- Joined
- Nov 7, 2013
- Messages
- 52
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 8
- Your Mac's Specs
- MacBook MB061LL/A 13.3" 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1 GB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, Combo Drive
Okay so I took the plunge and got a brand new iPhone 5c. I figured since I never had a smart phone before I should start with the iPhone, which would surely be more intuitive, user friendly, easy to learn etc. Right? Right?
Well, no.
**** no.
While I can more or less figure out the phone's most basic functions, getting it to do anything my 7 year old dumb phone couldn't do is a constant struggle, if not an exercise in frustration. The iPhone is NOT intuitive. Often it doesn't make sense at all. What good do all these powerful features do if I can't actually use them? It's starting to look like my shiny pretty new toy is really nothing more than a $500 paperweight.
Here are the major issues I'm having so far:
I can't type on it.
My hands are just too big for the tiny crowded buttons. I keep pressing the wrong key, especially between O and P. I can barely muddle through if I take two or three times longer than I really should.
Siri is worse than useless.
I have tried and tried and tried literally dozens of times to tell Siri what to do and it has not gotten it right even once. Not. Even. Close. Not even close! Not once. My accent is NOT that thick, usually it's barely noticeable. I'm actually quite articulate. Yes, it's awkward talking to a machine, especially such a brick stupid one, but I have an IQ of 135 and I've watched Star Trek since I was twelve . I should be able to figure this out. I know a guy who has an iPhone and he flat out gave up on Siri entirely and permanently. Another friend of mine has Google Now on his phone and has no trouble with it at all that I've seen.
Combine these two problems and they become one VERY BIG problem: I basically cannot input data into the phone. How can I use a device if I CAN"T INPUT? Seriously, ***?
Changing anything is an epic struggle
that usually involves calling tech support or an HOUR on Google looking for a fix or at least a workaround. That's right, Google has literally been more helpful in figuring out what little I have than Apple has. I can't get anything set up properly. Just setting up Mail at all was even harder than it was on the six year old Macbook (which is saying something) and I have to add contacts manually one at a time, which given the input issues is a serious pain. I can't get Siri to stop using Microsoft's shoddy Bing and always use Google instead. Stuff like that.
I can't do simple things
like attach files to an email. I have to bring up the app that generated the file, hunt down the file, then link that to an email and send the files one at a time.
No Caller ID?
Really? Really? On a $65/mo SMARTPHONE? Isn't this a basic general function of any phone these days? Seriously, ***?
And the kicker: NO MUSIC.
I am a HUGE music fan. Being able to play a tremendous selection of music anywhere anytime was THE #1 REASON I got a smartphone. Seriously. I consider Spotify and Pages the two most important apps of all. I never did get Spotify to work on the Macbook, only the web player, which is acceptable but far from ideal as it doesn't have the same functionality. I cannot get Spotify to work on the iPhone in any way shape or form. I cannot get ITUNES to work on the iPhone for crying out loud! I barely got Pandora to work at all which I guess is better than nothing but I'm paying $10/mo for Spotify Premium for a reason. Let me guess, Apple is messing with Spotify because they want us to pay triple for iTunes. Am I getting warm?
Last of all, why am I coming to you guys for help?
Oh yeah, because Apple's tech support has been totally useless. I can't even EMAIL them. They have a chat function where I can get canned platitudes but no real help or answers. Yeah they're rated as high in the biz but that's not saying much at all. Congratulations, you're better than some of the worst companies in human history. What do you want a cookie?
All this in a device that will be completely obsolete by the end of a two year contract, when I will just have to buy a new one.
And even Apple seems to be getting worse, not better. Five years ago I had my problems with iTunes for the PC but it usually worked, and my iPod nano always worked brilliantly. It was basic and simple and reliable. Once I got used to the controls (which took what, two hours?) it was perfect. I'm still sorry I lost it.
Why do we take this ******** from tech companies? We would NEVER in a million years tolerate this kind of un-usability and failure rate in ANY other essential piece of technology. But it's computers so we just shrug and say "what do you expect?" Well, I expect something that's ACTUALLY GOING TO WORK. That was the whole point of switching to Apple. No hunter would buy a rifle that had a 30% chance of exploding in his hand. When Ford's cars were crap people stopped buying them, and bought them again when quality improved. Why do we keep buying crap from Microsoft, Google, and Apple?
I shouldn't have to take a class to learn how to use a phone but there is an apple repair shop in town. I might see if they can teach me how to manipulate the stupid thing. Again, I really should be able to figure this out myself.
I've already asked CREDO if I can get my money back and if I don't see at least some improvement by Christmas I will. I'm sick of this nonsense.
Well, no.
**** no.
While I can more or less figure out the phone's most basic functions, getting it to do anything my 7 year old dumb phone couldn't do is a constant struggle, if not an exercise in frustration. The iPhone is NOT intuitive. Often it doesn't make sense at all. What good do all these powerful features do if I can't actually use them? It's starting to look like my shiny pretty new toy is really nothing more than a $500 paperweight.
Here are the major issues I'm having so far:
I can't type on it.
My hands are just too big for the tiny crowded buttons. I keep pressing the wrong key, especially between O and P. I can barely muddle through if I take two or three times longer than I really should.
Siri is worse than useless.
I have tried and tried and tried literally dozens of times to tell Siri what to do and it has not gotten it right even once. Not. Even. Close. Not even close! Not once. My accent is NOT that thick, usually it's barely noticeable. I'm actually quite articulate. Yes, it's awkward talking to a machine, especially such a brick stupid one, but I have an IQ of 135 and I've watched Star Trek since I was twelve . I should be able to figure this out. I know a guy who has an iPhone and he flat out gave up on Siri entirely and permanently. Another friend of mine has Google Now on his phone and has no trouble with it at all that I've seen.
Combine these two problems and they become one VERY BIG problem: I basically cannot input data into the phone. How can I use a device if I CAN"T INPUT? Seriously, ***?
Changing anything is an epic struggle
that usually involves calling tech support or an HOUR on Google looking for a fix or at least a workaround. That's right, Google has literally been more helpful in figuring out what little I have than Apple has. I can't get anything set up properly. Just setting up Mail at all was even harder than it was on the six year old Macbook (which is saying something) and I have to add contacts manually one at a time, which given the input issues is a serious pain. I can't get Siri to stop using Microsoft's shoddy Bing and always use Google instead. Stuff like that.
I can't do simple things
like attach files to an email. I have to bring up the app that generated the file, hunt down the file, then link that to an email and send the files one at a time.
No Caller ID?
Really? Really? On a $65/mo SMARTPHONE? Isn't this a basic general function of any phone these days? Seriously, ***?
And the kicker: NO MUSIC.
I am a HUGE music fan. Being able to play a tremendous selection of music anywhere anytime was THE #1 REASON I got a smartphone. Seriously. I consider Spotify and Pages the two most important apps of all. I never did get Spotify to work on the Macbook, only the web player, which is acceptable but far from ideal as it doesn't have the same functionality. I cannot get Spotify to work on the iPhone in any way shape or form. I cannot get ITUNES to work on the iPhone for crying out loud! I barely got Pandora to work at all which I guess is better than nothing but I'm paying $10/mo for Spotify Premium for a reason. Let me guess, Apple is messing with Spotify because they want us to pay triple for iTunes. Am I getting warm?
Last of all, why am I coming to you guys for help?
Oh yeah, because Apple's tech support has been totally useless. I can't even EMAIL them. They have a chat function where I can get canned platitudes but no real help or answers. Yeah they're rated as high in the biz but that's not saying much at all. Congratulations, you're better than some of the worst companies in human history. What do you want a cookie?
All this in a device that will be completely obsolete by the end of a two year contract, when I will just have to buy a new one.
And even Apple seems to be getting worse, not better. Five years ago I had my problems with iTunes for the PC but it usually worked, and my iPod nano always worked brilliantly. It was basic and simple and reliable. Once I got used to the controls (which took what, two hours?) it was perfect. I'm still sorry I lost it.
Why do we take this ******** from tech companies? We would NEVER in a million years tolerate this kind of un-usability and failure rate in ANY other essential piece of technology. But it's computers so we just shrug and say "what do you expect?" Well, I expect something that's ACTUALLY GOING TO WORK. That was the whole point of switching to Apple. No hunter would buy a rifle that had a 30% chance of exploding in his hand. When Ford's cars were crap people stopped buying them, and bought them again when quality improved. Why do we keep buying crap from Microsoft, Google, and Apple?
I shouldn't have to take a class to learn how to use a phone but there is an apple repair shop in town. I might see if they can teach me how to manipulate the stupid thing. Again, I really should be able to figure this out myself.
I've already asked CREDO if I can get my money back and if I don't see at least some improvement by Christmas I will. I'm sick of this nonsense.