Was 3.0 a Bust or Must

[Frozen001]

OK OK, so I was one of the freaks clicking like mad around 1 pm yesterday to get 3.0 installed. I must say that I like the updates, and my phone actually seems faster, but they could just be me thinking it should be faster. Anyway, after playing around with it for a day, I am left wondering is this really a 3.0 rev, or should it have been 2.3?? I mean really when you get down to it, on the end user level how the improvements are really just that improvements. All but two of the stock applications each had updates, all minor tweaks in my opinion. We now have landscape mode for the keyboard in most apps(do not know if it works in every app), and MMS and tethering is supposed to be there (Thanks AT&T).

After all the rumors and talk, myself and some of my friends are left with "Thats it?"

 

[Duvi]

Never seems to fail that someone isn't going to be satisfied... even worst when they don't think it's worth the 1.x increase from 2.x to 3.x.

A new device, why not a new OS? Look at RIM, they increase from 4.2 to 4.3 to 4.5 to 4.6 to 4.7 and are about to go to 5.0 and those are really mostly tweaks rather than new apps/features.

With 3.0, you're getting (on the 3G):

MMS
Copy, Cut & Paste
Landscape view
Stereo Bluetooth
Voice Memos
Spotlight Search
Improved Calendar
Enhanced Stocks
Ability to purchase movies, tv shows & audio books
Safari Improvements
Internet Tethering
Stereo Bluetooth
Automatic Wi-Fi Login
Sync Notes
Parental Controls
iTunes Store Account
YouTube Login
Shake to Shuffle
New Languages
Find my iPhone and Remote Wipe (with MobileMe)

and a crap load more!


With the 3G S:
Video recording @ 30fps, editing and uploading (to MMS, Email, MobileMe & YouTube)
Compass
3.0mp camera w/ autofocus, tap to focus and more
Voice Control



I guess you're right... should've been 2.3, nothing really added

 

[Duvi]

P.S. I think this was a success... aside from no background processes aside from built in apps, I think the general public is happy and satisfied -- not sure they even care whether it's 2.x, 3.x or 4.x.

 

[PSM]

It hasn't changed the world, but I'm enjoying the little things. I have about 1,100 contacts in many groups, and it often takes me a while to find someone's number. Spotlight is probably making the process about 5X faster, and that alone is a big deal.

I have not yet needed copy and paste, but I've been around my computer most of the time. When I get stuck somewhere trying to do serious work with just my phone it will be handy.

Landscape has been nice for writing emails and SMS.

Other than that I haven't had to interact with the new features much. What I'm really looking forward to is getting some apps updated that actually would benefit from push.

 

[Jellotime91]

I still am missing the mass text option. Why hasn't this been added!? The new texting UI is a really welcomed change, but why do I have to STILL have to make an individual selection of every single contact I have just to let them know that my phone number has changed or something..
Is there an app in the app store that can send to all without having to select all of them? Cause I'm moving soon.. and that ish is gonna take like a mammajamming hour. Not to mention if I accidentally press cancel which is RIGHT above the add button.

 

[chobbs1]

I have enjoyed one of the minor tweaks quite a bit. the auto fill function! it makes signing in and out of websites a whole lot more convenient.

 

[sting7k]

I was a bit unwhelmed after first downloading it because of the anticipation and because of how long the update took to complete.

But after playing with it for hours last night I really like it now. It seems much more stable and smooth. With 2.2.1 after using some apps, locking/unlocking, and general use for just a short time you could see the load animations and other things kind of get jerky and lose their smoothness. Such as when unlocking the phone the home screen icons didn't come up nice and smooth. Since I installed 3.0 it is smooth every time and I haven't reset it since the install, and I've used it a lot.

Some of the quirky things that it used to do seem to be gone as well. Landscape is nice across all major apps. Stuff just seems to work better overall and a little snappier. Although I don't think Safari seems any faster at loading pages like they claimed it would be in 3.0. Auto-fill is sweet, makes coming to TiPb and doing stuff a lot easier!

Once the true 3.0 apps start hitting with the new PNS and other features I think things will really pick up.

 

[Duvi]

I still am missing the mass text option. Why hasn't this been added!? The new texting UI is a really welcomed change, but why do I have to STILL have to make an individual selection of every single contact I have just to let them know that my phone number has changed or something..
Is there an app in the app store that can send to all without having to select all of them? Cause I'm moving soon.. and that ish is gonna take like a mammajamming hour. Not to mention if I accidentally press cancel which is RIGHT above the add button.

There is probably an app for that... in a rush to get to work; I'd search if I wasn't.

 

[JustinHorn]

OMG I hate 3.0, it doesn't pay my bills for me from a magic bank account! Psst... Don't bother downloading!!!

 

[Frozen001]

With 3.0, you're getting (on the 3G):

MMS
Copy, Cut & Paste
Landscape view
Stereo Bluetooth
Voice Memos
Spotlight Search
Improved Calendar
Enhanced Stocks
Ability to purchase movies, tv shows & audio books
Safari Improvements
Internet Tethering
Stereo Bluetooth
Automatic Wi-Fi Login
Sync Notes
Parental Controls
iTunes Store Account
YouTube Login
Shake to Shuffle
New Languages
Find my iPhone and Remote Wipe (with MobileMe)

and a crap load more!


With the 3G S:
Video recording @ 30fps, editing and uploading (to MMS, Email, MobileMe & YouTube)
Compass
3.0mp camera w/ autofocus, tap to focus and more
Voice Control



I guess you're right... should've been 2.3, nothing really added

That is just it... all those items listed, nothing has me going WOW, and much of those should have (IMHO) come in version 1.0... And with AT&T holding us hostage for MMS and tethering it is even more of a let down.

I use my iPhone for the following: Phone (of course), mobile e-mail, mobile internet, text messaging, and as a PDA. The calender improvements are minor, and don't integrate well with Outlook (i.e. no categories, no task manager). Mobile e-mail improvements are again minor, but with the right tweeks it could be great (like having true Attachment capability). With out MMS it isolates 75% of rest of the cell phone population. Sure they can e-mail, but that is not the point.

At least they are going in the right direction. And as far as not caring if it is 1.x, 2.x, 3.x, etc... To me going from 2.x- 3.x should have had major changes... both behind the scenes and at the user level.

 

[antonioj]

I think there should have been more radical changes on the interface, namely the notification system (learning from Pre/Android), and ability to display data on the lockscreen. More free RAM would also be nice for the 3G and 2G.

I guess all this will come in 4.0