you to tie all kinds of handy knots. This is the first app we’ve reviewed to earn five Black Turtlenecks using our rating system!

Apple has started to delete threads full of comments about the Consumer Reports article bashing the iPhone 4 antenna from its support forums.

Apple’s Discussion Forum censors went into overdrive today in what appears to be an attempt by Apple to squash all references to the Consumer Reports statement that it “can’t recommend” the iPhone 4 until the antenna issues are fixed, issues that their labs and I’ve independently confirmed on my own iPhone 4.

This isn’t the first time that Apple has had sour grapes about topics posted to their support forums. They have been known to regularly delete discussions about hardware or software flaws that Apple wasn’t ready to talk about. I’ve heard and read about Apple’s dreadful censoring habit for years when there were issues about iMacs, Powerbooks, and Mac OS X Leopard. It wasn’t until today that I saw a real example of Apple’s censorship happening to something that interested me.

I checked the forum postings that were in earlier reports and I wasn’t able to access them and received this error: “Error: you do not have permission to view the requested forum or category.” I searched the forums and found two live threads (at press time) here and here. Ironically, the first thread has disappeared only to be replaced by the error message and so far the second thread is still live, but I’m sure that won’t last very long.

Unfortunately for Apple, but luckily for us is that the Internet has a lot of wide open spaces that can be used to discuss the antenna issue that Apple does not want to admit to — so go ahead voice your comments good or bad here on Cult of Mac.

Apple will be forced to recall the iPhone 4 following Consumer Reports tests proving the “Death Grip” antenna issue is not software related, but a hardware flaw, PR experts say.

“Apple will be forced to do a recall of this product,” said Professor Matthew Seeger, an expert in crisis communication. “It’s critically important. The brand image is the most important thing Apple has. This is potentially devastating.”

A number of Cult of Mac readers, and numerous more on Apple’s Discussion boards, have reported a bevy of problems–some large, some small–after upgrading to iOS 4 or the iPhone 4. I don’t plan on boring you with a list of what users were complaining about. Instead, I will give you four troubleshooting tips that generally fix most, but not necessarily all iPhone and iOS problems.

Consumer Reports‘ conclusion that the iPhone 4 Death Grip is hardware-related is a huge blow for Apple. This isn’t something Apple can ignore — or brush off as a software problem that is easily fixed. Consumer Reportsis too big and important. Apple must respond.

But is the Death Grip a fuss about nothing? Given all the complexities of cell-phone networks, is the Death Grip something that doesn’t have much effect in day-to-day use?

[polldaddy poll=3462464]

Consumer Reports says the iPhone 4 has a design flaw with the antenna that adversly affects reception, and cannot recommend buying the iPhone.

The leading consumer magazine says the “death grip” reception problems are not software related, as Apple earlier claimed, and cannot be fixed with an update.

“When your finger or hand touches a spot on the phone’s lower left side—an easy thing, especially for lefties—the signal can significantly degrade enough to cause you to lose your connection altogether if you’re in an area with a weak signal, ” the Consumer Reports wrote in a blogpost. “Due to this problem, we can’t recommend the iPhone 4.”

The magazine tested three iPhone 4s in a radio frequency isolation chamber, which cuts off outside radio signals, and connected the phones to a special cell-tower emulator inside the chamber. The magazine also tested an iPhone 3GS and Palm Pre and found none had reception issues. The magazine says its tests question Apple’s honesty about the issue.

Our findings call into question the recent claim by Apple that the iPhone 4’s signal-strength issues were largely an optical illusion caused by faulty software that “mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength.”

Consumer Reports is instead recommending consumers buy — or keep — the older iPhone 3GS or check out another kind of smartphone altogether.

If you still want an iPhone 4, or already own one, the magazine advises covering the antenna gap with a piece of duct tape or another thick, non-conductive material. “It may not be pretty, but it works,” the magazine said. This quick fix is in lieu of a case, which the magazine admits it hasn’t been able to test yet.

Consumer Reports had earlier reported that the iPhone 4 death grip was probably no big deal.

Via Consumerist

We start another week with an assortment of items for your iPhone, iPod and Mac. First is a deal on a 24-inch LED Cinema Display – just $599. Next is the DLO HomeDock Deluxe Dock for your iPod. It connects to your home’s television, providing an on-screen menu. A remote control is also included – just $20. We wrap up our featured deals with the latest batch of App Store freebies, including “Qubits Clock,” a clock application for your iPhone or iPod touch.

Along the way, we’ll also check out a couple new cases for your iPhone, as well as a deal on Skullcandy earphones. As always, details on these and many other items are available at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.

Money makes the world go ’round, right? If that’s the case, then there’s no more essential app than PayPal; and here in the U.S., it’s really the closest thing we have to a virtual wallet — a concept other cultures (like Japan) have enjoyed for years.

At least one car in this year’s NYC to Las Vegas Bullrun Rally — an invitation-only rally (which the organizers claim differs from a race in that speeding is not allowed…uh, sure) in which 100 supercars race (sorry, rally) across the U.S. Cannonball-Run style —  is packing Apple tech.

Defending champs Team Wu is packing a dash-mounted iPad running Trapster’s iPad app in their officially named “Trapster Cop Car” (because it resembles a cop car) — in an effort to keep law enforcement off their backs while rallying at-or-below the speed limit in their Vortec supercharger-equipped 2010 Dodge Charger.

Of course, Trapster should also alert them to road hazards; but that’s probably not the reason the team has called Trapster their “secrat weapon.” Good luck, guys.

[via Trapster’s blog]

Does your small- or medium-sized business run on Macs? Are you a Mac IT-manager?

If so, we’ve got a new weekly feature for you: Macs at Work. Every week, we’ll answer your business-related questions, from setting up servers to running iPads in the enterprise. Macs at Work is brought to by Macuity, a Mac-focused IT consulting group located in Boston, MA.

This week, we have a question about Snow Leopard server for group calendar and contact sharing.