Apple iPhone and related items (cont.)

[Crispy]

In most cases, "multitasking" means "fast task switching" - which iOS4 supports. If you get back to exactly where you left off, without waiting for the app to reinitialise, then it doesn't matter if it's actually running in the background in the meantime.

 

[maldwyn]

Today I have the chore of trying to find a top-up payg microsim in readiness for Thurday.

Just finished speaking with o2 CS and they tell me if I turn up to any of their shops with a printout of my Apple pre-order they'll give me one for free, without being hassled to sign up for a monthly contract or needing to be a preexisting o2 customer (allocation of their stock of iPhone 4 will be restricted to current customers).

 

[grit]

Today I have the chore of trying to find a top-up payg microsim in readiness for Thurday.

Just finished speaking with o2 CS and they tell me if I turn up to any of their shops with a printout of my Apple pre-order they'll give me one for free, without being hassled to sign up for a monthly contract or needing to be a preexisting o2 customer (allocation of their stock of iPhone 4 will be restricted to current customers).

Just get a regular sim and cut it to size.

 

[elbows]

In most cases, "multitasking" means "fast task switching" - which iOS4 supports. If you get back to exactly where you left off, without waiting for the app to reinitialise, then it doesn't matter if it's actually running in the background in the meantime.

Yeah, some apps are starting to include this, just noticed an update for the NYTimes app that mentions this.

Beyond that, I guess there are some radio, music & VOIP apps that will benefit from doing substantial things in the background.

Not that it really matters to me right now because Ive only got an iPhone 3G.

 

[maldwyn]

Just get a regular sim and cut it to size.

But how bloody annoying is that, I know it's supposedly a simple thing to do. But I'd rather have the real thing.

The Angel o2 shop turned me down earlier saying they were saving their microsims for existing customers (over estimating the number of iPhone4's they'll have to sell on Thursday) and I should call back Saturday to see if there are any spare.

 

[grit]

But how bloody annoying is that,

As you have seen, far less annoying then trying to find a real one

 

[grit]

In most cases, "multitasking" means "fast task switching" - which iOS4 supports. If you get back to exactly where you left off, without waiting for the app to reinitialise, then it doesn't matter if it's actually running in the background in the meantime.

No in the Apple case multitasking is interchangable with fast task switching.

There is a fucking huge difference between the app's state being frozen and it actually still processing in the background.

 

[maldwyn]

As you have seen, far less annoying then trying to find a real one

very good point (though I suspect there will be a significant number left sim-less come Thursday - still. at least we'll have a new shiny iPod-touch to play with.)

 

[Crispy]

No in the Apple case multitasking is interchangable with fast task switching.

There is a fucking huge difference between the app's state being frozen and it actually still processing in the background.

Of course there is, but the number of tasks you actually need to have running in the background is small. It's larger than the number of specific tasks that Apple have provided for, IMO, so hopefully they'll add capability for more use cases in the future.

 

[Winot]

Have just ordered three for work, being delivered Thursday, porting on Monday. Can't wait.

 

[Vintage Paw]

Advise me, oh sages of Urban.

I've bitten the bullet and pre-ordered from Apple. It's not due for delivery until mid-July.

I want to get the O2 £15/mo Simplicity tariff. I'm assuming I can get a micro-sim on 8th July from my local shop, put it in my current iPhone 3G, start using that tariff that day, then cut it down/pop it out, or whatever it is one does to these newfangled micro-sims, and pop it into the new iPhone once it arrives?

Or, can I get a micro-sim this week from the O2 shop (with my Apple order confirmation) that uses my current tariff, then keep that sim but change the tariff associated with it on the 8th, again then transferring the sim to the new phone when it arrives on 14th?

And what about keeping my number? Because I want to do that.

I'm so confused.

 

[Crispy]

A SIM is a SIM is a SIM. The only thing that changes is the amount of plastic surrounding the actual chip in the middle (the gold bit).

So, if you want to use a Regular SIM in your current 3G, it needs no modification. You can then cut it down to size to fit in the 4G. You cill not be able to use a Micro SIM in your 3G unless you somehow add the missing plastic back on.

 

[Vintage Paw]

A SIM is a SIM is a SIM. The only thing that changes is the amount of plastic surrounding the actual chip in the middle (the gold bit).

So, if you want to use a Regular SIM in your current 3G, it needs no modification. You can then cut it down to size to fit in the 4G. You cill not be able to use a Micro SIM in your 3G unless you somehow add the missing plastic back on.

I thought I saw the micro-sims had the extra plastic there and you could pop the smaller size out of it. But obv can't then make it back to normal sim size.

 

[Crispy]

I thought I saw the micro-sims had the extra plastic there and you could pop the smaller size out of it. But obv can't then make it back to normal sim size.

Oooh, I think you might be right - my ipad one came like that. In which case yes, you could use it in your 3g then pop it out to the smaller size afterwards

 

[grit]

Of course there is, but the number of tasks you actually need to have running in the background is small. It's larger than the number of specific tasks that Apple have provided for, IMO, so hopefully they'll add capability for more use cases in the future.

I'd imagine my use cases are pretty common, and the apple approach would be pretty shit for me. On the tube, listening to spotify, chatting on IM and reading RSS (while updating).

Hardly groundbreaking stuff, but not really possible with the apple model.

 

[Crispy]

On the tube, listening to spotify, chatting on IM and reading RSS (while updating).

But seriously, IM is the only one of those that you actually need to worry about. Spotify will be updated for background audio, RSS can update when you return to the app from elsewhere.

As for IM, I'm not clear on exactly how they work, but aren't Push notifications exactly for this?

 

[Vintage Paw]

Oooh, I think you might be right - my ipad one came like that. In which case yes, you could use it in your 3g then pop it out to the smaller size afterwards

So, my original question really pertained to the best/easiest way to go about it.

I could go into the shop tomorrow, with the print out of my Apple order confirmation, and get a new micro-sim (that still has the plastic around it to fit in my current 3G). I could put it in my current phone, wait for it to activate (this seems to take about an hour for calls/texts, a bit longer for internet etc.). I would still be on my current tariff.

Then, on 8th July, when my current contract expires, I could call O2, or go to the shop, and ask to be put onto the Simplicity tariff. Would they simply apply that without needing yet another sim change?

Then, come 14th/15th, when my iPhone 4 arrives, I would just need to trim down the micro-sim of its excess plastic, pop it in the new phone, and as soon as iTunes has worked its mojo it'll be good to go?

OR:

Do I wait until my contract expires, THEN go to an O2 shop and ask for a Simplicity tariff but with a micro-sim (w/extra plastic), which I can then transfer to the new phone when it arrives? This seems easier, as it cuts out one step, but people are already wibbling about stores that only have enough sims for the amount of phones they've got on order. I'd rather get the new sim in my hands now.

 

[Crispy]

The stores should have enough SIMS in by the time your phone turns up - and besides, even if they don't, you could just get a regular one on the same tariff and cut it up

 

[Structaural]

dunno if this has been posted - looks like the iphone 4 will have 512MB of RAM: http://www.appleinsider.com/article...one_4_has_512mb_ram_doubling_ipad_report.html

 

[Vintage Paw]

The stores should have enough SIMS in by the time your phone turns up - and besides, even if they don't, you could just get a regular one on the same tariff and cut it up

Yes. I think I'm worrying too much. Read the posts of squeeing fanbois for long enough and you'll start to believe the sky will fall if you're not in a tent on the high street by tomorrow evening at the latest

 

[fen_boy]

Vintage Paw, can't you just turn up to an o2 store on the 24th June and get the whole lot, or are you not with o2 currently? That's what I was going to do.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

.

 

[ChrisFilter]

I'm not sure you can compare like with like regarding Palm apps and iPhone apps?

Yeah, you probably can. Palm and Android prove the mobile multi-tasking concept. If they can do it without draining batteries in an instant, so can iPhone OS.

Truth is, multi-tasking isn't important enough to the bulk of iPhone users and so the multi-tasking conundrum isn't being properly tackled.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Just been reading up on new features of iOS4, and one that editor will like is full access to the Calendar database - should finally allow decent calendar apps.

Not just the Ed, me too. I loved Agendus on the Palm Centro, great calendaring app. I clocked the calendar access thing at the keynote and have been hoping since then we'd see Agendus but no announcement yet it seems...

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Yeah, you probably can. Palm and Android prove the mobile multi-tasking concept. If they can do it without draining batteries in an instant, so can iPhone OS.

Truth is, multi-tasking isn't important enough to the bulk of iPhone users and so the multi-tasking conundrum isn't being properly tackled.

I withdrew the comment, was thinking about the Centro etc, forgot there was the Pre...

 

[Vintage Paw]

Vintage Paw, can't you just turn up to an o2 store on the 24th June and get the whole lot, or are you not with o2 currently? That's what I was going to do.

I am with them, yes.

Actually, as usually happens, after posting daft questions on teh internets, I've actually phoned them and asked

I've already ordered the phone from Apple, so no worries about the shop having stock or not. It won't arrive until 14/15th July though. (I want a Simplicity tariff, and, despite what I posted previously, the O2 shop dude told me I wouldn't be able to buy the handset from them on Thursday for use with a Simplicity tariff because it's essentially a payg handset, which they are, indeed, not doing yet.)

In the meantime, I'm going into the O2 shop tomorrow, with my order confirmation from Apple, and they will give me a new micro-sim that I can pop in my current iPhone and activate. Then, on 8th July when my current contract runs out, I can call O2, who will switch me to the Simplicity tariff I want. I'll keep my number, keep that new micro-sim, etc. Then, when the new phone arrives, I just pop out the micro- bit of the new sim, and pop it in the new phone, and it carries on as normal.

The only thing complicating it was the change in contract half way through the process. I haven't swapped a sim before without having a whole new contract, so I wasn't sure how it worked.

 

[Vintage Paw]

As regards iOS4, some people on teh internets have reported it slowing things down on a 3g, so it might be wise to hold off on upgrading to it until more reports are in. I think this has been based on the beta, but I could be wrong.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

As regards iOS4, some people on teh internets have reported it slowing things down on a 3g, so it might be wise to hold off on upgrading to it until more reports are in. I think this has been based on the beta, but I could be wrong.

That's to be expected, the 3GS should handle iOS4 better...

 

[Vintage Paw]

That's to be expected, the 3GS should handle iOS4 better...

I know. Worth noting for those with a 3g though. It won't be obvious to everyone.

 

[ChrisFilter]

I withdrew the comment, was thinking about the Centro etc, forgot there was the Pre...

Aha!