IT Services - iPhone help and iPad help.

Although the iPhone is considered to be one of the more intuitive mobile devices available today, you may still be confused with regards some aspects of managing it and integrating it with your computer. We gladly provide help for anyone wishing to improve their understanding of the device, call us if you want to chat about it. Below I've listed some basic points to remember if you're somebody who's finding things a little bewildering.

Remember to Sync your iPhone.
To my surprise some people buy iPhones and iPads but neglect to take note that the device will need to be synced from time to time with their computer. I'm sure when they bought the device the assistant in the store could not have withheld that important piece of information. Nevertheless I regularly discover users of iPhones who after weeks or even months, have never synced with their computer and are scratching their heads wondering why their iPhone or iPad isn't performing as well as they'd hoped. Sometimes it appears that they got started by either getting somebody in the Apple Store to set up the device for them before leaving the shop or maybe a friend helped them set it up at their home and, as far as they were concerned, that was the end of the story. They didn't pay attention to what went on and promptly forgot there was a need to ever sync again. Even the fact that iTunes' default setting is to automatically sync with the iPhone whenever it is connected goes unnoticed as in these cases the individuals haven't actually connected the device to the computer, only ever using the USB cable when using the power charger! Because of this I am often called by confused and frustrated customers who wonder why their expensive electronic device doesn't perform properly. Syncing the iPhone is a healthy thing for it. If you do not sync your iPhone or iPad with your computer using iTunes things can get frayed, you will not have a backup of your data and you will not understand how to place music, photos, movies or anything else onto your iPhone. It is also likely you will experience confusion with your email.

Make sure you use IMAP for email.
Correctly synchronising messages between the iPhone and the user's computer is a frequent problem. Sometimes it can seem like you have two accounts, one on the iPhone and another on the computer. If one sends a message using the iPhone, one expects it to display automatically in the sent items of their computer's email program. If you experience such inconsistencies your email is probably configured using POP3 instead of IMAP and will need changing.

Apple recommends new iPhone owners to start off by using their Mobile Me software, which will certainly provide the simplest all round solution. Mobile Me is worth considering because it provides many special features which are tailored for the iPhone and unavailable using other email services. Mobile Me is especially worthwhile if you are part of a group or family where everybody needs access to common calendars and contacts. However, not everybody requires such services nor wants to pay £59 annually if they can find a cheaper alternative.

GMail, free from Google, is an example of an IMAP service that syncs perfectly well with an iPhone and the email program on your computer. Gmail should be considered if you're just looking for a simple yet solid mobile email service. In any event properly understanding how to reconfigure from your old email system can be a tease, especially if you need to run multiple accounts. On a PC when syncing email and contacts you can select the email application you use from a pop-down menu within iTunes but on the Mac you can only select Mail, Apple's own email program. This can cause confusion for users of Microsoft Outlook or Entourage for Mac. If you're using Outlook you will need to configure it to in turn sync itself with Apple's Mail and Address Book even though you don't use them. Those programs are used as a conduit when syncing Outlook with your iPhone. Please call us if you need help.

Once you understand how to sync your mail you will only need to do it every now and again to keep things tidy. iTunes of course is the means by which all things are added and removed from your iPhone, be it calendars, photos, movies and of course music for the iPod function. Once again, please call me if you require clarification with any of these points.

Can the iPhone's functionality be extended beyond simply adding more apps?
It should go without saying that the iPhone and iPad are amazing pieces of technology, yet despite their many advanced features, surprisingly they fall short in other areas. On my last birthday I felt quite left out of the party when my son, using a Nokia, was able to connect via bluetooth with his aunt, using a Sony/Ericsson, to transfer a short recording of the tune "Happy Birthday" played on her trumpet. The tune had been specially recorded for my birthday by my sister but she was unable to give me a copy using a method of transfer most mobile telephone users take for granted. The tune could only be sent to my iPhone as an attachment in an Email or SMS and would not be ready to use within the iPod feature till after my next sync with iTunes! Is it just me or does that seem like I am being run around the tree? For a variety of reasons Apple has received heavy criticism about the tight control they exert over the running of the iPhone, even after the customer has purchased it. There has been particular criticism of their monopolistic tendency with regards to the iTunes Store, the only official way to purchase Apps. If you've been keeping your eye on the news, you may have heard about methods to overcome Apple's restrictions and increase your iPhone's capabilities. Strictly speaking, recommeding this kind of action isn't something I should do, as modifying the iPhone is something Apple strongly disapproves of and wants you to know it would void your warranty as it breaks the terms and conditions of your agreement. If you are considering going down this route be sure to do your research properly. Be very suspicious of website advertisements offering iPhone unlocks and jailbreaks in return for payment - such offers have frequently been proven to be scams. Check Wikipedia if you want more information about this subject and you could read my alternative iPhone page in which I scribble some further thoughts on the matter.