[OT] Was: totally satisfied :D

[Steven Schveighoffer]

On Wed, 19 Sep 2012 01:34:12 -0400, Nick Sabalausky  
<SeeWebsiteToContactMe at semitwist.com> wrote:

> On Tue, 18 Sep 2012 23:46:35 -0400
> "Steven Schveighoffer" <schveiguy at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> The keyboard click sound (which you can disable BTW,
>> settings->sounds->keyboard clicks) obeys the ringer volume.
>
> Ehh? How unintuitive.

I cannot argue that Apple's audio volume isn't too simplistic for its own  
good.  AIUI, they have two "volumes", one for the ringer, and one for  
playing audio, games, videos, etc.

I feel like the volume should be app-specific, and you should be able to  
allocate new volume categories.  Putting keyboard clicks under the ringer  
volume seems like a kludge.

However, it *does* do a good job of remembering volume settings for  
different audio outputs.  For example, it keeps track of your headphone  
ringer and audio volume separate from your speaker ringer and audio volume.

> I think the main problem is that the volume rules are just far too
> convoluted. They took something trivial and hacked it up beyond
> recognition, and all in the supposed name of "simplicity", go figure.

I think if they simply made the volume buttons control the ringer while  
locked and not playing music, it would solve the problem.

BTW, a cool feature I didn't know for a long time is if you double tap the  
home button, your audio controls appear on the lock screen (play/pause,  
next previous song, and audio volume).  But I think you have to unlock to  
access ringer volume.

>> Well, I guess you fidget more about ringer volume than I do.  I
>> usually like the ringer to be on 100%, because I frequently leave it
>> on my desk or somewhere other than my pocket.  When I want it to be
>> quiet, it goes into silent mode.
>>
>
> Well, I *would* fidget with it a lot, but frankly no matter what I do
> it's always playing something either too loud or two quiet, and I've
> got better things to do than mess with a screwy interface every time I
> walk into a different environment. So really it just encourages me to
> avoid even using it or even bringing the thing anywhere unless I really
> need it. A stiff, recessed master volume dial that I could reach into my
> pocket to adjust would pretty much solve the issue, but I guess that
> just isn't "high tech" enough. Make it holographic so you can't even
> feel it at all, *then* Apple would probably toss it in. :/

It's more moving parts to break.  I wouldn't like it.  Just my opinion.

>> > And that's *just* volume issues alone. God, I *HATE* the fucking
>> > thing. Any time I use it, I just want to hurl the damn thing into
>> > the nearest concrete wall as hard as I can. But I can't, because
>> > it's not even mine, it's a loaner, and I unfortunately need it for
>> > development/testing (or at least *will* need it for such once we pay
>> > Apple their Developer Ransom).
>>
>> Hehe, yeah, that sucks.  But it's definitely worth it if you are
>> going to do *any* development, even if you aren't publishing.
>>
>
> If it were my own personal device, I'd just jailbreak it and be done
> with it. (And then pay the ransom to publish, of course, because what
> else can you do? Create your own device and compete with Apple under
> capitalism? Nope, Google tried that idea of "competition" and look what
> happened:
> <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/25/technology/jury-reaches-decision-in-apple-samsung-patent-trial.html?_r=1&ref=technology>  
> )

If you want to develop for only jailbroken phones, you basically alienate  
most users of iPhone.  It's not a viable business model IMO.  Yes, it  
sucks to have to jump through apple's hoops, but having access to millions  
of users is very much worth it.

>> Just wait until you try to install your app on your phone for the
>> first time -- I have a feeling you will hate that too :)
>>
>
> I've done it on the Android already - could be better could be worse.
> Marmalade's deployment tool is really dodgy when installing to a device,
> but using Google's ADB directly is pretty reliable, and so is
> installing from a URL via the device's browser.
>
> I'm definitely not looking forward to dealing with iTunes though. I've
> already used it for syncing the phone, and it's just a big mess. I
> don't even bother trying to sync it anymore (PalmOS syncing OTOH, was
> flawless). When the time comes, I'll probably grab copies of "Phone to
> PC" and/or "Phone Disk" <http://www.macroplant.com/downloads.php>. The
> demos of those seem to work much better than iTunes, plus they don't
> treat me like a brain-damaged monkey.

Oh, when you develop apps, it's quite easy to install on the phone, you  
just click "run" from xcode, selecting your device, you don't ever have to  
start itunes (though itunes will auto-start every time you plug in the  
phone, but you can disable this in itunes, more annoying is that iPhoto  
*always* starts, I can't figure out how to stop that).  From then on, the  
app is installed.  The issue is setting up all the certificates via xcode  
and their web portal to get that to work (should only have to do this  
once).  I think the process has streamlined a bit, you used to have to  
create an app id for each app and select which devices were authorized to  
install it.  Now I think you get a wildcard app id, but you still have to  
register each device.

>
>>
>> I love how my iPhone will never scratch or deteriorate.
>
> Instead, it'll just get prematurely discontinued ;)

3gs (released june 2009) was still being sold last month, and it is  
getting ios 6 upgrade.  I still have mine and develop with it.

> But I dunno, I've heard that the iPhones are so brittle that you
> practically look at them the wrong way and they break. (I wouldn't
> know - I've got a super heavy-duty case on mine. The device is far too
> expensive to replace if anything happened to it. Damn thing costs twice
> as much as my laptop. For a stupid little phone. Go figure.)

My wife and I have been very careful with ours, but I do see a lot with  
cracked screens.  Interesting thing is they still seem to work!  I don't  
think a cracked/broken screen would ever work with a palm-style touch  
screen.

Also, starting with iPhone 4s (and iPad 2 I think?) you can buy apple care  
for your device for $99 that covers two accidental breakage incidents (at  
$49 each) for up to 2 years.  This includes cracked screens and water  
damage.  Only catch is you have to buy it within 30 days of activating the  
phone (or purchasing the iPad if not 3g enabled).

Well worth the extra cost when you consider the full retail price!  I did  
it for my 4s, and will do it for all my subsequent iPhones.

-Steve