The last time I looked something up in the Yellow Pages was back in the pre-Google era as part of a youthful prank calling spree, although I’m sure I used it to keep a door open at some point in the last eight years. And now I’m stuck with an unwanted Yellow Pages app that came on my Android phone. It can’t be deleted, along with a stupid Blockbuster app and other useless things I do not want. [More]
iphone
E-Mail To Apple CEO Gets AT&T To Unlock Customer's iPhone
By 3.20.12
The late Apple chief Steve Jobs was notorious for replying to customers’ e-mails, though not always in the most professional manner. New CEO Tim Cook may not be e-mailing people back directly, but it looks like someone in his office is checking the inbox. [More]
Is AT&T Misleading iPhone 4S Users About 4G Access?
By 3.8.12
Yesterday, the same day that Apple announced its new iPad would be able to access AT&T and Verizon’s 4G LTE networks, AT&T iPhone 4S owners received an update to their devices — and suddenly millions of people who had been told their phone didn’t work on 4G networks now had a little icon that reads “4G.” But it’s really just the same speed they had the day before. [More]
How Apple Lost A Dedicated Customer Over A Stupid Pink Dot
By 2.21.12
For several years, we’ve been writing about the iPhone’s built-in humidity detector and numerous customers’ complaints that an incorrect reading had voided the phone’s warranty. Now one Consumerist reader explains why he’s voided his long-term relationship with Apple over this little pink dot. [More]
Dating Site Says Android Users Are More Likely To Give It Up On The First Date
By 2.2.12
Match.com did some very scientific research in Canada, polling singles living up there beyond our borders, and found that Android users are a lot more likely than other smartphone users to put out on the first date. Maybe don’t use that as your pick-up line, however, if you spot someone with an Android phone. [More]
Do You Use Your Mobile Phone In The Bathroom?
By 2.1.12
We’ve all got that person at work who just yakkety yaks away on their phone in the bathroom, and it’s probably the same guy/gal who uses their shoe to flush and opens the door with a paper towel (so inconsistent, germaphobes!) Hey, maybe that’s even you, because as a new survey says, lots of us use our mobile devices in the john. No judgment! [More]
EECB To AT&T Succeeds Where Small Claims Court Fails
By 1.4.12
Consumerist reader Judy has three young daughters, all of whom have Samsung Impression phones, many of which have failed over the last year or so and needed to be replaced by AT&T. So when the holiday times rolled around, Judy wanted to upgrade her kids’ regular ol’, buggy cell phones with iPhone 4S smartphones. She’d hoped that AT&T would see the benefit in allowing her to upgrade early and get a head start on paying them more money. Alas, the Death Star did not see the wisdom in her way of thinking. [More]
Apple Gives Thief A Replacement iPhone When The One He Took From Me Wouldn't Work
By 1.2.12
Apple’s policy of not intervening in the theft of their products from customers is costing them a wad of cash, after store employees in Toronto handed over a new iPhone to a thief. [More]
AT&T Dealer Makes Error That No One Has The Power To Fix, Ever
By 12.15.11
When Zach bought iPhones for his parents and added them to his AT&T plan, someone made a mistake. One of the new phones became the primary line on the account, Zach’s phone became one of the secondary lines, and this messed up his ability to upgrade to a shiny new iPhone of his own so he could FaceTime video conference just like his super-cool parents. Only that’s not how things work at AT&T Wireless. Zach was told that no one in the entire company has the power to fix this error. Not the customer service reps. Not the managers. Not the CEO. Not even the combined forces of Seal Team Six and the ghost of Steve Jobs could undo this error committed by a single authorized AT&T dealer employee somewhere in the Western United States. [More]
Apple Removes App That Let Users Make Fake Driver's Licenses
By 12.12.11
Well, that was quick. On Friday, we wrote about the iOS app that allowed users to craft fake driver’s licenses — for the sole purpose of entertaining and amusing their friends, of course — and how one U.S. Senator had appealed to Apple CEO Tim Cook to have it removed from Apple’s online store. Looks like that may have been sufficient, as the app has is no longer on sale. [More]
Motorola Wins Patent Battle And Potential For Injunction Against Apple In Germany
By 12.9.11
Apple is having a tough go of it over in Europe, as they’re involved in various lawsuits in several countries, including one they just lost. Motorola Mobility just scored a big hit against Apple, winning a patent infringement suit against them in Germany. [More]
Android Users Will Also Be Able To Take Faux-Vintage Photos With Instagram
By 12.8.11
Good news, Android users who have been just dying to take as many cool, faux-vintage retro-ish pics on your smartphones — soon Instagram won’t just be for iPhones anymore. Developers are working on a version of the photo app for the Android platform. [More]
Reader Gets AT&T To Admit It's Their Towers That Suck, Not The iPhone
By 11.11.11
Melissa couldn’t get any reception around her home on her iPhone, despite living only 25 miles from downtown Chicago. Zero bars. It wasn’t just annoying to always miss calls, it was also damaging her rental business. But thanks to a detailed, and snarky, email to the CEO of AT&T, she was able to get the wireless provider to reset its towers and fix the service around her house. [More]
Do Not Call 911 Five Times About Your Broken iPhone
By 11.11.11
911 emergency services are a very helpful community resource, but they have their limits. They cannot, for example, deliver you a pizza. Or transfer you to AppleCare when your iPhone doesn’t work. That didn’t stop a man in Illinois from doing the latter…and then getting arrested for it. [More]
Consumer Reports Issues Its Verdict On The iPhone 4S
By 11.8.11
When Apple last overhauled the iPhone, our corporate cousins at Consumer Reports ruled that, in spite of all the device’s positives, they could not recommend it because of the so-called “death grip” issue, a fundamental design flaw that could lead to weakened signals or dropped calls if the user placed their hand over a certain spot on the edge of the phone. Now that the iPhone 4S has hit the market and the testers at CR have had the chance to put it through its paces, would the new phone fare better than its predecessor? [More]
Apple Confirms iOS 5 Bug Is Screwing With Some iPhone 4S Batteries
By 11.2.11
It’s been almost a week since some iPhone 4S users began complaining about their batteries not charging or draining too quickly and all the while Apple had remained quiet on the topic. But today, the cool kids of Cupertino confirmed that some glitches in the latest iPhone operating system appear to be the cause of the problem. [More]
Returned iPhone Within 30 Days, Still Charged $350 ETF
By 10.28.11
Justin’s and his wife live in a major metropolitan area, and therefore their phone service with AT&T Wireless is crappy. His wife upgraded to an iPhone 4, found it even more unusable than her previous phone, and returned it within the 30-day return period. This means that they shouldn’t have to pay an early termination fee on her contract. Yet she did, and now AT&T won’t refund the fee. [More]
