Blog iPhone 3GS – the Apple tastes sweet

[Sifter3000]

http://www.bit-tech.net/blog/2009/07...-tastes-sweet/

[Da_Rude_Baboon]

I'm not an apple fan either, largely due to the overbearing smug **** at work who bang on about maps when they nothing about IT.
But... My fiancée bought a 3GS on Friday and i have been extremely impressed with it. Its very slick and the way it handles the internet and video sources like you tube and iplayer is sublime.

[Blademrk]

Got my 3GS week last tuesday, I agree completely, fantastic bit of kit.

I've got TwitterFon, Facebook and a TVGuide app and a couple of games installed on it and the difference compared to my old phone (which I've still got on a 3 Pay £0 contract for Skype and MSN) is staggering.

I looked at a few of the popular phones out there before finaly deciding to get one and really didn't like the feel of the equivelent Nokia/SE/LG models

I'm tempted to get the Cycle Routes app for when I get into cycling properly -which is like a sat nav (with cycle routes) crossed with a cycle computer (judges speed/distance/altitude/calories burned etc...).

Can anyone suggest a good MSN compatible Messenger app?

[wuyanxu]

iPhone is sure a great device to use. it's the type of gadget that once you get used to it, you won't want to go without it. it is able to be like an all-in-one gadget that can be used to replace your phone, camera (3GS only though, older model's 2MP are crap), media player, intenet connection and portable gaming.

but im very disappointed at Apple's decision to exclude any bluetooth feature from iPhone 2G even when 2G and 3G's bluetooth hardware is exactly the same.

same goes for MMS on 2G. which i have managed to enable on my 2G.

[Paradigm Shifter]

I've seen reports of the 3GS running rather hot and discolouring the back? Anyone using one had that experience?

I wouldn't mind one, but I'm tied to my contract for another year or so.

[mclean007]

I agree wholeheartedly, apart from when you say the words "digital camera" - you really can't argue that the iPhone (even the 3GS) is a suitable substitute for a digital camera. Even an el cheapo compact will give massively better photos, and camera phone offerings from Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson are leagues ahead of the iPhone. That Achilles Heel aside, it is otherwise an astonishingly fantastic piece of equipment.

[Combatus]

I haven't had any issues with heat leading to poor battery life or a discolouring of the back fascia. I was on some pretty toasty tube trains last week too and was watching video for an hour on my way home too.

I've also used Maps as a stop gap sat nav for two hours in my car and again it was fine (battery lasted all that time too!) I'm guessing the people who have reported this either have dodgy examples or were using them in rediculous temperatures. After all, how many phones out there can you get in white? Not many so it's difficult to say if this is a 3GS specific issue or whether most phones in it's place would suffer the same issue. Either way, for people in warm countries it's a bit worrying.

@mclean007. I've been really impressed with the camera but agreed it's no way near compact status and most Nokia's etc, especially those with flash are also better. In daylight it's brilliant though - have a look at my flickr account (link in forum signature) - I took some pics last week of my Lian Li V2000 - outside the results are great and in low light it's not too bad either.

[Blademrk]

Bluetooth is a disappointment on it (Couldn't sync my watch to it ).

So is the inability of being able to use any track you have on it as a ring tone (you can create a ringtone in iTunes from a track you've purchased, but I kept getting an error whenever I tried it, and in any case the track I want to use is not available on iTunes even if I wanted to purchase it).

[mclean007]

Originally Posted by Combatus

@mclean007. I've been really impressed with the camera but agreed it's no way near compact status and most Nokia's etc, especially those with flash are also better. In daylight it's brilliant though - have a look at my flickr account (link in forum signature) - I took some pics last week of my Lian Li V2000 - outside the results are great and in low light it's not too bad either.

The 3GS is definitely a step up from the previous iPhones, but it is still a long way short of what I would consider a camera replacement. Low light performance especially as you note is crap, which is a shame as (in my experience at least) many spontaneous shots where camera phones are ideal are taken on nights out, when it is likely to be dark!! The quality of images from my N95 is head and shoulders above, as you'd expect given the larger, Carl Zeiss optics, flash and 5MP sensor. That apart, the iPhone is all over it.

[nitrous9200]

I would own one except for a few stupid little things that could easily be changed, but probably won't be any time soon:
1) iTunes. Steve Jobs once called iTunes for Windows "A glass of ice water in hell"..Steve, I think you've got it backwards. Your product is one of the slowest and most bloated pieces of software in existence and has caused more problems than I can count on my fingers.
2) Non-removable battery. self-explanatory
3) No multitasking. I don't understand the point of a smartphone that can't run more than one app at once.
4) In the US, AT&T. They're almost universally hated and iPhone owners consider the worst thing about their phone is the carrier. Plus I have Verizon and won't be switching any time soon (also one of the best carriers in the country)
5) Only apps from the app store. I don't need Apple to be my mommy and tell me what's inappropriate, I can do it myself thanks.
It does seem like more issues are fixed with each iPhone revision, but I doubt they'll all ever be fixed. It's too bad because there's lots of developer support behind it.

[Combatus]

Multitasking isn't totally abscent, I mean I can use the ipod app while surfing the internet, things like that. It's mainly an issue with games and instant messaging.

Agreed about iTunes though. Such a crock of crap compared to how easy the actual iPhone is to use. I think the answer is to jailbreak the phone because then you can use apps that make syncing much easier and you have access to more apps too.

Apple says the battery isn't replaceable but it is possible to do it and the batteries are available. You just need to know where and how!

[Fod]

Final jailbreak should be out in a couple weeks, there is a daemon you can install through Cydia to enable any app to continue running in the background when you hit the home button. Very useful for, er, fring and that's about it.

[wuyanxu]

Originally Posted by Fod

Final jailbreak should be out in a couple weeks, there is a daemon you can install through Cydia to enable any app to continue running in the background when you hit the home button. Very useful for, er, fring and that's about it.

Backgrounder.

using it on 3GS will be fantastic, the extra free RAM......

it's great for things like: WunderRadio, iPocketTV (downloads TV shows, so background it and go to other stuff), Skype, Palringo (MSN). or any app that you want to quickly switch back to (probably won't be a problem for 3Gspeed)

[phuzz]

Just in the process from moving from a BB Storm to a 3GS at work. First reaction?
I bloody hate itunes

[Combatus]

Originally Posted by phuzz

Just in the process from moving from a BB Storm to a 3GS at work. First reaction?
I bloody hate itunes

Ditto

[rollo]

Own 3gs White never had any heat issues despite playing games whilst charging it in a 35c room it was a little hot but so is a psp even my old Sony erickson got hot after music use

[Blademrk]

Apparently if you're not in the U.S. you cannot use the make ringtone command in iTunes, it'll just give you an error. However, I've found a workround for adding ringtunes from either MP3's or tracks purchased from iTunes:

• Set the import properties of iTunes to AAC.
• Select the track you want to create a ringtone of and make a note of the start and end time of the section you want to use as a ringtone (30 seconds max).
• Got to "Get Info" in the context menu and select options.
• Change the Start & End time to the Start/End time of the section you want to use.
• Close the properties menu and select create AAC version from the tracks context menu.
• You should now have a new track where the time is <30 seconds long (you can now reset the start/end time in the original track).
• Drag the new track to the desktop (or a folder if your going to keep a backup copy your new ringones) and enable viewing file extensions in the explorer window options.
• Change the file name extension from .m4a to .m4r.
• Open the Ringtone tab in iTunes and drag & drop the renamed file in to the window.
• Re-sync and you should have your new ringtone.

[mclean007]

Originally Posted by Blademrk

Apparently if you're not in the U.S. you cannot use the make ringtone command in iTunes, it'll just give you an error. However, I've found a workround for adding ringtunes from either MP3's or tracks purchased from iTunes:

• Set the import properties of iTunes to AAC.
• Select the track you want to create a ringtone of and make a note of the start and end time of the section you want to use as a ringtone (30 seconds max).
• Got to "Get Info" in the context menu and select options.
• Change the Start & End time to the Start/End time of the section you want to use.
• Close the properties menu and select create AAC version from the tracks context menu.
• You should now have a new track where the time is <30 seconds long (you can now reset the start/end time in the original track).
• Drag the new track to the desktop (or a folder if your going to keep a backup copy your new ringones) and enable viewing file extensions in the explorer window options.
• Change the file name extension from .m4a to .m4r.
• Open the Ringtone tab in iTunes and drag & drop the renamed file in to the window.
• Re-sync and you should have your new ringtone.

What a huge amount of work for a feature that should be implemented in a user friendly way!!

[wuyanxu]

Originally Posted by mclean007

What a huge amount of work for a feature that should be implemented in a user friendly way!!

how about
http://i-funbox.com/

iPhone browser without jailbreak!

copy music/video off iphone not possible yet, probably due to itune 8.2's new DLL hooks. but everything else works great.

[KayinBlack]

Pah, my wife's G1 with the Cupcake update beats the hell out off that.

I'll go for open source any day. Besides, I have Android on a laptop here, I can try out anything on it too. Now do THAT with your iPhone.