Tag Archives for Apple

iOS wishlist

in iOS 4.3 (at least that’s where I first noticed it), Apple included a feature I’d been hoping for. App Store changes messaging if you already purchased the app; it will update the Purchase button to “Install” if the app exists in your purchases. No more wondering “have I installed this app before or will I get charged $2.99 for it?” It has made the transition to my iPad 2 much easier, since all I need to do is launch App Store an immediately I know what apps I can go ahead and install. Easy.
Thanks Apple. Here’s more stuff I want:
  • a public API to toggle on/off wiFi, 3G data, cellular radio, and bluetooth. if for no other reason that one touch Airplane mode.
  • API to automatically sync or download new content without being user intervention if under certain conditions. I would like a Pocket Casts to automatically download new episodes when my iPhone is charging. I would like Reeder and Read It Later to sync when I am on wifi. I would like App Store to automatically update my apps at 4 am if it is both charging and on wifi. I know why they do this, because of battery consumption. But they turned this on for Push Notifications and Location services before…
  • customizable battery profiles, so when I’m alerted of “20% battery remaining” I can choose to switch to a low consumption battery profile.
  • I want to create folders in the Photos app without syncing from my computer.
  • Shared search history between Safari, Spotlight, and third party apps like Google Mobile App.
  • everything Chris Clark says here: A Services Menu For iPhone.

jailbroken iPhone 3G

A couple of weeks ago I used Spirit to jailbreak my iPhone. I spent the last two years or so playing by the rules, mostly because I tend to play by the rules. I knew Apple didn’t appreciate the iPhone Dev team at all, I knew they hated the idea of users jailbreaking (or worse “unlocking”), and I even read where jailbreaking was arguably illegal and perhaps actionable. All things considered, I decided to jailbreak. So far I don’t regret it at all.

The process of it seemed a little bit daunting. Full root access can be scary. Where do I find documentation? What if I brick my phone by accident? It’s been my experience in the last couple of weeks that you don’t need to be a codemonkey to jailbreak your iPhone, you just need a sense of adventure. And just about every “scary” feature that makes a low-level change has a warning with big red letters so you know to be careful (or stay away).

I’ve downloaded dozens of themes and never really found something I liked. Some of the more extensive ones have skins for all sorts of things, including the keypad in the Phone app. I’ve made just a few modifications to the homescreen, nothing drastic.

Here are some apps I’ve found that are worth sharing:

  • LockInfo. $4.99. Display for your lockscreen. Mail, calendar, weather, twitter, missed calls, lots more. I can see if I have mail without having to “slide to unlock” and see what the weather forecast as I’m walking out the door without launching an app. pretty handy.
  • WeatherIcon. Free. Changes the “Weather” app icon so it displays the correct temperature. You can even have the temperature displayed as a badge on the app icon.
  • MyWi. $9.99. Turns your phone into an ad-hoc wireless access point, with encryption. Or do bluetooth tethering. Had some stability issues to start, but I think it’s just a matter of the WiFi Channel being used in the area. I was surprised at the speed of my 3G.
  • NES and Gameboy emulators. Many of them free, most of them aren’t perfect. The better ones cost a few bucks, even those aren’t perfect. But they sure are cool. I even saw a PSX emulator, which I’m not too sure about on an iPhone, but it would be neat for an iPad to be sure. You can find ROMs online and SSH them to your phone.

I used to think of the iPhone like a rollercoaster. Get in and out when you’re supposed to, keep your hands and feet inside at all times, just sit back and enjoy the experience because leaving the designated path can be very dangerous, right? I think of it now like driving a car. If you are computer novice, you probably want someone to drive you around from place to place. If you are an intermediate computer user, you can probably drive yourself around without getting into too much danger. And it goes without saying, if you’re an expert then you are probably racing for pinks.

iPad reactions

I wanted to want it. I was willing to spend money. But it doesn’t give me what I’m looking for in a “couch laptop”, so I’ll pass. I’ve collected some of the more interesting opinions.

the Positive

Bits / NY Times – Video Demonstration

Wilson Rothman / Gizmodo – The iPad Is The Gadget We Never Knew We Needed

Michael Pusateri / cruftbox.com

you need to hold it for yourself. It’s a different computing experience

Cory Ondrejka / Agile or Dead

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if tactile browsing is crushingly better than keyboard + mouse, and given how much of our day is spent on the web, something that makes that more fun is a big deal.

the Negative

Apple evolution demotivational poster

Adam Frucci / Gizmodo - 8 Things That Suck About the iPad

Michael McWhertor / Kotaku – Hands On With Apple’s iPad, Just The Games

Adam Lisagor / lonelysandwich

Get the giggles out. But I’m afraid I’ll only ever love the device despite its embarrassing name. And that makes me love it a little less.

the Optimistic Future

Marco Arment / marco.org

One of the biggest factors holding back iPhone app practicality in certain areas was screen space, and that was just dramatically expanded with the iPad.

John Gruber / Daring Fireball

Part of their vision for moving computers from technical culture to popular culture is about getting away from defining these things by their technical specs. So the prominent talk about A4 is telling. This is something they want us to notice.

Wade Roush / Xconomy

But with every Apple purchase, there’s a part of me that rebels at handing my money over to a company that’s so fanatically controlling. I can’t help wondering what Apple’s customers and developers would do if another company came along with a solid, elegant, open computing platform and a less suspicious, more cooperative disposition toward its community.

the Pessimistic Future

Alex Payne / al3x.net

if I had an iPad rather than a real computer as a kid, I’d never be a programmer today.

Mark Pilgrim / dive into mark

… I have no doubt that someone will figure out how to “jailbreak” the iPad, too. But I don’t want to live in a world where you have to break into your own computer before you can start tinkering.

Adam Pash / lifehacker

Unlike the iPhone, where it was easy enough to convince ourselves that these problems were imposed for good reason, the iPad is basically a keyboard-less netbook that will exert complete control over what you’re allowed to use on it.

the Final Word

I won’t be buying one. The “app” culture of Apple works fine for a small screen with no disk access. Any computer I spend a great deal of time on will need to be open with open development (shareware) and open web access (flash). I’m not a consumer and I don’t quite fit in with the Mac crowd. But I’m not a developer or tinkerer, which is why I’m not much for the Linux thing. I’m a user. Hopefully, a power user. To be honest, I’m a PC. Apple, I like your products, I love my iPhone, I’d like to have a great tablet PC, but the iPad just isn’t a fit.