Anandtech compared the differences in signal mapping between iOS 4 and iOS 4.0.1 (and iOS 4.1) and concluded that Apple has indeed produced a much more reliable system (meaning the old system was less than honestly reporting strength):

As you can see the old way (top) put far too much weight into the 5th bar of signal. Apple’s new approach not only splits it up more reasonably between the 4th and 5th bar (still non-linearly keeping you in the 5th bar if possible) but also extends the range of the lower bars.

[...] The result is that most iPhone users will see fewer bars disappear when they hold the iPhone 4 in a bare hand. The side effect is that the iPhone now displays fewer bars in most places, and users that haven't been reporting signal in dBm will time see the – perhaps a bit shocking – reality of locations previously denoted as having excellent signal.

That was my experience as well — even with iPhone 3GS.

[Andandtech]

iOS 4 vs. iOS 4.0.1 (and iOS 4.1) signal mapping changes is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Calcbot is a universal calculator application for iPad and iPhone. It is a basic scientific calculator but is designed well with big buttons and tape. For this review, we will be focusing on the iPad version.

In landscape, you will find the calculator on the left and tape on the right. The calculator has two pages of buttons which keeps them nice and big. Just swipe the calculator to the left to bring the next page of functions. The first page is primarily numbers and basic operators as well as power and root functions. The second page contains a more functions such at the specific powers of 2 and 3, square root, factorial, log, natural logarithm, exponential, and trigonometric functions. Tapping the shift key (up arrow) will change the trigonometric functions to their inverses. Calcbot lets you chose between radians and degrees as well. The second page does not include an equal sign. This is annoying because a calculation does not appear on the tape until the equal sign is tapped.

If you want to re-enter a calculation from the tape, just tap the desired calculation and a menu pops up to use result, use expression, copy, send in email, or delete. You can also swipe to delete any expression. To email or clear the entire tape, tap the wheel in the upper right hand corner. If you’re not interested in seeing the tape, rotate to portrait mode to view only the calculator.

Calcbot is an excellent little calculator app that looks and works great. There is nothing fancy about it, but that’s part of it’s appeal. Calcbot is strait-forward and to the point which makes it easy and intuitive to use. Simply put, Calcbot is another visually appealing and terrifically designed app by Tapbots.

Screenshots after the break!

[$0.99 - iTunes link]

Pros

• Simple and effective calculator
• Email and access calculations from tape
• Swipe to access more functions. This keeps the calculator buttons nice and big.

Cons

• Must hit equal sign for calculation to appear on tape. It would be nice to have equal sign available on both screens.

Calcbot for iPad (and iPhone) – app review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Not to be completely over-shadowed by it’s older if smaller iPhone brother, iPad also received an update from Apple today — to iOS 3.2.

We’re updating as we type but if you notice and Wi-Fi reception fixes or anything else of note, let us know in the comments!

Apple releases iOS 3.2.1 for iPad is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Apple has released iOS 4.0.1 for iPhone. Looks like the rumors were true. Go grab it and enjoy your new bars. Let us know if it fixes any other problems you might have been having.

Apple releases iOS 4.0.1 for iPhone is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

The bad press continues to mount for Apple but this time it was not from David Letterman or Top Gear rather the TV show The View. Whoopi Goldberg described how she took out her frustration of the constant poor performance she has had with her iPhone 4. Exactly how did she destroy you ask – opened her car door and smashed the phone onto the ground.

Luckily my iPhone 4 works pretty well, though I’m sure I would be rational enough not to smash my device on the ground.

Video after the break!

[Gawker.TV]

Whoopi Goldberg destroyed her iPhone 4 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Bloomberg is reporting that “someone familiar with the matter” is claiming Apple’s very own antenna expert, Ruben Caballero, warned the company of possible flaws that could have created the issues so many of you are currently experiencing – dropped calls and reception problems.

The report also includes a separate source claiming a particular unnamed carrier also voiced it’s concern to Apple over the newly designed antenna system prior of it’s release on June 24th. This news all coming in within just one day prior to Apple’s last minute iPhone 4 press conference.

Apple has declined to comment and is refusing to grant any interviews with Ruben Caballero.

[Bloomberg]

Bloomberg: Apple engineer warned company of possible iPhone 4 antenna woes is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

iPhoneHellas.gr is claiming they’ve heard Apple will release iOS 4 later today. They’ve gotten that kind of stuff right before, and Apple does have an iPhone 4 press conference scheduled for tomorrow, so the timing would make some sense. iOS 4.0.1 being released would mean the changes to the way bars are shown and reported in the developer beta for iOS 4.1 would be public and could be stated as such by Apple.

It would be a couple weeks earlier than Apple’s usual end of July/beginning of August iOS x.0.1 update cycle, but likely welcome by those suffering proximity sensor issues and other iOS 4 bugs.

Ping us if you’re iTunes catches an update.

[iPhoneHellas.gr via MacRumors]

Rumor: iOS 4.0.1 coming today? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

iOS 3.0 introduced A2DP (advanced audio distribution profile) stereo bluetooth playback to iPhone but for some reason Apple never added the accompanying AVRCP (audio/video remote control profile) to go with it… until the new iOS 4.1 beta.

Basically, in iOS 3 and iOS 4, you could play and pause music and other audio but you couldn’t control things like volume. The buttons on the Bluetooth device simply didn’t work. This was a show-stopper for many users who wanted and needed that kind of control — for example, to use while driving.

Looks like they’ve got it now.

[MacRumors forums via 9to5Mac]

iOS 4.1 features: AVRCP stereo Bluetooth controls is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is using his iPad “night and day” for both work and pleasure. According to Deputy Mayor Howard Wolfson, “he takes the iPad with him everywhere. He uses it all the time.” He even had it accompany him during his visit with Queen Elizabeth last week.

The mayer uses his iPad to read speeches, keep notes, obtain briefing materials, check the weather, get directions with Google maps, and read books and magazines. Bloomberg has a goal to go paperless and the iPad his helping him do just that. However, his staff does keep a briefing book for him as a backup.

It’s great to see someone with such a high profile and important job using his iPad to improve his work life. Even as a victim of the last month’s security breech that exposed iPad user’s email addresses, Bloomberg still thinks highly of his iPad and called up Steve Jobs to personally let him know.

It’s amazing. I told Steve Jobs the other day, if he can improve on this, it’ll really be amazing. I just, every time I play with it, I discover something new.

Improve? Sure, we agree that even the iPad could use some improvements, but exactly which improvements does Bloomberg have in mind to bring the iPad from “amazing” to “really amazing”?

[NYDailyNews via TUAW]

Mayor of NYC thinks iPad is amazing is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Some mainstream media outlets have raised the sensationalist specter of an iPhone 4 recall as something Apple should consider/must do/will do at Friday’s press conference.

To that, we’d just like to remind them and everyone else that anyone who has the antenna problem, the proximity sensor problem, or just wants to return their iPhone 4 to Apple is still within the 30 day period to do so, and Apple has waived the usual restocking fee. That means anyone unhappy with iPhone 4 to the point of wanting Apple to take it back can already walk right in and give it back.

Sure, it’s not the same thing as a recall, or a free bumper, or having Apple genius’ squirt invisible insulation over the antenna juncture, but it’s reality today and for another week and a half to come.

iPhone 4 recall? Users can still return them is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog