Support NeoGAF

[xsarien]

I am really thinking about getting a 3g s but I would have to sign my life over to ATT. Is ATT really as bad as people say it is? I get 3g coverage according to their site which was the most import thing for me. It seems like the cheapest plan I can get going is 90 bucks, which is little talk time (rarely use my phone to talk) and unlimited messaging, and of course data. How do the rollover minutes work, because I would probably be building up a shit ton if it works the way I think it does. I'm kind of getting frustrated using my 2g phone on t-mobile, I want those new features.

You can check their coverage maps online and they have a trial period where, if you don't like the service, you can get out of the contract without a hassle. If you go this route, I recommend getting a fresh number from them. If you like the service, have them port your number over. If you don't, you cancel the service without having to deal with bringing your number back to T-Mobile.

As far as rollover minutes go, they're pretty straightforward. Any minutes you don't use this month out of, for example, 450, will be banked for one year. Do that multiple months in a row and you build quite a safety net, with x amount of minutes expiring 1 year from when they were stockpiled. Note that you don't actually start using them until you run out your "normal" minutes.

Anyway, asking "how's AT&T?" won't get you anything but anecdotes; the quality of service, with all of the carriers, varies wildly from region to region, and sometimes in states as well.

 

[DarkJC]

When Rogers charges your credit card, does that mean that your 3GS has shipped?

From what I've read on howardforums.com , not necessarily.

 

[Vox-Pop]

One of my iphone speakers popped (right), no sound is coming out, will the apple store just give me a new refurbished iphone or fix it if I take it in?

 

[Lord Error]

One of my iphone speakers popped (right), no sound is coming out, will the apple store just give me a new refurbished iphone or fix it if I take it in?

I think the little piece on the right is mic, and the one on the left is speaker.

 

[Hellsing321]

One of my iphone speakers popped (right), no sound is coming out, will the apple store just give me a new refurbished iphone or fix it if I take it in?

Only one of them is a speaker. The other is your microphone so no should should be coming out of it.

 

[Vox-Pop]

How stupid of me, :/ I was using my iphone as a little stereo and noticed the noise was coming out of one side, good thing I didn't go to the apple store that would've been embarrassing.
Thanks guys.

 

[Costanza]

MY 3GS IS JAILBROKEN

Managed to get it working on 64bit Vista too.

 

[Blackhead]

MY 3GS IS JAILBROKEN

Managed to get it working on 64bit Vista too.

Nice, watch out for Winterboard; if you used the purplerain tool then it might not be working yet. Aight give us a Backgrounder performance report* stat
*Wunderradio and Safari please

 

[Costanza]

I never really bothered using Winterboard anyway. All the skins were ugly.

 

[Costanza]

Holy fucking shit, Cydia and springboard refreshing is SO FAST now.

 

[mrkgoo]

Ok, for the life of me, I can't really figure this out, so maybe someone here can help.

It's regarding syncing Voice Memos from the iPhone 3.0 app back to your iTunes library.

So when you have some voice memos, these get synced back to your library and also get added to a Voice Memos playlist. Fine. Now under your Music panel on your iPhone, there's a checkbox "Include Voice Memos".

Now here's how I think it's supposed to work:

No matter whether you have that checked or not, voice memos will sync from your iPhone to your iTunes. When you have this checked it will sync the state of the playlist to your iPhone, thus if you delete a memo from iTunes, it will sync back and remove it from your phone. If you don't have this checked deleting an item from iTunes deletes it, but it remains on your phone (and won't sync back to iTunes the next time, presumably).

Here's how it actually works on mine:

No matter whether I have the box checked or not, I exhibit the following behaviour. My items sync to iTunes. If I delete an item from iTunes and sync, it just reappears in my iTunes list (it remains on my phone). However, if I remove it a second time and sync again, it stays removed. It also remains on my iPhone regardless of the status of the checkbox.

Can someone tell me how this is supposed to work? It's confusing as Hell. Ideally, I don't want items just to be showing up in my music list - they all show up individually with no cover art, so is ugly in coverflow, hence why I want to delete them. Personally, I could probably live either way with keeping files on my phone that don't sync back to iTunes, or having to keep removing them from my phone, but I just can't figure out how this is is SUPPOSED to work.

 

[CurseoftheGods]

From what I've read on howardforums.com , not necessarily.

fuck

 

[crisdecuba]

Argh... So I noticed that a small piece of lint has made it inside the screen. I didn't know that could happen... Is there any way to get it out of there??

 

[Mr. Sam]

Argh... So I noticed that a small piece of lint has made it inside the screen. I didn't know that could happen... Is there any way to get it out of there??

Not that I know of. If there is, I think GAF will know. My friend has a couple of pieces of dust in his screen. It's truly horrific.

 

[Mr.Squirrel]

Anyone willing to help 2g'ers without push out?

http://twitter.com/iphone_dev/status/2473255552

I want push

 

[dream]

Argh... So I noticed that a small piece of lint has made it inside the screen. I didn't know that could happen... Is there any way to get it out of there??

Kind of...Apple Stores are now doing screen replacements in-store, but I'm guessing it's really pricey.

 

[Chiggs]

iPhone 3GS has some major QC problems, in my opinion. I went to the Apple Store AGAIN to get the iPhone replaced because of dead pixels. The new phone I get is even worse than the last, and now I have to wait until Monday for another appointment.

Seriously annoying.

 

[Mamesj]

My 3GS suddenly powered down and wouldn't turn back on yesterday. I hooked it up to my mac and got a battery with a little red life at the end of it and a lightning bolt under it...which I figured meant that it needed to charge, but when it powered down, it was definitely at 60% or more.

I unplugged it a minute later and turned it on, but that worried the hell out of me...is that a bad sign or things to come? it has been fine otherwise.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

My 3GS suddenly powered down and wouldn't turn back on yesterday. I hooked it up to my mac and got a battery with a little red life at the end of it and a lightning bolt under it...which I figured meant that it needed to charge, but when it powered down, it was definitely at 60% or more.

I unplugged it a minute later and turned it on, but that worried the hell out of me...is that a bad sign or things to come? it has been fine otherwise.

An app probably didn't shut down properly and kept running. I've had it happen once.

 

[Mamesj]

An app probably didn't shut down properly and kept running. I've had it happen once.

that would make sense...I was in the middle of switching quickly between the camera, mail, and safari

 

[samven582]

iPhone 3GS has some major QC problems, in my opinion. I went to the Apple Store AGAIN to get the iPhone replaced because of dead pixels. The new phone I get is even worse than the last, and now I have to wait until Monday for another appointment.

Seriously annoying.

agreed. Mine has scan lines

 

[sprsk]

So I'm really liking mine so far, but I get shit reception in my apartment. Is there anything I can do to boost the signal?

Also, what is the max number of contacts I can attach to an mms?

 

[neojubei]

What is the maximum number of pages of apps I can have on a 3gs?

 

[LCfiner]

What is the maximum number of pages of apps I can have on a 3gs?

11.

but you can have unlimited apps and use spotlight to launch the "hidden" ones past page 11

 

[VanMardigan]

So a friend of mine bought a bootleg iPhone for $300. The weight was right, and at first glance it does look legit. It even says iPhone on the back (unlike another cheap knockoff I'd seen). Manufactured by Apple and all that jazz, 16gb, which was a combination of micro sd and internal flash. My car deck even picked it up and started playing music from it, I'm guessing it show up as a portable hard drive. Two sims, an external antenna, removable battery, etc. Once you start using it, the interface is all wrong. Slow, unresponsive, and obviously bootleg to anyone who has used a real iPhone.

I was surprised at how brazen these bootleggers are. Apparently, these are selling pretty well to folks who want an iPhone with no contract.

 

[Husker86]

So a friend of mine bought a bootleg iPhone for $300. The weight was right, and at first glance it does look legit. It even says iPhone on the back (unlike another cheap knockoff I'd seen). Manufactured by Apple and all that jazz, 16gb, which was a combination of micro sd and internal flash. My car deck even picked it up and started playing music from it, I'm guessing it show up as a portable hard drive. Two sims, an external antenna, removable battery, etc. Once you start using it, the interface is all wrong. Slow, unresponsive, and obviously bootleg to anyone who has used a real iPhone.

I was surprised at how brazen these bootleggers are. Apparently, these are selling pretty well to folks who want an iPhone with no contract.

But those folks still aren't getting an iphone with no contract

 

[neojubei]

11.

but you can have unlimited apps and use spotlight to launch the "hidden" ones past page 11

Thanks, but what is spotlight?

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

Thanks, but what is spotlight?

http://www.apple.com/iphone/iphone-3gs/search.html

 

[neojubei]

http://www.apple.com/iphone/iphone-3gs/search.html

Thanks, I thought it was the search function but was not too sure.

 

[VanMardigan]

But those folks still aren't getting an iphone with no contract

They think they are. Which, more than anything else, is why Apple should go after them hard. I feel bad for anyone who thinks they own an iPhone and have to experience that crap.

Honestly, j6p wouldn't know the difference, unless someone who owns an iPhone looks at their phone and tells them. My friend didn't know, he just popped in his AT&T sim card.

 

[SnakeXs]

MY 3GS IS JAILBROKEN

Managed to get it working on 64bit Vista too.

What are some pros of jailbreaking? Obviously running unsigned code and such, but practically.

 

[Costanza]

What are some pros of jailbreaking? Obviously running unsigned code and such, but practically.

Organizing apps into folders
Emulators (nes, snes, GB, GBA, psx, genesis)
Running apps in the background
VLC Player w/ codec support
Five icon dock/five icon columns
theme-skinning (though most themes look awful)

etc, etc, etc

 

[Husker86]

They think they are. Which, more than anything else, is why Apple should go after them hard. I feel bad for anyone who thinks they own an iPhone and have to experience that crap.

Honestly, j6p wouldn't know the difference, unless someone who owns an iPhone looks at their phone and tells them. My friend didn't know, he just popped in his AT&T sim card.

Does it have access to the App Store?

Maybe I misread your other post, are these knockoffs that people know they are buying a knockoff or is this a scam?

 

[Blackhead]

What are some pros of jailbreaking? Obviously running unsigned code and such, but practically.

Organizing apps into folders
Emulators (nes, snes, GB, GBA, psx, genesis)
Running apps in the background
VLC Player w/ codec support
Five icon dock/five icon columns
theme-skinning (though most themes look awful)

etc, etc, etc

In addition to those reasons, these are also compelling

SBSettings - Fast Toggles

So you’re in Safari. You turned off your WiFi or your 3G to save battery. Now you loaded Safari and it’s loading slowly with EDGE. Do you close out safari, open settings, traverse the menus and reenable the 3g? Or do you just live with the EDGE this time?

SBSettings solves this by providing fast toggles by swiping your status bar. With SBSettings, you just swipe your status bar, enable the WiFi or 3G, and resume safari where you left off. When done, swipe again, and disable the battery draining wifi or 3G options. Simple! SBSettings is must have.

The 'No Rotation' toggle alone makes SBSettings indispensable. You can force an app to stick to a particular orientation at any time. Safari will no longer be a pain to use in bed

Dock 3.0

This is an app switcher that is always available. It is hard to describe, so check out the video link for a demo.

It's especially useful when you open an app while using another app-instead of first going to springboard and then searching for the right icon to press. When combined with Backgrounder... *swoons*

Stacks

If you’re an OSX user, you probably already know what this is. But it’s a neat way to put items onto your dock that you want to get to quickly and have them pop up in a cool menu. Check it out.

Stack v3 is in development but v2.2 is not too bad.

iBlacklist - (paid app)

iBlacklist is the best only call blocker and sms selector available for the iPhone. It enables you to select from who you want to receive calls and hide messages. It also removes the sms popup preview protecting your privacy, has parental control mode by blocking outgoing calls, can be fully scheduled and many other features.

Enhanced SMS (paid apps)

There are three apps out that offer better SMS: MySMS [not yet working on 3.0], biteSMS* and iRealSMS.
The best feature of all is the quickreply. When an incoming SMS arrives, you normally have to decide whether or not you will quit your existing app to respond or if you will respond later. With biteSMS, iRealSMS or MySMS, you get quick reply. You can just reply, on the spot, without leaving your current app or game. After you type your response and hit send, your app resumes right where it left off.

Also worth mentioning are the QuickSend (or Quick Compose depending on the app) which enables you to write and send a text from any app and QuickCall (which does exactly what the name implies).
*biteSMS works similar to how Skype handles phonecalls; you have to buy credits to send texts using the app ("cheaper" rates and all that). iRealSMS and MySMS, on the other hand, just serve as replacements for the standard messaging app.

TV Out utilities - You'll need the Apple Component AV Cable

The iPhone gained two TV Out utilities to provide live video feeds from nearly any application. the open source iPhone TVOut project from Backgrounder developer Ashikase lets you pick applications on a case-by-case basis and pipe their video out to TV. The software works with the underlying OS and feeds the application's video out to an attached cable. If TVOut showed an amazing step forward, then Plutinosoft's Screensplitr will blow your mind. Finally, we have a general TV out solution for the iPhone and iPod touch. Screensplitr offers full video mirroring (the iPhone shows the same display as the video-out feed) for the entire OS.

The first steps you see in these videos may seem modest, but they are revolutionary in that they will transform iPhone user interactions. Extending the iPhone—including an external screen and adding external accessories like keyboards—has the potential to redefine the handy gadget in your pocket into a fully able, mobile, and dockable Unix platform.

I'd imagine performance would be much better on the 3GS.

Use Voice Over IP (Unlimited Minutes) with 3G

As for Voice Over IP (VoIP) this allows you to make phone calls over the Internet, and incur no voice call charges or use your minutes. Now you may be thinking that this is already available in Appstore. Fring Skype is the VoIP app, and it works well. Unfortunately, due to Apple’s [AT&T] restrictions, you can only use Fring Skype over WiFi even though there is no technical reason that it wouldn’t work great over 3G. Once you jailbreak, you can install an app called VoIPover3G*. This allows you to use Fring Skype anywhere that you have 3G. That means in most metropolitan cities, you can get unlimited[?] minutes via Fring Skype and 3G! Only to jailbreakers.

*can be also be used to fool other apps into thinking you are on 3G. For example, you can bypass the 10MB limit in the AppStore...


Lock Screen widgets

Twidget and Lock Screen Info are two examples of apps that extend the usefulness of your Lockscreen by displaying more data on it. Twidget is a widget for checking your twitter feeds. Lock Screen Info displays your calendar, mail, sms and weather forecast. Install in tandem with 'Sleep to Lock' and '20 second lock screen' for easier quick looks.

Growl for iPhone (GriP)

There are currently 2 methods to announce a piece of information to you on the iPhone – either to show an alert box (e.g. the 3.0 Push Notification), or just play a sound (e.g. receiving new emails) or vibration. However, alert box is a very rude way to notify something trivial, as an alert box will steal your focus and disrupt your work flow. On the other hand, playing a sound is too hideous, as there are many places you don't want to turn on sound, and iPod Touches don't have a vibration unit.

GriP tries to strike a balance between being unobstructive while still being able to give out clear information. With GriP, messages are (by default) shown as small floating windows in a corner, which will automatically disappear if you ignore it. In this way, you can still continue your process without missing anything.

Almost out of beta


Themes

Yes, most are just awful. But they aren't all bad. And you don't have to go the whole mile; you could choose to only pick a wallpaper to use on springboard, for example - but for that you'll need to jailbreak.

Here are three of my fave themes:
Matte Nano, Cubes!

and iNav (these two mods in particular, iNitsua and Madrigal77's iNavMod)

Unlocking

Finally, and I almost decided to leave this out, but the only way to unlock your iPhone and put it onto another carrier is by jailbreaking it. The unlocking apps will require system level patching and activation all of which can only be done via jailbreaking. Note also that you need not unlock to jailbreak. They are two separate things.

 

[Dez]

What sbsettings theme is that?

 

[Blackhead]

What sbsettings theme is that?

Apple Congruency

 

[scorcho]

Just used the tether option files at - http://www.benm.at/2009/06/13/helpbenmat/

Works with AT&T and Visual Voicemail isn't disabled. Loving this!

 

[BrLvgThrChmstry]

awesome list you got there, Greyface. I haven't touch Cydia since my last unlock/jailbreak. Ah, since updating to 3.0... The 2G is really, really starting to show it's age.

 

[Blackhead]

awesome list you got there, Greyface. I haven't touch Cydia since my last unlock/jailbreak. Ah, since updating to 3.0... The 2G is really, really starting to show it's age.

Thanks.

If you do jailbreak again, search for ActivateMMS2G in Cydia if you want that feature. Apple unnecessarily crippling its hardware again *shrug*

 

[prelude514]

I'm really trying to keep myself from jailbreaking my 3Gs right now... I'm trying to convince myself that I should wait for the dev team release. Should I? Or is purple rain the bees knees?

 

[RBH]

This may not be the right thread for this, but what are the best options for a screen protector and a protective case for an iPod Touch?

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

This may not be the right thread for this, but what are the best options for a screen protector and a protective case for an iPod Touch?

Nothing.

 

[Darkflight]

Does jailbreaking have any real effect on the battery life, because that stuff posted above seems very tempting.

 

[womp]

Does jailbreaking have any real effect on the battery life, because that stuff posted above seems very tempting.

None to negligible. As long as you don't 'trick' it out with a ton of obnoxious themes and wallpaper animation, simply installing some functional hacks such as SBSettings won't drop your battery much if any.

 

[SleazyC]

So I just jailbroke my 3G again (infinitely easier than the first time and it kept all my apps this time) and when I launched up Cydia for the first time my phone reset. Then when I launched it the second time (still going) my screen was flickering like crazy for about 5-7 seconds. Anyone experience this as well or is it just me?

 

[VanMardigan]

Just used the tether option files at - http://www.benm.at/2009/06/13/helpbenmat/

Works with AT&T and Visual Voicemail isn't disabled. Loving this!

I remember there being an issue with tethering where, if you didn't have the right one, AT&T could easily detect it (something with the ports it used and stuff). Do you know if this workaround is easily detected by AT&T?

I'll barely use tethering, but I worry that AT&T will easily tell that I'm tethering and charge me something crazy.

 

[Bboy AJ]

Anyone willing to help 2g'ers without push out?

http://twitter.com/iphone_dev/status/2473255552

I want push

I got it working just fine on my T-Mobile 2G.

Ah, since updating to 3.0... The 2G is really, really starting to show it's age.

How is that? I have MMS, push notifications... Not sure what I'm missing besides 3G, GPS, and a compass.

That said, now that the 3GS is unlockable, I'm looking into getting one just for the speed boost. Otherwise, my 2G works great.

 

[HoTHiTTeR]

What push enabled Twitter apps are available?

 

[Blackhead]

Does jailbreaking have any real effect on the battery life, because that stuff posted above seems very tempting.

None to negligible. As long as you don't 'trick' it out with a ton of obnoxious themes and wallpaper animation, simply installing some functional hacks such as SBSettings won't drop your battery much if any.

whs. It depends on what you install-don't use an app like PushMod if battery life is an issue. Most of the good hacks are no longer daemons but plug into springboard by mobile substrate instead. Your real worry should be memory usage and, if you have a 3GS, I wish I had your concerns.

So I just jailbroke my 3G again (infinitely easier than the first time and it kept all my apps this time) and when I launched up Cydia for the first time my phone reset. Then when I launched it the second time (still going) my screen was flickering like crazy for about 5-7 seconds. Anyone experience this as well or is it just me?

Yeah, I had it reset once earlier but after the updates haven't had any problems. See if you used the latest pwn tool or try not to do anything when Cydia loads until you see the available updates.

I remember there being an issue with tethering where, if you didn't have the right one, AT&T could easily detect it (something with the ports it used and stuff). Do you know if this workaround is easily detected by AT&T?

I'll barely use tethering, but I worry that AT&T will easily tell that I'm tethering and charge me something crazy.

I know right?! It seems obvious that Apple would put some flag in the system to indicate that the data is being tethered and yet it's so simple to enable tethering and MMS, you don't even need to jailbreak to do it. I'm waiting until a couple of people have got their monthly bills before using that method.

I got it working just fine on my T-Mobile 2G.

How is that? I have MMS, push notifications... Not sure what I'm missing besides 3G, GPS, and a compass.

That said, now that the 3GS is unlockable, I'm looking into getting one just for the speed boost. Otherwise, my 2G works great.

You intend to use a 3GS on T-mobile's Edge network?! Blasphemy :lol

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

What push enabled Twitter apps are available?

What am I missing from the idea that we need push Twitter apps? I've seen a few requests like this, but I don't get it. Twitter can send you SMS alerts, so what's the difference?