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I hate that mute switch.

M

Macostendoto

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 3, 2010
41
0
I hate the new feature of iOS 4.2 where the normal screen rotation switch has been switched to a mute switch. This seems ridiculous. Is there anyway to reverse this with out downgrading the OS? And does anyone think that Apple will change it in a later software version?
 
I hate it also. But there has been such an outcry that I would almost guarantee there's an option for that switch in the next major update. Doesn't seem too hard for them to make it an assignable switch and just give us two options.

I'm an avid eBook reader and used that lock switch at least three-four times a day. Now I just swear at my iPad instead. That software switch thing isn't half as useful.
 
Surely said:
It's exactly as useful.... it locks the screen orientation.
Click to expand...

After clicking a button twice, sliding your finger to the right and selecting a software switch. It used to take one little click. By my calculation that makes the "new and improved lock" exactly four times more difficult than the old way.

Seriously... The iPad speakers are good for this type of device but not good enough that people are actually using these things as standalone media players very often. At least not in any matter that requires a quick muting.

Unless you're watching YouPorn and someone knocks on the door... Wait... Maybe the switch "switch" is a good thing after all...
 
I'm glad they Changed the function. A mechanical switch is just waiting to break from excessive use like the iPhone 3G mute switch problems. I had 2 phones replaced because that switch failed. There's only so many position changes that switch will handle and it'd just be my luck to have it fail outside the warranty period.

Cheers,
 
But when will most people ever need a mute switch? What does it do anyway, mute alerts and stuff?

I won't ever use that, I don't get any random noises from my iPad anyway. Muting was as simple as holding the volume down for a matter of a second or two. Rotation locking was as simple as flicking a switch.

Now muting is even easier, while rotation locking is a pain... Especially after using the iPad for months, mines jailbroken anyway so I've just used the app and got back to the way it used to be
 
bentrider said:
After clicking a button twice, sliding your finger to the right and selecting a software switch. It used to take one little click. By my calculation that makes the "new and improved lock" exactly four times more difficult than the old way.
Click to expand...

Then it makes it more complicated, not less useful.

bentrider said:
Seriously... The iPad speakers are good for this type of device but not good enough that people are actually using these things as standalone media players very often. At least not in any matter that requires a quick muting.
Click to expand...

But you can be watching a movie with Airplay or connected to a TV. And the mute switch doesn't mute the sound from videos or music but it mutes the notifications that play over it. It's really annoying to have music from the iPad playing on high end speakers and have Mail sounds playing over it for example.


oli356 said:
But when will most people ever need a mute switch? What does it do anyway, mute alerts and stuff?

I won't ever use that, I don't get any random noises from my iPad anyway. Muting was as simple as holding the volume down for a matter of a second or two. Rotation locking was as simple as flicking a switch.

Now muting is even easier, while rotation locking is a pain... Especially after using the iPad for months, mines jailbroken anyway so I've just used the app and got back to the way it used to be
Click to expand...

But the volume slider mutes ALL the sound. When I'm playing music from my iPad with my speakers I don't want Mail sounds and etc. playing over the music, hence the mute switch that will silence all of those but keep the music playing.
 
You have a point, though actually when I get mail things it also pops up on screen so would have to click cancel if i was watching a movie.

I think though the rotation switch is far more useful.

25 times a day I might use the rotation switch, once a week if anything I will use the mute switch. Well not got a mute switch now as of JB
 
taptapswipe and there it all is. orientation lock, volume, airplay, ipod controls. takes about 2 sec
 
not soo good

I dislike it also.

What surprises me is that the iPad is less of a music/voice thing than an iPhone. So using that switch for freeze-orientation seems ever more logical than the present mute feature.

Then if Apple wants to make the iPad something like the iPhone, I would welcome camera and phone capabilities.

But the present solution is not so good.
 
anjinha said:
Then it makes it more complicated, not less useful.



But you can be watching a movie with Airplay or connected to a TV. And the mute switch doesn't mute the sound from videos or music but it mutes the notifications that play over it. It's really annoying to have music from the iPad playing on high end speakers and have Mail sounds playing over it for example.




But the volume slider mutes ALL the sound. When I'm playing music from my iPad with my speakers I don't want Mail sounds and etc. playing over the music, hence the mute switch that will silence all of those but keep the music playing.
Click to expand...

Quoted and bolded for emphasis.


anjinha knows where it's at.
 
Surely said:
Quoted and bolded for emphasis.


anjinha knows where it's at.
Click to expand...

:D

Another thing people might not consider is that a lot of people use the iPad at work or classes. In that situation sometimes you might need to mute notifications quickly, if something starts beeping all of a sudden. And as annoying it might be to use the software orientation lock you never really NEED to do it quickly but you might need to silence your iPad quickly.
 
crh3ff said:
taptapswipe and there it all is. orientation lock, volume, airplay, ipod controls. takes about 2 sec
Click to expand...

If I only used it once in a blue moon I wouldn't care. But I use it (by a rough count based on my usage yesterday) infinititely more - I have never used the mute in the weeks since it became a mute in a beta, but I use the rotation lock at least a half dozen times during the day.

MasterTick said:
If you don't like it tell the Apple Feedback page.

http://www.apple.com/feedback/

Couldn't hurt.
Click to expand...

I already have, asking that they give us the choice. I don't need the mute, so I would rather relegate it to the multitasking controls menu and use the switch as a rotation lock.
 
OK for all you anti-mute switch folks out there I have this to say, I like it!

The switch is a better ergonomic feature for cutting the sound off over multiple pushing of the volume switch or going to the volume menu.http://images.macrumors.com/vb/images/icons/icon14.gif

As far as stopping the page rotation, I guess I don't get what you all are complaining about? Rarely do I need to freeze the rotation and when I do I just double click the home button and select it. Simple!

Oh well Apple isn't a PC and one just has to do it the way they see fit.
 
bjet767 said:
The switch is a better ergonomic feature for cutting the sound off over multiple pushing of the volume switch or going to the volume menu.
Click to expand...

You hold the minus side of the volume toggle for 1.5s and it engages a full mute. If you are pressing the down toggle repeatedly then you didn't read the manual.
 
Last edited:
Night Spring said:
Yeah, but flicking switch takes, what, 0.5 second?
Click to expand...

my hands (and therefore thumbs) are almost always on the sides (top and bottom, as I'm usually in landscape), and for me, it's faster to taptapswipe than fumble around for the switch. Ok, so maybe I'm just clumsy, too. :rolleyes:
 
crh3ff said:
my hands (and therefore thumbs) are almost always on the sides (top and bottom, as I'm usually in landscape), and for me, it's faster to taptapswipe than fumble around for the switch. Ok, so maybe I'm just clumsy, too. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I tend to hold the iPad in landscape too, and for me, it's easy to reach the switch. Just slide my hand up a bit, and I can reach it with my index finger. I don't have to let go of the ipad at all. The new way, tap tap is easy enough, but to swipe I have to lift a hand off the side.
 
manual what manual

If you call what came with my IPad a manual then ...

1.5 seconds is an eternity BTW compared with sliding the "mute" switch to off.

Get real you guys they didn't make this change in some willy nilly manner, it came because most people preferred it.
 
anjinha said:
But the volume slider mutes ALL the sound. When I'm playing music from my iPad with my speakers I don't want Mail sounds and etc. playing over the music, hence the mute switch that will silence all of those but keep the music playing.
Click to expand...

Then why call it a mute switch if it doesn't mute the iPad?
 
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