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iPad's Orientation Lock Switch Becomes Mute Switch With iOS 4.2

WiiDSmoker said:
This in itself is a reason not to upgrade.
Click to expand...

+1

The orientation lock makes a lot of sense for a tablet device such as this. At least make this a simple settings option where the user can change it to what they want.

I mean if all you need to do to mute it is hold down the volume switch, then this change has no excuse. Again though, make it an option under Settings and this could all be a very good thing.
 
I'm on the sides of "redscull" and "Evangelion" with this.
However, I do know usage habits differ from one person to another.

Anyhow, I think from an iOS point of view, it makes sense to unify user experience. Let's not forget iOS familiarity due to the iPhone and iPod had to be one of the major factors in making the first successful tablet.


Btw, I really hope the orientation lock will work for both orientations. It's really frustrating that the iPhone only locks in the portrait orientation. Unless, I missed the memo, I'm not sure why Apple hasn't addressed this extremely easy fix.
 
Ugh, I hate when Apple piss about with things like this.


I'm still morning the loss of 'Double tap home for favourites' on my iPhone after iOS 4

I am not a happy chappy.
 
To everyone in favor of it being a mute button now, that's fine. But this is very unlike Apple. They changed the function of a *physical* hardware button with a software update. I see a lot of confused users come November...
 
People saying this is to make it consistent with the iPhone don,t get it. The ipad is already different to the iPhone, as it is FULLY designed to be used in multiple orientations, which is unlike the iPhone. The iPhone does not rotate to landscape when in the home screen, for example. Another is in most apps, the iphone will not flip to an upside down position while the iPad does.

The ipad is a more freeform device than the iphone is, so apple correctly made the decision to make the switch an orientation lock.

Making the iPad MORE like the iPhone is not the right way to go - they should be diverging the devices.
 
NO! NONONONONONONONONONONOOOOOOOOOO!

That "orientation lock" switch is the handiest thing when I'm juggling too much at once (like consulting the map while driving) and don't want to deal with the durn thing flipping around on me; there are times I REALLY want to rely on physical orientation without gravitational or inertial effects causing a virtual re-orientation of the screen.

Mute? The volume button handles that VERY nicely (short continued press -> mute) to Apple's credit.
 
koobcamuk said:
Done.

I also sent an email to Steve.
Click to expand...

Thanks, koobcamuk, for sending that nice note directly to Steve! I wanted to do the same thing, but was too steamed about the flippin' switch to think of what to say nicely :eek:

I utilize the iPad A LOT for display of photographs -- for which it IS fantastic. I feel pretty clear that the whole experience of seeing images on the iPad will be MUCH LESS fantastic if I am obliged to navigate to some other screen, simply in order to re-orient a photo from landscape to portrait. It would mean a total loss of the "magical" experience of seeing life-size images flowing by...........!

:mad:
Macwheels
 
Great news. The iOS4 software orientation lock works well for me. Presumably you'll be able to lock in landscape mode too though. The current "hold volume down for mute" functionality on the iPad is a constant source of irritation for me: I rarely want to mute it, but often want to decrease the volume by more than one tap. It usually ends up muting and then I have to wind the volume back up again.
 
I've never used orientation lock and I'll probably not use the mute either. You don't want to mute/unmute on an iPad so much as pause/play. If it was a pause/play button, I'd use it.
 
You whiners need to grow up or get a life. I do own an iPad (the most expensive model) and I'm happy about this change although I hope that the software button is a lock orientation button and not "lock in portrait" like on the iPhone.

I was disappointed when the mute button morphed into a lock button in the first place. I don't find myself using the lock into orientation button very often but I could see myself using it as a mute button since I have the Wifi+3G model and am constantly getting updates and meeting notifications.
 
I can definitely see the orientation lock being more useful than a mute switch (which is more useful than orientation lock on the phone), but there needs to be a level of consistency across iOS devices and device firmware. iPhones and iPod Touches are more abundant than iPads, so their way is the way.

Even more exciting for the iPad, however, is the quick access to the brightness setting, though.
 
aristotle said:
You whiners need to grow up or get a life. I do own an iPad (the most expensive model) and I'm happy about this change although I hope that the software button is a lock orientation button and not "lock in portrait" like on the iPhone.

I was disappointed when the mute button morphed into a lock button in the first place.
Click to expand...

So -- Aristotle knows best for everyone, it appears. ;)

MacWheels
 
jdechko said:
I can definitely see the orientation lock being more useful than a mute switch (which is more useful than orientation lock on the phone), but there needs to be a level of consistency across iOS devices and device firmware. iPhones and iPod Touches are more abundant than iPads, so their way is the way.

Even more exciting for the iPad, however, is the quick access to the brightness setting, though.
Click to expand...

What is the great need for consistency? This would make more sense if we were discussing an obscure software switch, which may be hard for most people to learn about or utilize across similar iOS devices. But we are talking about a physical button on the outside of the iPad -- something that, once you have used it even just once, is very easy to remember how to use. If this is NOT the same as an iPhone, one can learn that fact pretty much instantly.

Macwheels
 
SamFisher said:
Lol, yeah your right. I use my lock switch many times a day and it is a reason for me not to upgrade when it comes out, then again I want multitasking and folders...:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I feel the same way :(
So I used the feedback to Apple link (provided on page 1 of this thread) to express my opinion on the potential loss of the hardware screenlock button. I really hope Apple will make this optional.. It's only mid-September, so maybe we can hope for this to happen before iOS 4.2 is released in November -!

Macwheels
 
Lame, I think it should remain the way it was, I've got an ipod touch, and the orientation change is so annoying, thats why I assume it would be the same on an iPad..
 
I was agreeing with everyone here about the dislike of the switch until muted my iPad and had to turn my volume back up. It is kind of a pain to have to turn the volume back up. It takes a couple of seconds.
 
Evangelion said:
This! A thousand times this!
Click to expand...

Except for those that don't need that. We (my company) have 2 iPads, mute is never an issue because we aren't using anything that needs volume up or down. Other than checking it out the first day, I don't think any of us have actually touched a volume control. Many, many of these were sold to companies, they are not always personal devices like a phone always is. We have email on it, but not as Push, so there is no issue with a sudden need to mute notifications.

Ranting that orientation lock is not needed is just as foolish as ranting that mute is not needed. Ask for options, don't be daft.
 
Hopefully it's a real screen lock still. On the iPhone it only allows you to do portrait orientation lock, but not landscape, why??? I'd prefer it stays how it is. I wish you could make the mute switch on the iPhone be a lock switch instead.
 
Lack of instant mute is one of the most destructive things that can be imagined by the human mind. I was clicking through web pages (Not on my iPad) the other day and I ran into a website that played classical music. When I clicked off the site, the music kept playing.

I was lucky in that I had a large hammer on my desk and I was able to smash my computer to stop the music (It was opera!!!). As it is, I will be facing this trauma for the rest of my life. Until they eliminate all classical music, we must have a fast and easy emergency kill switch to turn off the audio. One and a half seconds is way to long.
 
Bad idea, but no doubt it will be reverted to "normal operation" for jailbroken users within a week.
 
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