Idea of the Day - A new idea each day. Some Don't Suck!

Our Latest Posts About: iPhone

Why No Built-In QR Code Reader App on iPhone?

Thursday, August 17, 2017 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

QR Codes are EVERYWHERE... so why doesn't Apple include a built-in QR Reader?

An End to Butt Dialing

Saturday, August 12, 2017 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Why do so many people accidentally dial you by mistake?

Back in the days when phones had buttons instead of touch screens, people would often make the mistake of putting their phones into their pockets without locking them, and find out they "Butt Dialed" somebody by mistake. You can tell when you've received a Butt Dial when you can hear the other person, but they can't hear you, because their phones aren't even in their hands.

Now that smart phones have touch screens, you'd think that problem would've gone away, but I still get quite a few of these kinds of calls, but people still call you accidentally, simply by touching the screen as they put the phone away. That's the inspiration for today's idea of the day.

What I'd love to see is an option for chronic Butt Dialers... [More]

Continue...An End to Butt Dialing...

Why Are There No Apps for Old Phones?

Tuesday, May 30, 2017 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Upgrading your smartphone is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity, because there are virtually no App for older phones.

What happens to all the old smartphones whenever a new model comes out? Some people trade them in. Other people give them to a younger family member, but the bottom line is, as long as they're not broken, somebody else will use them. Unfortunately, they eventually become obsolete, but why does it have to be that way?

The word "Obsolete" seems strange when it comes to smartphones, because they were cutting edge only a couple of years earlier, and they still work, so why can't you keep on using them? The problem is is that you can't find Apps that work on older phones because the App Stores only include the latest Apps. That's just plain wrong.

There's... [More]

Continue...Why Are There No Apps for Old Phones?...

Why iPhones Run Out of Space

Sunday, May 21, 2017 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

It's Apple's fault that iPhones run out of space.

When people run out of space on their iPhone, the first thing they do is start deleting photos, videos, and Apps. While that may free up space for a while, it doesn't address the true cause for running out of space in the first place, and it's Apple's fault.

I created a popular video on the subject of fixing the problem, today I'm talking about the cause.

Photos and videos are definitely part of the problem, but what most people don't realize is that the real problem is WHERE those photos and videos are stored. That's because Apple stores photos and videos in two different places on your iPhone. The most obvious place is in the "Camera Roll" of your Photos App. That's where all the photos and videos you shot with your iP... [More]

Continue...Why iPhones Run Out of Space...

Automatic Shorthand Text Replacement

Tuesday, April 25, 2017 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

If an iPhone can substitute a Cake Emoji for the word "Cake", why not replace shorthand text with real words too?

I've never been a fan of texting. To me, it's a pain in the neck reading the screen and using a tiny keyboard to type. In fact, 99% of the texts I send are from my Mac, where I have the luxury of a full-sized keyboard. That said, regardless of whether I use my Mac or my iPhone, I never use shorthand text like "RU" in place of "Are You", because I think it looks sloppy.

While I completely understand that most of these shorthands started back in the time before smartphones, where people had to type messages using nothing more than a numeric keypad, I think it's pretty strange that people still use things like "CU L8R", instead of typing out "See You Later". It's... [More]

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You Call That Shuffle?

Saturday, April 22, 2017 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Apple doesn't understand the meaning of Shuffle.

One of the most misunderstood features of all music players is the concept of "Random" vs "Shuffle". To many people, they are interchangeable, but there's a big difference between the two, especially when it's done right.

The core idea behind "Shuffle" is to play your songs in a random order, so the order itself is a surprise to you. Sounds simple enough. You hit Shuffle, and the music player definitely picks a song at random, so what can be wrong with that? As it turns out, quite a bit.

Here's the problem. If you have 100 different songs, and you decide to shuffle them, you should hear each and every song exactly once, before any song repeats, but that's not what happens, because more often than not, you'll hear some son... [More]

Continue...You Call That Shuffle?...

Tag... Then Shuffle

Tuesday, March 28, 2017 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Sometimes Shuffle isn't enough.

One of the most popular features of music players is the Shuffle option that plays your music at random, but sometimes mixing your entire library is a bit too much. That's why I think music players like iPods, iTunes, and the iPhone should have one additional feature, the ability to let you randomly select artists, albums, and even other playlists, then shuffle them.

For example, you may want to hear random tracks from Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and The Rolling Stones, all mixed together.

A Tag and Shuffle option would let you mix and match artists, songs, play lists, and albums into one list and shuffle them as you please.

Apple Needs to Focus on the Front Camera

Wednesday, March 15, 2017 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Considering how often people take selfies, why doesn't Apple make a better front facing camera?

With every new generation of iPhone, the biggest improvement is almost always to the camera, and most of those improvements are only to the rear facing camera. Meanwhile they keep neglecting the front.

I hate having to decide which camera I want to use, balancing between better quality vs ease of use to take selfies. As it stands now, the front camera is nowhere near as good as the back, especially shooting videos.

I realize it could drive up the cost a bit, but since they only need to design one camera to use on both sides the price increase wouldn't be too much, especially since both cameras could share the same chipset and production costs.

Apple FaceTime is Missing One Thing...

Thursday, February 23, 2017 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Why doesn't Apple's FaceTime have a way to leave a Voice or Video Message?

Ever since the invention of the telephone, people have dreamed of the day when video calling will replace regular calling as the most common way to communicate with friends and family. Although many companies have tinkered with various video conferencing platforms, Apple's FaceTime was the first one that caught on. The problem is they left out one important feature that is a central part of regular calling, the ability to leave a message when the other person doesn't answer.

There's no reason why somebody calling using FaceTime Audio, or even Video shouldn't have the same functionality as a regular phone, and be able to leave a voice, or even a video message.

The App Store is Missing a Critical Feature

Sunday, January 29, 2017 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Why doesn't Apple's App Store have an option to sell upgrades to existing customers?

Selling upgraded versions to existing customers has always been one of the most important sources of revenue for App Developers, but for some reason, Apple still doesn't have an option for selling upgraded versions.

While this may not seem like a problem for consumers, it's a deal breaker for a lot of software developers because it means that they won't be able to tap into their existing customer base to sell upgrades. This is one reason many software companies bypass the Mac App Store entirely and look for other ways to market and distribute their software, which isn't easy.

Without this critical feature, some software companies are forced to introduce alternate versions of their Apps wit... [More]

Continue...The App Store is Missing a Critical Feature...

Lockable iPad Apps

Wednesday, January 25, 2017 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Whenever you allow your friends and family to use your iPad, you are also inviting them to read your email.

We all know Apple's iPhone and iPad are very secure. In fact, even law enforcement have a hard time unlocking them. There is, however one small problem. A lot of people unlock their iPads to let friends and family members play games, surf the Web or watch movies, and that means they also gain access to most of your private information such as email, photos, shopping and social media accounts.

The solution to this is pretty simple. Apple needs to create an option to assign a second Passcode to grant access to Apps that need an additional layer of security. This will allow people give friends and family access to less secure Apps without giving them access to more sen... [More]

Continue...Lockable iPad Apps...

Unlocking Better Siri

Saturday, January 21, 2017 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Siri should be able to launch certain Apps without unlocking.

When put on my headphones, the first thing I want to do is tell Siri to play something. So, I can say "Play The Beatles", and it will start playing my music without even taking my iPhone out of it's holster.

The problem is, Siri can't play anything else, such as Pandora, iHeartRadio or Audible, unless you unlock your iPhone first. This is a pain in the neck, especially if your iPhone isn't in your hands. For me, this is a big pain in the neck, especially when I'm out and about, and it may be difficult to access my iPhone.

Apple should give people an option to launch "Safe" Apps like Audible, Pandora, and iHeartRadio because they don't pose any security risks when you launch them from the lock screen.

This wo... [More]

Continue...Unlocking Better Siri...

How Apple Can Improve AirPods

Friday, January 20, 2017 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

I love my AirPods, but Apple needs to make a few changes.

Apple's AirPods look and feel just like Apple's original EarPods, with one major difference, there are no wires... or buttons. None of us miss the wires, but overcoming the lack of control buttons is a bit harder.

Apple's solution to the lack of buttons is to let you double tap the AirPod to answer the phone, activate Siri and do things like pause, resume, or adjust the volume.

There's also an option to change this default behavior by letting you pause and resume playback when you double tap, instead of launching Siri. To me, that's not an easy decision. I like the idea of pausing without talking to Siri, but there are definitely times when I need Siri to do something more complex, so I like the option of launchin... [More]

Continue...How Apple Can Improve AirPods...

iPhone Custom White Balance

Wednesday, January 18, 2017 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Why doesn't the iPhone have a Custom White Balance option?

Whenever Apple releases a new iPhone, most of the improvements are related to the camera, because the iPhone is now the most popular camera in the world, yet it lacks one of the most important features that serious photographers need the most, custom white balance.

Custom White Balance isn't a new idea. There is a Custom White Balance feature in almost every camera made by traditional camera makers like Canon, Nikon, and Sony. The question is... why doesn't Apple include this critical feature?

Without a Custom White Balance option, the camera software is forced to guess the color of the light in the room, which isn't very reliable. It's virtually impossible for a camera to know whether it's looking at a slightly y... [More]

Continue...iPhone Custom White Balance...

How To Restore Files Deleted From iCloud

Friday, December 23, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Why is it so hard to restore files you've deleted from your iPhone?

Ever since the first Apple Macintosh computer came out in 1984, it's been super easy to get back files you've deleted. All you need to do is look in the trash can. It was so easy Microsoft followed their lead when they put a Recycling Bin in Windows, but for some reason Apple dropped the ball when it comes to restoring files you've accidentally deleted from iCloud on an iPhone or iPad.

Even though iOS has an iCloud App, there is no functional equivalent of the Trash Can or Recycling Bin in it. The only way to get them back right now is from the iCloud website.

Steps:

1. Log into iCloud.Com, and look for a link at the top that says "iCloud Settings".

2. Scroll all the way to the bottom to find anoth... [More]

Continue...How To Restore Files Deleted From iCloud...

What BUGS Me About Apple's Contacts

Tuesday, December 20, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Contacts is one of Apple's oldest Apps, but it hasn't been improved in years.

It drives me crazy when I use the Contacts App, and I see multiple versions of the same person. This is the result of merging contacts from Gmail, AOL, and Microsoft Outlook that took place over the years. Because of this, some of my contacts are listed 3 or 4 times with various combinations of information. Some have nothing but an email address, while others have a separate entry for their home, work, and mobile numbers.

It wouldn't be as bad if Apple gave us a quick way to merge contacts together. The best they can do is "Link Contacts", which isn't as useful as it should be. To me, there's no point in linking contacts when the better solution is letting you merge them together. In cases wher... [More]

Continue...What BUGS Me About Apple's Contacts...

How Apple Can Improve the Alarm Clock App

Friday, December 16, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

You've got a Smart Phone... Why not a Smart Alarm Clock?

The Alarm Clock is one of the most popular Apps on the iPhone because it's far more flexible than a traditional bedside alarm clock. You can configure multiple alarms for each day with just a few taps, and you never have to worry about losing the time if there's a brownout.

As good as it is, I think it can be improved.

One particular improvement would be to confirm your morning destination, including the time you need to get there, and how long you need to get ready, so it can make adjustments based on the traffic conditions.

This means it can wake you earlier when traffic is heavy, and let you sleep later when it's light.

What Bugs Me About iPhone...

Wednesday, December 14, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Don't you hate when you can't find one of your iPhone Apps?

I've got a lot of Apps, and I do my best to try to organize them by moving as many as possible into folders organized by genre, and then I spend time trying to move them to other pages, but I still have a hard time finding my Apps.

Even if you take the time to put your Apps into folders, you can only see the first 9 in the folder, so you end up scrolling from page to page, then opening each folder and scrolling through 3 or more pages and you still can't find them.

Why don't they give you a simple option to view them alphabetically?

I'm not suggesting they get rid of the current system which lets you organize your Apps and create folders, I'm simply suggesting a second method to make it easy for those times... [More]

Continue...What Bugs Me About iPhone......

A Better Flight Mode

Friday, November 25, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

The problem with Flight Mode is that it's not that useful on a Flight.

Just about every Smartphone made today has a feature called "Flight Mode" or "AirPlane Mode" that is used to quickly turn off all radio communication so that it doesn't interfere with the instruments used on airplanes.

Generally speaking, airlines only require you to use Flight Mode when taking off or landing, because they like to encourage customers to purchase access to their WiFi network to check email, update social media and watch in-flight entertainment.

Unfortunately disabling Flight Mode on the plane (so you can use WiFi and Bluetooth) uses a lot more battery than you'd think, because the phone will continuously try to re-connect the cellular connection. Since there is no chance you'll actually... [More]

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No iPhone Left Behind... Thanks to Apple Watch?

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

If you walk about 30 feet away from your iPhone, chances are your Apple Watch will realize it before you do.

The iPhone and Apple Watch were, literally, made for eachother. Your iPhone knows when it's connected to your Apple Watch and vice versa. Consequently, your Apple Watch knows when that vital connection is broken, and you've walked more than 30 feet away from your iPhone.

When your Apple Watch is more than 30 feet away from your iPhone, there is a small red indicator on the face of the Watch indicating that it's no longer connected.

It would be great if the Apple Watch had a feature where it can ring an alarm whenever the connection is lost, just in case you accidentally left if behind.

This would be a huge help in cases where you didn't realize you left you... [More]

Continue...No iPhone Left Behind... Thanks to Apple Watch?...

No Headphone Jack? Thanks Apple!

Tuesday, October 25, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

The latest iPhone doesn't have a headphone jack, thank goodness.

Every now and then, Apple does something unexpected and it makes people question their judgement. This time it was the simple elimination of the headphone jack from the latest generation of the iPhone. For some people this was a pretty bold move, because it's the first time a smartphone was manufactured without one.

Apple has a history of polarizing people. You either love them, or you hate them, so when they announced that the iPhone 7 wouldn't have a headphone jack, there were a lot of people saying they went too far this time. How can they make a smartphone without a headphone jack? it's a fundamental feature.

To me, I never questioned that choice. Instead of asking "Why did they remove it?", I wonder... [More]

Continue...No Headphone Jack? Thanks Apple!...

Apple's Maps App Needs an Intersection Feature

Monday, September 5, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

One thing missing from Apple's Maps App is the ability to get directions to an intersection.

One of my favorite features of a traditional GPS device is the ability to locate the intersection of two streets, because I often don't have an exact street address, but I know that it it's near an intersection.

So instead of guessing a number or name of your favorite Italian restaurant, it would be great to just tell the GPS to find the corner of Hylan Blvd and Benton Avenue.

Technically, you can specify an intersection manually, but there should be a specific feature with an icon that asks you for both street names.

This reminds me of other "Hidden" iPhone features, like Shake to Undo that should have a clear... [More]

Continue...Apple's Maps App Needs an Intersection Feature...

Apple Needs a Dedicated Feature for Emergency Contacts

Friday, September 2, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Did you know that Apple has a feature to show emergency contacts on your lock screen?

Most people don't know that Apple has a way to show emergency contacts on the lock screen, because it's buried inside the "Health App", where very few people even notice it. That's pretty strange, considering how important it is.

What Apple needs to do is either create a dedicated ICE App that is easy to find, or at the very least, give people an easy way to flag people in your Contacts List as being an "Emergency Contact". All you would need to do is check each contact you want to see in your lock screen and they will be available on the lock screen in the event that police, ambulance drivers, paramedics or emergency room staff need to reach your family in an emergency.

How To Free Up Space on Your iPhone Without Deleting Photos or Videos

Wednesday, August 24, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Follow these steps to free up space on your iPhone!

One of the most common problems with the iPhone is running out of space. It's one of my most asked questions about the iPhone because it can be so tricky figuring out what to do when you don't even have enough room to take one more photo or video.

If you follow the steps in my video, you will be able to get back most of your space, without losing any of your photos or videos. The key is understanding where iPhone stores photos and videos sent via text messages, which isn't optimized, and how to move them to iCloud, where they take up very little space on your iPhone.

The main problem is that photos and videos take up a lot of space. Because of this, Apple has a great option to optimize space by storing your photos and v... [More]

Continue...How To Free Up Space on Your iPhone Without Deleting Photos or Videos...

The iPhone Camera Chip is UPSIDE DOWN

Friday, August 19, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Have you ever wondered why some of the photos you take with your iPhone are upside down when you transfer them to your computer?

One of the weirdest problems with the iPhone is trying to figure out why some of the photos you've taken are right side up, while some of them are upside down. It doesn't seem to make sense. When you look at them on your iPhone, they look fine, but after browsing or editing them on your computer, you have to manually flip some of them. How can that be?

The trouble is, every camera has a natural orientation for the chip that actually records your photos, so whenever you take a picture, the fastest thing the camera can do is store the photo exactly as it came out of the chip. So, all your photos are stored in that one orientation, regardless of how... [More]

Continue...The iPhone Camera Chip is UPSIDE DOWN...

Photo Numbers on the iPhone Should Be At Least 5 Digits

Tuesday, August 9, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Having only 4 digits for photo numbers is a real problem.

We take it for granted that whenever we take photos, our devices assign a unique filename. Most of the time, this consists of a prefix and a number. The iPhone for example uses the prefix IMG_, and a 4 digit number, for a total of 8 digits, including the underscore in the middle.

Sounds simple enough, but now that people can take hundreds of photos at any given event, that 4 digit number can cause a lot of problems down the road as we approach the 9999 mark.

To compensate for this, whenever you delete a photo, Apple takes advantage of the missing number and it will eventually re-use it, breaking the sequence. So when you bring your photos into your computer and sort by filename, the sequence of photos is completel... [More]

Continue...Photo Numbers on the iPhone Should Be At Least 5 Digits...

iPhone's Shake to UNDO is a STUPID Feature.

Monday, August 8, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Shake to Undo? What the heck was Apple thinking?

Did you know you can shake your iPhone to undo something? From the surprised reactions of people who see me do it, I'm guessing there aren't many people who even know about this hidden feature, and that's one of the reasons Apple needs to re-think it.

What frustrates me is that sometimes you have to shake it pretty hard to get it to work, while other times it's too sensitive and it responds to every major bump in the road when it's mounted on my Jeep's dashboard. That's a problem on multiple levels. Since you need to shake it hard, there's always the chance that it will slip out of your hands... and when it's too sensitive, the popups asking you if you'd like to undo something drive you nuts.

What's even worse than the se... [More]

Continue...iPhone's Shake to UNDO is a STUPID Feature....

The iPhone Calculator App Should Have a Tape Option

Thursday, July 14, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

It's hard adding up multiple numbers without a tape, like an adding machine.

You should never use a calculator to add up a bunch of numbers, because there's a good chance you won't notice if you entered a wrong digit in one of the numbers. That's why accounting people use Adding Machines, because they have a register tape that you can use to confirm all the numbers.

Unfortunately, the iOS Calculator App doesn't have a "Tape Mode", to show you a history of all the numbers you've entered.

I think the easiest way to implement it would be to make it an option when you put the calculator sideways. Right now, rotating sideways turns on the Scientific Calculator, which most people will never use. Rather than eliminating the Scientific Calculator, there should be a button to swi... [More]

Continue...The iPhone Calculator App Should Have a Tape Option...

iPhone Needs a Better Way To Drag Icons Between Pages

Thursday, June 16, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

I hate the way Apps are organized on the iPhone.

There's no rhyme or reason. When you download a new App, it just ends up at the bottom of your last screen that has space on it. That means that if you want it somewhere else, you need to drag it from that page to the page you want... and that's tedious.

It's bad enough doing it with whatever App you downloaded last, but when you want to organize more than a few Apps, the process takes forever.

What I'd like to see is an option to see a mini version every page in a scrollable area, then let you drag the icon directly to the page you want, instead of slowly dragging them from page to page.

An Option To Pre-Load Maps on iPhone

Wednesday, June 15, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

The biggest drawback of using a SmartPhone as a GPS is that it can use a lot of mobile data loading maps.

Every time you use your mobile phone as a GPS, it uses mobile data to load the maps, even though you've driven the same roads almost every time you use it. Unless you've got an unlimited data plan, that's a waste.

Doesn't it make more sense that Apple at least gives you an option to pre-load the maps for your area? This not only would use less mobile data, but it would save quite a bit on your battery.

An Option To Launch Audio Apps Without Unlocking

Sunday, June 12, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Why does Siri ask me to unlock my phone when I ask to Launch harmless Apps like Audible?

Security is very important to Apple, so it's understandable why they don't allow you to launch certain Apps without unlocking your iPhone first, however there are quite a few Apps that are completely harmless that should be allowed to launch without unlocking.

For example, Audible, Pandora, Amazon Music, Shazam, Sirius XM, iHeartRadio and countless streaming Apps have no security risks whatsoever, yet you can't launch them from Siri without unlocking the iPhone first. That's a real pain in the neck when you're simply trying to launch your favorite audio Apps while running, walking, or driving.

All Apple would need to do to allow this feature is to confirm that the App has no potential... [More]

Continue...An Option To Launch Audio Apps Without Unlocking...

Switch From Front to Back Camera on the Same Clip

Friday, June 10, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

You can swap between the front and back camera when you use FaceTime, but they don't have an option to swap cameras while shooting video.

Wouldn't it be great to have an option to switch back and forth between the front and back camera while shooting video on the iPhone? This would be perfect for people who want to shoot a regular video, then switch back to a selfie and wave to the camera.

This biggest hurdle is the fact that the front camera still isn't 1080p HD, which means that until they eventually upgrade the front camera to full HD, the output file will likely end up being 720p. Of course, that also means that you won't be able to use some of the other more advanced back camera features like ultra slow motion, and 4K video.

UPDATE: Although you still can't do this

... [More]

Continue...Switch From Front to Back Camera on the Same Clip...

iPhones Need A Pause Button When Shooting Videos

Wednesday, June 8, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

One of the things I miss most about old school camcorders is having a Pause Button.

Now that most people use their smartphone to shoot video, we no longer have a way to pause videos. Every time you hit the button, it starts and stops the video, but you end up with with a whole bunch of separate video files. Wouldn't it be great if you had a way to just pause the video, then continue using the same video file.

Right now, the only way to put together a video like that is to use a video editing program like iMovie, which is a lot more complicated and time consuming.

If nothing else, it would be great to have a second record button with a plus sign that essentially means "Add this to the last clip".

The main idea is to make it easier for people to tie together multipl... [More]

Continue...iPhones Need A Pause Button When Shooting Videos...

iPhone Front Camera Should Be Full 1080p HD

Tuesday, May 17, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Everyone loves taking Selfies. The only problem is the front camera isn't as clear as the back camera.

More pictures today are taken using an iPhone than any other camera, including traditional camera brands like Nikon, Canon, and Sony, which is why Apple spends a lot of time improving the primary camera on the back of the iPhone.

The latest iPhone can not only shoot stills that can rival some DSLRs, it can even shoot jaw dropping 4K video, which until recently, was only available in very expensive professional cameras.

With that in mind, it's hard to believe the front camera on the iPhone still can't even shoot in full 1080p HD. While this may not sound important to some people, the fact is a large number of photos and videos taken today are Selfies, taken with the front... [More]

Continue...iPhone Front Camera Should Be Full 1080p HD...

Why iOS Should Save Your Voice Recordings When You Use Siri

Tuesday, May 10, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Making notes and reminders with Siri is like pulling teeth.

I don't know about you, but I'm fed up with talking to Siri like a two year old, just trying to get it to create a note or reminder.

Ever since Siri was introduced, I've been making notes and reminders whenever an idea hits me. Unfortunately, Siri has an absolutely horrible track record for (accurately) transcribing whatever I said. I say something like "Remind me to get cat food", and Siri is likely to translate that into something like "Get snack food". Making matters worse, when I get home to read back my reminders, I'll scratch my head and say "Why did I put that on my list?".

If your reminder or note has somebody's name in it, you might as well give up. Siri NEVER gets names right. Just try to tell Siri... [More]

Continue...Why iOS Should Save Your Voice Recordings When You Use Siri...

iPhones Should Automatically Shoot Videos in Landscape

Sunday, May 8, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Nobody likes videos shot in portrait mode.

With a regular camera, there are two distinct ways to hold your camera, "Portrait" and "Landscape". For a regular camera, Landscape is the default position, which yields wider photos. By holding a camera sideways, you get photos that are taller. Sounds simple enough, however when mobile phones came along, the default, natural position has always been Portrait mode... with taller images.

This means that most photos taken with a mobile phone tend to be in Portrait mode. With still photography, it's not a big deal, but for videos it's a complete mess. Whenever you play a video shot in Portrait mode on a regular (wide) screen, the video doesn't fill the whole screen.

Most screens today have a 16:9 aspect ratio, which means they a... [More]

Continue...iPhones Should Automatically Shoot Videos in Landscape...

Eliminate Notifications When You Manually Launch The Mail App?

Saturday, May 7, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

There's no reason to trigger notification alarms when you've manually launched the Mail App?

Alerts have a purpose... to let you know you should check your email. That's perfectly normal, but why does the iPhone buzz and send you an alert when you are already reading you email?

Think about it. Is there any reason whatsoever for your iPhone to buzz or make a sound while you are literally reading your email... at that exact moment? It's not only pointless, but it draws attention to the fact that you're reading your mail.

For some reason, this is the default behavior. It should be completely eliminated, or at the very least turned off by default.

iPhone Should Automatically Shoot Videos In Landscape

Tuesday, May 3, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Don't you hate when people shoot videos in portrait mode?

Everyone hates seeing videos that were shot in portrait mode, but some of the blame is on Apple, because they could easily make the camera shoot in landscape, regardless of how you hold your iPhone.

The main reason most people shoot videos in portrait is that it's a more comfortable way to hold your iPhone. While it's definitely useful to allow you to shoot still photos in portrait, there's very little reason why anyone would want a video in portrait mode.

An Option to Use Lower Resolution Videos While On Mobile Data

Tuesday, April 19, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Right now, the only way to reduce your mobile data usage is to turn off mobile data on data hungry Apps like YouTube. Why does it have to be all or nothing?

If you're like most people, your mobile phone plan has a limit on how much data you can use each month. The trouble is, today's high resolution screens use 4-5 times more data than older screens, especially for full HD video.

Most smartphones have a crude solution to the problem, they let you decide which Apps have access to mobile data, and which ones don't. That's pretty lame. Why should you have to turn mobile data off when using Apps like YouTube, just because your new higher resolution screen uses too much data?

Instead of turning off mobile data, wouldn't it be easier to configure Apps like YouTube to use 48

... [More]

Continue...An Option to Use Lower Resolution Videos While On Mobile Data...

Why Don't More iPhone Apps Support Landscape Mode?

Thursday, April 14, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Isn't it strange that some of the most popular iPhone Apps don't work in landscape mode?

It's bad enough that some of the smaller independent developers don't support it, but some of the most popular Apps such as Apple's own Music App, Facebook, and LinkedIn still don't support it.

I'm sure some developers feel it's easy enough to just flip the phone over and use the Apps in portrait mode, but that's missing the point. The fact is some people prefer landscape mode, especially if they mount their phones on their dashboards as a GPS.

As a programmer, I know it's not that difficult to design an App that uses both portrait and landscape mode. Even a novice developer can do that. A more seasoned developer can not only support landscape mode, but take advantage of the extra sp... [More]

Continue...Why Don't More iPhone Apps Support Landscape Mode?...

How Media Should Be Organized On Apple Devices (video)

Thursday, March 3, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

I hate the way media is organized on my iPhone.

One of the great things about iOS devices is that they can store many different types of media. The trouble is Apple doesn't do a good job of organizing things.

There are dedicated Apps for Photos, Videos, Podcasts, Books, Magazines and Music. Sounds simple enough, but some media blurs the lines between categories making it hard to pin down.

For example, the Video App has buttons for Movies, TV Shows and Music Videos, but it doesn't have an option to show videos you made yourself, which are located inside the Photos App.

Although it seems to make sense that music videos are located inside the Music App, they really shouldn't be there. They're already in the Videos App, and doesn't make sense for the Music App to include... [More]

Continue...How Media Should Be Organized On Apple Devices (video)...

Curved iPhones to Make it Easier to Hold and Reduce Pinky Fatigue

Wednesday, March 2, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

The iPhone needs curved sides to make it easier to hold.

How do you hold your iPhone? If you're like me, most of the weight is supported by your pinky because the sides are too smooth.

This has bothered me for years, and it's become an even bigger problem now that I have the larger iPhone 6 Plus. The longer you hold it, the more you strain your pinky, and it can even put strain on your wrist and lower arm.

The simple solution is to put a slight curve in the case, so it doesn't slide down as you hold it.

Why The FBI Doesn't Need to Hack The iPhone

Tuesday, March 1, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Hacking iPhones isn't the answer because they shouldn't design devices that are capable of being hacked.

As a tech guy, I have an entirely different spin on why Apple shouldn't be obligated to write software to hack their devices.

A lot of people think this is a question of protecting the privacy of the criminal.
It's not

A lot of people think this is a question of patriotism.
It's not.

A lot of people think this is a question of national security.
It's not.

A lot of people think the FBI needs to hack the iPhone to find out who the terrorist called and sent texts to.
They don't.

The fact is 99% of the useful information an investigator needs is already available to them, whether or not they get physical possession of a criminal's iPhone.

Once investigat... [More]

Continue...Why The FBI Doesn't Need to Hack The iPhone...

The iPhone Should Work in Any Direction, Including Upside Down

Monday, February 15, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Why can't you use your iPhone upside down?

It's pretty strange that you can rotate an iPad in any direction, but you can't do the same thing with any iPhone. It doesn't make sense at all. Flipping an iPhone sideways is a lot more complicated for programmers to support because it changes the entire orientation from portrait to landscape, but a simple flip upside down should be a no-brainer. Everything is the same, except it's upside down.

This is particularly a problem for people like me who place their iPhone in the cup holder when driving. It's a real catch-22. If I place it in the cup right side up, the wire is crushed underneath and it eventually wears out, which can potentially damage not only the wire but the iPhone itself. If I place it in the cup upside down, the... [More]

Continue...The iPhone Should Work in Any Direction, Including Upside Down...

Full HD on iPhone 7 Front Camera

Friday, January 8, 2016 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

People take a lot of selfies. The trouble is, they're not as good as the ones from the back camera.

Techies know that when you want to shoot the best possible selfie, you need to flip over the camera and use the one on the back. That's because the back facing camera on most cameras, including the iPhone have better lenses and higher resolutions, including full HD.

The trouble with using the back camera for selfies is that you can't see the screen, which makes it hard for you to position the camera to include everyone in the group (including yourself) without cutting off their heads

I think it's time Apple includes a better front facing camera on the next generation iPhone. After all, some people use the front camera just as much as the back, especially for FaceTime.... [More]

Continue...Full HD on iPhone 7 Front Camera...

Close All Apps at Once on iPhone and iPad

Monday, October 5, 2015 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

I like simplicity.

I often see people flicking at their iPhone screens to get rid of all the "Open" Apps. Foe some people, that takes a long time, because their iPhone shows them dozens of these apps whenever they double tap the home button. Technically, these Apps aren't necessarily running, but Apple shows all the recently used Apps, whether they're running or not.

We've all been conditioned to put out things away, so even a lot of technical people like me still get the urge to "clean up" their iPhone by closing each and every one, until there're all gone. For what it's worth, anything past the last 5 screens is completely redundant because it takes longer to scroll through the recently used Apps than it would to launch them from scratch, so it's pointless that Apple show... [More]

Continue...Close All Apps at Once on iPhone and iPad...

Wireless iPhone Charging

Saturday, September 26, 2015 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

I hate wires.

I went to Ikea the other day and discovered that they sell all sorts of wireless charging devices, including quite a few that are fully integrated with their furniture.

Wireless charging isn't new, but it was the first time I saw a non-tech company embrace the idea. Some of their chargers can be built into various desks, tables and lamps, while others were standalone units that look like drink coasters that can be placed anywhere.

All you have to do is place your phone on top of the charging pad and viola... it starts charging. There's one small catch, none of Apple's phones support wireless charging.

In order to use Ikea's chargers with an iPhone, you have to buy a special case with a wireless charger receiver, but that adds bulk to the phone. It w... [More]

Continue...Wireless iPhone Charging...

Tap Apple Watch To Unlock Your iPhone

Wednesday, September 2, 2015 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

I hate passwords, especially on my iPhone.

I never let my iPhone out of my sight. It's either on my desk at home, or it's secured to my belt in a holster, so I never had any reason to set a passcode to turn it on. That changed when I decided to try Apple Pay on my Apple Watch, which doesn't work unless you secure your iPhone with a Passcode.

While I'm not thrilled with the idea of having to enter a Passcode every time I turn on my iPhone, I can understand why they require it for Apple Pay. It's still a pain in the neck, because you need to unlock the phone quite often.

I configured the Touch ID for at least four of my fingers, so I can unlock it without having to actually typing the password, but the problem is it doesn't work when I have wet hands or if I'm wearing glov... [More]

Continue...Tap Apple Watch To Unlock Your iPhone...

Why Doesn't iPhone Have a Built-In QR Reader?

Friday, July 31, 2015 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Although there are plenty of iPhone QR Reader Apps available, I find it funny that Apple doesn't include a built-in App.

While it doesn't take long to download a third party App, there are a lot of people who don't have any idea what to look for. To them, these cryptic looking codes are a complete mystery, so they wouldn't even attempt to look for an App.

Those who decide to look for an App are faced with countless Apps that claim to read QR Codes, many of which are completely free. Choosing the best App could be a challenge, especially since most of them look alike.

The reason there are so many free third party QR Reader Apps is that each of the developers stands a chance to earn money whenever you use it. For example, many of them also read regular barcodes, so if you... [More]

Continue...Why Doesn't iPhone Have a Built-In QR Reader?...

Driving Mode Button. Block Texting With One Touch.

Friday, July 10, 2015 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

There needs to be an easy way to turn texting off with one button.

Its extremely dangerous to send text messages while driving a car. Even people who have no intention to send messages can be easily distracted if they receive a message while driving.

Countless lives have been destroyed because of texting, so there should be some method to disable texting while driving.

Most mobile devices already have a quick and easy way to enable "Airplane Mode", so device makers should add a button to disable texting too. After all, more people drive each day than fly.

It's surprising that there isn't an option to disable texting anywhere in the settings menus of any of the major smartphones on the market. This option should not be added, but it should be added someplace like... [More]

Continue...Driving Mode Button. Block Texting With One Touch....

Sending a Code To Bypass Silent Ringers

Thursday, May 21, 2015 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

When you call for help, the last thing you want is a silent ringer.

Most phones have a feature to make them silent, but I've never seen a feature to allow a caller to bypass that feature when it's urgent that their call gets through, and that the ringer is as loud as it can be.

The key here is that when a truly urgent call needs to get though, the best way to insure the ringer is not only turned on, but at the loudest possible setting. To make this happen, the phone would have a feature to enter a password that will trigger the ringer, at the loudest setting.

Although Apple has a mode called "Do Not Disturb" that can by bypassed when a caller makes a second attempt within 3 minutes, this merely means that the phone will get through. So, if the recipient has set their rin... [More]

Continue...Sending a Code To Bypass Silent Ringers...

Modular Cell Phones - Smartphones With Interchangeable Parts

Wednesday, May 20, 2015 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

For people who love to tinker.

Sometimes when I sit down to write about one of my "Original" ideas, I find out that it's not original. While some people might think that would upset me, it actually makes me feel great, because it only serves to validate the idea. This is one of those ideas.

I recently updated my phone to the latest iPhone 6 Plus. The main reason was that I love photography, and the newest model has a lot of improvements to the camera itself... besides, my iPhone 5 camera has something wrong with the lens, so it's not as clear as it used to be.

The point is, just because I wanted the new camera, I upgraded the whole phone. So, I thought to myself, wouldn't it be great if I could just upgrade the camera?

That's where this idea started.

While it... [More]

Continue...Modular Cell Phones - Smartphones With Interchangeable Parts...

iPhone Should Announce Caller Names When Wearing Headsets

Saturday, March 14, 2015 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Don't you hate when you don't know who's calling?

Almost everyone looks at their caller ID before answering the phone, in order to decide if they want to answer. Being able to screen calls is an essential way to eliminate unwanted calls from telemarketers, surveys, collectors, not to mention bosses wondering if you can come in on the weekend to finish those TPS Reports.

Suffice it to say, we all love caller ID. But what about those times when you simply can't see the screen?

For example, when I walk my dog, I wear headphones and keep my iPhone safely tucked away in a holster. It's even harder to see in the winter when it's pretty much buried under a heavy winter coat. If a call comes in, I have no way to know who it is, so I'm forced to answer every call.

A simp... [More]

Continue...iPhone Should Announce Caller Names When Wearing Headsets...

Siri Should Let You Launch Some Apps Without Unlocking The Phone

Tuesday, March 3, 2015 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Me: "Launch Pandora"
Siri: "You'll need to unlock your iPhone first"

If I could unlock my phone, I wouldn't need to use Siri in the first place.

One of the great things about Siri is that you can tell it to do things without even touching your phone. This is perfect for running or driving, because you can't easily reach for your phone.

The trouble is, Apple doesn't let you launch third party Apps without unlocking the phone first. That's pretty pointless. There are plenty of Apps like Pandora, Audible, iHeartRadio and Amazon Music that are completely harmless to launch without unlocking the phone first.

They already have a section in the Settings Menu to designate which features Siri can access while in the lock screen. The trouble is they don't allow any thir... [More]

Continue...Siri Should Let You Launch Some Apps Without Unlocking The Phone...

Siri For Apps

Wednesday, February 25, 2015 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Play the Michael Bolton Channel on Pandora.

"Sorry. I don't know what you mean by Play the Michael Bolton Channel on Pandora."

Siri can do a lot of interesting things, but other than a few of Apple's own apps, you can't use it to interact with your apps. I think there are a bunch of apps that would work great if they worked with Siri.

Right now, the only thing you can do with most of the third party apps is launch them, but I think there should be at least some support for developers to tap into Siri to make them better.

Giving Apps access to Siri control is important to people who use third party Apps like Pandora while jogging or driving.

Since Siri is part of the operating system, Apple would simply define an API that developers could use to accept commands... [More]

Continue...Siri For Apps...

Longer iPhone / iPad Cables

Thursday, December 25, 2014 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Why doesn't Apple make longer cables?

When Apple designed the iPhone, they made some assumptions, including how long the cable should be. The length they chose was about 3 feet long (1 meter), the perfect length if you plan on plugging it into your computer. Not bad, assuming your computer is a laptop.

But is 3 feet long enough if you don't use a laptop... and it's a big tower under your desk? Or if you don't even have a computer, and you just want to plug it into a wall?

So, Apple eventually released a 6.5 foot cord (2 meters)... That may solve the problem of using a tower under your desk, but it's still not long enough for people who need a bit more flexibility in where they charge their devices.

If you plan on using it from your sofa or near your bed, unless the ou... [More]

Continue...Longer iPhone / iPad Cables...

Phones Should Let You Shoot Landscape Videos... Regardless of How You Hold Them.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Don't you hate when somebody plays a video on their widescreen TV that was shot vertical?

Yes, I know people love to hold their phones vertically. It's more comfortable. The trouble is when you shoot videos that way, they look terrible when you play them back on anything but the phone.

The solution is so simple, but somehow the major manufacturers haven't addressed it. The video should be recorded in landscape regardless of what position you hold it. Naturally, there should be an option to turn it off, if for some reason you actually want to shoot a vertical video.

Frankly, unless you are trying to film somebody who is standing right in front of you and you don't want the person standing next to them in the shot.... you will always want to shoot horizontal. If you have... [More]

Continue...Phones Should Let You Shoot Landscape Videos... Regardless of How You Hold Them....

Mostly Sunny Currently - Why check to see that? What's the temperature?

Tuesday, October 7, 2014 12:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

When we check the weather, what do we look for first?

The answer seems too obvious to me, but I'll answer it here, because apparently some of the people at Apple's sunny Cupertino office haven't thought this one out.

9 times out of 10, it's because we want to know what to expect when we go out.

Here's the thing. Before stepping out for lunch, I grab my phone, hit the button and drag down where I expect to see the current temperature.

Currently Sunny. The high will be 70, the low 59.

Yes. I have a window. I can see it's sunny. I just want to know if I need my jacket.

With an 11 degree split between the high and the low, I have no clue if I need my jacket. I've got news for you, when I do a quick check like that, I don't care what t... [More]

Continue...Mostly Sunny Currently - Why check to see that? What's the temperature?...

Autocorrect Should Translate Text Slang into English... Because Kids Actually Think It's Correct Grammar

Saturday, October 4, 2014 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

I don't know about you, but I HATE the way kids write. They come across to me as ignorant buffoons.

I understand why somebody would want to abbreviate as much as possible using an old touchtone dialing pad. I never felt the need to use texting on those kinds of phones, but I could understand why those who did used abbreviations.

Here's the problem. Many of today's kids use that ridiculous way of writing when they are using a full scale word processor, and even when they write on paper with a pen. Teachers are reporting that students often use TextSpeak / Text Slang when they do school work.

The problem is not just with excessive use of abbreviations with strange combinations of numbers and... [More]

Continue...Autocorrect Should Translate Text Slang into English... Because Kids Actually Think It's Correct Grammar ...

iPhone and iPad Keyboards Should Show Numbers Too

Friday, October 3, 2014 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Hey Apple! Now that the screens are bigger... Give us the option to put numbers on the keyboard!

This one is a no brainer. Let's face it, everyone needs to type numbers, and it's a pain in the neck having to hit a button that turns on the numbers... then hit another button to change back to letters.

I realize that even with the larger screens, when the iPhone is sideways, there isn't much room, but when it's upright, these larger screens have plenty of room for the number row.

Now that iOS lets you have multiple keyboard options, make the number row an option. Some people will want it, some won't. At least give us the choice. In fact, instead of going into the settings menu to turn it on and off, just create an on-screen toggle where the International keyboard option i... [More]

Continue...iPhone and iPad Keyboards Should Show Numbers Too...

Apple Should Give You the Choice to Archive or Delete Emails on iPhones / iPads

Tuesday, September 23, 2014 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Swipe Right to Mark Read or Archive

This sounds so obvious to me, but for some reason Apple only gives you one option when you swipe right... Mark as Read. Why is there no quick option for archiving?

My Inbox is stuffed is because I configured my left swipe for "Deleted Mailbox" (so I can delete Spam). Now, I have no quick way to archive the other messages using my iOS devices... so the Inbox keeps growing.

I'm fully aware I can change the "Trash" setting to "Archive Mailbox" which will make a left swipe say "Archive" instead, but that means I will also be archiving Spam, Facebook notifications and tons of things I want gone for good... not archived.

The bottom line, some messages you want to delete, some you want to archive. Just give us the choice and we'll clean up... [More]

Continue...Apple Should Give You the Choice to Archive or Delete Emails on iPhones / iPads...

Emergency Contact Info Needs to Bypass Locked Phone

Monday, September 22, 2014 1:00 AM By Joe Crescenzi

Congratulations. The new law that requires auto-locking phones can kill you.

That may sound a bit extreme, but the new law that requires cell phone makers to include anti-theft protection also prevents emergency responders from using your cell phone to contact your designated "In case of emergency" (ICE) contacts.

Emergency responders and hospital doctors often need to make quick medical decisions, so every minute counts. Anyone with special medical needs such as diabetes, allergies, etc. is risking inadequate or incorrect treatment.

Cell phone makers need to make emergency contact information accessible at all times, without unlocking the phone.

This information should be part of the initial phone setup, and cell phone owners should be encouraged to insure that... [More]

Continue...Emergency Contact Info Needs to Bypass Locked Phone...

Cat Video Network

Ketchonnaise - Pre-Mixed Ketchup and Mayonnaise

A Guaranteed Spam-Free, Pre-Encrypted Email Service

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Sleeveless Snuggies!

Don't Bother With SEO. Use Real People Optimization Instead.

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Emergency Contact Info Needs to Bypass Locked Phone

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Lookalike Finder Site

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A Bedside Book Projector - Read Books on the Ceiling!

Reinvent The Wheel? YES. There's Always Room For Improvement.

Amazon Echo as an Intercom. Room to Room Communication, Even Across the World.

TV Needs More Shows Like Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood... The Seinfeld of Children's TV

Stop using default Security Questions... here's why.

A Car Periscope? Why Not?

Digital String on Your Finger... To Remind You You Left Something Behind...

Use Social Media to Listen To Your Customers, or They'll find Somebody Who Does.

Why Doesn't Apple Offer a FULL SIZED Wireless Keyboard?

How Banks Can Make Checking Accounts More Secure

4 Cell Phone Parental Control Ideas Your Kids are Guaranteed to Hate.

.Podcast Domain TLDs. A Direct Domain For Podcasters.

* Note: The ideas on "Idea of the Day" were posted without any formal research into existing inventions.

In some cases, patents may already exist for these ideas, in other cases, there may not be any existing patents and you are free to develop and explore the viability of developing and patenting the ideas.

The authors make no claim that any of the ideas are safe, practical, or suitable for any particular purpose. You are responsible for the results of trying, developing, patenting or using any of the ideas on this site.

For some people, our ideas are just an interesting read, but our goal is to encourage you to take action. If you see an idea that you like, do something with it... Take action.

- Joe

Idea Of The Day. A new Idea Each Day. Some Don't Suck.

Our Latest Posts About: iPhone

QR Codes are EVERYWHERE... so why doesn't Apple include a built-in QR Reader?

Why do so many people accidentally dial you by mistake?

Upgrading your smartphone is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity, because there are virtually no App for older phones.

It's Apple's fault that iPhones run out of space.

If an iPhone can substitute a Cake Emoji for the word "Cake", why not replace shorthand text with real words too?

Apple doesn't understand the meaning of Shuffle.

Sometimes Shuffle isn't enough.

Considering how often people take selfies, why doesn't Apple make a better front facing camera?

Why doesn't Apple's FaceTime have a way to leave a Voice or Video Message?

Why doesn't Apple's App Store have an option to sell upgrades to existing customers?

Whenever you allow your friends and family to use your iPad, you are also inviting them to read your email.

Siri should be able to launch certain Apps without unlocking.

I love my AirPods, but Apple needs to make a few changes.

Why doesn't the iPhone have a Custom White Balance option?

Why is it so hard to restore files you've deleted from your iPhone?

Contacts is one of Apple's oldest Apps, but it hasn't been improved in years.

You've got a Smart Phone... Why not a Smart Alarm Clock?

Don't you hate when you can't find one of your iPhone Apps?

Why don't they give you a simple option to view them alphabetically?

The problem with Flight Mode is that it's not that useful on a Flight.

If you walk about 30 feet away from your iPhone, chances are your Apple Watch will realize it before you do.

It would be great if the Apple Watch had a feature where it can ring an alarm whenever the connection is lost, just in case you accidentally left if behind.

The latest iPhone doesn't have a headphone jack, thank goodness.

One thing missing from Apple's Maps App is the ability to get directions to an intersection.

Technically, you can specify an intersection manually, but there should be a specific feature with an icon that asks you for both street names.

Did you know that Apple has a feature to show emergency contacts on your lock screen?

Follow these steps to free up space on your iPhone!

Have you ever wondered why some of the photos you take with your iPhone are upside down when you transfer them to your computer?

Having only 4 digits for photo numbers is a real problem.

Shake to Undo? What the heck was Apple thinking?

It's hard adding up multiple numbers without a tape, like an adding machine.

I hate the way Apps are organized on the iPhone.

The biggest drawback of using a SmartPhone as a GPS is that it can use a lot of mobile data loading maps.

Why does Siri ask me to unlock my phone when I ask to Launch harmless Apps like Audible?

You can swap between the front and back camera when you use FaceTime, but they don't have an option to swap cameras while shooting video.

UPDATE: Although you still can't do this

One of the things I miss most about old school camcorders is having a Pause Button.

If nothing else, it would be great to have a second record button with a plus sign that essentially means "Add this to the last clip".

Everyone loves taking Selfies. The only problem is the front camera isn't as clear as the back camera.

Making notes and reminders with Siri is like pulling teeth.

Nobody likes videos shot in portrait mode.

There's no reason to trigger notification alarms when you've manually launched the Mail App?

Don't you hate when people shoot videos in portrait mode?

Right now, the only way to reduce your mobile data usage is to turn off mobile data on data hungry Apps like YouTube. Why does it have to be all or nothing?

Instead of turning off mobile data, wouldn't it be easier to configure Apps like YouTube to use 48

Isn't it strange that some of the most popular iPhone Apps don't work in landscape mode?

I hate the way media is organized on my iPhone.

The iPhone needs curved sides to make it easier to hold.

Hacking iPhones isn't the answer because they shouldn't design devices that are capable of being hacked.

The fact is 99% of the useful information an investigator needs is already available to them, whether or not they get physical possession of a criminal's iPhone.

Why can't you use your iPhone upside down?

People take a lot of selfies. The trouble is, they're not as good as the ones from the back camera.

The trouble with using the back camera for selfies is that you can't see the screen, which makes it hard for you to position the camera to include everyone in the group (including yourself) without cutting off their heads

I like simplicity.

I hate wires.

All you have to do is place your phone on top of the charging pad and viola... it starts charging. There's one small catch, none of Apple's phones support wireless charging.

I hate passwords, especially on my iPhone.

Although there are plenty of iPhone QR Reader Apps available, I find it funny that Apple doesn't include a built-in App.

There needs to be an easy way to turn texting off with one button.

Countless lives have been destroyed because of texting, so there should be some method to disable texting while driving.

When you call for help, the last thing you want is a silent ringer.

For people who love to tinker.

The point is, just because I wanted the new camera, I upgraded the whole phone. So, I thought to myself, wouldn't it be great if I could just upgrade the camera?

Don't you hate when you don't know who's calling?

Suffice it to say, we all love caller ID. But what about those times when you simply can't see the screen?

Me: "Launch Pandora"Siri: "You'll need to unlock your iPhone first"If I could unlock my phone, I wouldn't need to use Siri in the first place.

Play the Michael Bolton Channel on Pandora.

Giving Apps access to Siri control is important to people who use third party Apps like Pandora while jogging or driving.

Why doesn't Apple make longer cables?

Don't you hate when somebody plays a video on their widescreen TV that was shot vertical?

When we check the weather, what do we look for first?

9 times out of 10, it's because we want to know what to expect when we go out.

Currently Sunny. The high will be 70, the low 59.

Yes. I have a window. I can see it's sunny. I just want to know if I need my jacket.

I don't know about you, but I HATE the way kids write. They come across to me as ignorant buffoons.

Hey Apple! Now that the screens are bigger... Give us the option to put numbers on the keyboard!

Swipe Right to Mark Read or Archive

Congratulations. The new law that requires auto-locking phones can kill you.

Me: "Launch Pandora"
Siri: "You'll need to unlock your iPhone first"

If I could unlock my phone, I wouldn't need to use Siri in the first place.