Dudes, put the Bumper on the iPhone 4 and move on

Consumer Reports, like many other technology reviewers, is having plenty of trouble with the iPhone 4. On one hand it offers a really great mobile experience, does almost everything that a user would want, sports a fantastic screen, workable video conferencing and a zillion applications. And then there's this occasional problem with the antenna that can be easily worked around. Obviously, this phone is a failure.

I enjoyed the passive-aggressive quality of the Consumer Reports reviews. (Please note that I'm a supporter of the Consumer Reports Foundation and a subscriber to the print edition.)

In its review section, the reviewer calls it the iPhone 4 "a high-scoring, versatile, and innovative smart phone that performs even better than its 3G S predecessor. A very good choice for multimedia addicts--and even corporate users."

Here, the iPhone 4's score of 76 is several points higher than the top-scoring iPhone 3GS, which is tied with the HTC Evo 4G. The new Apple iPhone is the top-rated smart phone. But Consumer Reports can't recommend the top-rated unit because of its antenna problem. It wants an integrated, free fix.

However, over on the Consumer Reports blog, we read how easy it is to fix the phone. I mean all that you need is a piece of tape.

We did, however, find an affordable solution for suffering iPhone 4 users: Cover the antenna gap with a piece of duct tape or another thick, non-conductive material. It may not be pretty, but it works. We also expect that using a case would remedy the problem. We'll test a few cases this week and report back.

Do that. But in the mean time, can't everyone just put a Bumper case on their iPhone 4 and then go out enjoy the best phone on the market? Or a piece of tape. Is this so hard?