My 30 day iPhone 5 Journey

[maxosx]

If you took the fruit logo off the back of the iPhone 5, and put a little green Droid. That 4" phone would be ridiculed like no other as the outdated sad design it is, with a home screen that looks like you left the app drawer open.

I really think the big bezel on top and bottom is very dated looking. The iPhone bezel takes up so much space. New phones like the S4 are almost edge to edge all screen.

iPhone 5 looks like old tube TV with big wooden box it sits in. New Android phones look like the nice thin Plasma HDTV's.

Nice assessment. I most definetly agree. Not that I enjoy acknowledging the oddities of iPhone 5. If I didn't know Apple so well it wouldn't be so annoying.

When one has a long enjoyable (read many years) experience with Apple, only to have the 4S & 5 be so bland is out of character for Apple.

Especially since I'm not blaming the "new leader". Nor do I believe in this case, Jobs would have made one wit of difference other than his world class sales & marketing spin.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Nice assessment. I most definetly agree. Not that I enjoy acknowledging the oddities of iPhone 5. If I didn't know Apple so well it wouldn't be so annoying.

When one has a long enjoyable (read many years) experience with Apple, only to have the 4S & 5 be so bland is out of character for Apple.

Especially since I'm not blaming the "new leader". Nor do I believe in this case, Jobs would have made one wit of difference other than his world class sales & marketing spin.

So true. I am a mac owner (multiple mac owner, I should say, including Retina 13", Thunderbolt Display, and an iMac) and an iPad owner.

The one area I just don't understand with Apple is the iPhone. But now with rumors of a larger screen size and cheaper alternative, I believe they'll finally catch up the iPhone to the flexibility of the rest of their line.

At least, one can hope.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

So true. I am a mac owner (multiple mac owner, I should say, including Retina 13", Thunderbolt Display, and an iMac) and an iPad owner.

The one area I just don't understand with Apple is the iPhone. But now with rumors of a larger screen size and cheaper alternative, I believe they'll finally catch up the iPhone to the flexibility of the rest of their line.

At least, one can hope.

Maybe with hardware Apple is keeping up with everything but the iPhone, but on the software side, Apple is starting to piss some people off. For example: OSX seems to be slowly turning into a desktop version of iOS.

 

[F123D]

I'm assuming you're waiting for the Note 3, yourself?

Yup.

Note III
Nexus 5
Google X

If those don't work out, I don't mind waiting until next year for the Galaxy S5 or One II or whatever it'll be called.

 

[onthecouchagain]

You know what would be nice?

If the notification banners merely flipped over onto the status bar on top. In other words, it'd be like the banners, but thinner. As thin as the status bar.

That way, it's the same design, but not obtrusive. It wouldn't block anything. The font would be slightly smaller, but I think that's totally acceptable.

Is there a jailbreak app that does that?

 

[F123D]

Is there a jailbreak app that does that?

There are a couple different tweaks like that although I don't know if they're compatible with iOS6.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ofe20yjT_w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LojMZF2XGSI

 

[onthecouchagain]

There are a couple different tweaks like that although I don't know if they're compatible with iOS6.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ofe20yjT_w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LojMZF2XGSI

Brilliant. I will try them. Thanks.

Really, the jailbreak community is figuring out iOS faster than Apple can.

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Just installed SmallBanners. I especially love jailbreak apps that require no configuring. You just install, and it begins working.

 

[maxosx]

You know what would be nice?

If the notification banners merely flipped over onto the status bar on top. In other words, it'd be like the banners, but thinner. As thin as the status bar.

That way, it's the same design, but not obtrusive. It wouldn't block anything. The font would be slightly smaller, but I think that's totally acceptable.

Is there a jailbreak app that does that?

I agree about needing thinner banners. I like them, yet am forced to turn them off. Blocking the top row of icons is as though a four year old child designed them. So contrary to an Apple practice I'm still in disbelief.

Especially since I routinely handle 40+ urgent emails daily, while leaving the rest until I'm using one of my Macs.

 

[onthecouchagain]

There are a couple different tweaks like that although I don't know if they're compatible with iOS6.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ofe20yjT_w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LojMZF2XGSI

Hm, the first one doesn't seem to work, even though the developer says it's compatible with the 5. ANd the second one doesn't quite get it right. It still blocks the upper portion of the screen, but half of it is designed to look like your screen is intact.

Oh well... thanks, again, though.

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I agree about needing thinner banners. I like them, yet am forced to turn them off. Blocking the top row of icons is as though a four year old child designed them. So contrary to an Apple practice I'm still in disbelief.

Especially since I routinely handle 40+ urgent emails daily, while leaving the rest until I'm using one of my Macs.

Agreed. Which is essentially what I said in my first post:

No offense, but I don't know how anyone can accept that this is all Apple could come up with to notify you. It literally blocks any access to the buttons on top. How is blocking something part of Apple's software philosophy? And since the "back" or "cancel" buttons are usually at the top, you have to either wait for it to go away, or swipe it away first. It's so dreadfully unintuitive. I can't believe this is what Apple software developers, after a year, came up with. This is all they could offer?

If you think about it, it's really un-Apple like to be so obtrusive to their own software.

 

[roxxette]

Couch you do now you can swipe left/right and the banner go away right ?

Anyway while checking the tweaks i have on my 4s heres 2 for the lockscreen maybe not much use for you but worth a mention: flusterless (toggle "do not disturb") and torch (i guess the name tells what it does).

 

[onthecouchagain]

Couch you do now you can swipe left/right and the banner go away right ?

Anyway while checking the tweaks i have on my 4s heres 2 for the lockscreen maybe not much use for you but worth a mention: flusterless (toggle "do not disturb") and torch (i guess the name tells what it does).

Yes, but that's still obtrusive. I either have to wait for it to go away, or take action. Either way, it just invades what I'm doing at the moment.

Thanks for the suggestions! Never too many. The jailbreak suggestions in this thread have helped me really appreciate iOS in an entirely new light. I'm going to jailbreak my iPad soon too.

Ironically, though, it's because of jailbreak that makes me resent Apple even more for limiting iOS. "Jail break" is an extremely appropriate term.

 

[F123D]

Hm, the first one doesn't seem to work, even though the developer says it's compatible with the 5. ANd the second one doesn't quite get it right. It still blocks the upper portion of the screen, but half of it is designed to look like your screen is intact.

Oh well... thanks, again, though.

Ah, that sucks. Which brings up another issue I forgot about. After a jailbreak is released, you'll have to wait for the developer to update their apps/tweaks to make them compatible with the latest version of iOS.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Ah, that sucks. Which brings up another issue I forgot about. After a jailbreak is released, you'll have to wait for the developer to update their apps/tweaks to make them compatible with the latest version of iOS.

I see.

Sigh... all this, just to make iOS have features that mostly come standard with Android. :T

Puts things into perspective.

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Can someone tell me why my battery Usage won't display info? I've already charged it to full 100% twice:

I really want to get a gauge on how my Jailbreak apps are affecting the battery life. I don't have many running.

1) Activator - with only one command (press and hold status bar to put phone to sleep)
2) Zephyr
3) Auxo
4) and Miscellaneous things like FolderClose, Webscrollian, PasswordPilot... that's really it.

 

[roxxette]

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[/COLOR]Can someone tell me why my battery Usage won't display info? I've already charged it to full 100% twice:

.

I get that random issue too, sometimes even if i full charge it doesnt come, hmm did you respring/reboot ? It think it resets the usage.

 

[onthecouchagain]

I get that random issue too, sometimes even if i full charge it doesnt come, hmm did you respring/reboot ? It think it resets the usage.

Yeah, I'll do a reboot before bed. See how that goes. Thanks.

 

[jrswizzle]

Couch - I've followed a ton of your posts and I can say with 100% certainty, you will not be satisfied with iOS...even jail broken.

It's simply not for you. Anyone who characterizes iOS as a sick joke probably shouldn't be using it.

Props for trying, but get the better of the new Androids coming....you'll be much happier.

 

[F123D]

When you respring your device (after installing a new cydia app), the battery info goes blank until the next time you charge it. I don't remember if rebooting causes it to do that as well.

 

[roxxette]

Yeah, I'll do a reboot before bed. See how that goes. Thanks.

No i mean that it makes the usage go blank if you respring/reboot after installing/updating a tweak.

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When you respring your device (after installing a new cydia app), the battery info goes blank until the next time you charge it. I don't remember if rebooting causes it to do that as well.

Exactly !

 

[onthecouchagain]

Couch - I've followed a ton of your posts and I can say with 100% certainty, you will not be satisfied with iOS...even jail broken.

It's simply not for you. Anyone who characterizes iOS as a sick joke probably shouldn't be using it.

Props for trying, but get the better of the new Androids coming....you'll be much happier.

That may be my ultimate decision but until then I currently don't have any other smartphone (you know my nexus 4 story already) and apple is the only place I can safely use a smartphone for 30 days and still be able to change my mind about it. Don't underestimate what those 30 days can do. In a single day I've seen iOS in a serious new light thanks to the concerted efforts of many here with their jail break suggestions. I can't tell you how amazed I am by the combination of zephyr auxo and activator. The only time I ever have to hit a physical button is to wake the device.

Also if you have been following my posts you'll know I am very far from thrilled with the s4 and have serious concerns about the htc one. The iPhone may be the keeper until more options come out down the pipe. If the next nexus indeed will be by lg that doesn't bode too well for me personally. Then there's the wild card googorola phone x.

Even if I decide to keep my iPhone past the 30 day policy the resale value will still help me later on.

Time will tell.

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When you respring your device (after installing a new cydia app), the battery info goes blank until the next time you charge it. I don't remember if rebooting causes it to do that as well.

How come? Just curious.

Oh well.

 

[vastoholic]

I'm going to stick to Auxo for now but this is great. Reminds me of Power Widgets on Android.

Woah. Didn't even know about Auxo. Bought it just now after I realized what you guys had been talking about. I like!

 

[Zaft]

it looks like ios7 will get pattern lock screen. I was at the apple store recently and I saw a genius using it on the iPod touch they carry. I asked about it and he said its not available for public yet. So I believe apple does hold stuff for sure

 

[stridemat]

MOD NOTE

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[onthecouchagain]

it looks like ios7 will get pattern lock screen. I was at the apple store recently and I saw a genius using it on the iPod touch they carry. I asked about it and he said its not available for public yet. So I believe apple does hold stuff for sure

Maybe it's just jail broken? And he didn't want to admit it?

But I wouldn't be surprised if that we're true.

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Is there a jail break app that let's you swipe left and right between tabs in safari? Like the feature in chrome.

It feels so insanely archaic that I have to tap at least 3 times before switching tabs. At least on the iPad you get real tabs.

Edit: just found "swipe safari" in Cydia. Aw ya!

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Swipe safari absolutely rocks. Triple tapping to go to the bottom is great.

 

[mattopotamus]

We are very similar with our android experience. This year has been the longest time I have spent with android. A few thinks that irked me when trying iOS again were the keyboard, not being able to access notification drop down on the lock screen, not being able to clear notifications all at once, and badge icons are ugly.

 

[Grolubao]

When you respring your device (after installing a new cydia app), the battery info goes blank until the next time you charge it. I don't remember if rebooting causes it to do that as well.

This! You'll need to charge it fully and if you respring or reboot the stats are reset.

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