Comments on: Goodbye iPad Mute Switch, Hello iPad Orientation Lock Switch

By: iPad Man

iPad Man — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 23:51:23 +0000

To clear up the air for all of you, the 4.2 software update changes the switch on the side of the iPad to a mute switch... BUT, there still is a way to control the orientation lock. WIth 4.2, it adds the ability to multi-task, so, double-click your home button to bring up your active apps, then swipe to the right, to display the far LEFT side of the apps and there is a new icon there that is a round arrow... THAT is your orientation lock!

Also, if you have an iPhone (or iPod Touch) that supports multi-tasking, you can take advantage of the orientation lock the exact same way!!!!

Cheers...

By: LeeC

LeeC — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 02:40:22 +0000

After discovering this, I reverted back to 3.2.2… and without jailbreaking the iPad. I never knew this, but if you SHIFT+Cick the “Restore” button in iTunes (not sure of the Mac equivalent), it prompts you for a .ipsw file to restore from. So I just chose the 3.2.2 .ipsw file and hey presto, back to 3.2.2, and back to the proper (useful) function of the switch.

By: basur

basur — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:35:57 +0000

This is a great change! And I agree with everyone else, being able to quickly mute isn’t as necessary on the iPad as it is on a phone.

By: böbrek taşı nasıl düşürülür

böbrek taşı nasıl düşürülür — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:14:36 +0000

The buttons on the right side of the iPad might only cause confusion for the righthanded iPhones which I think are only sold in the southern hemisphere.

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:41:56 +0000

I’d love it on the iPhone, and I think it’s more useful on the ipad, but I can’t incision myself using my ipad while lying down far enough to one side for it to flip. It would be too big to prop up while lying on my side.

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:39:39 +0000

Should have been an option in the settings from day one. Orientation lock was one of the few jailbreak features that were truly useful however dealing with the perils (not getting into that right now don't ask) of jailbreaking isn't worth this little change.

Apple: put this in the setting for all these devices.

By: Mitchell

Mitchell — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:42:40 +0000

@john that’s your fault for being a right mug. No offence but don’t bother taking it in.

By: Adam

Adam — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:57:29 +0000

It’s a good change. Now if only the smudge would change into an iSight camera.

By: Lady Kaede

Lady Kaede — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:29:18 +0000

Leanna speaks for me. Bravo!

By: OmariJames

OmariJames — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:03:22 +0000

This better be on the next iPhone as well.

By: Joey

Joey — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:06:47 +0000

I could only hope that in iphone 4.0 they could add a option for that but i wonder if its a hardware issue but it would be usefull for the safarie app

By: Marc

Marc — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:50:57 +0000

It is NOT in the same place as the mute button on the iPhone. Other side. Doh.

By: fastlane

fastlane — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:44:52 +0000

Same here — use ‘Rotation Inhibitor’ for iPhone, and say “goodbye” to useless landscape mode… which is only good for watching videos and taking photos… and beyond aggravating for anything else.

By: Joe McG

Joe McG — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:19:31 +0000

I keep rotation off on my phone in SBsettings. I think it's annoying. The only time I turn it on is when I take a picture, so it gets the orientation correct.

I noticed when Stephen Colbert was waving the iPad around at that awards show, the orientation was flipping like crazy. I can see the point of the orientation lock...

By: karan

karan — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:48:41 +0000

http://firstain.com/index.php/2010/03/12/50000-ipads-sold-in-just-two-hours/

By: Robb

Robb — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:17:44 +0000

I love the idea, phones NEED the mute switch for meetings, lectures, movies etc. The iPad will less likely need it but the orientation lock…man how I hate using my phone in bed…this feature sounds awesome!

By: John

John — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:50:14 +0000

The mute switch on the iPhone sucks. Everytime I had it set to mute and then after having the phone in my jeans pocket the phone would go off in class.

By: Brenden Mulligan

Brenden Mulligan — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:16:18 +0000

I think this is a good move, and I also wish it'd be introduce to the iPhone.

My suggestion would be to use the current Mute button on the iPhone as the screen lock, and then find a way to use the up/down volume buttons to also mute the phone. For instance, holding both up AND down for 5 secs would mute/unmute.

That's how I would do it. No more buttons, no definite loss of functionality (except mute would be software) and a big addition for a lot of us tired of the screen flipping when we dont want it to.

By: Maniacfive

Maniacfive — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:55:47 +0000

I would love this function on the iPhone as well, but definately NOT in place of a mute switch. Although as others have said, it makes a lot of sense to have it on the iPad, whereas it makes a lot more sense to have mute on the iPhone.

Ideally of course, both. One on each side of the iPhone 4G would be fine

By: DT

DT — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:55:29 +0000

There’s a jailbreak app for that. =P

By: G

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:42:57 +0000

Wow, they must have had a ton of complaints from the early reviewers about how difficult it is to read an eBook or watch a movie while lying down in bed. It drives me nuts trying to read email or use the iPod (switches to CoverFlow) with the 3GS while lying down. I am very excited about this new switch and hope they have some sort of an iPhone equivalent down the road. @Greggs multi-finger gesture idea is great!

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:30:32 +0000

“Will it be confusing to have orientation lock on the iPad where mute is on the iPhone?”

Not for me because I have a lefthanded iPhone with those buttons on the left side of the phone.

The buttons on the right side of the iPad might only cause confusion for the righthanded iPhones which I think are only sold in the southern hemisphere.

By: Leanna Lofte

Leanna Lofte — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:23:07 +0000

This is a great change! And I agree with everyone else, being able to quickly mute isn’t as necessary on the iPad as it is on a phone. However, the same switch having a different purpose are two different devices could potentially be confusing. Switching the iPhone to this design wouldn’t be as good because being able to mute the phone without even taking it out of my pocket is almost necessary at times. Holding down the volume rocker would kinda work, except that you don’t want the volume changing in your pocket which means you’d have to unlock the phone in order to mute it – this would be horrible… too many steps. Being able to quickly mute my phone while it’s ringing is important.

By: Dexter

Dexter — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:19:28 +0000

justin,

I agree. Hopefully the next software update for the iPhone addresses this without the need for a hardware addition like this. It's easily handled via software upgrade. The question is will Apple deign to do this for their existing iPhone user base or make them upgrade to the newer iPhones this July?

By: justin

justin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:14:18 +0000

There exists a rotation lock toggle for SBSettings on jailbroken iPhones.

If apple implemented a similar settings manager, they wouldn't need to mess with a dedicated button/switch... just swipe the top display bar and lock your rotation.

By: Gregg

Gregg — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:08:59 +0000

It’s not bad. But what would have been better was a 5 finger screen rotate gesture. Where the screen senses your 5 finger tips touching the screen in a turning motion. That would give you a screen lock popup asking you to lock the screen. Only downfall is not having 5 fingers!

By: Mike S.

Mike S. — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:52:56 +0000

I agree with Alex and Gino. Sounds like an intelligent change to make.

By: Gino from the Bronx

Gino from the Bronx — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:39:41 +0000

Right on with what Alex said, a mute button makes much more sense on a cellphone than it does on a ipad.

I like the change, makes more sense for my ipad experience I Just reserved my pad with some accessories. April 3th can't come any sooner.

By: frag

frag — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:36:56 +0000

I love this, I'll find this a tad bit more useful at times. It's not that big of a deal to just have to hold down the volume button for a couple of seconds to mute it.

But hey, maybe they've come up with some other solution to muting it. OR maybe the rotation lock only works once in the OS itself, so maybe at the lock screen it'll mute.

By: Alex P.

Alex P. — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:33:52 +0000

Mute button is so much more useful on a phone. I use it everyday for meetings, lectures, etc. Its really convenient. This device is less likely to make noise without you having asked it (i.e., no phone to ring/texts to recieve). Makes sense. I like it.