iPhoneApps: iOS4 - An Initial Review

iOS4 might be one of the most waited Operating System since Mr Steve Jobs announced it several months ago. It has tons of new features, but for me as end user, there are two main and important features that I have waited so long: Folders and Multitasking. These two features are already exists for for quite long for iPhone if you are willing to 'jailbreak' your iPhone. Since I bought my iPhone 3GS, I have waited patiently for these features released by Apple itself.

Yesterday was the first day of this iOS4 available for download while the pre-requisite iTunes 9.2 has been available days before. I might be among those users rush into the queue to download it. The first try, it failed, but the second time, amazingly it was downloaded very fast, less than 10 minutes... and, tada... in less the 1 hour, my iPhone upgraded to iOS4... :) soooo happy and couldn't wait to try it.

Of course, the first thing that I did was to reorganize my 11 pages Apps into folders and just keep the most used Apps kept out of folder. In the end, it occupies only 5 pages. This Folders feature works seamlessly. Creating folder is very easy, just drag one Apps into another Apps, both will the kept into a new folder. One folder can consists of 12 Apps (4 columns x 3 rows).

Then, time for testing the Multitasking feature... In my expectation, all Apps put into the background will keep running, or at least suspend in its latest status, so when I return back to it, I can continue using it... BUT, yes a big BUT, I am quite disappointed with iOS4 Multitasking because it doesn't match my high expectation... because when I got back to the suspended Apps, the Apps was running from the beginning again... :(
There might be 2 reasons: first, the Apps are not iOS4-compatible yet (I expect quite number of Apps updates in the next few weeks), and/or second, Apple purposely limit this Multitasking for only some kind of applications to preserve the power and performance of the iPhone (I know that Apple very concern about this). So, for me, the current Multitasking is more for the purpose of fast-switching between Apps which has been loaded in memory... well, quite wasted... worse, it even gives user additional things to do... to stop the Apps which all loaded into memory once it is run, when user needs to release some memory... alas! Probably, Apple should consider only when user double-click (or long button press??) on home button the Apps suspended and keeps the one-click to close the Apps.

I then compare this Multitasking with my friend's iPhone that 'jailbreak'ed on the same Apps... hmm, honestly... 'jailbreak' done a much better job on this Multitasking feature... eventhough the Apps itself was suspended, but when you get back to that Apps, you can continue from where you left it. Isn't it the purpose of Multitasking??? Arrrggghhhh...

Well, should I 'jailbreak' my iPhone when its stable version available for iOS4??? Hmm... I think I will wait for several weeks until most of the Apps updated with their iOS4-compatible version.

Last words, as usual, Apple did good job on the interface... still smooth and very responsive as usual, beautiful, and cool... :)

iPhoneApps: Camera Fun (free & pro)

I love taking pictures and, lucky, I live in digital era where digital camera becomes standard and a mature technology. Taking pictures is so easy and convenience, no need too much skill, just take... take... and take, if you don't like it just delete it.

iPhone 3GS 3-megapixel camera is quite OK, especially if you compare it with Blackberry's camera :). The picture quality is acceptable eventhough not fantastic. In iPhone's amazing screen, the pictures looks quite sharp.

There are a lot of Apps in App Store that offer many enhance features and all other nitty-gritty about camera settings and tools that I personally not really understand for what purpose... he he he... probably the professional photographers will love it. Camera Fun (Free / Pro) is one of them, it is more emphasize of picture effect. In its Free edition, it comes with Canvas, Sepia, Sketch effect. It has more effects in its Pro edition (US$0.99). But for me, this Free edition is enough, because I only use for its Sketch effect, which I like so much because the result is fantastic and very nice, especially if it is applied to image of objects... but, it is not that nice for taking human image with this sketch-effect. Well, anyway, better take human picture in normal mode, right? :)

iPhoneApps: Facebook & Twitterrific (free)

In this social-networking era, not having a social-networking apps installed in your iPhone is a kind of strange... :) so, Facebook is considered mandatory... While it is very convenience to have Facebook in iPhone so you are connected wherever you go and can update your profile or upload photos any time, as it is inherited from iPhone, no adobe-flash support, so forget it to play your favorite Facebook games like FarmVille, CafeWorld, or FishVille in your iPhone... huh!

I am not a fans of Twitter... in term of social networking, I don't see Twitter is quite useful since I am not a famous person, or public figure who the legion of followers (or fans) would love to follow my tweet or curious about any news about me... :))

But, I found another way to use Twitter as a useful apps... as news consolidator for me... By following some favorite news broadcasters, I don't need to open each of their's website, just open Twitterrific and I can get the up-to-date and hot news in a second, amazing! And, since every tweet has link to the complete news, I just touch it and read, because Twitterrific will open in in separate screen without need to leave the apps... so convenience!

iPhoneApps: iRDesktop (free)

The first iPhone application that I looked for after I bought iPhone is the similar application like Remote Desktop in Windows-based smartphone. This is what made me delay buying iPhone and kept loyal to Windows Mobile.

iRDesktop is the answer... it works seamlessly with Windows RDP and the setup options even better than Windows Mobile's Remote Desktop. It allows user to define each Remote Connection its own resolution, username and password, and colors depth. And, can open several connections at one go, but of course, you can activate only one at a time... Furthermore, inherit iPhone features, user can zoom and pan the remote desktop screen as in the Safari browser, as well as rotate the device to switch between portrait and landscape views.

And the best of all, it is FREE.

Go to its website for detail information.