iPhone Experience: Initial Thoughts, Mail and SMS
As you might have heard, I ended up waiting in line for my iPhone at the Sherman Oaks, CA Apple Store. Yes, I managed to get one on Friday evening (two, in fact) and went with the 8GB variety. I was very excited to get the device and had a great experience in line with my fellow enthusiasts -- even with the long wait. All in all, a very pleasant time with some very interesting people who were just as excited to be there as I was.
Once I got home from the Apple Store, I proceeded through the activation of my iPhone via iTunes. When it got to the screen allowing me to port my existing mobile number over to AT&T, I hesitated, thinking I would play it safe and test out the iPhone a little before committing 100% to AT&T. So, I opted for a new number and went on through the activation process.
However, now that I've had the chance to use the device for a couple days, I will most likely port my number from T-Mobile over to AT&T. I anticipate being able to do that with a minimum of fuss but I will, of course, detail my experiences, good or bad, when I do it tomorrow via the AT&T "Porting Department."
After going through the entire activation process, I received the activation text message from AT&T about ten minutes later and was good to go to make calls, access the Internet via EDGE, etc. So, unlike some others, activation was a painless process for me. Immediately, I went to work on the iPhone. First, I adjusted my settings in iTunes to sync the various information, songs, podcasts, TV shows or movies that I wanted on my iPhone.
Mail -- I also opted to sync my email info from Apple Mail onto my iPhone. Being able to sync this particular set of information was a big time saver because I have several email addresses and I wanted them all to be on the iPhone. However, I wasn't that excited about the prospect of having to type in all the associated email account information (server names, addresses, passwords, etc.) while trying to get used to the touch-screen keyboard.
Fortunately, once again the folks at Apple have thought ahead and when I synced my email information, all of my account info came over including servers, passwords, and everything else. Once that was done I was receiving email on my iPhone immediately. It was just that simple. I only wish working with email on the iPhone were as simple. I'm a big fan of the one Inbox concept that also allows me to click on individual email address to see specific emails addressed to those particular accounts -- like how Apple Mail arranges things. I was hoping the iPhone, being an Apple product designed by very smart people, would work the same way.
Unfortunately, it doesn't. Instead, you are presented with a screen listing your various accounts. You can then select the account you want which leads you to another screen with your Inbox, Sent Mail, etc. Then, you click on the Inbox to display the emails for that account. I prefer the way Apple Mail does it and I'm not sure why the iPhone couldn't do it the same way, but it doesn't.
Another annoyance in Mail is the inability to select a group of emails and either delete them or, as is more often the case for me, mark them as read. I get a lot of email and often get a chance to read new ones on my desktop or portable Macs. So it would be nice to be able to mark a bunch of email I already read as "read" all at the same time, instead of having to open each one individually for it to be marked as read.
Also, I would like to be able to delete a group of emails all at once but that doesn't seem to be possible either. Sure, you can slide your finger across one email to get the "delete" button but you can't select a group and do it all at once. Plus, you do have the edit button but pressing that seems only to achieve the same thing as sliding your finger across the email to get the "delete" button.
What would perhaps make more sense was if you pressed the "edit" button you could then click on the "minus sign" at the left of the screen and select which emails you wanted the "delete" button to show up on. Then, you could just go down the list pressing all the "delete" buttons one after the other. to get rid of those emails. Sadly, if you click on one and make the "delete" button appear and then click on another, the "delete" button disappears from the previous one.
Selecting things as a group might be a limitation of the touch-screen technology but I think it could also be solved with a button that you could press first, then select the emails you want -- either one after the other or broken up -- and then press the delete button. Perhaps we'll see this in a future software update for the iPhone? Other than those two annoyances, Mail functions pretty well -- especially on available Wi-Fi networks. But even on EDGE, its still fine. Not great, but acceptable.
SMS/Text -- Now, lets talk a little about Text Messages, I don't know about you but I tend to send only a few text messages a day. However, I still want it to be easy to send them and the iPhone really delivers here. Sending and receiving couldn't be easier and I love the way text message "conversations" look like an iChat session. Of course, that makes me miss having iChat on the device all the more. I hope we see an IM client for the iPhone before too long too. Or, perhaps a Skype client? That's probably asking too much.
The other cool thing about texts on the iPhone is that when someone sends you one, it appears on the main "home" screen even when the device is locked. It displays the message and who its from -- provided the person is in your contacts. Otherwise, it just displays the phone number and message. I really like that feature. Multimedia and picture messages are still to come but I'm sure they will be as easy once the features appear on the iPhone via updates to the software.
Another cool feature is sending a text message to someone in your contacts list by going into the contact and selecting the "Text Message" button. Super easy. Although, having to go through the Phone application to access your contacts seems a bit odd to be. Wouldn't it have made more sense to simply but an Address Book application icon in the main window right next to the Calendar? Also, while were on the subject of the main window, I would love to be able to rearrange those icons like you can on the Mac's dock. Maybe a software update will help with that one too?
Until then, the iPhone, regardless of the aforementioned minor annoyances, is still a great device worthy of the Apple name. I can't wait to keep exploring the device and finding new ways to use it. Yes friends, I think its love.
Fortunately, once again the folks at Apple have thought ahead and when I synced my email information, all of my account info came over including servers, passwords, and everything else. Once that was done I was receiving email on my iPhone immediately. It was just that simple. I only wish working with email on the iPhone were as simple. I'm a big fan of the one Inbox concept that also allows me to click on individual email address to see specific emails addressed to those particular accounts -- like how Apple Mail arranges things. I was hoping the iPhone, being an Apple product designed by very smart people, would work the same way.
Unfortunately, it doesn't. Instead, you are presented with a screen listing your various accounts. You can then select the account you want which leads you to another screen with your Inbox, Sent Mail, etc. Then, you click on the Inbox to display the emails for that account. I prefer the way Apple Mail does it and I'm not sure why the iPhone couldn't do it the same way, but it doesn't.
Another annoyance in Mail is the inability to select a group of emails and either delete them or, as is more often the case for me, mark them as read. I get a lot of email and often get a chance to read new ones on my desktop or portable Macs. So it would be nice to be able to mark a bunch of email I already read as "read" all at the same time, instead of having to open each one individually for it to be marked as read.
Also, I would like to be able to delete a group of emails all at once but that doesn't seem to be possible either. Sure, you can slide your finger across one email to get the "delete" button but you can't select a group and do it all at once. Plus, you do have the edit button but pressing that seems only to achieve the same thing as sliding your finger across the email to get the "delete" button.
What would perhaps make more sense was if you pressed the "edit" button you could then click on the "minus sign" at the left of the screen and select which emails you wanted the "delete" button to show up on. Then, you could just go down the list pressing all the "delete" buttons one after the other. to get rid of those emails. Sadly, if you click on one and make the "delete" button appear and then click on another, the "delete" button disappears from the previous one.
Selecting things as a group might be a limitation of the touch-screen technology but I think it could also be solved with a button that you could press first, then select the emails you want -- either one after the other or broken up -- and then press the delete button. Perhaps we'll see this in a future software update for the iPhone? Other than those two annoyances, Mail functions pretty well -- especially on available Wi-Fi networks. But even on EDGE, its still fine. Not great, but acceptable.
SMS/Text -- Now, lets talk a little about Text Messages, I don't know about you but I tend to send only a few text messages a day. However, I still want it to be easy to send them and the iPhone really delivers here. Sending and receiving couldn't be easier and I love the way text message "conversations" look like an iChat session. Of course, that makes me miss having iChat on the device all the more. I hope we see an IM client for the iPhone before too long too. Or, perhaps a Skype client? That's probably asking too much.
The other cool thing about texts on the iPhone is that when someone sends you one, it appears on the main "home" screen even when the device is locked. It displays the message and who its from -- provided the person is in your contacts. Otherwise, it just displays the phone number and message. I really like that feature. Multimedia and picture messages are still to come but I'm sure they will be as easy once the features appear on the iPhone via updates to the software.
Another cool feature is sending a text message to someone in your contacts list by going into the contact and selecting the "Text Message" button. Super easy. Although, having to go through the Phone application to access your contacts seems a bit odd to be. Wouldn't it have made more sense to simply but an Address Book application icon in the main window right next to the Calendar? Also, while were on the subject of the main window, I would love to be able to rearrange those icons like you can on the Mac's dock. Maybe a software update will help with that one too?
Until then, the iPhone, regardless of the aforementioned minor annoyances, is still a great device worthy of the Apple name. I can't wait to keep exploring the device and finding new ways to use it. Yes friends, I think its love.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Dan said 12:31PM on 7-02-2007
normally my wife emails me the food list for the week and I print it out and use that to guide me in what I buy. This weekened she emailed me as normal, and I noticed that I could open the excel spreadsheet on my iphone. Well, I used my iphone as my food list, and listened to music and even picked up a phone call. All from one device..gotta love it :) I also bought movie tickets at the mall using safari...this device has got a ton of uses and I LOVE IT!!
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JayCubCO said 9:36AM on 7-02-2007
While I do enjoy the TUAW site, as I post this comment, I also know that there is an iPhone free feed of TUAW this week. However reading some of your posts here makes me wonder...Have anyof you bloggers EVER dealt with anything more than a basic activation of your original cell phone accounts? Walking people through customer service experiences I thought might make for a good N00B to cell phones site. But these articles are getting a bit out of hand.
I would think that the TUAW readers have had cell phones before the almighty iPhone was released :(
What next TUAW? A special report site that lets you know when your AT&T rep goes to the restroom?
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Tom said 9:41AM on 7-02-2007
Has anyone been able to figure out how to save images that you receive as an email attachment directly onto the iPhone (for use as wallpaper or storage in photo app, etc)? I have searched several forums for an answer, without luck, and swear I remember seeing this functionality on one of Jobs' presentations. Thanks for any help.
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Jeremy Segars said 9:51AM on 7-02-2007
interesting note: if you restore your iphone to original conditions when it reboot itunes will offer to put the last settings you used back on it.
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matthew m. barnes said 9:56AM on 7-02-2007
i agree with most everything you said but i think there a few things that could be better on the SMS side of things...
1. i like how it alerts you to a new SMS message (wish it would do the same with e-mail), but i don't like that it displays the contents of the message when it gives the alert. if my phone is sitting on the counter in the kitchen (or anywhere else) suddenly the contents of my text message are very publicly displayed for all to see.
2. i do send a lot of text messages and i often send them to groups of people. there isn't a way to enter more than one phone number or contact into the send field for SMS. (the only work around seems to be to create a group in your contacts and send the message to the group. however, the groups i text message are mostly random and not consistent groups.)
3. the last thing (to do with SMS) is that you can't call a contact from the SMS screen. one thing i loved about my Treo (and there wasn't too much that i did) was that if i got a text message from someone and wanted to respond with a call, i could simply click "call sender" from the SMS application.
obviously, MMS is another one, but everyone seems to be talking about that already.
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jcboulevard said 10:01AM on 7-02-2007
I agree, I am uber happy with this iPhone experience. From the very moment I turned it on through actual use on the mean streets of Dallas my iPhone has been invaluable. There are a few annoyances i'm not sure if others are experiencing so I thought I would mention them. Like, every time i send an email from my gmail account a copy is sent back to my phone. i've made sure a dozen times that I don't have the CC myself option checked yet it still does. It never shows up online or in my Mail app just my phone.
also, i ran into an old friend the day after getting my iPhone. We had lost touch and was exchanging info in the mall. I was looking for a way to send my "business card" over via text, email, or bluetooth but could not find an option. If anyone has any hints on the gmail or the contact issue please share.
oh, and good job TUAW on the coverage. I am not at all annoyed by your posts
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michael said 10:17AM on 7-02-2007
To #6 I had the same problem with my gmail on my iphone. It is a setting in gmail. Go to setting then filters and set it to delete and not send to inbox and put your email address in the "from" option this will take care of it. It was driving me crazy so i hope it can help someone else.
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manny said 10:25AM on 7-02-2007
whats with everyone wanting skype?
I am paying at&t for phone service, why am i going to also pay skype to talk?
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Able-X said 10:57AM on 7-02-2007
It does really seem like no one posting about iPhone's has ever owned anything more than the most basic cell phone or something.
Most of these functions that are being complained about I've been able to do on my blackberry for quite sometime. Yes the interface is cool, but it just seems to me that this thing is all hype. The blackberry interface is extremely intuitive, I HAVE an address book icon on my main screen, I can receive a pic or song in my mail and add it as a ringtone or background.
Yes, video mail looks cool, but how many people will really use it? We've been able to do video calls for a long time, but how many people use that?
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Jerry said 11:04AM on 7-02-2007
Deleting multiple emails at one time can be quite easy with touch screen devices; hopefully apple will release a software update. On my Palm TX, using Snappermail, I can drag down to select multiple emails, and if I continue pressing down for about a second, it pops a menu, and the first option is trash. Very easy.
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jcboulevard said 11:54AM on 7-02-2007
To # 7: Thanks man! that did the trick... you rock!
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jasonkulas said 12:00PM on 7-02-2007
I like Apple products (use Macs at home), I still use my Newton occasionally, and the iPhone sounds cool, but argh, it doesn't even do cut & paste?!? How can you get anything useful done if you can't org/re-org lists & tasks? We need cut & paste...or a drag-able checklist like Newton's Notes.
If ONLY Notes were like Newton! I LOVED Apple's terrific Newton Notes with it's drag-able checklist/outliner feature (see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Newton#Notes)
Please, really, follow that link, see the 1 paragraph description and the screenshot, it's really a terrific bit of software.
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merlinridesagain said 12:34PM on 7-02-2007
comparing with the 8125, WM5, device. Moving from portrait to landscape was painfully slow. Even after overclocking to 240Mhz. IE was hard to read a page and took lots of zoom/unzoom/slider with menus. The fingerworks interaction is much easier/intuative. Full on Safari is the key reason I moved from my 8125. I do miss the real keyboard though, but with 5-10 text a day it's not a biggy.
connecting to wireless is quick and easy, this was sometimes slow with the 8125.
Screen resolution - no contest movies are smooth and a good size.
Perhaps the newer smartphones have less of a functionality/speed gap....
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Adrian Febre said 3:42PM on 7-02-2007
Hey, I was at that apple store! I got in at around 2-ish.
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Johnny Appleseed said 3:20PM on 7-02-2007
My transfer from t-mobile to AT&T went smoothly for the iphone. I selected the option to transfer my service. It took about 2 hours, which I thought was reasonable. In the mean time, I was allowed to make calls--yes, even non-emergency calls.
It worked smoothyl. I called every few minutes to see if my iphone would ring. Then, finally, I heard it. And it was like sweet music to my ears.
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Hannah said 6:53PM on 7-05-2007
my biggest problem with the iPhone right now is that it doesn't tell you how long your text messages are. I often go over the 160 character limit, but every other phone I've ever had has let me know so that I could go back and edit things out to make it fit into one message. The iPhone doesn't, and so now I have to either resort to counting it all out, or spending more money and bothering my friends with multiple messages. Also, as I'm typing all of this I am noticing a huge lag between touching the letter and having it click in show up in the text field. What's up with that? Otherwise, I love it and am still glad I waited the 9 hours for it.
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Brent said 2:25PM on 7-02-2007
ANYONE KNOW??
What I haven't been able to figure out is how to get the iPhone to do alerts when there is a text msg or a voice mail waiting when it's in the sleep mode. The screen is black so you can't see that you had a missed call. So, if you walk away from your phone, someone calls you and leaves a voice mail and you miss the first alert, you'd never know you had a missed call unless you woke it up. This means every time I walk away from my phone, I have to turn it on and check every time. What a pain in the a**. Am I missing something?
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Nick Burch said 5:37PM on 7-02-2007
Another feature that is missing is the "Junk Mail" box. Apple Mail does a decent job of learning which mail to filter out. It would be nice to see that same learning done here. As of now there doesn't seem to be anyway to filter out spam
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Mason Jurchisin said 9:59PM on 7-02-2007
regarding m barnes #3... You can call from within the SMS. any conversation on the top has two buttons "call" and "contact info" I am not sure if this exsists only if you have this person in your address book, as I have not gotten any texts from anyone not in my address book, but I have called people already whom have texted me.
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