Griffin's ugly-ass ClearBoost iPhone antenna booster hits the scene

Griffin's antenna-stub sporting ClearBoost case for the iPhone just hit the streets, and opinions are already pouring in. The case involves the antenna, a bumper and a screen protector, and while the resulting combination is not much for loooks, iLounge found it to improve performance in certain situations. Apparently in very low coverage areas the ClearBoost isn't much help, but in wonky two or three bar situations ClearBoost added one or two bars. Sounds like a win to us, but you're going to have to have some serious need of signal to sacrifice iPhone aesthetics this totally.

[Via iLounge]

[coolent @ Apr 4th 2008 1:12AM]

I booster

[TheChris @ Apr 4th 2008 1:13AM]

It looks like a [insert noun here]!

[zed @ Apr 4th 2008 1:13AM]

you guys report on cases now? i see..

[Patriks7 @ Apr 4th 2008 2:05AM]

i like ur avatar..

[phanbouy @ Apr 4th 2008 2:05AM]

silicone. cases, that is. mmhmm

[Danger @ Apr 4th 2008 4:03AM]

I don't think we'll ever see Zed with a low rank...

I wish my avatar had boobs.

[giantenemycrab @ Apr 4th 2008 1:16AM]

I have yet to find an iPhone case that isn't ugly as dirt.. :/

[CL @ Apr 4th 2008 1:20AM]

put a "as seen on tv" logo on it and it block those harmful radiation too.

[Avedis @ Apr 4th 2008 1:22AM]

"Sounds like a win to us, but you're going to have to have some serious need of signal to sacrifice iPhone aesthetics this totally."

It is good to grammar. I often.

[Aarun @ Apr 4th 2008 1:26AM]

dump?

[phanbouy @ Apr 4th 2008 1:28AM]

ewe wyn

[phanbouy @ Apr 4th 2008 1:29AM]

hmm that was to Avedis. i see the reply is still broken-ass?

[Drew @ Apr 4th 2008 1:31AM]

I dunno the iSkin Revo is pretty nice :)

[Ace b @ Apr 4th 2008 1:32AM]

well,they have those completely clear cases for the iphone don't they?like they do with the classics?Those dont look too bad.

[Drew @ Apr 4th 2008 1:33AM]

Sigh... supposed to be to giantenemycrab. Reply is broken.

[Zorque @ Apr 4th 2008 1:35AM]

I think "this totally" means "this much", in which case that sentence is fine.

[Zorque @ Apr 4th 2008 1:36AM]

Dammit, that was at Avedis.

[ByronGman @ Apr 4th 2008 1:38AM]

It looks like a walkie-talkie now......

[Mason Trang @ Apr 4th 2008 1:45AM]

new iphone coming out soon anyways.

[rTwelve @ Apr 4th 2008 2:00AM]

not often i see "ugly-ass" in my rss feed....

[Bloobie @ Apr 4th 2008 2:03AM]

Agent18 makes a very nice case for the iPhone.

[Bobcat @ Apr 4th 2008 2:13AM]

Is it just me, for is that case giving the finger in a legit way...

[gabe @ Apr 4th 2008 2:16AM]

i think it looks fine - i have the seidio case - and it looks similar - except with the stub at the top

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Apr 4th 2008 2:16AM]

A cell phone is useless if it cannot get a tower, I'd trade looks for a better signal any day. Aesthetics are meaning less if it has no function.

[kode @ Apr 4th 2008 2:19AM]

Why am I getting these Apple news in my non-Apple rss feeds? I wanted gadget news without the endless Apple tidbits, and so I changed my feeds to non-Apple ones. But apparently Engadget insists on informing us every time Jobs wipes his a$$.

[phanbouy @ Apr 4th 2008 2:24AM]

ooooh. i don't know! who am i?

[Iain @ Apr 4th 2008 2:50AM]

A bird?
A plane?
What?

[Adam @ Apr 4th 2008 3:18AM]

iPhone Clearboost antenna

[andy @ Apr 4th 2008 3:21AM]

looks like an upside down popsicle

[Michael LaFramboise @ Apr 4th 2008 3:23AM]

case?

[Ocelot13 @ Apr 4th 2008 3:55AM]

and a note from xkcd...

"Griffin's ugly ass-clear boost iPhone antenna booster hits the scene"

[Danger @ Apr 4th 2008 4:03AM]

I don't think we'll ever see Zed with a low rank...

[Danger @ Apr 4th 2008 4:04AM]

Reply is broken. I'll just start the trend and [-1] myself right now.

For both posts.

[sam @ Apr 4th 2008 4:20AM]

http://www.andybrain.com/extras/cellphone-antenna-booster-sticker-review-and-test.htm

Yea, not happenin.

[Icesword @ Apr 4th 2008 4:33AM]

http://iPhoneLEGO.com/

[sam1am @ Apr 4th 2008 4:37AM]

Yea, that'll never work. Please be serious.

[shortarabguy @ Apr 4th 2008 5:13AM]

Am I the only one who doesn't think this looks that bad? I mean, it's not great, but then I can't imagine an addon that wouldn't make the iPhone look clunky.

[Darkest Daze @ Apr 4th 2008 5:19AM]

Is it giving me the finger?

[David @ Apr 4th 2008 6:29AM]

I always have 5 bars on my iPhone, so I don't see the point of this, actually.

Like [nearly] all cases, this one looks like it will invalidate every dock you own.

The only attractive and dock-friendly case (insert #10) I've found is the Cozip. Sure, it's only minimally "protective", but if reducing the likelihood of dropping the phone is protective [it is], then it's also "protective".

[happy_penguin @ Apr 4th 2008 8:05AM]

I use a molded case by Incase. Rather than using the dock I just plug the charge cable directly into the phone. I prefer to have good protection rather than the ability to use the dock. Of course one could always remove the case while charging but it just seems easier to me to not use the dock.

[tom @ Apr 4th 2008 8:42AM]

reminds me of those "signal booster sticker" scam (the sticker that sells for 10 bucks that scientifically tested will not boost signal strength)

Another one of those?

[Mark @ Apr 4th 2008 8:53AM]

looks like bunny ears for your iphone.

[TubeTop100.com @ Apr 4th 2008 9:03AM]

It's not a scam. I put 5 of those stickers on my cellphone and now I have to pay international roaming charges each time I make a call.

[mymaclife @ Apr 4th 2008 9:14AM]

I think he's a tit! I just can't decide which one I prefer of the two though.

[Giddygoon @ Apr 4th 2008 9:30AM]

At least this could help those actors figure out which way to hold it!

[Maestro @ Apr 4th 2008 9:50AM]

I don't think you know the way Engadget works. If they post the story saying Device X is ugly, the next 50 posts talk about how ugly it is. If the story says Device X is sexy, the next 50 posts are "me want"'s.

[Hax Or @ Apr 4th 2008 10:07AM]

me want

[Stephen @ Apr 4th 2008 11:40AM]

hahaha, oh the engadget humor.

[jmiday @ Apr 4th 2008 11:43AM]

looks like the default engadget avatar

[Dr.Awesome @ Apr 4th 2008 12:28PM]

I think I found your Motorcycle, I mean, Chopper.