On the contrary i like it far better than the original set up. Now I can easily mute all sounds while entering a meeting without having to unlock my iPad and then mute manually. Yes, it doesn't mute the video sound but I doubt I will ever walk into a meeting with a video running on my iPad while it is sitting in my bag.
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Question for those who have upgraded to 4.2
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On the contrary i like it far better than the original set up. Now I can easily mute all sounds while entering a meeting without having to unlock my iPad and then mute manually. Yes, it doesn't mute the video sound but I doubt I will ever walk into a meeting with a video running on my iPad while it is sitting in my bag.
Let's just all hope the 4.2 jailbreak comes soon so all of us who have no need for a notification mute switch can change the switch back to whatever we like.
For me, I hate the whole double-tapping the home button to do anything. Sometimes I don't do it quite right and end up closing my app.
I really wish Apple gave some choice to the user over this functionality as I'd really just like mine to go to my favorites list in the phone app on my iPhone.
For me, I hate the whole double-tapping the home button to do anything. Sometimes I don't do it quite right and end up closing my app.
I really wish Apple gave some choice to the user over this functionality as I'd really just like mine to go to my favorites list in the phone app on my iPhone.
I guess I don't understand either.
This is a software issue, not a hardware issue. Assuming Apple doesn't change this "feature", iPad 2.0 won't change anything as it will run the same OS as the current one.
In the end, this really should have been a user-selectable preference.
I also hated the idea, but now that i use it it really doesn't trouble me. It sucks in theory, but it works alright in practice.
They can't really make it a preference and have the button in the app switching bar since if you change the orientation via software it won't change via hardware. They could make it so that the software button became a mute button instead, but that wouldn't be uniform with everything else so it probably isn't going to happen... who knows though? It might.
There are already a ton of things that aren't uniform between iOS for iPad and for other devices. I think someone mentioned volume down button behavior. And iPad has volume and brightness controls in the multitask tray, other iDevices do not. And the icon that is displayed when you flip the mute switch is different in the iPad from the one in iPhone. Uniformity among iOS devices is a silly concept that's never going to be fully achieved.
The volume down button behaviour on the iPad needs to be fixed... period. And, yes it is true that they have those, but thats because it has so much space available -- it isn't replacing something I.E, the lock screen rotation button with something else, it's just adding additional features so that isn't a problem.
The mute switch icon isn't a big deal, and are you sure they aren't the same on an iPhone running 4.2?
I don't think it's silly, iOS is iOS, it is and should be uniform imo. iOS on the iPad can have more features, but shouldn't replace features with other things -- it should be relatively uniform.
In what way 'fixed'?
As I see it, there is perfect logic.
Using the hardware switch mutes all system sounds. So that works perfectly if going into a meeting or watching a video or listening to music.
On the other hand, if you want all sounds off, then just hold the volume button.
What on earth is wrong with that?
Well, if you are a believer in iOS uniformity, you'd probably say, "But the iPhone doesn't behave that way!"
But I doubt they are going to modify the iPhone to match the iPad, that would likely result in millions of irate iPhone users complaining about the sudden change in their volume button behavior. So why should iPad users who are used to and like the lock orientation switch have to put up with a sudden change of the switch behavior, for the sake of uniformity? My partner's already decided he's sticking with 3.x. But lots of unsuspecting users are going to upgrade their iPad without having heard of the switch switching. And some of them aren't going to be happy.
iOS 'uniformity' doesn't come into it. Logic does, and the iPad is a very different device to iPhones. Works perfectly for purpose in my view.
If your partner isn't going to get all the excellent benefits of 4.2.1 because of the slight inconvenience of an extra second or two to lock orientation, then that is illogical!
Because every time I go to decrease the volume it ends up being muted which ticks me off because then I have to tap it back up. I like the way the iPhone does it, and I honestly can't stand it about the decrease volume button. And no, I don't want to have to press the down volume button ~7 times to get it to the volume level I want, I want to hold it for like 2 seconds as I do on my iPhone.
No, I don't say that.
What volume button behaviour? The decrease volume button muting sound when you hold it? Pfft, I hate that -- and that wasn't what I was talking about with uniformity.
I'm not arguing why they should put up with that, I just said a possible reason why Apple might not let you have the option.
It doesn't bother me personally, but that decrease volume button drives me crazy, I hate it with a passion -- they should have a setting for it.
Ha! See, if you don't like something, then you want it to be a user configurable setting. Just like how I feel about the lock orientation switch becoming a mute switch.
Not that my partner is a typical use case, but apparently, he doesn't have any use for any of the new 4.2 features. He wasn't very interested in a unified mail inbox, he has very few apps on his iPad so he doesn't need folders, and of the few apps he has, none needs to be backgrounded. I know multitasking has other benefits than just running programs in the background, but nothing that he particularly noticed as desirable during the several days he was on 4.2. The lack of orientation lock, however, he did notice! And now that I think of it, I wonder what percentage of iPad users are actually more like him, rather than like us MacRumors regulars who push our iDevices to their limits. Like the other day, I noticed that a co-worker's iPhone (3G or 3GS, not sure which) had absolutely no apps other than stock, and had the default screen layout with the lone Contacts app on the second page. Yikes! Moving that stupid thing to the first page is the first thing I do whenever I get a new iDevice. But apparently this co-worker never noticed or never cared, or perhaps didn't know the icon could be moved. Anyway, users like this co-worker or my partner certainly don't care about multitasking or folders!
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The fact that there are people that both love, and hate, this change should be a pretty obvious indication that Apple completely dropped the ball by not giving users a choice. These arguments over "this" or "that" should NEVER have happened. The orientation lock is more useful for people using the ipad in their personal space, the mute button for those using it elsewhere. Both situations are credible uses of the device, and it seems silly to break the integration.
I don't like the change; I'm sure I'll end up getting used to it somewhat, but life could have been much easier.
I don't like the change; I'm sure I'll end up getting used to it somewhat, but life could have been much easier.
Now there is a reason to wait. I can't remember the last time I used the orientation button. Had the Ipad since April and maybe used it 2-3 times.
Haven't used the mute feature much either!
anyone having the issue of the button not doing anything? well, not do anything than show the mute symbol on the screen? like this? it happens with itunes & pandora, plugged into speakers & unplugged as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCvT8vPcSpc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCvT8vPcSpc
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Ha! See, if you don't like something, then you want it to be a user configurable setting. Just like how I feel about the lock orientation switch becoming a mute switch.
Not that my partner is a typical use case, but apparently, he doesn't have any use for any of the new 4.2 features. He wasn't very interested in a unified mail inbox, he has very few apps on his iPad so he doesn't need folders, and of the few apps he has, none needs to be backgrounded. I know multitasking has other benefits than just running programs in the background, but nothing that he particularly noticed as desirable during the several days he was on 4.2. The lack of orientation lock, however, he did notice! And now that I think of it, I wonder what percentage of iPad users are actually more like him, rather than like us MacRumors regulars who push our iDevices to their limits. Like the other day, I noticed that a co-worker's iPhone (3G or 3GS, not sure which) had absolutely no apps other than stock, and had the default screen layout with the lone Contacts app on the second page. Yikes! Moving that stupid thing to the first page is the first thing I do whenever I get a new iDevice. But apparently this co-worker never noticed or never cared, or perhaps didn't know the icon could be moved. Anyway, users like this co-worker or my partner certainly don't care about multitasking or folders!
My fiancèe is exactly the same. And I found that having the rotation lock as a physical switch came in very handy when the iPad was being used to show people things (e.g. a presentation) where often people who were not familiar with an iPad were confused or annoyed at the auto-rotate. But this was easily fixed by leaning in and flicking a switch. Now you have to take it off them, double click, swipe, tap and click and then hand it back. Trust me, doesn't go down well because unfamiliar users see it as overly comlicated.
The mute switch is only for notifications and alarms, but not audio from media (be it video or music). The latter can only be muted by turning the volume to zero. Apparently some consider this progress.