[Q] Cell Phone Signal Booster - Safe / Effective to use? - Galaxy S II Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi all,
I have purchased some accessories for my device that are aluminum (Bumper cases, Aluminum Battery Doors, etc) and although they are VERY pretty, they of course cause me to lose signal bars especially at home (I live in a Basement Suite)...
Would something like this http://www.cellphoneshop.net/noname144.html (Old School Signal Enhancer) be effective and is it as safe to use on these "Superphones" as it was to use on the old phones?
Please advise your thoughts...
Thanks,

Bump... Anyone?

These types of "Signal Booster" sticker things are a scam. It always has been. If it affect the signal that much, I recommend you getting a plastic case
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium

leminhnguyen0703 said:
These types of "Signal Booster" sticker things are a scam. It always has been. If it affect the signal that much, I recommend you getting a plastic case
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know about that. I had one a long time ago that I used on a "dumb phone" years ago and truthfully it did make a difference.
What I want to know really is if it would be safe to use on a "smart phone"?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium

Bump...

Related

This phone for 300?

Is that a good deal? It's off of craigslist
Only scratches are on the back cover and I only get the phone nothing else
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium
great deal
The phone is in perfect but under the battery cover looks like someone sanded it down i'm confused
What do you think?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium
Cerv3r said:
The phone is in perfect but under the battery cover looks like someone sanded it down i'm confused
What do you think?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, it makes me suspicious, as does that price on craigslist.
I posted pictures of it
above your post
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium
That doesn't look right... I would run from that one... Possibly a KIRF clone from China?
Don
i saw some i900 at 350 on ebay...
Just watch out, see te settings about the cellphone
If the phone is legit when I check it out.. Should I buy it?
How can I change the cover under the battery cover
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium
I just compared the back of the phone in the picture with mine. The pictured one looks to be made of a cheaper plastic than mine and/or as deeper indents. Anyone else notice this?
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium
A picture with the phone actually ON and WORKING would help
I'd stay away from it, seems shady. The seller possibly could of found it on the floor sans battery, and attempted to sand down rough knicks from it being dropped.
Also there's ribbons for the antenna and other things that go right where it's sanded down and you don't know if that's going to affect the signal or not.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using xda premium
If it's stolen, and was replaced through att insurance, I believe att places a permanent imei block on the phone. If that is the case, the phone will only function unlocked on TMo, sans 3 and "4" G data.
That price definately falls in the too-good-to-be-true category. If they don't want the phone, its been out less than 30 days, why don't they return it. Very fishy.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium
price isnt fishy, i bought an almost new sgs2 for $350 so $300 isnt far fetched
Cerv3r said:
I only get the phone nothing else
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the part that sounds fishy to me.
I would walk away.
I would at least get the imei number and call at&t and make sure it isn't stolen.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using xda premium
Wow, too damage for being a 30 days or less time phone...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using xda premium
Kinda scary. I would suggest going with the imei idea. If its legit and you don't mind the damage it would be a gamble still.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA App
quarlow said:
If they don't want the phone, its been out less than 30 days, why don't they return it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hadn't thought of that, although selling at this price could net them almost twice the money.

Gap on Phone Question

Hello,
I've heard a lot of people talking about gaps on their phone. Can someone post a picture of it? I can't really tell if my phone has one or not.
Crazysah
Crazysah said:
Hello,
I've heard a lot of people talking about gaps on their phone. Can someone post a picture of it? I can't really tell if my phone has one or not.
Crazysah
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you can't tell then why would you even want to try to submit yourself to such torture?
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
gaps is google apps.
WolfsFang said:
gaps is google apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not gapps he is talking bout a gap on the phone
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
shook187 said:
If you can't tell then why would you even want to try to submit yourself to such torture?
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Completely agree. My phone has a slight gap and I actually laughed about it because I would never have noticed it had I not read about some people's anal insanity.
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
I have a tiny gap on top but I dont think it's a big deal? Is it?
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
Well if the gap is affecting the seal and water/sweat can get in.... Then yes that would be a problem...
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2
dv84 said:
Well if the gap is affecting the seal and water/sweat can get in.... Then yes that would be a problem...
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes but this phone was never intended to be in or around any liquid substance so if that causes an issue, it's user error.
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
dv84 said:
Well if the gap is affecting the seal and water/sweat can get in.... Then yes that would be a problem...
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will get in it regardless of crack or no crack.
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
I looked at one in an ATT store, and the plastic bezel was terrible. Didn't line up, gaps, looked like it was cut with a stake knife. Made me not want the phone. Then went to wal-mart, and looked at a t-mobile phone. It was perfect, so I bought it.
I still would like to see a picture. I'm pretty sure I have one but I just want to confirm. Maybe I'm just too anal.
If you want to subject yourself to the OCD torture of the gap issues, there us a thread in the international One forum that has many pictures of the gap.
Also in the at+t forum there is s thread called gapgate. You'll find more pics there as well.
Some I would say are valid while a lot are being really OCD and nitpicking.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
For the bargain price of $650, would you really expect it to be perfect?
i also had the small gap at top, a little disappointing, but we all have this issue, making it not a issue
jonathan3579 said:
Yes but this phone was never intended to be in or around any liquid substance so if that causes an issue, it's user error.
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure if the gap does affect the seal, but all phones have some sort of seal even if they're not intended to be in or around a liquid substance. Sudden changes in climate cause moisture to form, and all manufacturers use measures to prevent it from going beneath the screen. I doubt the gaps affect this, so my rambling on was basically to say that I understand where the concern comes from.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
Towle said:
I'm not sure if the gap does affect the seal, but all phones have some sort of seal even if they're not intended to be in or around a liquid substance. Sudden changes in climate cause moisture to form, and all manufacturers use measures to prevent it from going beneath the screen. I doubt the gaps affect this, so my rambling on was basically to say that I understand where the concern comes from.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh I totally agree. Although from my observation, the gaps have been drastically overblown.
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
kaxiniao said:
i also had the small gap at top, a little disappointing, but we all have this issue, making it not a issue
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This.
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
I have a insanely small gap on mine but I decided to live with it since for the last 2 weeks I've examined the screen every day looking for dead pixels. Have found none. Seems like a lot of people are having them so I didn't want to risk getting one with dead pixels. I think it was a good compromise.
Sent from my HTC One TrickDroid 5.3.0 using XDA Premium
Sign up for Copy! A great dropbox alternative that gives you tons of FREE space! http://copy.com?r=luU4NP
Start off with 10 gigabytes of free storage with my referral!
The gap is a serious build-quality defect
Folks, this is a serious manufacturing defect build-quality issue in the first batches of the phone that we have got.
There must be ABSOLUTELY NO GAP between the chamfered metal edge and the plastic.
HTC themselves have claimed this, most recently a few days back in a video that they put up themselves boasting of its ZERO-GAP CONSTRUCTION!!!
Those who do not see it or understand the gap in your phone, please see the videos below.
Here you can clearly see the gap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwOu5oXpjVQ
And as you can see in the video below, just press your phone at the edge and you can clearly see the gap "closing" (what a shame),
Try it and you will most likely see it on your phone. This is really a shame.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNT1YRcGDL0
Folks this is serious.
I am having this gap too. (I went to the T-Mobile store and even their demo unit had this issue and they said that most of the phones in the batches so far have this issue.)
I am quite surprised by the responses from most of those who responded so far in this thread. Hope I have helped to make aware that these are indeed defective devices that we have got.
You paid a premium price for an expensive device that is supposed to be zero-gap construction and has been been advertised as such by HTC: unibody, precision-cut, diamond-cut, zero-gap construction.
(Here: http://www.htc.com/us/smartphones/htc-one/ and most recently here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiZMhmIWBRU )
This is a serious build quality issue in the batches of phones that have come out so far.
The sad thing is I showed this to the manager at my local Tmobile store and they said that they are not recognizing this as a defect and will be charging restock fees to exchange.

Replacement Back

Does any one know where to get a replacement back mine broke in my pocket today, I'd like to get a replacement that isn't glass, even if I have to sacrifice the NFC antenna.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
Only ones I've seen are the glass type on eBay ranging $100-$300
I'm in need of one too, mine broke a while ago and is progressively getting worse
Sent from my LG-E970 using xda premium
That's what I was afraid of. Think we could find someone with a very precise CNC machine to make us new ones for that much out of something like aluminum?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
NullandKale said:
That's what I was afraid of. Think we could find someone with a very precise CNC machine to make us new ones for that much out of something like aluminum?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awful idea. Remember iPhone antenna gate?
Sent via LG E970 with houstonn aokp 4.2.2
Right. But as far as I know only the NFC antenna is in the back not the GSM/LTE antenna so shouldn't it be fine? I'd at least try it for $50 bucks. Also if the metal would completely block the signal how does the HTC one get service?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using XDA Premium HD app
Because it's not all metal. There are little parts of it that aren't, and that's where the antennae are.
If you can't find a replacement back, maybe best case would be putting this on the back http://www.bodyguardz.com/armor-carbon-fiber-lg-optimus-g-p970.html to at least prevent it from getting worse. It should prevent pieces from falling off and it'll cover it up and make it look better (at least in theory).
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-O...e_Replacement_Parts_Tools&hash=item2ec7e390a9
I bought my replacement from the same seller (but the price was lower then). I took it to a screen/case repair stand at the mall and they installed in less than 10 minutes.

Aluminum cover for XZU that make it like an iPhone

Found this case online. However these guys are selling it wholesale.
http://m.dhgate.com/product/bumper-metal-frame-case-for-sony-xperia-z/172094564.html#pd-105
I don't know if someone else is retailing it online. I used the similar case for my Note 2 and 3. the build was good and also made my phones more appealing.
Sent from my C6833 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I like that. Does it affect the signal strength like the other aluminum bumpets do?
Sent from my C6833 using Tapatalk
I got one. It looks nice but adds considerable weight. It also impacts signal strength and the ports are difficult to access.

Iron Man Aluminum Case - very interesting

Has anyone tried this case? Looks very cool..
http://www.etsy.com/listing/186877908/the-iron-manaluminum-case-for-samsung?ref=shop_home_active_4
I just ordered the silver one, too cool looking to pass up.
mhoepfin said:
Has anyone tried this case? Looks very cool..
http://www.etsy.com/listing/186877908/the-iron-manaluminum-case-for-samsung?ref=shop_home_active_4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not bad, I like the black one. The price isn't too terrible either.
Now that's a real man's case. STEEL!!!!
+10 to man pts.
iPaq, I miss you
This looks EXACTLY like an iPaq case I had almost 10 years ago. Funny how things stay the same.
Standing by for someone to get this and check if all the aluminum interferes with the signal
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Interesting, keep us posted
Jfree3000 said:
Standing by for someone to get this and check if all the aluminum interferes with the signal
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Undoubtably. It's a lesson ASUS learned the hard way with their TF201...
Especially considering this is the description:
"Metal casing not only beautiful, but also has to reduce radiation. Therefore, it would have some interference signals. At weak signal area, may interfere with your cell phone use. However, in strong signal areas do not have any problems. If you mind, please buy with caution. I do not accept interference problems due to signal the negative feedback. Thank you for understanding."
It's like hearing Mark Rutte attempting to speak English, but what I can make out from that is that in weak-signal areas, you've basically got yourself a very expensive paperweight.
It does look really awesome, particularly the black one.
I like it except for the giant hinge on the side.
I want to rock that case so bad, but I simply cannot sacrifice signal.
ingenious247 said:
I want to rock that case so bad, but I simply cannot sacrifice signal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have one (silver) on the way from China, no idea when it will arrive.
If some of you are thinking about it, search ebay for "Iron man aluminum" for some better prices than I paid on Etsy.
I can sacrifice a little signal for something cool.
Has anyone received theirs yet? I've been using the old love Mei aluminum case and I'd like a new case. I just don't want to lose more signal than I do now.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
tpierce89 said:
Has anyone received theirs yet? I've been using the old love Mei aluminum case and I'd like a new case. I just don't want to lose more signal than I do now.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine must be on a slow boat... no idea when it will arrive. Looked all over the interwebz for a review or video but couldn't find one.
Any updates?
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Jfree3000 said:
Any updates?
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got it this week but have been travelling so haven't had much of a chance to mess with it. Front is metal, back and sides are plastic, so I don't think there is going to be an interference issue. I put the phone in it for a few minutes and didn't notice a big difference in signal.
Case is pretty bulky and heavy, but I can guarantee it will stand out in a crowd!

Categories

Resources