Filed under: OS, Odds and ends, iPhone
First Look: TUAW gives iPhone OS 3.1 the hands-on treatment
iPhone OS 3.1 made the scene today at the Apple event, with a number of new features and fixes that should make iPhone owners happy (and iPod touch owners -- although for them, the version number is 3.1.1 instead). After a slow start to the download, I was able to get the update loaded onto my iPhone 3GS and I gave some of the new features a test drive.The first big new feature is the Genius for Apps. To turn it on, you go to the Featured screen the App Store, and click the Genius button at the top of the display. After approving the license agreement, Genius is up and running, and clicking on the Genius button gives you a list of what it considers to be good suggestions based on what I have purchased. I wasn't very happy with the first list it produced (see screenshot at right), since I don't live in NYC, don't read Time, and really don't want something called The Most Useless App Ever.
The Genius lets you refine this list by swiping items to remove them. I did notice by the third screen of suggestions that the Genius was starting to pick apps that were more my style, so I think it's going to work out.
Read on for more impressions of 3.1.
Apple's updated the Genius Playlist feature to now support "Genius Mixes," which provide you playlists based on your library without having to select a 'seed' song. You might spend a good bit of time looking for this feature -- we certainly did -- and not find it without this handy tip from Cult of Mac: go to the Store menu in iTunes and choose "Update Genius" to reload the iTunes Store's database of your song choices. Once that's done (and it may take a while tonight, the store is understandably under some load right now) you should see the new option in iTunes under the Genius section.
Once you've had iTunes 9 generate your Genius Mixes, you can go to the Music tab for your iPhone, and choose one or more of the Mixes to sync with the iPhone. The next time you start up the iPod app on your iPhone, you'll see a Genius icon at the lower left of your iPod button bar (see below). Tap that icon to listen to your Mixes; you'll be impressed! One of the albums didn't have cover art, so it's showing up with a generic musical note icon.
When purchasing apps from the onboard App Store, you now have the option to pay with an iTunes Gift Card, a promo code, or a gift certificate. Both the App Store and iTunes Store also show how much credit you have available in your iTunes account.
Since I like to shoot short videos with my iPhone 3GS, I was thrilled with the new function that gives you the capability to save a trimmed video as a new clip rather than "destroying" the original clip. Once you've tapped the Trim button, the following two buttons appear:
The passcode entered remotely overwrites any passcode which may have been previously set on the device.
I was really excited when I heard about the ability to use a Bluetooth Headset with Voice Control. Finally, I'd be able to use my Plantronics headset with my iPhone to do voice dialing! Unfortunately, I can't find the headset, so I'm not able to show you how that works. Dang, and here I was, already to give you all another of my wonderful videos...
Another new feature is the ability to paste phone numbers into the keypad. This can come in handy on the occasions when a phone number is not enabled as a link that you can tap for dialing. Instead, you can use iPhone 3.0's copy and paste functions to select and copy the number, then paste it into the keypad screen:
The final item I'll talk about is a bug fix. In iPhone 3.0, I sometimes ran into a situation where apps were displayed with the wrong icons. This could be extremely annoying if you tapped on an icon expecting one app to open, only to have another app launch. Fortunately, this bug has been fixed in 3.1.
As always, we welcome your comments and questions about iPhone OS 3.1. This is not a groundbreaking upgrade to the OS, but it does provide some welcome new capabilities that many iPhone users have been asking for.
I was really excited when I heard about the ability to use a Bluetooth Headset with Voice Control. Finally, I'd be able to use my Plantronics headset with my iPhone to do voice dialing! Unfortunately, I can't find the headset, so I'm not able to show you how that works. Dang, and here I was, already to give you all another of my wonderful videos...
Another new feature is the ability to paste phone numbers into the keypad. This can come in handy on the occasions when a phone number is not enabled as a link that you can tap for dialing. Instead, you can use iPhone 3.0's copy and paste functions to select and copy the number, then paste it into the keypad screen:
As always, we welcome your comments and questions about iPhone OS 3.1. This is not a groundbreaking upgrade to the OS, but it does provide some welcome new capabilities that many iPhone users have been asking for.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
jlipack said 7:36PM on 9-09-2009
First bug I noticed was that the 'keyboard click' sound is much lower while in a app.... Too low in my opinion.
Funny thing is that in settings>sounds it sounds the same as before. Only in the apps is it lower...
Hope Apple fixes that soon!!!!
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ghostshadow said 7:54PM on 9-09-2009
I don't think it's a bug. I am pretty sure it was intentional. Does kind of suck being so low. I am sure people have complained about it being too high and "clicky".
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Anthony said 8:00PM on 9-09-2009
Too bad they still haven't fixed the thing where half of my media has black thumbnails, oh well. There is the future to look forward to.
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iPhonemod.net said 8:08PM on 9-09-2009
I'm glad to here the new about os 3.1 that I waiting for. From now I would like to know that How about a battery life of iPhone OS 3.1?
Have someone look this point?
Thank for any opinion.
iPhoneMod.net
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Cav said 8:08PM on 9-09-2009
Tethering hack seems to be broken on my 16GB 3G, anyone else have any experience with 3.1 and tethering yet?
Jeff
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Mike said 11:16PM on 9-09-2009
This was a known issue from the 3.1 betas and is intentional. It is likely a two way auth happens now so the carrier knows u have tethering.
JizzyJerry said 8:13PM on 9-09-2009
Does 3.1 break tethering?
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Noah said 8:23PM on 9-09-2009
I've heard yes and I've heard no. I guess the only way to find out is to try the upgrade and see!
I used the Tethering Profile at unlockit.co.nz for AT&T.
I will post in a few hours to tell you if it still works or not.
Cheers!
Dan Buckley said 8:11PM on 9-09-2009
Podcast syncing is better. You can manually add episodes beyond the present number you've chosen. You still can't have different sync settings for different podcast. I want some to update 5 episodes and some 10. It's still all or nothing.
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Andrew Scott said 9:26PM on 9-09-2009
Happily this isn't true. Since iTunes 8 (and perhaps earlier, I can't remember) you've been able to customise sync settings for different podcasts. In the Podcasts window select a podcast and then click on the "Settings…" button. You can now adjust settings for individual podcasts or Podcast Defaults. If you don't select a podcast before you tap the "Settings…" button you default to adjusting Podcast Defaults but you can still use the drop down list to work on specific podcast.
Dan Buckley said 10:50PM on 9-09-2009
That's only setting for downloads, not syncing to an iPod. I can't have different setting for syncing them.
MfS said 8:13PM on 9-09-2009
I *do* have a Plantronics Bluetooth headset, and I can't seem to figure out the combination to get Voice Control to work (yes, I have a 3GS).
No info seems to be available anywhere on how to activate Voice Control with a Bluetooth headset...unless I'm blind, which is possible.
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Eric said 8:57PM on 9-09-2009
With my Plantronics headset (925 Voyager, I think), I need to tap and hold the main button for about 1-2 seconds, then the headset will connect and Voice Control will activate. Hope it helps!
Kristian said 8:21PM on 9-09-2009
The genius is barely a genius.
Just works by tags on the Apps
For instance, some how, Zippo lighter is a recommendation based on eBay mobile.
And just cause I have the Tuaw app, doesn't mean I want to have EVERY RSS feed reader there is.
Other than that, it's okay ;)
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robogobo said 5:07AM on 9-10-2009
Of course it uses tags. What do you expect it to do? Just like the iTunes Genius, it will learn as more people use it. But it will always depend on accurate tagging.
mrchin said 11:00AM on 9-10-2009
Two things I saw in iTunes. The browser for Artists/Genre/Album now has a column (vertical) option. So you can just view Artists and see the entire list to the right in the main view. Much nicer.
Second, I don't recall seeing this prior to 9.0. You can search for album cover art and have it auto find it for you. Even for music you haven't purchased. As I was able to select an entire list and right click search to embed to art.
Mini iTunes conrtoller is no longer the Green minimize button. You have to enable it using Command, Shift, M.
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Jax said 9:58PM on 9-09-2009
Try option-clicking the green button!
I am not sure what a regular click of the green button is supposed to do now though. No matter what I do clicking it makes my iTunes window larger and ALWAYS places it slightly to the right and under the dock on my screen. :(
georgethemac said 8:39PM on 9-09-2009
How do you bring back the iPod control box when you double-click the home button? It only will work if you have music playing.
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Paul said 9:36PM on 9-09-2009
It's always done that. However, if you go under general settings, you can set double clicking the home button to open up the iPod program.
Esteban Mercado said 8:52PM on 9-09-2009
My playlists arent being displayed in the right order in my ipod! they are in the right order in itunes under the ipod, but not in the ipod itself. please HELP! if anyone can help me, id really appreciate it. thanks.
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