Way to recycle, and of course prove yet another way that Red Bull is indispensable.

Michael @ Paperweight Blog

It doesn't have to be that big, right? The antennas are at the bottom of the phone, where it's plastic. The metal encased part of the phone doesn't let signals pass through; that's why plastic was needed on the bottom of the phone.

Captain Bringdown

1) What's with the recent avalanche of ghetto DIY projects?
2) Sugar free?

strabes

wouldn't a sliced open red bull can do more in the way of slicing open the user?

davidfbecker

Try grounding the speakerwires, might do the trick.

sisedi

@mwagner: Given that it is a recyclable can, it's probably made out of the same metal as any other can (at least any other beverage can.)

Captain Bringdown

OK, I'm a complete spaz when it comes to hardware hacking -- will this work with most kinds of cans, or is Red Bull made of some rare metal -- perhaps adamantium, the same stuff as used in the Wolverine's skeleton and claws?

I'm thinking that a regular grocery can might work better for this purpose in the avoiding-slicing-open-your-hand department.

mwagner

Too good. I need to do this to my baby monitor. Charging my mobile within 400 metres gives ridiculous static.

cbiggins

Or you could use aluminum foil and not run the risk of bleeding all over your electronics.

taybay

How many times do I need to see this stupid idea?? What moron would want to be seen with a red bull can around their iPhone?? I guess morons who drink Red Bull.

wildness

It has to be said that I've never had the radio-crackle problem since I've been using 3G phones (what, 3 years now?). It's non-existant, at least with Nokia phones (can't say I've noticed any of my friends phones doing it either). It used to happen constantly around 1999, but that was almost 10 years ago, and several generations of phones ago...

Al Iguana

@Al Iguana
Not sure if this is the reason...
But CDMA mobiles don't have this problem...
This issue is only with GSM mobile phones.

flash2004

I believe it is At & t's network. I have always had to keep my phone a way from the speakers. But all that changed with 3G.

surfingniceguy

So if you drink beer out of a Red Bull can, it won't give you a buzz?

davearonson

I've read places that this is just a hoax. I haven't tried it though because I don't have a big enough can.

math_boy

@Al Iguana: Ditto that. It's mainly GSM 850 that makes the buzzing noise. I've noticed that GSM 1900 does it, but not quite as loud. CDMA (Verizon) and just about all flavors of 3G (which are CDMA frequencies anyway) don't make the noise. This is actually one of the things I'm most excited about with the new iPhone...

cebailey

or you could use aluminum tape, like what they use for ducting, it would work, and be easy, and its like 3-6 bucks a roll

jacobtriffo

i am already the butt of jokes for being too "trendy"... i don't even want to think of what people would say if i put a red bull can around my iphone.

tbcolby

Ughhh!

Onewalrus

@math_boy: "Do these jeans make my can look big?"

mwagner

At least with my Nokia E61i, its much simpler than this. Simply take a piece of aluminum foil. Fold it over. Lay it down on your desk. Place the phone on top. Done.

The odd part is that it even works to suppress buzz in speakers that are still directly in its path without going thru the aluminum foil at all. Don't know why it works. But it does. I've suggested it to others and had it work for them too.

The phone has to be very close to the foil. If you place the foil under something (like a rubber mouse pad say) it might not work as well if the pad is too thick. In my car, I've placed it under a rubber pad and it works fine there, preventing the GSM buzz on my TL's speakers.

You might want to try it. I know some iPhone users have done something similar by taping the aluminum foil to the antenna section on the back of their iPhone, making the fix somewhat permanent.

And yes, the phone still seems to work just as well as before.

gconnery

Or you could just use the advice linked at the beginning that says to use the clip-on ferrite beads from Radio Shack on your speaker wires to insulate from interference. It's classy, easy on the eyes, accepted by the tech world, and won't require digit-reattachment surgury every few days.

Not to mention you won't have a 2-cent Red Bull blanket wrapped around your $500 iPhone. Isn't that a bit light putting a bumper sticker on a Ferrari?

spanky_says

You should be able to make it into something like a Faraday cage if you ground the shield as well, making it even more efficient. The easiest way to do a dock like that would probably be to simply run a wire over to your PC case and clip it onto a fan grill or something.

fuchikoma