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iPhone UK: The Missing Manual

July 15, 2009 by Roy Johnson

the book that should have been in the box

If you buy an iPhone, the one thing you don’t get is a manual telling you how it works. Oh sure – you can download a PDF file from a web site , but as David Pogue, author of this excellent guide observes, “it’s largely free of details, hacks, workarounds, tutorials, humour, and any acknowledgement of the iPhone’s flaws. You can’t mark your place, underline, or read it in the bathroom.” As most people know by now, the iPhone has completely transformed handheld mobile devices. It combines everything you need in portable computing – email, Internet access, photo and audio-visual storage, address-book, MP3 player, GPS device (maps) stock exchange figures, and games. It’s the ultimate all-in-one portable device. I’ve bought two of these shirt-pocket miracles in the last few weeks – and the first thing I wanted after opening the box was a manual.

iPhone UK: The Missing ManualIt’s true, they’re very easy to use, but I still needed help with some of the basics. The main learning curve with the iPhone is the nested menu system – and that’s clearly explained here. Basically, you’ve just got to drill down from one screen to another to find your stuff. But the manual is well illustrated with photos and screenshots, so that you know exactly what you should be looking at.

One feature of the iPhone that has made them best-sellers is the navigation system. It’s all done by touching, tapping, and sliding your finger across the screen. In case you didn’t know, apart from the on/off switch and the volume control, there’s only one button on the iPhone, and you actually don’t need that very much. Everything is done with one finger touching the screen.

iphoneAnd nothing can go drastically wrong, so you don’t need to worry. It’s no wonder that these devices have become popular so quickly. Quite apart from the ultra-cool design, you can download games, extras, and software novelties with no trouble at all. Many of them are completely free or amazingly cheap. For instance, the ‘Brushes’ graphic design program used to produce these stunning pictures costs only £2.99. At this price you can afford to give things a try – and it’s no tragedy if you decide not to bother.

The manual covers all aspects of the phone, and it also gives you a full guide to iTunes – the site from which Apple hopes you will download most of your music files. They currently sell for around £0.79 per track – but companies such as Amazon are currently undercutting them at £0.49 per track in an effort to capture the market.

The iPhone is of course a miracle of mobile phone technology: you can have all sorts of options – from visual voice mail to chat programs and free texting. Of course, out of the box, you are tied in to the O2 network service, but if you feel up to the challenge, you can get round this by ‘jailbreaking’ the phone. That will allow you to change ringtones and wallpaper, as well as choose your own mobile network. Details of how to do it are available here

There are two other things I like about the Missing Manuals. One is that they are not slavishly uncritical. If there’s a shortcoming with the product, they’ll mention it. And two – they’ll show you how to get round the problem. There are call-out boxes packed with hints, tips, and hidden workarounds.

You can also download movies, audio books, games, podcasts, TV programmes. You can even couple up your iPhone to your TV and watch videos on a full size screen. That’s why these slender hand-held computers are now regarded as something of a Killer Ap – because they have the capacity to combine all online services into one user-friendly, affordable device.

But what about all the free programs and software mentioned in the book? They’ve thought of that too. The book has its own web site where the latest versions of shareware and freeware are listed.

© Roy Johnson 2009

iPhone UK   Buy the book at Amazon UK

iPhone UK   Buy the book at Amazon US


David Pogue, iPhone UK: The Missing Manual, O’Reilly UK, 3rd edition, 2009, pp.416, ISBN: 0955750628


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Filed Under: Computers, Media Tagged With: Computers, iPhone, iPhone UK: The Missing Manual, Media, Mobile phones, Technology

Smartphones for Internet Access

April 11, 2012 by Roy Johnson

T-MobileToday’s Internet users are relying on their smartphones or tablets for quick and easy Internet access, rather than laptops and desktops. And no wonder. It’s simply more convenient and portable. However, those with tight finances haven’t always been able to enjoy the benefits of 4G connectivity. But this will all change with the announcement of T-Mobile’s reinvigorated challenger strategy. This offers more affordable options to cash-strapped customers. When subscribers to T-Mobile compare cell phone plans with those of other service providers, T-Mobile comes out on top as one of the most affordable cell phone carriers with reliable service.

With mobile devices increasingly imitating each other’s features, it’s the quality and cost of the service that will determine user choice. T-Mobile’s challenger strategy, outlined by CEO and President Philipp Humm recently, focuses on making 4G services affordable and establishing growth for the business by investing $4 billion on network modernization and 4G evolution.

"We want to be known for delivering the best value in wireless because of the advanced technology we deliver at an affordable price," Humm said. "Over the next two years, we’re prioritizing and investing in initiatives designed to get T-Mobile back to growth in the years ahead—beginning with the transformation of our network."

Over 90 percent of T-Mobile device sales in the fourth quarter were from 3G and 4G smartphones, and data usage as well as smartphone adoption continue to accelerate. This has prompted the telecommunications giant to improve its data services to keep loyal customers happy as well as attract new subscribers.

"Today we operate America’s Largest 4G Network delivering a fast and reliable 4G data experience with Evolved High Speed Packet Access (HSPA+)" T-Mobile Chief Technology Officer Neville Ray said. "Launching Long Term Evolution (LTE) next year lets us take advantage of technology infrastructure advancements and benefit from a more mature LTE device ecosystem, while continuing to meet the growing demand for data with a powerful 4G experience."

T-Mobile plans to deliver better performance and coverage to its customers by improving its 4G network infrastructure with "new antenna integrated radios on many of its cell towers." The company may even be the first carrier in North America to accomplish this feat.

These technological developments should give users access to much higher rates of data transfer, and a smoother user experience. For instance, they can produce significant improvements to battery life, and quicker wake-from-idle time. This will be similar to an always-on connection. That’s the sort of service mobile device users increasingly expect in a fully-connected environment.


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Filed Under: Computers, Media Tagged With: Communication, Media, Mobile phones, Smartphones, Technology

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