This is my first blog entry on my new MacBook Pro 15″. It is really sweet and I would have to say that this is the best computer that I have ever used. If you look up the definition of “computer” in the dictionary that comes bundled in the operating system, it defines the word “computer” as this:

computer |kəmˈpyoōtər| noun

an electronic device for storing and processing data, typically in binary form, according to instructions given to it in a variable program.

That is a reasonable definition of a computer if you ask me. When I was learning about computers, it was defined as above but with other things added. A computer was described as a device consisting of a CPU, memory, storage, an input device and an output device able to run programs. This also seems to be reasonable.

Taking the above definitions of a computer, I would also define an iPhone as a computer. In that case, why are we not allowed to make the computer do the things that we want. Would it have been acceptable to tell me that I could not install Adium or VMWare on my brand new MacBook Pro? I would go crazy if I could not customize my laptop with all of the applications that I rely on daily.

I can use the same definition for my old-school Treo. Sure, the Treo had a more mature operating system but it ran without the fear of viruses and other people hacking the device. That wonderful piece of electronics was so great that people wrote software to do everything. Bluetooth devices were ALL accessible. I even had an IR emitter that I could plug in to the SD slot and control all of my electronics because the device was OPEN. I wrote programs for my phone and loved every minute of it. I had to get over the learning curve but it was all there. No one to stop me. My computer (Treo) was mine to do with what I want.

I have taken a small gander at all of the fine applications that other people were making on their hacked iPhones. I am truly amazed at the quality applications they were able to produce in such short time. They really did a super job at making the phone more useful.

I can understand Apple’s stance on the phone being linked to AT&T. I bought the phone knowing this. As a matter of fact, I switched from Sprint and was not unhappy with their service. I would not have considered this phone if I knew that it was going to be such a limited device.

Again, this is a computer. Apple should allow people to install their applications as a user with limited access (since it is Unix). They could be limited to the access that they are granted and the world would be happy. Unix is a wonderful operating system with little limitations. There is no reason to disallow people to run the applications that they desire.

Let us be free…

–Tom

I wrote Apple an idea that the keyboard should have vibrate feedback after the announcement of the iPhone.  I knew that the keyboard would be a bad feature as I already use one on my TomTom GPS.  They ignored it.  I entered it as a feature request on this site some time later.  Well, it seems that Samsung at least monitors good input.  They have come out with a Giorgio Armani phone and it has vibrating feedback!  I heard it on a G4 podcast this morning (The Daily Feed Video Podcast).

–Tom

I’m working on making this site more appealing. I was looking to see if I could automatically submit the bugs/enhancement requests directly to Apple by clicking a button. While looking through their source on the feedback site, I noticed something really odd.

The value of “product” is “iPhone Extreme”. What in the world is an iPhone Extreme? Is this a hint to their upcoming naming convention? Will there be a “lite” version? Hmmmm…

UPDATE:   I read that AppleInsider has found that this is simply a cut-and-paste error from the AirPort Extreme.

–Tom

I have the new update and have been using it for a few days. Its pretty unimpressive. As much time spent from many iPhoneBuglist users, there are an INCREASING amount of bugs. If one Apple developer sat for a day and went through the bugs on this site, I feel that half of the issues could be resolved. I would be happy with one resolved at this point.

This weekend my clock was ahead an hour.  I had to turn off the automatic time setting feature and turn it back on to correct it.  How does the time goof up?  I did not have time to look in to it but it appears that another user found that when you sync, it goofs up. That is poop! My expensive and useless device can’t even keep time. Thanks Apple.

–Tom

Nope, my phone is not hacked.  I am just happy when it works.  My wife and I both have been having trouble with our POP mail accounts.  Really made me mad last night.  That’s another story.

To the update.  Apple released 1.1.1 today for the phone.  I’ll give you the things that I found that are neat or not neat. 

1. It updated fine.
2. Kinda scared me when it said “Activate iPhone” on the main screen upon completion.  Then, when iTunes was able to see it, it said “iPhone is Activated”.  I guess it phoned home to the mother ship.
3. iTunes Wi-Fi downloads are kinda nifty.  Good job.
4. Calculator icon did change…  Odd.
5. SETTINGS icons “seem” smaller.  I really think they are.
6. You can change sounds of Text messages between: None, Tri-tone, Chime, Glass, Horn, Bell and Electronic.  That’s new.
7. SETTINGS > SAFARI has a Developer option.  I never noticed that before.  It allows for a debug console when there are web page errors.
8. SETTINGS > IPOD has a Video section and TV Out section now.  I don’t remember Video.  The TV Out allows for Widescreen and the ability to adjust from NTSC to PAL.
9. They mucked with the REQUIRE PASSCODE time values AGAIN!  Now they have Immediately, 1m, 5m, 15m, 1h and 4h settings.  The are retarded.  That is all that I have to say about that.
10. SETTINGS > GENERAL > KEYBOARD allows the “.” Shortcut.  Cool.
11. New SETTINGS > GENERAL > HOME BUTTON selection allows double clicking the Home button to go to Phone Favorites or iPod.  It also allows you to show iPod controls when music is playing.  That is great!
12. New version is 1.1.1 (3A109a).  Ok.
13. New Modem Firmware is 04.01.13_G.  Ok.
14. New Model is MA712LL.  What the hell?  My MODEL NUMBER CHANGED???  It went from MA712 to MA712LL.  What the hell is “LL”?
15. The volume on the speakerphone is supposed to be louder.  When I play a song through it, it is WAAAAAY distorted.  I have been using BASS REDUCER setting on the EQ and it has worked well for that.  Now, even with it reduced, it sounds like poop.
16. Calendar has a neat new feature.  I was going through my calendar one day and there was a meeting at 09:00 the next day (was in DAY view).  The calendar was displaying from 11:00 - 18:00 so I did not see my 09:00 meeting.  Kinda sucked.  Now, the calendar auto-scrolls to the meetings.  That’s cool!

That’s about it so far.  I’ll have to play with it some more and give more updates.

–Tom

It kinda stinks that Apple is saying that they are going to break your iPhone if it is unlocked.  It doesn’t SOUND like they are going to break your phone if you have applications installed.  Only if you unlocked it from AT&T.  I don’t know this for sure, it is only what it sounds like.  I have not done any modifications myself.  I have to wish a “big good luck” to all on the upcoming update to the iPhone. 

I am hoping this update will fix / add things to my phone.   I am sick of waiting.  Enough new products!  Fix what is already there!

–Tom

I’m feeling a bit sad right now.  I had to log in to my car insurance website to do something and I didn’t know the user name or password.  I looked at my iPhone and tossed it to the side.  I then marched to the bedroom where I have the trusty Treo 650 still plugged in.  Just in case, you know?  I powered up it’s pitifully dim screen and it told me all of the events that I need to go to or take care of.  Never failed, always on time and got things done.  I then zipped right to the Memos application and found the password protected note that I left myself.  By now, I’m back in my office ready to enter the login information.  I read it from my Treo and felt sad.  This device (Treo) has served me many years.  I left it at home once while going to work and felt naked.  I could always rely on it.  I don’t feel that way with the iPhone.  It’s kinda iUseless…  Music is wonderful.  I even dig the headphones when most don’t.  But darn, c’mon, feed me features and useablility.  The audiobook that I mentioned earlier has revealed some rather cruddy traits of Mr. Jobs.   It seems that he is not the person to care about the customer, rather he cares about his image.  Boo.  Be careful, I still have my Treo-sans-service but I can jab you in the eye with the nubby antenna!

–Tom

Alright, I messed with the ringtones by doing the M4R file rename trick.  It worked great with the 7.4 iTunes.  No problems.  As you might have read earlier, I had problems with Outlook 2000.  I fixed that by syncing my iPhone with my computer at work.  This way, I get my work calendar and all is good since it is Office 2003.  That was all cool until my ringtones vanished.  I thought that the ability to sync my phone with Outlook outweighed having ringtones so I was not upset. I assigned one of my superbly-created ringtones to my wife’s phone number.  Well, since I lost the ringtones with the new computer sync, she no longer rings.  I changed all of the stupid settings on the phone to make her ring.  No luck!  She will only vibrate now!  That stinks.  When I get my new MacBook Pro soon, I will just restore my stupid iPhone and call it a day.  When this thing decides to goof up, it really messes up.

–Tom

Apple announced that O2 is the carrier in Britain. I hear constant complaints about the download speeds of EDGE. It is not that big of a deal. If you COULD download stuff with the iPhone, it might make a difference. If you could tether the iPhone, it might maake a difference. You can’t do either so there is no big deal. I even read an article that most forign countries are so used to 3G because they SMS approximately 80-90% of the time. Does 3G make you type faster?

–Tom

I have been somewhat patiently waiting for an update to my iPhone.  I would like a significant update pronto.  The iPod Touch is already selling and the wireless downloading is already included.  Where’s mine?  Is it really broken and they don’t feel comfortable updating the iPhone?  I would like some big changes that work and are documented.  Is that too much?

–Tom