iPhone / iOS Thread

[laxmax613]

I have another year with Verizon, so when it's done, it's iPhone time. hopefully by then i could have it on Verizon, but i wouldn't constrain myself. The white one is the one i want. it looks like it's straight out of 2001: a space odyssey.

 

[thevictor390]

If it were advertised simply as a media player, then yes - it is probably one of the best. But there are a lot of things that are...half-assed at best. Example from this morning. I had to wake up early for my new job, so I set two alarm clocks - my cell phone and the iPod. The day before I had turned down the volume on the iPod, so guess what happens - I get a silent alarm in the morning. The only thing that happened was that the screen turned on and it read "Alarm". No sound!

I've had about five mobile phones in the past and their alarm worked perfectly, regardless of what sound level I had set for ringing. It's such a small thing, and I bet it can be fixed with a tiny piece of code, yet Apple have not fixed it for years!

My last media player - Creative Zen, was a very basic device with very few features. But that's how it was advertised - it's just an Mp3 player, take it or leave it. With the Touch, Apple advertised it as so much more than a media player...and it just isn't.

So again - it's not the problem of the device as a device, it is perfect for what it does. It is Apple's sneaky, unscrupulous, deceptive marketing strategy. (Yes, I admit - I fell in their trap)

It's a preference. What if you are in a situation that you need your phone to be silent, regardless of any alarms or reminders or whatever? Silent mode should keep the phone silent.

The failure here, as often with Apple, is a lack of choice. Ideally alarm would have a separate volume. E.g., on my phone, there are separate controls for ring volume vs. media volume (alarm follows ring volume).

 

[PacketCollision]

I had to wake up early for my new job, so I set two alarm clocks - my cell phone and the iPod. The day before I had turned down the volume on the iPod, so guess what happens - I get a silent alarm in the morning. The only thing that happened was that the screen turned on and it read "Alarm". No sound!

I've had about five mobile phones in the past and their alarm worked perfectly, regardless of what sound level I had set for ringing. It's such a small thing, and I bet it can be fixed with a tiny piece of code, yet Apple have not fixed it for years!

It's a preference. What if you are in a situation that you need your phone to be silent, regardless of any alarms or reminders or whatever? Silent mode should keep the phone silent.

I don't know if the iTouch works this way, but with the iPhone, the alarm will play at the previously-set ring volume when in silent mode, but if you lower the volume to 0 it will play silently. This is not perhaps the most intuitive way they could have built it, but it allows for both silencing the alarm completely when you want to, and also not being woken up in the night by a text-message/email/call but still hearing your alarm. I use it in the "silent with audible alarm" mode every day to wake me up. As an added bonus, I can set the volume low enough that I wake up but my wife does not.

 

[_HighVoltage_]

Ideally alarm would have a separate volume. E.g., on my phone, there are separate controls for ring volume vs. media volume (alarm follows ring volume).

Hallelujah! An alarm is an alarm - it is supposed to be loud. It is usually set for a reason. At least I don't set my alarm for no reason whatsoever.

We've gone off topic again.

 

[watto]

Well, even if iOS4 and iPhone 4 are God's gift to man or some shit, I'm still goingt o be seriously looking at an HTC running Android in January when my contract runs out...

 

[prizrak]

Huge rant summary: networks in Aus sux.

Here is the thing, currently ATT is $30 for "unlimited" internet (it's 5GB in reality). They are changing to $15 for 200mb and $25 for 3GB, don't care to remember what the overage charges are but keep in mind that there is NO unlimited (or 5GB plan anymore). They announced it literally days before the WWDC, which is showing an assload of new interesting features like facetime, netflix stream, farmville, etc.. that will require a LOT of data. This basically means that a good number of people will go over the limits and end up paying more than the $30 we are paying now.

Granted you CAN stay on the "unlimited" plan but in that case you cannot have tethering, which is a feature that many people have been asking for. Mind you that tethering doesn't give you any extra data limits and your average laptop will suck down quite a bit more bandwidth than a smart phone, mostly because things are generally optimized for smart phones these days (at least big sites).

See I'm not touching on coverage or network speed here (which blows in Manhattan, where I just HAPPEN to spend most of my time since I work there) but simply the fact that ATT is totally fucking everyone over with their data plan overhaul.

And I wouldn't call not making a sound when on mute a bug.

I would actually. It's not any sound it's an alarm. I have the same exact problem with the iPhone that I have, it keeps the same volume level for the alarm as it does for the rest of the sounds. Now you might be thinking "Whats the big deal?"

Say you use your phone as an alarm, which is quite popular these days, that means that the phone needs to be next to your bed. As I get a huge number of automated e-mails they come at any time they feel like, I don't exactly want to be waking up every time I get an e-mail so lowering/muting sounds for night is something that would be nice.....

Well, even if iOS4 and iPhone 4 are God's gift to man or some shit, I'm still goingt o be seriously looking at an HTC running Android in January when my contract runs out...

Hence the problem here. The iOS (wonder what Cisco will think about that...) 4 looks like a very good piece of software and the hardware is excellent (as usual) but all the Apple BS + ATT's lack of good network makes me not want it.

 

[_HighVoltage_]

Here is the thing, currently ATT is $30 for "unlimited" internet (it's 5GB in reality).

I did not know that. Thank you! You've given me another reason not to switch to ATT.

 

[argatoga]

I would actually. It's not any sound it's an alarm. I have the same exact problem with the iPhone that I have, it keeps the same volume level for the alarm as it does for the rest of the sounds. Now you might be thinking "Whats the big deal?"

Say you use your phone as an alarm, which is quite popular these days, that means that the phone needs to be next to your bed. As I get a huge number of automated e-mails they come at any time they feel like, I don't exactly want to be waking up every time I get an e-mail so lowering/muting sounds for night is something that would be nice.....

I don't know if the iTouch works this way, but with the iPhone, the alarm will play at the previously-set ring volume when in silent mode, but if you lower the volume to 0 it will play silently. This is not perhaps the most intuitive way they could have built it, but it allows for both silencing the alarm completely when you want to, and also not being woken up in the night by a text-message/email/call but still hearing your alarm. I use it in the "silent with audible alarm" mode every day to wake me up. As an added bonus, I can set the volume low enough that I wake up but my wife does not.

 

[brydie76]

err all prepaid and cheap phone services have excessive data costs, data plans exist for a reason. I was on on virgin mobile and it sucked ass for data (so slow it's useless) now I'm on Telstra and it runs perfectly everywhere I go

Yeah, but opening one web page basically costs me $2. On telstra it was something like 25c/MB- Virgin being so amazingly overpriced compared to Telstra just amazes me. And can't have a data plan on the plan I have as- for some reason- my phone plan is from before the "add on data to any plan" option and is thus incompatible. Oh well, i only have 6 months left on it then i can get a business plan- and I will definitely make sure I have a data plan included on that one! :lol:
(I am on one of the cheapest plans they had back then as well, which is why i have no data included. I don't use my phone for calls/text enough to justify anything higher)

Here is the thing, currently ATT is $30 for "unlimited" internet (it's 5GB in reality). They are changing to $15 for 200mb and $25 for 3GB, don't care to remember what the overage charges are but keep in mind that there is NO unlimited (or 5GB plan anymore). They announced it literally days before the WWDC, which is showing an assload of new interesting features like facetime, netflix stream, farmville, etc.. that will require a LOT of data. This basically means that a good number of people will go over the limits and end up paying more than the $30 we are paying now.

Granted you CAN stay on the "unlimited" plan but in that case you cannot have tethering, which is a feature that many people have been asking for. Mind you that tethering doesn't give you any extra data limits and your average laptop will suck down quite a bit more bandwidth than a smart phone, mostly because things are generally optimized for smart phones these days (at least big sites).

See I'm not touching on coverage or network speed here (which blows in Manhattan, where I just HAPPEN to spend most of my time since I work there) but simply the fact that ATT is totally fucking everyone over with their data plan overhaul.

Highest data plans you can get on my network is 1 GB for $10 AUD. Pretty cheap, but they don't want to give you to much data as they then get to charge you their crazy rate for anything over that. Any other networks that go over that tend to be much more expensive. I doubt you would get over 2GB a month on a data plan over here (correct me if I'm wrong)

And I don't really care about tethering (honestly don't even know if most networks support it fully over here, pretty sure there is a lot of red tape and fees involved in setting it up), but the speeds are not enough on most networks (as HH said, my Virgin mobile speeds ae slower than my limited, dialup simulated speeds on my home internet) to make it really useful anyway. I am thinking of getting a mobile broadband prepaid dongle, but the prices are just stupid there too.

 

[thevictor390]

Tethering can be done purely through software if you have the right phone (any Android, Windows Mobile, or Blackberry)

 

[rickhamilton620]

Here is the thing, currently ATT is $30 for "unlimited" internet (it's 5GB in reality). They are changing to $15 for 200mb and $25 for 3GB, don't care to remember what the overage charges are but keep in mind that there is NO unlimited (or 5GB plan anymore). They announced it literally days before the WWDC, which is showing an assload of new interesting features like facetime, netflix stream, farmville, etc.. that will require a LOT of data. This basically means that a good number of people will go over the limits and end up paying more than the $30 we are paying now.

To be fair, facetime will only work over wi-fi. However I do think that with all this stuff that Apple is promoting/adding to iOS4, not having an unlimited plan is a risky idea. I know AT&T want's people (esp. iPhone users) to use Wi-Fi when possible, even making for pay AT&T hotspots around town free for them, but hell...I don't think that a huge amount of people with the iPhone even realize their phone can do that. (or would know where to go to set it up on the phone, etc...) I checked my data consumption on Verizon and found that while I thought I was using a lot of data..like at least a gig, I was in fact under the 200mb limit. If my experience was like this for several months, I could see why that plan would be a great value. I must admit that my usage skews lower just due to the phone I have: I don't have a lot of Win Mo apps that use data, and web browsing can be a bit of a pain on my narrow screen.

I would actually. It's not any sound it's an alarm. I have the same exact problem with the iPhone that I have, it keeps the same volume level for the alarm as it does for the rest of the sounds. Now you might be thinking "Whats the big deal?"



Say you use your phone as an alarm, which is quite popular these days, that means that the phone needs to be next to your bed. As I get a huge number of automated e-mails they come at any time they feel like, I don't exactly want to be waking up every time I get an e-mail so lowering/muting sounds for night is something that would be nice.....

Yeah, I love that my Win Mo phone has a option to sound the alarm even when muted or on vibrate. I've been too nervous to try it with that option turned on though with anything important (with my luck WinMo will crap itself when the alarm tries to sound and i'll sleep through my time I need to get ready for work! )

Hence the problem here. The iOS (wonder what Cisco will think about that...) 4 looks like a very good piece of software and the hardware is excellent (as usual) but all the Apple BS + ATT's lack of good network makes me not want it.

I couldn't agree more. The restrictiveness, and seemingly smug attitude of Apple itself about things turns me off completely, even though the hardware is great.

I did not know that. Thank you! You've given me another reason not to switch to ATT.

To be fair, it's not just AT&T that has the 5GB cap, Verizon does too. I believe that Sprint doesn't but I could be wrong....*googles*

EDIT: Yes, it's capped as well. However, the chances of using 5GB of data are pretty slim if your a everyday user. I think I've approached a GB if that in my 4 years of using a smartphone.

 

[2Billion]

I don't know if the iTouch works this way, but with the iPhone, the alarm will play at the previously-set ring volume when in silent mode, but if you lower the volume to 0 it will play silently. This is not perhaps the most intuitive way they could have built it, but it allows for both silencing the alarm completely when you want to, and also not being woken up in the night by a text-message/email/call but still hearing your alarm. I use it in the "silent with audible alarm" mode every day to wake me up. As an added bonus, I can set the volume low enough that I wake up but my wife does not.

Don't call it an iTouch! That sounds like a molesting device. I might not be an Apple fan, but I'm pretty sure their devices aren't designed to help you molest people.

It's just a pet peeve.

 

[watto]

Hence the problem here. The iOS (wonder what Cisco will think about that...) 4 looks like a very good piece of software and the hardware is excellent (as usual) but all the Apple BS + ATT's lack of good network makes me not want it.

Well, luckily I don't have to put up with AT&T over here! I pay $49/month, get 1GB and some huge $$ worth of phone calls and texts... But our biggest telco has finally realised that cap plans are all the rage and are offering reasonable prices for not only the iPhone but Android phones as well.

 

[Viper007Bond]

wonder what Cisco will think about that...

http://blogs.cisco.com/news/comments/cisco_and_apple_agreement_on_ios_trademark/

 

[otispunkmeyer]

Depending on the UK price, I may well be getting an iPhone 4. I just hope they don't go for a rape the UK market pricewise... Either that or I might get a 3GS as their prices will be hopefully coming down (although also with the capacity it seems, the buggers).

its expected that the new phone will just be the same as the old one.... so around ?190 for the 16gb model on a 18 month ?35pm contract with unlimited 3g/wifi and pretty decent clutch of minutes and texts. the 3GS will go the way of the 3G and become an 8GB el-cheapo base model at ?99.

best way to do it is buy sim free and then go for one of O2's rolling contracts at ?20 a month + free 3G bolt on. of course then theres the small issue of between ?400-500 for buying the phone outright.

 

[Hidden_Hunter]

http://blogs.cisco.com/news/comments/cisco_and_apple_agreement_on_ios_trademark/

now it just means it'll be a pain in the ass finding any material on cisco ios

 

[PacketCollision]

now it just means it'll be a pain in the ass finding any material on cisco ios

Maybe google will do us a favor and make searches for iOS / IOS case sensitive.

The alarm works people, just learn how to use it. I agree that Apple could have created more options for the alarm volume, but as far as I can tell, they have as many options as any other phone, at least if you know how to set them.

I just checked, and despite occasionally tethering my laptop, and being constantly on the internet on my phone, I have never used more than 600Mb in a month. I still would rather have the choice of other providers, but at least AT&T doesn't seem completely off-base that most users will save money with the new plans.

 

[prizrak]

I did not know that. Thank you! You've given me another reason not to switch to ATT.

No prob.
argatoga,

Yeah I didn't see it when I replied, tested it last night and it does work.

Tethering can be done purely through software if you have the right phone (any Android, Windows Mobile, or Blackberry)

Or a jailbroken iPhone

To be fair, facetime will only work over wi-fi.

It's true, but there is also Netflix stream and Skype over 3G nowadays....

know AT&T want's people (esp. iPhone users) to use Wi-Fi when possible, even making for pay AT&T hotspots around town free for them, but hell...I don't think that a huge amount of people with the iPhone even realize their phone can do that. (or would know where to go to set it up on the phone, etc...)

The good thing is that it's 100% zero conf, as long as you are in range of any ATT Wi-Fi hotspot you jump onto Wi-Fi. There is a problem of how the phone handles 3G to Wi-Fi switch over though...

http://blogs.cisco.com/news/comments...ios_trademark/

Thanks

 

[MXM]

Looks pretty tempting, lack of proper camera was one of the last things I didn't like about iPhone.

 

[RaptorJesus]

Any ideas on how this will affect iPod Touch for this years update. I read somewhere they always get announced in Sept sometime. Since the capacity of iPhone did not go up to 64 gigs, I assume that the iPod Touch wont be going up to 128 gigs. Thats a shame as I would be perfectly served by that (around 115 gigs of music) and then space for apps and stuff would be nice. Before anyone says it, yes I need all my music at once, Im starting to get pissed at my 80 gig Zune because the fucker cant hold shit.