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I couldn't take the vibrate anymore

W

Willee

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 2, 2013
5
0
I got my iPhone 5 last week. I was trying to just hold out as I had no problems are dislikes with my 4. I got a plethora of Best Buy gift cards over the holidays and thought that I might as well get the 5. Well today I just returned it. I don't know if I'm just being picky, but the vibrate feature sounds like a small duck.

I work in a very quiet office and everyone can hear everything. I like to be able to text discreetly (I know I shouldn't text at work). I have always set my phone on my mouse pad to silence any vibrations and still be able to easily feel it. With the iPhone 5 it was like using a quiet ring tone. It is unbelievably loud.

Is this just me or have others noticed the difference. It feels like I'm using a 4 year old android phone.
 
M

MattMJB0188

macrumors 68020
Dec 28, 2009
2,032
583
Willee said:
I got my iPhone 5 last week. I was trying to just hold out as I had no problems are dislikes with my 4. I got a plethora of Best Buy gift cards over the holidays and thought that I might as well get the 5. Well today I just returned it. I don't know if I'm just being picky, but the vibrate feature sounds like a small duck.

I work in a very quiet office and everyone can hear everything. I like to be able to text discreetly (I know I shouldn't text at work). I have always set my phone on my mouse pad to silence any vibrations and still be able to easily feel it. With the iPhone 5 it was like using a quiet ring tone. It is unbelievably loud.

Is this just me or have others noticed the difference. It feels like I'm using a 4 year old android phone.
Click to expand...

And I think I'm bad lol? Haha. You returned the phone because you didn't like how it vibrated.

Well its a good thing Apple still sells the iPhone 4S for people like you.
 
C

Chris092881

macrumors 6502
Dec 26, 2012
409
3
If the phone was good cosmetically, and otherwise, it pains me to think you returned it because of the vibration. As the other member mentioned, you can create your own vibration. There were ways around this. But it's your call.
 
GeorgieAcevedo

GeorgieAcevedo

macrumors 6502a
Apr 12, 2012
740
1
New York City
You can make a custom vibration y'knowwwww?
 

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Ibuyiphones

macrumors newbie
Aug 11, 2011
7
0
Chicago
mobilehaathi said:
You could have set up a custom vibration. You likely could have constructed one that met your needs.
Click to expand...

Can you do that for text messages? RING TONE yes but I didn't see the option for text tone.

And I'm with the OP, I would return the phone if the vibrator was not FIRM. That's a defected vibrator, I know I refurb iPhones.
 
W

Willee

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 2, 2013
5
0
The vibrating mechanism is actually a step back from the 4/4s. After doing some research to see if it was just in my head, I found out that the mechanism is from the iPhone 3. The 4/4s used a circular mechanism which created less noise, where as the 3/5 use an off balance weight on a motor.

I tried to the custom vibrate tones. It wasn't the tones that were the problem. It was the intensity. It needed to be turned down to somewhere in the 25% power range and then it could have possibly been quiet enough.

I know it seems like a strange reason, but I need the vibrate to be silent. Like it is in the 4/4s.
 
W

Willee

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 2, 2013
5
0
ucfgrad93 said:
Agreed, it seems rather silly to.me.
Click to expand...

Imagine if they removed the flash from the iPhone 5. To me this wouldn't matter because I don't use the camera. The people who need the flash use the phone as a camera. If it suddenly went back to how the 3G was, people would be very upset.

For me, I need the vibrate to actually be silent because of my environment. The vibrate in the 4/4s is silent.

Here is an article about the difference in the vibrating mechanisms:
http://thenextweb.com/apple/2012/09/28/yes-iphone-5-vibrate-differently/
 
Mlrollin91

Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,120
10,106
Willee said:
The vibrating mechanism is actually a step back from the 4/4s. After doing some research to see if it was just in my head, I found out that the mechanism is from the iPhone 3. The 4/4s used a circular mechanism which created less noise, where as the 3/5 use an off balance weight on a motor.

I tried to the custom vibrate tones. It wasn't the tones that were the problem. It was the intensity. It needed to be turned down to somewhere in the 25% power range and then it could have possibly been quiet enough.

I know it seems like a strange reason, but I need the vibrate to be silent. Like it is in the 4/4s.
Click to expand...

Only the Verizon iPhone 4 used the 4S motor.
I prefer the iPhone 3GS/5 Vibrate Motor, yes its a little louder, but unlike the iPhone 4S, it doesn't rattle the back of the iPhone housing. I've had many replacements because I thought my 4S's were defective but its just how the vibrate motor was positioned. There have been a lot of threads talking about this when the iPhone 4S came out.
 
L

Leonard1818

macrumors 68020
Nov 15, 2011
2,460
403
I don't get why people say that's an odd/silly reason to return the phone?

the OP clearly stated his/her reasoning for wanting a quieter vibration. I too work in a silent office in a padded cell. Every time my wife texts me (which is a lot) it buzzes. I have to keep it on a pad of paper or it sounds like someone is sawing my desk in 1/2 (pindrop quiet). Even on the paper, it's obvious when I get a text....

I fully understand the reasoning. I didn't say I necessarily feel the same way or agree... but I understand and don't really see it as *that* silly...

OP, did you consider putting your phone on silent (turning off the vibration when on silent) and propping it up where you can visually see it? That way you wouldn't miss a txt cause your phone would light up and you wouldn't have to deal with the vibration. Or, I've seen where people set their camera flash (ironic cause of your previous example) as the LED notification for an incoming txt. Would that be less invasive than the vibration? Finally, what I do sometimes is just simply put the thing in my pocket. When it vibrates in there my thunder thigh is cushion enough to keep it quiet. :D

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Ibuyiphones said:
Can you do that for text messages? RING TONE yes but I didn't see the option for text tone.

And I'm with the OP, I would return the phone if the vibrator was not FIRM. That's a defected vibrator, I know I refurb iPhones.
Click to expand...

credibility.
 
W

Willee

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 2, 2013
5
0
Leonard1818 said:
I don't get why people say that's an odd/silly reason to return the phone?

the OP clearly stated his/her reasoning for wanting a quieter vibration. I too work in a silent office in a padded cell. Every time my wife texts me (which is a lot) it buzzes. I have to keep it on a pad of paper or it sounds like someone is sawing my desk in 1/2 (pindrop quiet). Even on the paper, it's obvious when I get a text....

I fully understand the reasoning. I didn't say I necessarily feel the same way or agree... but I understand and don't really see it as *that* silly...

OP, did you consider putting your phone on silent (turning off the vibration when on silent) and propping it up where you can visually see it? That way you wouldn't miss a txt cause your phone would light up and you wouldn't have to deal with the vibration. Or, I've seen where people set their camera flash (ironic cause of your previous example) as the LED notification for an incoming txt. Would that be less invasive than the vibration? Finally, what I do sometimes is just simply put the thing in my pocket. When it vibrates in there my thunder thigh is cushion enough to keep it quiet. :D

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credibility.
Click to expand...

Usually what I would do is set it face down on my mouse pad. It has a gel base and absorbs a lot of the noise from the vibration. The reason I have to keep it face down is because I do a lot of graphic design when not updating our website. The boss's wife is very "artistic" and likes to hover behind me and watch me work for on the spot critiquing (cringe). So I keep it face down to avoid her staring at my phone as messages come in. I could still feel the vibrations with my hand on the mouse pad. So it worked out perfectly. The flash may have been an option, but it may have drawn as much attention as the louder vibration. The front of my office is all glass, so it is very easy to see into.

Right now it's not a big issue to have to pass on an upgrade. The iPhone 4 is still a nice phone. It was hard going back to the smaller screen. If the 5s and the 6 roll out with the louder vibrating mechanism, I may have to just suck it up and keep my phone in my shirt pocket or something. Was hoping that the mechanism technology would change by then though.
 
H

harcosparky

macrumors 68020
Jan 14, 2008
2,055
2
To the fanboys your reason for return is unreasonable, for they do not think an iPhone5 should be returned for any reason. :D
 
L

Leonard1818

macrumors 68020
Nov 15, 2011
2,460
403
harcosparky said:
To the fanboys your reason for return is unreasonable, for they do not think an iPhone5 should be returned for any reason. :D
Click to expand...

except:
-- Scratches
-- light bleed
-- Yellow tint
-- Battery
-- Phase of the moon when iPhone was unboxed
 
mpayne2k

mpayne2k

macrumors 6502a
May 12, 2010
876
63
Why not just keep it in your pocket and work? If you notice a message come in by the vibration in your pocket, check it at your discretion, not when the boss's wife is hovering over you.

I understand you have a particular want, but I don't think this should be considered a design flaw of the phone.

I'd say just turn vibration off if you must keep it on your desk. Check the phone ever so often to see if you got a text (have notifications show in the lock screen).

----------
Leonard1818 said:
except:
-- Scratches
-- light bleed
-- Yellow tint
-- Battery
-- Phase of the moon when iPhone was unboxed
Click to expand...

I did replace my first iPhone 5 for battery issues, but sure enough its just the state of where I live/work. My phone only gets 2 bars of 4g or LTE and this eats at my battery all day.

Also, I do notice a yellow tint when comparing it to other devices, but when used on its own I actually prefer the iPhone 5 screen to my other devices as it has better saturation (compared to my iPad and Nexus 7)
 
K

Kissaragi

macrumors 68020
Nov 16, 2006
2,340
370
Damn Apple! They should have had a big hemispherical bulge on the back just to fit the old vibe motor in from the iPhone 4 to please this guy. What is wrong with Apple at the moment? Anyone would think they didn't care about the ops pain.
 
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