New to Apple - Extremely disappointed

Caballera

Well-known member
Jun 20, 2009
145
4
0
Visit site
Obviously everyone is entitled to your own opinion. But if you're not going to do your homework and figure out how a new device works or can work properly for you then you have no one to blame but yourself. I don't think anyone was being overly defensive to you OP, they were rather clear that there are other solutions out there that you can explore.

The iPhone has a great number of features and abilities, the fact that these two complaints are the bases of you being 'extremely disappointed' shows that you purchased the iPhone on a whim without learning what you were getting into. No device can be everything to everybody, hence why there are so many smartphones out there. ;)
 

talkin73

Well-known member
Jul 1, 2009
365
4
0
Visit site
I'll agree with the OP in being disappointed in the Calendar coming from a PalmOS device. The Calendar is anemic by comparison to third party solutions for the PalmOS. However, I did know these issues existed when I got my 3G last December so while it remains a disappointment I have no one to blame but myself :D It is baffling how high tech so much of the device actually is, and how low tech the Calendar functions are. If you have come to use a PDA/smartphone Calendar features such as repeat alarms, reminders, snoozing, and versatility of scheduling, I think the iPhone has a higher potential to disappoint in that area. I'm not sure there is a "smartphone" OS out there with a more featureless Calendar... uh-oh here comes the backlash :eek:

I'm hoping PocketInformant add iCal syncing in the future, but they have no current plans for this and would have to use PNS anyway, AFAIK, from the feedback I received from them. Working in a hospital, having an active and fully functional cell signal at all times in order to count on my iPhone to remind me of important events is just not acceptable so an option using PNS is not sufficient anyway. I have had to rework how I use my Calendar to accomodate the lack of features but I agree it is all perspective. If the iPhone were the first smartphone Calendar I had used, I imagine my experience would be more positive. I like a lot about the iPhone but the lack of Calendar features still leaves me baffled.
 
Last edited:

JBaby_9783

Well-known member
Jan 22, 2009
489
2
18
Visit site
I totally under stand the OP too! However, seems to me OP didn't do his research before purchasing. I knew going into my iPhone experience that the calender sucked in comparison to a Palm. It was something I considered for a long time before purchasing. There were a couple things I had to think about before buying. Ultimately, they were all things I could live with. Having a Mac and MobileMe does help though. :) I, like the rest of you, wish Apple would make the Calendar better! But the moral of this story is do your research! iPhones/any smartphone are too expensive to not know exactly what your getting/not getting.
 

E Pow

Well-known member
Jul 23, 2008
303
5
0
Visit site
The main thing people need to understand is nothing is perfect. For me, the iphone is the BEST. Everything that I need the iphone does well. To someone else it may lack the feature they use the most. for instance, Blackberry does email well. iphone does gaming and internet well. Blackberry and Palm and Win Mobile sync great with a PC. They can also multitask. iphone sync's great with a MAC ical, address book and iphoto(unless you have mobile me which syncs great with a PC too) I could go on and on, but you get my point. Every phone does things better than others. The key is that's why we have the freedom to choose what device we want and what works best for our needs. Yea, the iphone does have alot of hype, but it also has lived up to the things that Apple hype it up about (app store, internet, etc...). Again, the iphone is MY choice of device, and the things that I need the iphone does GREAT!!!!
 

lionheartednyhc

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2009
334
3
0
Visit site
Did you expect basic functions that most other phones have, with the iphone? By now its quite obvious the iphone lacks those things. :rolleyes:

In all seriousness, this was the first thing i noticed when I tried the iphone out in teh store when it first came out. I HATE the calendar function, it takes 80 clicks to do what I used to be able to do on one screen on my palm.

Nonetheless, everything else about it rocks and I try to ignore that. And input appoinments in iCal when I can.
 

alex6speed

Active member
Jul 14, 2009
28
0
0
www.6crew.com
Yeah, I agree that there was a huge lack of doing homework here. It took me a whole month to decide if I wanted to go with a iPhone now, or wait until the Blackberry Onyx came out. After some time, I realized that I don't need a phone for work, per say. I just needed something that does basic contacting and organizing (no need for meeting schedules or anything). Otherwise, I would have went with the Blackberry Bold or wait for the Onyx (I was with AT&T in the first place, and would have to wait until November to actually be out of my contract).

All in all, I love my iPhone. Sure, it doesn't do everything above every other cell phone out there, but what device truly does?
 

minimo3

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2008
56
0
0
Visit site
The iPhone calendar seems alright as long as you've never used PalmOS or Windows Mobile calendars. I would rate smartphone platform calendars in the following order (from best to worst):

PalmOS > WebOS > Windows Mobile > Blackberry / iPhone > Symbian

Just a small sampling of missing/subpar features in the iPhone calendar include:

  • No week view
  • No Agenda view showing you all your day's appointments and tasks
  • Month view has no color coding/icons
  • Day view doesn't compress unbooked time, have to scroll up/down
  • Weak repeating event support e.g. Last friday of the month
  • No floating events
  • No categories e.g. work, personal, school
  • Takes about 8 clicks (not counting typing) to add a new event vs 1 click in PalmOS
  • Date picker makes it difficult to pinpoint particular days e.g. The last Saturday in July. A traditional month drop-down would be better

Yes I realize that some features of these are available via MobileMe or iCal but that relegates the iPhone calendar to be a read-only copy. I think the point of the OP is that on other platforms the mobile device can be used to input/manipulate the calendar WITHOUT using a desktop app.
 

ctt1wbw

Well-known member
Feb 19, 2009
2,687
23
0
Visit site
What about Pocket Informant or Calengoo? They both sync with Google Calenders, which is what I need. Are either one of those any good?
 

Alli

Well-known member
Apr 28, 2009
10,927
370
0
Visit site
Pocket Informant is making the iPhone calendar bearable, but it's still not all the way there yet.

New question - why is the immediate response to the smallest complaint "you should have done your homework?" Did it ever occur to some people that those of us with complaints did do our homework and went into the purchase with full knowledge of the limitations and made the purchase anyway? Knowing the limitations does not equal liking or being satisfied with them.
 

chobbs1

Well-known member
Mar 8, 2008
1,657
20
0
Visit site
It is how strongly th op worded the thread. If he knew the limitations and bought anyway there would be no reason for such strong language. The choice of words suggest that the op was blidsided by the lack of functionality.

IMHO. The calender has had enough function for me. I have not used any other platform. My past phones had calenders but I never used them. Too difficult and did not have an easy clear way to sync. So for a dummy like me. The iPhone cal and I cal were a perfect solution.
 

lionheartednyhc

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2009
334
3
0
Visit site
In regards to the "why didn't you do your homework" line people keep using, here is an idea. And it will probably make some of the "apple is jesus" people have heart attacks.

WHY DIDN'T APPLE DO ITS HOMEWORK?

If you are competing for smart phone users, you could at least make a calendar that somewhat matches the competition in features (or hell, matches your OWN program iCal in features.)
 

ctt1wbw

Well-known member
Feb 19, 2009
2,687
23
0
Visit site
In regards to the "why didn't you do your homework" line people keep using, here is an idea. And it will probably make some of the "apple is jesus" people have heart attacks.

WHY DIDN'T APPLE DO ITS HOMEWORK?

If you are competing for smart phone users, you could at least make a calendar that somewhat matches the competition in features (or hell, matches your OWN program iCal in features.)

Well, the calendar app is good enough for me. I also use the Google Calendar synch, which is great.

Plus, I chose to find the good capabilities of the iPhone, instead of constantly saying that it can't do MMS and tethering.
 

touchyphone

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2009
697
130
0
Visit site
In regards to the "why didn't you do your homework" line people keep using, here is an idea. And it will probably make some of the "apple is jesus" people have heart attacks.

WHY DIDN'T APPLE DO ITS HOMEWORK?

If you are competing for smart phone users, you could at least make a calendar that somewhat matches the competition in features (or hell, matches your OWN program iCal in features.)


Apple did do it's homework. They created a device everyone wants, and literally changed the game in the cell phone industry. They made a phone, the most wanted device among the public. To me, thats doing homemwork, creating a slick UI, touchscreen, multitouch etc.....

Everyone has a right to gripe with any product they buy, but anyone buying any device or item should put a smidge of effort into finding what its about before investing thousands of dollars in something.

Fact is there are numerous means to go about making the calendar app just as useful as any device, you just have to put some effort into making your device how you want it.

Lets face it, this thread is all about stirring the pot, and of course people here are going to defend the iPhone, its an iPhone dedicted website. The OP likes his palm device, so be it. But he could make his calendar the great asset he desires. Or he can go back to a palm, and hang with zach morris and fred flinstone and use old phones together. lol, :D. Jokes aside, OP can make his calendar useful, it just appears he'd rather complain than make effort. To me the iPhone had many short comings upon purchase, but I figured out how to make it work with me and for me.

Interesting thread, good luck to OP and finding what he wants.
 

lionheartednyhc

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2009
334
3
0
Visit site
Apple did do it's homework. They created a device everyone wants, and literally changed the game in the cell phone industry. They made a phone, the most wanted device among the public. To me, thats doing homemwork, creating a slick UI, touchscreen, multitouch etc.....

Everyone has a right to gripe with any product they buy, but anyone buying any device or item should put a smidge of effort into finding what its about before investing thousands of dollars in something.

Fact is there are numerous means to go about making the calendar app just as useful as any device, you just have to put some effort into making your device how you want it.

Lets face it, this thread is all about stirring the pot, and of course people here are going to defend the iPhone, its an iPhone dedicted website. The OP likes his palm device, so be it. But he could make his calendar the great asset he desires. Or he can go back to a palm, and hang with zach morris and fred flinstone and use old phones together. lol, :D. Jokes aside, OP can make his calendar useful, it just appears he'd rather complain than make effort. To me the iPhone had many short comings upon purchase, but I figured out how to make it work with me and for me.

Interesting thread, good luck to OP and finding what he wants.


True, but one of the problems with the iphone is just that. They focus on Fun, rather than Functionality to show off the slick user interface. Take the calendar app, for instance. It sure is 10 times funner to flick the start date wheel and watch the days whiz by. And the Do the same for the hour wheel. And the same for the minute wheel. And the same for the OTHER end date wheel and the... you get the picture. But is it functional? Not in the least.

And it is clear apple didn't do its homework since they keep adding basic functionality. Hell, the whole JB community is a testament to this.

But really, this thread would not even be an issue if not for one simple fact. Unlike with every other thing Apple overlooked in putting in its phone, there is no app (JB or official) that can make up for it since apple made it impossible for any app, but ical, to use the alert functions in the iphone.



And don't get me wrong, I love my iphone. But I also love constructive criticism and hate the apple can do no wrong mentality.
 
Last edited:

ctt1wbw

Well-known member
Feb 19, 2009
2,687
23
0
Visit site
No, Apple focuses on both. Can you use the Calendar for basic calendaring functions? Yes. Can you set up a Microsoft Exchange account? Yes. Web browsing? Yes. Chatting? Yes.

Just because there's an app better than the Calendar built in with the iPhone, doesn't mean Apple doesn't focus on one or the other.
 

ctt1wbw

Well-known member
Feb 19, 2009
2,687
23
0
Visit site
Well, the calendar app is good enough for me. I also use the Google Calendar synch, which is great.

Plus, I chose to find the good capabilities of the iPhone, instead of constantly saying that it can't do MMS and tethering.

I just bought Calengoo a few hours ago. Doesn't really seem to do more than the Calendar app inside the iPhone. Plus, it's slower than molasses. In winter.
 

alex6speed

Active member
Jul 14, 2009
28
0
0
www.6crew.com
I will certainly not say that Apple can do no wrong, as much as I cannot say the iPhone was targeted for productivity in a "travelling businessman" sense. If that were the case, and I was still to stay with AT&T, I would have waited for the Blackberry Onyx.
 

Trending Posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
260,017
Messages
1,765,332
Members
441,221
Latest member
CØR