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| Review: Apple iOS 4.0 |
 Before we get into it, let me state one thing: This is not a review of the new Apple iPhone 4. I don't have one. I don't need one. I'm not even sure that I want one. Honestly, the iPhone 3GS I have is so great, I don't see a reason to be in a rush to upgrade. The only feature the new hardware has that sounds somewhat appealing to me versus the 3GS is to have a flash on the camera. I honestly can't believe it's taken Apple four revisions to put that on there, but I digress.
iOS 4.0. The new operating system for iPhone. Here are my observations about it.
1. Mail
The Mail program has received a bit of a facelift. The unified inbox is a definite plus, as is quick access to the inbox folders of each e-mail account. I have five e-mail accounts on my phone, so anything that helps me ensure e-mail doesn't fall through the cracks is a huge bonus.
However, by making access to the inbox more convenient, it makes access to other folders less convenient - particularly on my office's Exchange account, where I have rules set up to sort through my mountains of incoming e-mail to place messages into folders. I've gotten very good, in fact, at setting up rules and it's something that helps me immensely. I can still, just as in iPhone 3.x, go to the Settings and define multiple folders to retrieve updates from automatically via Push technology. However, now I just have to dig a little deeper to get to those folders.
Okay, okay, it's only a simple scroll-down on the main Mail page, but still... I'd like to see Apple implement, particularly for Exchange users, the option to include non-inbox folders into the unified Inbox message list. For example, I might have a rule set to filter all email from my boss to the deleted items folder a My Boss folder for convenience, but I'd want to see the message just the same as if it was left in my inbox.
Oh, and one more thing ... Mark as Unread on Exchange and IMAP accounts would be a huge feature to add!
2. Multi-tasking
Let me preface this by saying I haven't done a ton of research into the subject. So I'm working off of some assumed knowledge based on observation and reading blurbs garnered from Steve Jobs' presentations.
Multi-tasking so far hasn't affected me one bit. The only "benefit" I've seen from it, so far, is the ability to switch programs without going back to the Home screen. Perhaps it's because the only programs I've needed in the past to do multi-tasking already could do it on the phone - because they were Apple's programs. As long as my calendar reminds me of meetings, my phone dings when a new email comes in, my alarm goes off in the morning, and I can be listening to my iPod or on the phone at the same time as I'm using an app or the web, I'm happy. I simply haven't felt much use for this feature yet.
One oddity of this feature is that programs don't fully quit when you leave them. They don't stay running, but they get suspended into the task tray and you have to quit each program manually by holding down on its icon until the icons wiggle about, and then clicking on the red close icon. Doesn't bother me really, but a way to simply close all open programs would be nice, or a way to simply quit a program directly from the program rather than having to leave the program, bring up the task tray, make the icon wiggle, then quit it.
3. Background Wallpaper on the Homescreen
I have my novelty picture of Brian Griffin, the dog from Family Guy, drinking a martini on my lock screen. I don't necessarily want that picture, though, behind my home screen icons, as it makes it harder to navigate. Apple has left no way of setting just a simple static-color background for the home screens. Plain black was okay by me, honestly. The workaround, of course, is to upload a picture into your phone of just a plain color (or any background you'd like for that matter), but it should be a default choice to set a solid color.
4. Speed!
The OS feels much faster than the previous iPhone 3.x releases. The animations seem more refined and fluid. It's a perception thing and I haven't done any actual measurements, but I'd say that it's a vast improvement.
Syncing up with iTunes seems much faster -- though I don't know whether that's because of iOS 4.0, or because of the new iTunes 9.2 64-bit that was released in support of the new iOS.
Obviously these are perceptual opinions -- but they're positive perceptual opinions, so let's smile and move on.
5. Tethering
The good news is, you can now tether an iPhone in the USA. The bad news is, you can now tether an iPhone in the USA.
I ranted not too long ago on this blog regarding the $20 AT&T charge just for the privilege of using your data plan in conjunction with your computer. I really can't wait until someone hacks this feature to unlock the tethering function in lieu of AT&T's evil charge. I could find it infinitely useful, but not so useful that I'd be willing to pay extra for it.
Yes, I'm still harping about this, even though it's not technically Apple's fault that AT&T does this -- though they obviously built the software hooks that allow AT&T to setup this mechanism.
6. Camera Zoom
The camera now has digital zoom. Only took four major software revisions, but we can finally zoom in. Thinking back on all those sporting events and concerts where I'd have liked to have been able to do this on my phone, it disappoints me that it's taken this long. Then I realize it's okay, because my hardware still has no flash and my pictures probably will come out too dark anyway. (Seriously, though, it's about time we got this feature!)
7. iPod
The ability to create and modify real playlists and not just the special On the Go playlists? All I can really say is, "gee golly, that's nifty!"
I'd also say the sound quality seems better. I'm still having some problems with the left channel when playing back in my car, though it could be the car stereo itself, but it seems to sound distinctly better. It could be perception created in my mind out of a deep want for it to be better, but hey, even if it's a mind game, this particular one I'll take!
Conclusion
Should you update to iOS 4? Yes. Based on the speed factor, and my opinion that keeping software updates up-to-date helps to protect data security on all platforms, I'd say that updating is worthwhile. You really have nothing to lose by doing so (unless you do a lot that requires Jailbreak and you're unlucky enough to have a model which can't be jailbroken yet on iOS 4 - I'm currently not jail broken, but will do so if and when a tethering unlock is available.) |
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| 24 Jun 2010 - 19:43 by David Schwartzstein |
Technology Reviews
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