iPhone tips / tricks / shortcuts

MickH503 · 03-07-2009 11:20AM #1

Hi all, I'm new to iPhone and came across these tips on PC World mag website. Some I had discovered just by playing around. Anyone have any more tips, hints or tricks?

Adjustable Song Scrolling Speed
Previously, while listening to a song, you had a simple dot on the song bar to rewind or fast forward. But now in the 3.0 update, you can scroll through songs at various speeds. Put your finger on the scrolling point and it will start glowing. Now, if you drag your finger left or right, you will scroll through the song at "high speed," and if you do this movement while dragging your finger down the screen, the speed decreases to "half speed," "quarter speed," or "fine scrubbing."
Special Characters In Messaging
The 3.0 keyboard has a few extra special characters when holding certain signs down. For example, when you hold down the "." you also get "..." The dash "-" also displays an em-dash "-" and quotations and apostrophes display "<<" and ">>" and can also be curved. Another quick tip is to hold and press on the numeric button while in letters mode and slide your finger to the desired punctuation sign. Then, the letter keyboard will come back automatically.
More Ways to Access Spotlight
Spotlight, the search function that looks through your e-mail, contacts, appointments, notes, and more can be accessed in multiple ways. While on the first Home Screen page, if you swipe towards the right side of the screen, Spotlight will be activated. (there is a little icon above the quick launch bar, just before the dots representing the multiple screens). You can also access Spotlight while pressing the home button when on the first Home Screen page. Alternatively, Mail and Contacts have now search bars at the top of the list.
Quote Fragment Within Reply in Mail
Just like on its desktop counterpart, the Mail app in the iPhone 3.0 update can now reply with only a quote from the original e-mail. To achieve that, you tap and hold in an e-mail (just as with copy/paste) and select the portion of text you want to quote. Then just hit the reply button and the selected fragment will be appended at the end of the e-mail (under your signature), instead of the whole original message.
Remove Individual Texts from A Conversation
One annoyance in the 2.X iPhone software was that you had to remove an entire conversation of text messages. But in the 3.0 update, there is an Edit button (it's in the top-right corner when inside a conversation), which allows you to select and remove individual text messages from a certain thread, similar to the way it is done in the Mail app. Extra tip: this way you can also select a text you want to forward (instead of copy/paste).
Open Link In New Tab In Safari
Safari now uses tabbed browsing, like big boys do on the desktops, and this new hidden feature is great. If you tap and hold on a hyperlink (hyperlinked text) on a Web site within Safari, a dialog will prompt you to open this link, copy it (link locations) or open it in a new page (which opens a new tab in Safari).
Force Quit Unresponsive Apps
Because of multiple functionalities for the Home button, this key will no longer force quit unresponsive apps like it did in 2.X software. To force quit an application in 3.0, you have to hold the sleep/wake button at the top until the red power off slider appears. Then you have to hold down the home button to quit the unresponsive application.
Shake Phone to Undo Typing
As simple as it sounds, when you are in the Mail, Messaging, Safari or Notes applications, after you typed a word/several words, just shake the phone and a pop-up will appear, asking you whether you want to undo what you have just entered.
Change App Store Account On The Fly
Until now, you were stuck to changing your iTunes account from your computer and then sync back to the iPhone. In the 3.0 software this can be done in two ways: either by going to Settings/Store and logging out and then back in with a different account, or straight within with the App Store application. At the bottom of each search page, your current account is displayed, so if you tap on it, you can sign in/out or even edit/view account information.
Unlimited Number of Apps Installed
In the 3.0 software update, you can now install an unlimited number of application (as long as the storage space allows you). The number of applications pages has increased from nine to 11 and any apps installed above the 176 that could fit on these pages will not be visible (no icons on pages). However, these invisible apps can be accessed via Spotlight (see above multiple ways to access Spotlight).
When in the "To:" field of an email address, if you press and hold the "." key you are given the option of selecting - .net .edu .org .ie .co.uk .com
When in Mail or Safari, tap the title bar of safari to get back to the top of the page (Thanks to Turbo33)
Tips for using the voice commands: (Thanks to kingofslaves)

Using the microphone
* Use the built-in microphone or the microphone on the headset. Bluetooth headsets are not supported for Voice Control
* For best results when you're using headphones with a built-in microphone, let the cord with the built-in microphone hang freely. Avoid holding the cord with the microphone or bringing it closer to your mouth. When the headphones are in your ear and the cord dangles freely, the microphone is in the optimum position.
* For best results when you're using the built-in microphone on iPhone 3GS, hold iPhone like you were on a telephone call. If holding it in front of yourself, you can hold it up to 12 inches with the built-in microphone facing you.
* If you are using a carrying case and experiencing some issues with Voice Control, the microphone may be blocked. Try removing the carrying case.

When to speak
* After you press and hold the Home button, you will be prompted by an audible tone to speak a command
* Always wait until the prompt is complete before you start speaking. Any words you speak while iPhone is giving the prompt will be ignored.
*
Be ready to speak when the beep has completed. Long pauses may cause unexpected results.

For voice dialing
* Some short names may be too similar and may be hard to distinguish by themselves. For best results with these kinds of names, try saying both the first and last name.
* If you're having difficulties getting iPhone to recognize a particular name, try editing the contact, tap Add Field, and add a unique nick name.
* Avoid possessive names. Instead of saying "call Frank's mobile" try "call Frank on his mobile."

For music playback
* You can play all songs in an album, playlist, or by an artist. iPhone 3GS will not recognize commands to play a particular song.
* If you can't get iPhone to recognize the album or artist name, try telling it to play a particular playlist.
* If an artist has "The" in the name, make sure you say it.

faceman · 03-07-2009 04:41PM

Awesome post dude, some stuff there I didnt know.

Eire Go Brach · 03-07-2009 07:00PM

Great post. Was wondering about the tab browsing and did not realise they changed the "Force Quit Unresponsive Apps"

Turbo33 · 03-07-2009 08:29PM

Hi,

I am aware of the tap the title bar of safari to get to the top of web page, but is there one to scroll to the bottom of the safari page? be great if there was one, handy for those web pages that have alot of comment posts.

cheers
T.

kingofslaves · 04-07-2009 12:30AM

I found these tips for using the voice commands:

Using the microphone

* Use the built-in microphone or the microphone on the headset. Bluetooth headsets are not supported for Voice Control
* For best results when you're using headphones with a built-in microphone, let the cord with the built-in microphone hang freely. Avoid holding the cord with the microphone or bringing it closer to your mouth. When the headphones are in your ear and the cord dangles freely, the microphone is in the optimum position.
* For best results when you're using the built-in microphone on iPhone 3GS, hold iPhone like you were on a telephone call. If holding it in front of yourself, you can hold it up to 12 inches with the built-in microphone facing you.
* If you are using a carrying case and experiencing some issues with Voice Control, the microphone may be blocked. Try removing the carrying case.

When to speak

* After you press and hold the Home button, you will be prompted by an audible tone to speak a command
* Always wait until the prompt is complete before you start speaking. Any words you speak while iPhone is giving the prompt will be ignored.
*
Be ready to speak when the beep has completed. Long pauses may cause unexpected results.

For voice dialing

* Some short names may be too similar and may be hard to distinguish by themselves. For best results with these kinds of names, try saying both the first and last name.
* If you're having difficulties getting iPhone to recognize a particular name, try editing the contact, tap Add Field, and add a unique nick name.
* Avoid possessive names. Instead of saying "call Frank's mobile" try "call Frank on his mobile."

For music playback

* You can play all songs in an album, playlist, or by an artist. iPhone 3GS will not recognize commands to play a particular song.
* If you can't get iPhone to recognize the album or artist name, try telling it to play a particular playlist.
* If an artist has "The" in the name, make sure you say it.

MickH503 · 04-07-2009 10:35AM

Thanks ... I'll add them to the first post to keep everything in one place! Anyone have any more??

MickH503 · 07-07-2009 08:26AM

Press the Power and Home buttons together to take a screenshot - it is saved with your other photos.

dinneenp · 06-08-2009 12:59PM

I'm sure there's loads for typing but one is
double press space and it'll enter a fullstop and move the curser right one ". "

Purple Gorilla · 06-08-2009 02:06PM

Probably already known, but if you go into the Stock App and turn it sideways it will show a full graph for your chosen company. If you put a finger at any point on the graph it will show you the value of the stock on that date. When you put another finger on the graph at any other point, it will show you the % change in that stock. So for instance, if I set the graph to 2 years, I can see that between August 8th 2007 and March 12th 2009, the ISEQ Index lost 77.61% of it's value

nedd · 06-08-2009 02:40PM

When listening to the ipod and the screen is locked press the Home buttone twice to get ipod controls. Means you dont have to unlock the screen to skip songs.

Press home twice when ipod isnt playing and screen is unlocked to go directly to "Phone"

IamMetaldave · 06-08-2009 02:41PM

Some excellent tips there. Fairplay.

su_dios · 06-08-2009 03:02PM

Is there any way to send more than one photo by email? Currently you have to click send by email, copy the photo, cancel the email then send the next photo by email and paste in the original photo.

vinnycoyne · 06-08-2009 03:14PM

su_dios wrote: »

Is there any way to send more than one photo by email? Currently you have to click send by email, copy the photo, cancel the email then send the next photo by email and paste in the original photo.

In the Photos app, in the grid view, tap the actions button in the bottom left corner. Three buttons will appear at the bottom. Tap all the pics you want to send, then hit Share. Then tap Email.

edit: it only seems to work for about 5 pics.

su_dios · 06-08-2009 03:58PM

lackofcolour wrote: »

In the Photos app, in the grid view, tap the actions button in the bottom left corner. Three buttons will appear at the bottom. Tap all the pics you want to send, then hit Share. Then tap Email.

edit: it only seems to work for about 5 pics.

Brilliant thanks!

Celticwarrior · 13-09-2009 05:19PM

If you are listening to music on your iphone, if you press the microphone button on your phone:

Once - it pauses the song
Two times - Goes to the next song
Three times - Goes to the start of the song / previous song

iPhone tips / tricks / shortcuts

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