I think I hate the iPhone

[osxx]

cerberuspuppy what OS and iTunes version are you running on your Mac?
If you connect your phone via USB and open iTunes under Devices select phone now check all that apply in each category music,photos,videos etc etc and it should sync all thats checked providing you are using the right OS with the latest version of iTunes.

 

[Slydude]

Sly: This is not some small snafu on some particular issue. This is total systemic failure.

I am aware of that. I simply posted this as a a solution to one of the problems that you hand mentioned.

 

[cerberuspuppy]

I HAVE NOT EVER OWNED A SMARTPHONE BEFORE. I WAS NOT BORN WITH A CELL PHONE IN MY HAND.

Sorry, I just thought I'd stated that once or twice already. You have years of experience on me and you're taking for granted things that I don't have any way of knowing.

You'd be surprised what tech companies do these days.

I've spent most of my free time since Thursday morning on this. I have taken the time to learn it. It should not be that difficult. If it were a Windows phone, then yes maybe I'd expect that to be difficult and probably buggy as well. But Apple products are supposed to be much easier to learn and use.

 

[cerberuspuppy]

Ugh. Again, sorry, just really frustrated with all this. It doesn't help that I can't even reply to a post right now for some reason.

I studied computers and worked on them for years. I love the internet and depend on it every day. I still really hate computers sometimes.

 

[vansmith]

I HAVE NOT EVER OWNED A SMARTPHONE BEFORE. I WAS NOT BORN WITH A CELL PHONE IN MY HAND.

Well, this clarifies a lot.

Smartphones are, by their very nature, considerably different in design and use. If you don't give it time and learn to look things up, it's going to be a rough ride. Second, just because Apple products are supposedly always easier (that of course is open to debate) doesn't mean they are for you. Despite that fact that you wrote off Android earlier (and I'm still wondering why since I'm now positive you've never used an Android device), you may find it easier to use or more to your liking. You might even like a Windows Phone or a BlackBerry. What i'm saying is that just because company X ostensibly does something better doesn't mean that's always the case. Just because Google is the king of cloud services doesn't mean that something like iCloud is inferior nor does the fact that MS is the office champion mean that something like iWork is inferior.

If it were a Windows phone, then yes maybe I'd expect that to be difficult and probably buggy as well.

Why? Have you read anything about WP8 phones or used them? Unless what you need is not available for WP8, you may very well get a faster and more compelling WP8 phone relative to any other device. Indeed, some of Nokia's new Lumia phones are getting great reviews.

 

[lclev]

Okay, I too have more than a few years on me. I started programing computers in 1979 and my first phone was a bag phone. I am also new to the mac world as I followed the Windows path over the years. That being said... I love mac computers and iPads, iPhone not so much. Why? I have a Samsung Note II which I love because the screen is big enough for my older eyes to see and type on, has google voice that works great for me, runs any app I have ever loaded, it has never locked up and the battery life is awesome.

However everyone at work has the iPhone 5 or 5s. Since I am the tech, I get to set them up for email, our network, and what ever else they need - and some need more than others. But, all of them seem to like their phones. I will say I have had to learn the reset sequence to use when one of them locks up but not sure if it is iPhone or operator issues.

If your previous phone background was Windows or Android and/or a basic phone there is a learning curve. Also Apple assumes everyone is tech challenged and what they try to achieve to make things easier isn't always easy. For an example try setting up a corporate email that does not fit the preset options. It can be tricky.

It is a matter of preference and you may prefer an android or windows phone. Not everyone likes iPhones and that is why there are android and windows options. I hope you find a solution that will help to eliminate your frustration.

Lisa

 

[chscag]

Good stuff Lisa. That's why my wife has an iPhone and I still use a not so smart Samsung dumb phone. ;P

 

[CanuckBoater]

I tried the Iphone 3 and had similar issues to you (mostly typing).

Try a Blackberry Q10 with tactile keyboard. Should be free with any plan, lol.

Recently, at a "Radio Shack" store, the rep indicated that 'texting' competitions are won by those small tactile keypad phones. Didn't follow up on that (life's too short) but keyboard's the first issue and you might be best served by taking this phone back.

PS - oddly enough, at that Radio Shack, I bought a Nokia Windows 8 phone with "typing on glass". Very easy. Not as fast as the Blackberry Q10, but close.

 

[dtravis7]

This has been said above but will repeat it as that statement really bugged me. Caller ID works on any iphone since the very first one. Who is your carrier? Contact them as it's their fault if you do not have Caller ID, not the iPhone.

I will repeat another thing said above. Use it in LANDSCAPE mode and the Keyboard is much wider and easier to type on. NO smartphone keyboard will be as easy as a full sized keyboard, but I find the one on the IPhone to be easier to type on than any other smartphone I have used. I have short fingers yet rarely make a mistake on it. Just in case you do not know, Landscape is horizontal.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

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.

Dude... seriously now, was it any easier on your "dumb" phone? Just what do you expect with the size of the iPhone's screen? If it's this difficult for you, then use a bluetooth keyboard dock. It's not going to get better. Ever. The screen size is the limiting factor and making the keys bigger would mean only having half the letter keys available at a time. THERE IS NO WAY AROUND THIS!!!!!

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.

I've not used Google Now, but I agree on Siri. It's horrible. I try to use it for dictation once in a while and it NEVER gets what I say right.

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.

Uh, what? Why aren't you syncing your contacts from your MacBook? And setting up Mail is hard? I just don't get that. If you are having a specific problem, you should ask.

And I agree on Bing. It's a horrible service. Actually... the recent lousy search results I've had from Siri suddenly make sense now. I forgot they switched the search engine on that. But there's a workaround:
How to use Siri to search Google instead of Bing | iMore

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.

You can send multiple files at once just fine, although it doesn't appear you can SELECT more than one at a time. Just keep adding one at a time till you are done. Although Apple should let you choose more than one at a time if multiple choices are right there.

No Caller ID?
Really? Really? On a $65/mo SMARTPHONE? Isn't this a basic general function of any phone these days? Seriously, ***?

Ok, this is just nonsense. You either turned it off in your settings, or your carrier doesn't support it for some bizarre reason.

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?

More nonsense. Both Spotify and iTunes work just fine. You should elaborate on what your exact problems are. How does one "barely" get Pandora to work?

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.

You don't HAVE to buy a new one after 2 years. Lots of people, including many regulars here, are on smartphones (yes, even iPhones) older than 2 years.

 

[cerberuspuppy]

Sorry, this site is still fubared and I can't reply directly to any post anymore, at least not to quote.

So:

Van: I am looking things up. That's not always helpful at all and it's rarely quick. For example, I have yet to see any Siri tutorial that helps at all. I assume the Windows Phone is garbage because all Microsoft products are. They couldn't make anything usable to save their lives. I do have an Android device- my Kindle Fire HD, which of course has more of those compatibility issues I mentioned earlier.

Lisa: If you're in tech support you need to listen to what the user is saying. Again, sorry, but I'm frustrated enough as it is. I have not owned a smartphone before, Android or otherwise.

Canuck: Blackberry is bankrupt or close enough. I want a company that's actually going to be around in 2 years.

Dennis: And I said fine I will, I just have to wait for them to open Monday morning. I know what Landscape is and I tried that, like I said. We're both repeating ourselves.

 

[dtravis7]

There is nothing wrong with this site. Not trying to be mean to you, but the forums and quoting works great.

Lifeisabeach; Very true. I am still using my old iPhone 3GS and it works great.

 

[cerberuspuppy]

Ugh. Why is it people keep selectively ignoring half of what I say? Not just here, pretty much any forum. I mean come on, it's all right there in black and white and my posts have not been TLDR.

@Lifeisabeach:

Actually, yes it was easier on the old dumb phone. Sure, I'd slip and hit the wrong button sometimes, but not every single time. A bluetooth keyboard? Really? At that point I might as well just use the laptop.

I can't synch anything from the Macbook, not even music. It tells me it does it but it doesn't do it. The files don't show up on the phone. Mail (on the phone or laptop) won't import all of my contacts. It picks and chooses which to import by criteria I have yet to discern.

That fix might be worth a try- IF I could get Siri to do anything, which I can't.

RE attaching files: How was I supposed to know that? It's not intuitive or obvious like starting the email then attaching files.

Apparently I'm going to have to explain the Caller ID thing in every post in this thread over and over again. Maybe I should just put that in my signature for this forum.

I'm telling you neither iTunes or Spotify works. Again, I EXPLAINED THAT ALREADY. I'm not going over it again. If you're going to comment on the thread then please READ IT.

Even if so, not much longer than 2 years.

 

[dtravis7]

But you are blaming apple when EVERY SINGLE smartphone with a keyboard that not slide out and get in the way has the same small keys on the screen. It's not an apple issue. Try an android or Microsoft phone. Same thing.

I read every word you said, just not much to say as others have already addressed most of your issues. And just so you know I am not a kid either. People say I act like one sometimes but I am no kid. I have found the iphone the easiest smartphone I have ever tried. I got a old 3g years ago now and within 10 minutes was comfortable using it and with in a day could do no wrong.

Not trying to talk down to you at all, but most points you make are either user issues or issues on every other smartphone there.

 

[cerberuspuppy]

I'm blaming Apple because they're basically doing false advertising. Their products are supposed to be easier to use and more reliable but they're not. Most of what I've tried barely works if at all. The Siri commercials are pure ********, and I'm not the only one to say so by a long shot.

I'm probably just going to go with the suggestion of the Note 2. I saw that the Note 3 is out now and seems to be well reviewed. That would obsolesce later for only $100 more. I've had much better experience with Samsung- their old $150 dumb phone lasted 7 years and is only now starting to die (the battery ofc) and it worked as well as any piece of tech ever does.

 

[dtravis7]

A Note is an android and will have the same small keyboard on the screen and probably every other issue you mentioned.

 

[cerberuspuppy]

Doesn't the Note have a larger screen? Also the stylus might help.

 

[dtravis7]

slightly larger screen but larger and annoying to me at least as a cell phone. Just to large. Typing with a stylus has always made me want to throw the thing through the wall! Grin

 

[dtravis7]

If you are interested, go to Anandtech and read the review on the new Note 5.

 

[chas_m]

The part I don't understand about the OP is that he keeps saying [program] doesn't work when this simply isn't true. It doesn't work FOR HIM for reasons we don't understand because he has not managed (in 50 posts) to DETAIL what's going on there.

**CLEARLY** Caller ID works for the rest of us. CLEARLY iTunes works. CLEARLY Spotify works, et al. If it didn't, we'd say "oh yeah, Spotify doesn't work on the iPhone." But of course this isn't true.

Why this guy doesn't appear to know ANYONE else with an iPhone that he can compare notes with in person is beyond me. Just watch them use their phone, ask them to do the tasks you're having trouble with. We're all eager to help, but we can't see what's going on. Maybe he has a defective phone, or maybe he's just insane, or something in-between. Without being there we rely heavily on very detailed descriptions of what is happening to troubleshoot, and he's just not giving us anything to go on.

The only thing I can suggest if he's not going to go step-by-step with us is to take it to an Apple Store and get some lessons on how to use it in person. I have a feeling that 15-20 minutes with an expert looking over his shoulder would clear up 90 percent of his issues.