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I've seen this said on here a fair few times. I've asked why this is, but never had an answer.
Can someone please explain why my old 3G isn't meant to be much cop as a phone?
I select a number, call, wait a until I get an answer, have my conversation.
Sersiously, what's the problem... I just don't get it.... 😐
It's only said by people who don't actually own one, along with 99.99% of all anti-apple diatribe.
if you get a missed call from a unknown number (but a friend) can you add it to contacts?
if you get a text saying 'call me' can you directly call the person?
i have one and i'd say it is missing some basic phone type functions.
i use my phone for texting and calling. So from that perspective
Poor keyboard (although better than other touchscreen devices)
Poor battery life
Reception issues
all make it worse, as a phone, than the £15 nokia I've got as a spare
footflaps - MemberIt's only said by people who don't actually own one
FAIL 🙂
My 3GS isn't great as a phone for the main reason that it consistently has poorer reception than other phones on the same network. It also doesn't have very good call clarity.
Oh and the ringer's not loud enough and the 'silent/vibrate' switch keeps getting moved by mistake when in my pocket. And to make it worse you can't independently change ringer volume and the main volume meaning that if I'm playing a game and don't want it loud and then put the phone down, the ringer's quiet too.
Great as a mobile computer though which is why I really have it.
No simple way to change "profile" - outdoor, meeting, etc. (I think ... happy to be proved wrong!)
Predictive text in foreign languages a bit crap
if you get a missed call from a unknown number (but a friend) can you add it to contacts?
if you get a text saying 'call me' can you directly call the person?
Er. Yes and yes.
if you get a missed call from a unknown number (but a friend) can you add it to contacts?
Yes. 2 button presses. Just tried it. 🙂
if you get a text saying 'call me' can you directly call the person?
Yes. There's a 'call' button at the top of the text conversation.
i have one and i'd say it is missing some basic phone type functions
Such as? I can't see anything missing
Poor keyboard (although better than other touchscreen devices)
Poor battery life
Reception issues
When do you use the keyboard for making a phone call? You don't do you.
Battery life isn't great, but that doesn't make it a poor phone as such.
No reception issues ever.
Next.........
🙂
if you get a missed call from a unknown number (but a friend) can you add it to contacts?
Yup - press the blue arrow next to the number and select "Create New Contact" or "Add to Existing Contact"
if you get a text saying 'call me' can you directly call the person?
Yup - there is a button marked "Call" at the top of the SMS conversation.
{Edit: dammit Peter types faster that I can use the iPhone keyboard}
And to make it worse you can't independently change ringer volume and the main volume meaning that if I'm playing a game and don't want it loud and then put the phone down, the ringer's quiet too.
Thats the biggest ball-ache for me too. I've missed loads of calls because I've turned the volume down to play a game and forgot to turn it back up.
Surely it can't be that hard to have an app volume and a ringer volume separately.
No simple way to change "profile" - outdoor, meeting, etc. (I think ... happy to be proved wrong!)
What else do you need other than "ring", "silent" or just adjust the volume down?
Jesus.
I'm reminded of this:
How do you know if somebody has an iPhone?
They tell you.
And to make it worse you can't independently change ringer volume and the main volume meaning that if I'm playing a game and don't want it loud and then put the phone down, the ringer's quiet too.
Mine doesn't do that. Game, iPod and ringer volumes are all seperate. Changing one doesn't affect any of the others.....
Yours must be special then - it definitely does on mine...
EDIT - iPod/video volume is indeed independent. Game/app volume isn't. I use games/app most of the time and rarely the others.
What else do you need other than "ring", "silent" or just adjust the volume down?
Well, for example, when I'm at my desk I want it quiet, not silent, and when I'm in a meeting I want it to beep once when I get a call. My Nokia can do that, my iPhone can't. Not a big deal, but I prefer the cheapo Nokia in this case.
Game/app volume isn't
It is on my 3G. I just tried it. If I adjust game volume I get a speaker icon, but if I exit the game and adjust the volume, the icon says "ringer" above it. They're seperate. 🙂
Well, for example, when I'm at my desk I want it quiet, not silent, and when I'm in a meeting I want it to beep once when I get a call. My Nokia can do that, my iPhone can't. Not a big deal, but I prefer the cheapo Nokia in this case.
I see what you mean, but I nver used the profiles on my Nokias. I just had it LOUD or silent, and it's a lot easier to flick the switch on the side of a 3G than faff around looking for a profile.
6 of one and half a dozen of the other really, depending on what you need. 🙂
It's a good original question PeterPoddy - I have one and have asked the same question numerous times (once on here) and never get a sensible answer... in fact, I'm struggling to remember ever getting an answer.
visual voicemail is great, it does everything i did with my old nokias and sonys, just in a more user friendly and obvious way.
They're seperate.
No they're not - it depends on the app.
Some apps, but not many IME, let you set the volume for the app.
agree with the volume thing too - much easier to press the side button a few times to the desired level than to go into menus looking for profiles... I've never used profiles on other phones - they just seem a faff!
It's a good original question PeterPoddy - I have one and have asked the same question numerous times (once on here) and never get a sensible answer... in fact, I'm struggling to remember ever getting an answer.
Thankyou. 🙂 I thought I was going mad, it's not just me then?
So far we haven't got anything other than the odd personal niggle on this thread either.... 🙂
A few clicks of the volume button takes the same length of time as changing a profile on a nokia.
iphone is as good as any others for the phone functions. But more importantly can your nokia become a lightsaber or a machine gun????
Seperate on mine here too.
I think some folk get caught out because they turn down the volume before the app/game starts or has fully loaded, so they end up turn the ringer volume right down, they keep the button pressed and turn the game/app volume down too once it loads.
If you are changing the app volume it us just a speaker icon. The ringer volume says "ringer" above the speaker.
Try turning your ringer volume right the way up then go into your favourite game and see what the volume is doing.
It is definitely seperate.
Thankyou Graham. 🙂
(But that means I'm not special though... sniff....)
EDIT
All the 3 apps I've just tried had the same volume: Whan I changed it in one app, it changed to the same in another. But none of them affected the ringer volume.
Never had any reception problems and one of the best phones I've used better than previous my previous HTC / Nokia / Sony Ericsson phones.
The best phone feature is the excellent contacts sync with Outlook - only phone I've found that synced properly.
Not personal experience, but I've heard lots of people ([url= http://scobleizer.com/2010/05/23/apple-competition/ ]including tech reporters[/url]) say that call quality is poor on the iPhone.
Although I find mobile call quality in general to be fairly poor so it'd have to be [b]bad[/b] to stand out to me.
Right, had a play with mine too - you're right that the ringer volume is separate BUT I still regularly find that it's turned down because I turn the volume down when starting an app - admittedly user error as it turns out but quite a reasonable/easy one to make and one that keeps happening (though maybe not now...)
The points about reception and call quality still stand though.
And the ringer's still not loud enough even on full when out riding.
Battery life isn't great, but that doesn't make it a poor phone as such.
That's a big issue for me. When I most need a mobile phone I'm not sat next to a power socket
**** me the iphone threads are getting shittingly dull
Weren't they always?
indeed
Right, had a play with mine too - you're right that the ringer volume is separate BUT I still regularly find that it's turned down because I turn the volume down when starting an app - admittedly user error as it turns out but quite a reasonable/easy one to make and one that keeps happening (though maybe not now...)
IT Manager heal thy self.
I have people to do the proper technical stuff 😉
Just as well..
Since they fixed the proximity detector, which was by far the worst thing about it, my only criticism is you have to press all over the screen to use it in the phone mode, where as my old blackberry had everything i needed on or next to roller ball, it just seemed a bit more user friendly.
But as a mobile computer, it's mint and the only reason it didn't get returned to vodafone last month.
That's the rub. These things (and by this I mean 'smartphones', not just the iPhone) are designed to be pocket computers, with varying degrees of success. The people who buy them want shiny screens, more memory etc, without any concern for basic features like 'how good is it as a phone'. It's the whole cameras and megapixels debacle all over again.
I've lost count of the number of shiny gadgets I've had, only to find post-purchase that it doesn't do something fundemental very well. I've had all-singing-and-dancing phones that don't have sufficient processing power to drive the UI properly; I've had ones that will ring or vibrate, [i]but not at the same time;[/i] I've had gadgets that are great so long as you reboot them daily, or have 20 minutes battery life unless you disable half of the features you bought it for; etc etc.
I don't doubt that the iPhone is at least a reasonable "phone," but I'll be surprised if call quality and antenna sensitivity were fairly high on the list of design priorities. The days are gone where you could have a 6310i and get a mobile signal on the surface of the moon. Never had one myself, but -that- is how you make a good phone rather than a marketing-friendly, desireable gadget.
PeterPoddy - MemberAll the 3 apps I've just tried had the same volume: Whan I changed it in one app, it changed to the same in another. But none of them affected the ringer volume.
It's clearly a problem with how the app is coded. On at least one app that I use daily, changing the volume in the app reduces the ringer volume. So it's a programming error rather than a missing feature.
It's not very good as a mobile 'phone 'cos:
The battery life is toss (even with everything turned off)
It's big
It's somewhat fragile.
Signal is never that amazing.
...but it suffices.
As a mobile *communication* tool (think of everything that entails these days) however, it's amongst the best.
I love mine 🙂
It's not very good as a mobile 'phone 'cos:
The battery life is toss (even with everything turned off)
It's big
It's somewhat fragile.
Signal is never that amazing.
The battery lasts a hell of a lot longer than my old N95.
Big compared to what? Try an XDA Mini, or other XDA-type PDA.
Fragile? Ever dropped a regular phone on concrete?
Signal is fine on my 4G
Regarding call quality, both my 3G and 4G were and are perfectly fine regarding call quality, my N95 had the worse reception quality of any mobile I've ever used, in fact the phone was a total crock of sh1t, virtually unusable for pretty much all of the functions it was designed for. The 3G was a revelation, a smartphone that actually did what it was designed to do, and did it well. It became the most used electronic device I've ever owned.
Regarding call quality and dropped calls, pretty much all the complaints originate in the US, because there's only one network with the iPhone, and in cities it's horribly congested, because of all the data traffic the iPhone generates. Not so much of an issue outside the US.
Slight hijack but is the Ipod touch just an Iphone without the phone bit? I was told it was but don't really know (hence the question)
Best phone phone:
[img] 
[/img]
Ill be honest and say the battery life in mine is a little pants. But, for what I want its perfect. Call quality is good, even at one bar Ive found. Reception is an issue for me, but it is a network issue rather than phone problem (Orange send the signal out on a set frequency that dosent like old houses or thick walls, same with T-mobile) The phone surfs the net very well, esp with WiFi.
Worst thing is its too reliant on I-tunes, has limited personalisation compared to Google Android, cannot transfer photos taken on the phone to computer without a paid for app, cant back up contacts to sim card, has rubbish battery life and everyone around you goes 'look at you with your Iphone'. Ill forgive all this to have the best quality music player on the market (out of a phone) by a long shot. Some people hate it until they play with one, and until they play with one they dont realise its actually a smart way to work, but people dont like change. As we are the underdogs being British, we often prefer to head with the less popular brands. Surprisingly though I think Nokia have the largest worldwide market share, followed by RIM (Blackberry) and Apple/Google Android following up but it changes so much dependant on the website you read.
CountZero, to be picky its the Iphone 4. 4G dosent technically exist in the UK yet and the Iphone 4 only runs off 3G signal. I think Switzerland has the first full 4G network but its only a matter of time til we get it. It basically will offer faster and more secure internet, making things like mobile banking and augmented reality a sure thing.
Because its just a fashion accessory and made by Apple
Eh? What's a 4G network do then?
Poor trolling effort by Mexican Cab
It's clearly a problem with how the app is coded. On at least one app that I use daily, changing the volume in the app reduces the ringer volume. So it's a programming error rather than a missing feature.
Is that an app that actually produces sound? If the app doesn't use sound, such as this Safari browser I'm using, then changing the volume alters the ringer.
Because its just a fashion accessory and made by Apple
Yes very good. Well it's the most useful and functional "fashion accessory" I've ever owned. 🙄
i took my iphone back because it was awful for texting, oh and bluetooth doesn't work - what a major flaw!
I do get worse reception at home on my Iphone than on my old £50 Nokia. It is still the most useful phone I've ever had though - I can basically run the business for a week while I'm away from home without needing the laptop. Magic.
i took my iphone back because it was awful for texting, oh and bluetooth doesn't work - what a major flaw!
Ah yes that wasn't your fault of course.
Mine is the single most useful gadget I've ever owned it does so much stuff and very well. Battery life isn't great but it suffices.
And yes the ****ing ringer volume and game/app volume are separate. 👿
Eh? It's great for texting. Full qwerty keyboard, emoticons, spellcheck, auto-correction, copy/paste, full two-way conversation on screen.
Bluetooth works fine for me too
i took my iphone back because it was awful for texting, oh and bluetooth doesn't work - what a major flaw!
Ha! hilarious
The iPhone is fantastic at txt'ing, you should have seen my dads attempts at sending txt's with his old nokia and sony phones, unreadable, with his handed down 1stGen iPhone he is practically writing essays! of course if your 12 and can only speak in txt then yes you might suffer.
As for bluetooth, er... works fine with every headset my parents have tried with theirs and their car bluetooth.
Emoticons? Tell me more. Is this just on the 4?
dooge - Member...cannot transfer photos taken on the phone to computer without a paid for app...
I just plug it into PC and it appears as a camera. Or you can e-mail pics to yourself full size if that's easier. Would be handy to send the file to PC by WiFi I guess but it's not a major issue for me.
i took my iphone back because it was awful for texting, oh and bluetooth doesn't work - what a major flaw!
Awful my arse! It's a flipping Qwerty keyboard with the best predicive typing and spell checker I've ever had the pleasure of using, for god's sake! And if I can use it with my fat stubby fingers, you should be fine with your little hands! 🙂
Bluetooth is 100% perfect, it links to my Garmin satnav for hands free very smoothly and works perfectly.
That's user error!
cannot transfer photos taken on the phone to computer without a paid for app...
Piffle.
iTunes syncs the pics with any folder you choose.
best predicive typing
see what you did there
(can you get Swype on Igadget?)
I'm on my laptop. Which is a crappy Windoze thing. If I was on my iPhone, it would have spotted that error! 😀
Emoticons? Tell me more. Is this just on the 4?
Nope - all iPhones but it is a bit of a hack.
There is a Japanese keyboard set called Emoji that offers smilies and other emoticons.
It is hidden by default as it is only supposed to be available of one Japanese network as they hold the copyright. But there are various apps that will unlock it for you. I used "Spell Number". Google for instructions.
If you're reading this on a iPhone then this is a small sample of what you get:
???????????????????????
???????????????????????
???????????????????????
?????????????????????
Folk looking at that with anything else will just see a bunch of unrecognised characters.
Cheers G, I googled it and found it anyway. Superb.
????
CaptJon - Member
Best phone phone:
You are so wrong.
It is clearly this:
[img] 
[/img]
??????
Cool!
? even eh clubber?
You're going home in an ?
?? is how you'll look after I'm done with you. ?
????
????™
It's like the early days of msn all over.
You're full of ?
? I'll ? now ?
Very good.
The battery lasts a hell of a lot longer than my old N95.
They were weird - people often complained about that but I had one and the battery lasted a good 4-5 days in the worst possible signal area (ie barely enough to get a text, not enough to make a call).
Fragile? Ever dropped a regular phone on concrete?
I flung my N73 down a full flight of hard stairs at work on at least two occasions, and dropped it on concrete loads of times. Corners and edges got scratched, nothing else bad happened. Quality 🙂
GrahamS - MemberIs that an app that actually produces sound? If the app doesn't use sound, such as this Safari browser I'm using, then changing the volume alters the ringer.
It is an app that has sound. It's a game. But as I said for most it works fine.
CountZero, to be picky its the Iphone 4. 4G dosent technically exist in the UK yet and the Iphone 4 only runs off 3G signal.
I know it's the iPhone 4. I also know 4G networks don't exist in any meaningful way. The iPhone is usually refered to by it's generation number, same as the iPod, hence 1, 2g, 3G, 3Gs, 4G, or 1, 2G, 3G etc for the 'pod. It's a convention that some people confuse with network generations, which is understandable, I guess. I know what I'm referring to, and it ain't a network.
Can't save txt conversations to your computer 🙁
Ahem!
Not used it though.
Slight hijack but is the Ipod touch just an Iphone without the phone bit? I was told it was but don't really know (hence the question)
the iPod touch is a bit of a slimmer design but yes they are the same, 'cept the iPod doesn't connect to the mobile network so no texts, calls or internet except in wi-fi areas.
My 3G works well enough for me, I don't like the fact I can't bluetooth files to no iPhone users (i.e. can only use apps likes bump), don't know if I'll stick with iPhone when my contract runs out, but I certainly like it 🙂
I don't like the fact I can't bluetooth files to no iPhone users
but you can email very easilly, but then i suppose the people youd need to bluetooth to prob dont have a data contract, and what do you bluetooth anyway, smutty videos is all people seemed to use it for anyway.
cannot transfer photos taken on the phone to computer without a paid for app
Plug it in to computer with itunes closed. Just comes up like a normal camera
I like my wife's Iphone, in use it's a tad more polished than my Nokia X6 but I couldn't put up with the crappy battery life, it's also relatively heavy.
Something that does stand out from this thread, if you are a bit thick don't buy an Iphone.
I don't like the fact I can't bluetooth files to no iPhone usersbut you can email very easilly, but then i suppose the people youd need to bluetooth to prob dont have a data contract, and what do you bluetooth anyway, smutty videos is all people seemed to use it for anyway.
Why you can't iphoners just accept the limitations sometimes, instead of always trying to turn it into a positive! Arrghh!
All of the basic flaws I would highlight as lacking as a basic phone were completely obsolete after the first few updates when I first got my 3g many moons ago.
I have no issue with it as a phone at all.
What sort of battery life are you all getting? Its never been an issue for me. I have mine turned on 24 / 7 and it charges when I sleep (normally between 12/1am - 7am). I use the phone a lot and have never had the phone die on me once in 3 years.
Oh, and for those with all the volume gripes why don't you just but it on silent by flicking that little switch on the side. Think of it as a mute button. Its all I ever do when playing games.
Something that does stand out from this thread, if you are a bit thick don't buy an Iphone.
Lol, translated into English from fanboi-speak this means it's hard to use 🙂
What sort of battery life are you all getting?
If I use it normally (i.e. Singletrack/web open all day, email retrieving every 15 mins, couple of texts) then I usually have to plug it in by the afternoon.
If I switch stuff off and use it more like a phone then it can last two days.