N900 Rocks!... But Weak 2G radio
 

I posted a very commending review on Thursday of all the N900's goodness:

1. Web & Flash experience is stunning
2. Video support
3. Good audio volume and quality from the 3.5 jack
4. The "E words" play great and equal or better than Droid (this was not in review- but worth pointing out).
5. Love having the precise input of a stylus as an option instead of just fingers.
6. Truly a netbook in the pocket

I then actually went out with the N900 as my "phone":

The N900 has the weakest 2G radio for a phone I have had and I have lived in the same area for over ten years for reference. I tested in weaker coverage areas, compared to my G1, Tmo Dash and N-gage. Places where I always would get one or two bars, will have no bars and when the N900 loses signal, it sometimes takes over one minute to get a signal back in an area with good coverage.

I do not mind that the N900 is not "phone-centric", but need to at least be able to make calls in weak coverage areas. I expected the N900 to at least have the same radio of the N-Gage, but did not expect it to be weaker than the G1 (weakest signal until got the N900).

Is there any way to adjust the signal like we can with wifi? This is going to be bad for me to get rid of the N900, considering the great features, but I do not want to have to carry two devices- The N900 and a phone with a decent signal.

Did they cut down on the 2G radio to conserve battery?

Re: N900 Rocks!... But Weak 2G radio
 

Nope, not to our knowledge. I've got no problems with reception even in low coverage/weak coverage areas. Where in Kentucky are you at? I used to live there and I know there are some very well known blackholes there.

Re: N900 Rocks!... But Weak 2G radio
 

Ten miles from Lexington. In Lexington, the signal is great, but the weaker areas on I75 and where I live have "one bar" areas. G1 was the weakest and has a few black-hole areas, but they last a few hundred meters and then the signal is back. I can go almost two miles in spots with the N900 and the N900 loses signal. I then enter an area with good coverage and the N900 will sometimes not regain signal until at least a minute later. Never experienced this on any previous phone- smartphone or dumb.

Heck, I was not happy with the G1's signal, but would love to have that compared to the N900's. I am very depressed :( Well, as depressed as device can make someone. The irony.

Re: N900 Rocks!... But.....
 

hm i hope i wont have such kind of problems.
but i have a "similar" problem when listening to radio.
on my samsung jet, some stations have a good quality when i listen to them at home.
when i try to listen the same station from the same spot at home with my creative zen, i just get a noise. i use the same headphones as antenna.
i havent yet figured out why this is happening.

Re: N900 Rocks!... But.....
 

Pretty decent 2G signal strength here. I can manage to get data in my parent's house, even, which is usually something of a Faraday cage.

Re: N900 Rocks!... But.....
 

I have more reception now than I did with my jailbroken iphone (t-mobile 2.5G) on a number of subway platforms now here in NYC. previously 0 or 1 bars on EDGE, now 1-3 bars on EDGE (2.5G) on the N900.

Re: N900 Rocks!... But.....
 

Oh come now Sheldon! : )

Re: N900 Rocks!... But.....
 

I'm not sure this is directly applicable to the OP, but my house happens to be in one of those weak signal areas. To my surprise, the N900 with T-Mobile gives me excellent signal strength inside my house. The Motorola Droid on VZW gives me either 0 or 1 bars and the call quality -- when I can make a call -- is terrible.

I realize the difference could be that T-Mobile has improved their coverage in my area while Verizon has not, but I also think the N900 cellular radio is doing a better job than the one in the Droid. Purely subjective, but that's my opinion.

Re: N900 Rocks!... But Weak 2G radio
 

Are you sure the bars shown are calibrated across devices? How do you know that the actual reception is poor? I've known phones that show one bar, and still get decent reception.

Re: N900 Rocks!... But.....
 

It's built out of plaster and lead paint. I think the description is apt.