Version 1.1.3 Good and Bad
My iPhone has been upgraded to version 1.1.3 so I thought it might be nice to start a list of things I like and don’t like about the new version of iPhone’s operating system……
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What Works:
- GPS-Like Maps. Google maps has a new button in the lower left corner. Push it and iPhone displays a map with the phone’s current position. It doesn’t use a satelite so it’s not as accurate as GPS; but it is nifty and has proved useful. An improvement would an option to run the locator every 30 to 60 seconds. Instead, in the current version, the Locate button must be pushed to update the position. For more, see iPhone and GPS.
- Satelite View for Maps. With the new version of iPhone, Google maps includes an option mixing terrain and road maps into one view called Hybrid. Press a button in the lower right corner of Google maps to peel back the map revealing a menu with the Hybrid option. For example, here’s Norms Ale House in Hybrid view.
- After Sending Photos or Web Site URLs. In the previous version of iPhone, the display returned to the main desktop whenever a website, photograph, or U-Tube link was shared by e-mail. The new version doesn’t behave this way. Now, after sharing by email, the display remains where it should; on the page that was being viewed.
Not so Great:
- The 1.1.3 Upgrade Process. I figured iTunes could upgrade my iPhone software from 1.1.2 to 1.1.3. However, upgrading with iTunes failed twice and I ended up driving over to the Apple store. **** The first upgrade attempt used iTunes and followed directions presented by Apple. With iPhone connected, iTunes prompted me that a new version of the software was availible; and to click Yes to continue. I did so and let the upgrade proceed; it kept running and running; and then after about 15 minutes, the computer and the iPhone both quit making noises like they were doing anything useful. There was no disk activity or flickering lights. I unplugged the iPhone which was totally locked up and, at that point, iTunes displayed a fatal error message. The phone became functional after turning it off and then back on. A second upgrade attempt using iTunes produced the same result; a locked iPhone and a fatal error. So, I drove to the Apple store where they performed the upgrade at no charge and didn’t lose my contacts, photos or music; which was cool and mostly made up for problems encountered earlier.
- Sharing Web Pages. With earlier versions of iPhone software, while viewing a web page, a Share button let you send an email containing the URL for the currently viewed page. This was a handy feature which got lots of use. The Share button appears to be missing in version 1.1.3. That’s not good. Update 2/23 : Okay, now I see where they replaced the Share button with a Mail Link to this Page option that appears when the page is bookmarked. So, I’m happy again. I can mail photos and web pages to my friends and familly much to their annoyance.
Other notes: The site, Alternative Channel lets you make Web Clips for your iPhone.
