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

soosy said:
I'm all for consistency but I use screen-lock on the iPad about a BILLION times a day... it really is a different device and consistency just for the sake of consistency would be a bad move.

I've never used mute and I think a major reason is I don't have a 3G iPad that travels around with me all day. I don't need to mute it like I would a phone. Maybe if I did have a "mobile iPad", I'd feel differently.

Screen orientation on the iPad is almost TOO sensitive. That's partially why I have to lock it all the time. The slightest change will send the screen spinning. I think I might prefer more of a delay or I guess just a more extreme angle to trigger the change.

Funnily the volume down->mute is the other thing on the iPad that I find too sensitive. The few times I've needed to adjust the volume down it almost immediately goes straight to mute. I've accepted this is okay though due to the lack of dedicated mute button.

Anyway, I'd much rather keep the screen lock as a slider.
Click to expand...

+1
these are more good details -- please consider sending them to Apple via their feedback webpage:

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

Thanks -
Macwheels
 
goto10 said:
Completely serious. I was shocked at how quickly he responded (and that he responded at all). Obviously I can't *prove* it, as even a screenshot of Gmail can be faked, but that really is the email I sent and the response I got. Also his email had a "Sent from my iPad" sig on the bottom.
Click to expand...

Right :rolleyes:

And I've got a bridge for sale…
 
Sort of landscape lock

Just wondering if many people know that you get landscape lock if you rotate 90 degrees from portrait to landscape and then 90 degrees more to turn your phone into potrait upside down. Handy for reading in bed.
 
goto10 said:
Well it was in response to my email to sjobs@apple.com so it at least came from his mailbox. It's very possible an underling is actually responding to these sort of emails. As for proving that I received the email and am not making it up, I'm open to any suggestions.
Click to expand...

I don't have any suggestions, but will be interested if others can help you prove this.

Personally, I suspect it was written by an underling who was trying (too hard) to be amusing.

Macwheels
 
Rustykazoo said:
Just wondering if many people know that you get landscape lock if you rotate 90 degrees from portrait to landscape and then 90 degrees more to turn your phone into potrait upside down. Handy for reading in bed.
Click to expand...

Yeah -- but doesn't work on the iPad :(

Macwheels
 
NOTICE: This wasn't a real Jobs email. I was punk'd. I'm very sorry for wasting time with this.

macwheels said:
I don't have any suggestions, but will be interested if others can help you prove this.

Personally, I suspect it was written by an underling who was trying (too hard) to be amusing.

Macwheels
Click to expand...

Could very well be.

Here's what "show original" in Gmail is giving me (I deleted my email address, but left everything else intact):
Code: 
Delivered-To: [REDACTED]
Received: by 10.229.98.17 with SMTP id o17cs45143qcn;
        Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:49:00 -0700 (PDT)
Received: by 10.143.159.7 with SMTP id l7mr1946140wfo.114.1284583739877;
        Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:48:59 -0700 (PDT)
Return-Path: <sjobs@apple.com>
Received: from 216.129.125.92 (mithril.fjarlq.com [216.129.125.92])
        by mx.google.com with SMTP id p4si4220216wfg.100.2010.09.15.13.46.54;
        Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:48:59 -0700 (PDT)
Received-SPF: softfail (google.com: domain of transitioning sjobs@apple.com does not designate 216.129.125.92 as permitted sender) client-ip=216.129.125.92;
Authentication-Results: mx.google.com; spf=softfail (google.com: domain of transitioning sjobs@apple.com does not designate 216.129.125.92 as permitted sender) smtp.mail=sjobs@apple.com
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:48:59 -0700 (PDT)
Message-Id: <4c91313b.04d98e0a.4e26.ffff9e34SMTPIN_ADDED@mx.google.com>
From: Steve Jobs <sjobs@apple.com>
To: [REDACTED]
Subject: Re: iPad

Just avoid using the switch in that way.

> I understand the reasoning for changing the function of the iPad hardware switch, but for I and apparently many others the existing behavior is a much better user experience. While it may not be possible to convince you to keep the current behavior, would you at least consider adding a configuration setting to allow the "legacy" behavior for people like me?

Sent from my iPad
 
Xeem said:
Why not the option to choose what it does in settings?
Click to expand...

I've asked Apple that question a dozen times before. Every time they make some awful change to the GUI I ask them why did you do it? Why not just make it an OPTION. The answer is that Steve wants total CONFORMITY among its user base. He literally cannot stand the thought of someone's Mac having a different looking or behaving interface than his own. You will conform. You will be assimilated! You don't need OPTIONS. Steve is perfection. Steve knows best for you what you need and what you only think you need! You don't need file access on your iPod Touch or iPhone or Ipad. You don't need a USB port on the iPad! You don't need a real gamepad control for certain games. Touch controls work BEST for EVERYTHING. So says Steve of Borg.
 
Nevermind. I was just punked by a friend, which I realized once I actually read the headers. Sorry!
 
Not bothered by this. And with FaceTime-like capabilities probably coming to the iPad sometime in the future this makes sense. It isn't like the screen lock is that hard to trigger using multitasking anyway...

Not sure why people are so up in arms about this.
 
MagnusVonMagnum said:
I've asked Apple that question a dozen times before. Every time they make some awful change to the GUI I ask them why did you do it? Why not just make it an OPTION. The answer is that Steve wants total CONFORMITY among its user base. He literally cannot stand the thought of someone's Mac having a different looking or behaving interface than his own. You will conform. You will be assimilated! You don't need OPTIONS. Steve is perfection. Steve knows best for you what you need and what you only think you need! You don't need file access on your iPod Touch or iPhone or Ipad. You don't need a USB port on the iPad! You don't need a real gamepad control for certain games. Touch controls work BEST for EVERYTHING. So says Steve of Borg.
Click to expand...

App developers are free to make a gamepad that interfaces through the dock connector or bluetooth.
 
goto10 said:
I sent the following email to Steve Jobs:
"I understand the reasoning for changing the function of the iPad hardware switch, but for I and apparently many others the existing behavior is a much better user experience. While it may not be possible to convince you to keep the current behavior, would you at least consider adding a configuration setting to allow the "legacy" behavior for people like me?"

His response:
"Just avoid using the switch in that way."
Click to expand...

I got an email from Steve Jobs once. I sent him an email telling him about this idea I had for a big version of the iPhone that could be used as a tablet computer. I also talked about putting in a book reader and warned him not to let people take their prototype iPhones out on their birthdays.

His response.

"OMG, are you the real Ralf The Dog? Normally I keep these things short, but I am one of your biggest fans! I read your recent paper on quantum determinacy and String Theory. It was Brilliant! We need to schedule your band for an upcoming product release. We will need to make it a product that has a rap theme.

Your idea for the big iPhone is brilliant. It will be the next big thing. I am devoting all of our resources to putting it on the market as fast as we can.

PS. We have this revolutionary new antenna design that is having some small problems. If you get a chance, we would like you to look it over.

PPS. Waiting for you to publish your next book. Return of the Killer Chainsaws Part II was absolutely magical.

Thanks!

Steve
 
Thank goodness. I often mute my ipad, and never screenlock it, and it's a pain to have to turn it on to mute it (which happens every time I realize I accidentally left the sound on because an email chimes).
 
paradox00 said:
App developers are free to make a gamepad that interfaces through the dock connector or bluetooth.
Click to expand...

Please. App developers are not hardware developers and very few would support an unofficial 3rd party standard. Besides, who wants to carry a full size gamepad around when you could just have a little pad and two buttons built flat into the screen (especially on the iPad which has TONS of free room to put any number of extra controls to make life simpler).

All I know is that trying to play Pac-Man, maze jumpers (like a Mario type game) or pinball with touch screen controls just plain SUCKS. Your fingers are in the way of the actual game (seeing it) and lack precision and feedback. It's great for steering games and word puzzles, but after Apple saw how popular these things are to game on, they could/should have made the 2nd generation onward more gaming friendly. Then again, "gaming friendly" has never really been in Apple's vocabulary before so it shouldn't be surprising they wouldn't know how to make it easier for the consumer.
 
goto10 said:
NOTICE: This wasn't a real Jobs email. I was punk'd. I'm very sorry for wasting time with this.
Click to expand...

I'm the bastard who punk'd goto10 just now, with the "Just avoid using the switch in that way" comment. I wish I had picked a funnier wording now. Sorry! :(
 
RalfTheDog said:
I got an email from Steve Jobs once. I sent him an email telling him about this idea I had for a big version of the iPhone that could be used as a tablet computer. I also talked about putting in a book reader and warned him not to let people take their prototype iPhones out on their birthdays.

His response.

"OMG, are you the real Ralf The Dog? Normally I keep these things short, but I am one of your biggest fans! I read your recent paper on quantum determinacy and String Theory. It was Brilliant! We need to schedule your band for an upcoming product release. We will need to make it a product that has a rap theme.

Your idea for the big iPhone is brilliant. It will be the next big thing. I am devoting all of our resources to putting it on the market as fast as we can.

PS. We have this revolutionary new antenna design that is having some small problems. If you get a chance, we would like you to look it over.

PPS. Waiting for you to publish your next book. Return of the Killer Chainsaws Part II was absolutely magical.

Thanks!

Steve
Click to expand...

The above post was a lie. Here is the actual text.

"Our attorneys have filed the restraining order. Stop sending me emails.

Sent from my iPad."
 
cmaier said:
Thank goodness. I often mute my ipad, and never screenlock it, and it's a pain to have to turn it on to mute it (which happens every time I realize I accidentally left the sound on because an email chimes).
Click to expand...

I understand your point, which seems to just prove the old truism:
"to each his own."

;)

(So, I'd like to have MY option available to me, just as much as you'd like having yours for
you.) :)

Macwheels
 
The software orientation lock on the iPhone is useless. It can only lock to portrait.

I feel this is a bad idea, the volume control already mutes after 1 sec.
 
If this software screen lock works like the one one the iphone4, which ONLY allows you to lock in portrait mode ... that would be a complete and total FAIL.

Hopefully 4.2 not only allows us to lock the ipad in either landscape OR portrait mode, but it also brings that dual functionality to the iphone as well.
 
fjarlq said:
I'm the bastard who punk'd goto10 just now, with the "Just avoid using the switch in that way" comment. I wish I had picked a funnier wording now. Sorry! :(
Click to expand...

I'm unclear if you are sorry that you wasted the time of at least a few interested people -- as well as your own time --
or if you are sorry you didn't think of something more clever?

Macwheels
 
robeddie said:
If this software screen lock works like the one one the iphone4, which ONLY allows you to lock in portrait mode ... that would be a complete and total FAIL.

Hopefully 4.2 not only allows us to lock the ipad in either landscape OR portrait mode, but it also brings that functionality to the iphone.
Click to expand...

On the ipad you can lock to landscape in 4.2. Haven't played with iphone yet.
 
i think apple is right this time.
Mute is always more urgency than orientation lock.
While you in place like classes , meeting or whatever
you will feel the mute button like save your life .
 
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