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See the problem with above is that this is how you currently move the mag glass around. When moving the mag glass you don't want to be selecting text. I like the context menu idea, but this is not very Apple, and Microsoft use this already on Windows Mobile platforms.

Agreed but once the cursor is in position, then the selecting can occur. The initial positioning sequence (tap and hold then release) would only get the cursor into position exactly as it already does. The issue I see is that what if you want to reposition the cursor twice in a row, the OS needs to know what you are intending. Is the next drag a selection or a repositioning? There will have to be some intermediate input that tells the OS your intention. I know the exact mechanics need to be worked out but I think it is possible.
 
I for one think the shaking icons looks retarded. To me it seems so ineloquent compared to everything the iphone is and does.

However, if the copy and paste comes in that will, finally, remove the enormous elephant in the room when someone begins to ask you about the iPhone and all its features, etc.
 
nope...

Copy/Paste would be a nice feature to have.

You know what the iPhone NEEDS though? The ability to search email. I can't tell you how many times I've had to scroll through one by one just to find the email that my boss mentioned something I needed to read again.

Seriously Apple. Search email, please!!

nope...i need system wide spotlight...!!
email...text...contacts..whatever...just out in 1 go...spotlight!!
cmon..!!
ha!
 
exactly..

I think the way shown coping and pasting is over complex in the mock video.

Gestures anyone?

With the iPhones multi-touch interface you could make gesture to enable the selection mode, then just drag you finger over the text to select and make a final gesture to copy. To paste just make another gesture.

ya..how about a clockwise circle for copy and anti for paste..or something like that. simple enf i think!!
 
Not having multiple recipients and cut and paste is probably the most idiotic lack of a feature in a smart phone ever. I can't believe that Apple has actually pulled that off. :rolleyes:
 
Instead of copy/paste, how about the ability to open web-links in the background in a new window?
 
How about selecting text by touching at the start of the text until the magnifying glass pops up just like normal, but instead of releasing and having your cursor appear in that position drag over the desired text until everything wanted is highlighted. Then simply let go and the text remains highlighted. Next touch the highlighted text anywhere and keep your finger in contact until a context menu appear, exactly like it would occur in OS X. The action of keeping the finger in contact would be analogous to pressing control on the keyboard or using a right click on the mouse. With this system, the context menu could have several functions; cut, paste, copy, etc...

The drag in magnifying mode is how you fine-tune the cursor placement isn't it?

Do you mean:

1) single touch to finetune cursor placement
2) then whilst in magnifying mode, add second finger to the mix to enter select mode
3) select to the end, still in magnifying mode (remove first finger to exit magnifying mode but remain in select mode)
4) remove second finger to exit select mode
5) Selection is automatically copied to a multi-item clipboard

[6) (X) at top left of selection to delete selection to turn copy into cut]

7) double tap to paste (bring up clipboard, last 4 items or something) somewhere else (see, this is where it gets harder, finding a simple but unique action when the obvious one is used for selection)
 
What about WiFi syncing like :apple:TV?

+1. or maybe they should provide 2 usb cables (I know, silly idea)

I cant see copy and paste being implimented a way stylish enough for apple to put into a product. And if they had found a way, you know there would be a patent for it. I think its just another website jumping on the 1.1.3 bandwagon, trying to get as many hits as possible.
 
I can't believe that the iPhone didn't have that function to begin with... and I can't believe that they are adding it NOW and with a big hoopla over it like is some new UI thing going on.

people forget that implementing copy/paste on the iPhone is not as straight-forward as it seems. the basic function is easy, obviously, but how to activate it on a device that you only use your fingers to interact with? i'm sure Apple could have included the functionality at the start but being Apple they need to ensure that the method of using it is as easy and intuitive as possible. I'm glad they've taken this long as it means they've really worked to find the best possible way to do it
 
IMO the update that will support the SDK will have to be massive because it will have to remove the "running all apps as root" security issue that all iPhones currently have. Effectively it will almost be a ground up re-write and it's possible that they will also add lots of other "missing" functionality at the same time. The question is whether this fabled 1.1.3 update will lay the groundwork for this, will be the final thing complete with SDK support or will simply be a "keep 'em quiet" update until the SDK support is released. Only time will tell, I guess

Instead of copy/paste, how about the ability to open web-links in the background in a new window?

Now, that would be a fantastic addition!
 
If this is a wish list......

I would like:

1. Sync to Mac via wi-fi. All my media is stored on a Mac with a USB 1.1 connection......S.....L.....O......W.

2. Flash/Shockwave support. Apple promised that this feature was coming. Of course Apple promised dotmac widgets when tiger was released and those have never shown up.

3. Screen Sharing-Remote Access via dotmac. Simple to do, I already have a third part VNC client on the iPod Touch.

4. DotMac support for iPod Touch and iPhone. Like backing up the bookmarks to dotmac, access to dotmac features.

5. Full support for Dashboard Widgets. Really no reason this should not be simple to do. It would be nice for package trackers, web cam viewers.

6. Don't treat the iPod Touch as the bastard child of the iPhone. Jailbreaking shows that the iPod Touch can run all the cool apps the iPhone can.....sans phone.
 
All these iPhone requests...

So many great ideas and feature requests for iPhone... makes it seem like a mini tablet computer is what we all really want... a portable, fully-functioning pocket iMac. The phone itself is like a secondary feature. (which I am very satisfied with... except for AT&T's exorbitant fees and crappy plans!)

I was impressed with the fake demo of the copy/paste function. Nicely done! (Not the creepy mouth animation, so much...) I would like copy and paste... at least for emails, if not from web pages. Multi-delete for spam emails... and maybe the ability to create email filters to manage spam? Why can't iPhone IMPORT all my "Mail" filter settings from my mac?

Erik
 
Yes, YES! what about Flash??
I hear everybody crying for copy/paste (hey it would be handy)
but nothing about the future of Flash on iPhone.

Does ANYBODY know when we're getting Flash?

Forget about Flash. As ubiquitous as it is on the web, it will KILL your iPhone's battery very quickly. I don't know about Windows machines, but if you're on an OS X machine, listen to your fans and check your CPU monitor when you start playing Flash videos...CPU runs up to 100% and stays there as long as Flash is running. This is a well known "bug"(?) in Flash for OS X, and the usual explanation pundits give for why no Flash on the iPhone.
 
I can't believe that the iPhone didn't have [Cut and Paste] to begin with... "See... see... I told you the iPhone would be a real phone some day.... see it's getting better already... after a solid year."

The iPhone was launched on June 15th. Solid year? I think not.
 
Virus?

My Windows computer reported a trojan horse virus as soon as I went to Macscoop. (I know, I know ... but I'm at work!)
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/3B48b Safari/419.3)

So I think I get it. MMS is old tech and we need email to send pics. So when someone sends me an email with great high rez attachments, I can't even save them to my iPhone? I have to connect to iTunes to save the pics. This is a solution?

^^^ What he said...
 
Why reinvent the wheel, why not use what apple already developed - the newton :)

Seeing the video, I think this is still too complex.

Remembering why my newton did, it was SO simple.

With the stylus, you mark like this:
  1. tap + hold (a "plop" sound marks the begin of the action and the cursor changes into a round black circle the signifys the begin of the marked area)
  2. move to mark the text
  3. lift the stylus to end marking
and then you can address all sorts of commands to the marked section like:
  • delete (scrible over it)
  • move (tap + hold; move somewhere else; release)
  • copy (double tap + hold; move; release)
  • overwrite (just write something new and it will replace the marked text)

cut / copy to clipboard are actually just move or copy but instead of moving it somewhere else, you move it to the side of the screen and it locks there.

Paste is just taking the bit from the side of the screen and moving it back somewhere into the text. There are even 2 pastes, one with one tap that will move the pasted stuff into the text and removes it from the side and double tap, that will leave a copy in the clipboard.

ALL that is very visual and very close to actually handling a cut piece of text, no need to remember that there is a hidden clipboard somewhere and you can actually have multiple text fragments in the clipboard (the side of the screen).

And the newton did more, there was also the option to mark a rectangular section by just starting the selection in a free area without text, this way you could also mark drawings or text and drawings.

Great, And how to move this to the iphone? Easy!
  • as tap and hold bring up the screen magnifying glas, just use the second finger tab to start a moving selection that stops with lifting the finger - easy.
  • use a double tap to start a selection with setting the selection start, then move to the end and do the tap+hold, place the marker, then 2nd finger double tap again to end selection at the marker. done.
  • And for marking a rectangular section, just tap+hold with the second finger too (after placing the magnifying glas where you want it), then move both fingers and a rectangular will start to appear.
You could even do stuff like if you only move the 2nd finge, it will become a circle with the first finger at the center and the second one at the outer edge. Lifting one finger will again stop the marking.

And removing the marking is easy to, just tap somewhere else :) Removing a clipboard item is easy to, just move it to a NO DROP area, the icon will become a "no go sign" (or trash can) and it will disappear with a "whosh". You can even re-arrange the items by moving them around on the screen side.

Alle the other moves can be ported 1:1 from the newton.
 
I can't believe that they are adding it NOW and with a big hoopla over it like is some new UI thing going on.

Can you please enlighten us by pointing us at Apple's "hoopla" they are apparently making over this, with a link perhaps? 'kthx...
 
So many great ideas and feature requests for iPhone... makes it seem like a mini tablet computer is what we all really want... a portable, fully-functioning pocket iMac. The phone itself is like a secondary feature. (which I am very satisfied with... except for AT&T's exorbitant fees and crappy plans!)
Erik

Eric, you've got it! I'm all for making the iphone into a pocket imac!
Hey I guess I'm easy, I just wanted a phone in my ipod so I'm real happy with my iphone:D
I've seen the crackberries and all the other so called smart phones, they have lots of functions but are a pain in the AXX to use and they don't have itunes and their video screens are small and crappy.
Voice and video recording and maybe att adding a few more minutes to the basic plan would be nice;)
 
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