iPhone Problems »

If you’re experiencing problems getting your iPhone to sync with your Microsoft Outlook data, Apple’s got a Knowledge Base article that might fix the problem.

Try opening up the Outlook application prior to sync. If you haven’t already done so, you’ll want fire up the setup wizard to get your Outlook Profile squared away. Once that’s done, go ahead and plug in your iPhone to sync with Outlook via iTunes.

Here’s the text from Apple:

“After creating the profile, then perform another sync. The contacts and/or calendar events from the iPhone should now appear in Outlook. This occurs because Microsoft Outlook does not create a file for contacts or calendar events until after it has been opened. Until the database file has been created, there’s no place for iPhone contacts and/or calendar events to sync to.”

Hope this helps some of you out there struggling with Outloook synchronization!

Following in the footsteps of Sydney Leung a couple weeks ago, H. Tim Hoffman (Leung’s counsel) filed suit on behalf of Zoltan Stiener and Ynez Stiener in and Oakland, CA federal court. The two accuse Apple and AT&T of breach of contract, fraud, and violations of California law by not informing iPhone buyers that the device’s battery will cost $100 to replace during its lifetime (it does, but only if you take into account the cost of an iPhone loaner).

Just like all the other lawsuits in this same vein, the complaints are based on the fact that the iPhone’s battery will only last 300 charge cycles - after which, it will need to be replaced.

Good luck to these guys. We’re not sure how this’ll stand up in court, seeing as how Apple makes it clear that the iPhone battery will only lose a small percentage of its charge capacity after 300 complete charge cycles (not to mention the obviously litigious lawyer behind these suits).

[Via: Information Week]

It was only a matter of time before someone jumped on the frivolous class-action lawsuit-bandwagon. Adding to that previous class-action complaint from Illinoisan Jose Trujillo, Sydney Leung has filed suit in a Northern Califronia against both Apple and AT&T. Leung and his legal counsel, Arthur Lazear and Max Folkenflik, claim that the Apple iPhone’s battery will only last 300 complete charge cycles before needing replacement. The complaint goes on to claim that Apple and AT&T failed to notify customers of this fact during the June29th launch weekend - essentially duping customers into a two-year contract before making it publicly known that the battery replacement service will cost upwards of $100.

Come on, we know this is America and all. But as frivolous lawsuits go, these two are pretty high on the ridiculous-o-meter. First, Apple’s made it clear that the iPhone battery will only lose a small percentage of its capacity after 300-400 complete charge cycles. Second, the battery does not have to be replaced in year (as Leung claims) - it’s up to the user to decide when to replace the battery (at which time you could go the DIY route and replace it yourself - we wouldn’t but you could).

But, like we said, this is America. So, all the best to Leung and Trujillo. If that woman can win a case against McDonald’s for having coffee that’s too hot, we’re sure these two jokers have at least a snowball’s chance in Miami - which is to say, a very slight chance.

[Via: Apple Insider]

Remember that little trademark spat between Apple and Cisco over who could use the iPhone moniker? Well, the two may have come to amenable ends in the US, but overseas is a whole different story. Apparently, there are a number of companies in the European Union that have filed for or already hold rights to the iPhone name.

According to The Inquirer, “Apple itself filed for a trademark on IPHONE in 2002, but has had the application opposed by other companies with similar marks. Indeed, Spanish firm Catalan De Telecomunicacions Societat Operadora De Xarxes (phew) has its own mark application for Al-Pi Iphone, whilst AudioDescripciones, aso in Spain, has the IPH IPhone. Here in the UK, ICX Europe, a VOIP solutions firm, has also applied for the mark.”

The trademark dispute may even have something to do with the delay in European iPhone rollout, although that is pure speculation. For the sake of Europeans all across the EU, we hope Apple is able to hold onto the iPhone moniker and rollout the high-sought device by October.

Then again, with all the cash that Apple’s made from the US iPhone launch alone, we’re sure there is plenty to go around in court (and out) to appease all parties involved.

[Via: The Inquirer]

We’re thankful for the first Apple iPhone update that was released today, but we would have liked to have seen more from the high-hyped update - not that security patches aren’t the cat’s meow. We’re looking for the next update to bring more functionality and fix even more bugs on the iPhone. The newest bug was discovered by iPhone Central, but is more of a niggling anomaly than a bona fide bug.

Apparently, the iPhone’s calculator widget maxes out at 9 digits. So when your answer exceeds the max capacity, the iPhone widget simply cuts off the backend of the number string. For example, dividing “999999999″ (that’s nine 9’s) by 2 yields “499999999.” - the correct answer is 499,999,999.5. Notice that the last decimal point is still there, but the iPhone cuts off the “5,” and fails to round up (like the Mac OS X Calculator Widget does). Like we said, it’s not a real bug, more of an annoyance - do you really plan to be doing 9-digit calculations anytime soon? Us neither.

We’re hoping for that the next update from Apple will fix this problem, as well as bring iChat and MMS support. Yea, we’d rather have the last two features and forgo the calculator fix.

[Via: iPhone Central]

The iPhone is a mini-computer, and it comes with the same problems we see on our full-fledged computers - frozen applications. It doesn’t happen much on our Apple machines, but it does happen - and the same seems to be true of our iPhones. So, what do you do when an iPhone app just spins its wheels? Wait for it to sort things out? Sure, that’s one option. But, or the more impatient types out there, here’s a quick little tip to force that frozen application to quit:

Hold down the standby/sleep button and the home-button for six seconds.

That’s it!
Simple, effective, useful. Now, go out and hope for an app to freeze. We never thought we’d ever say that.

We’re getting reports that AT&T may be refunding the iPhone activation fee for those iPhone owners complaining of AT&T’s activation blunders during last month’s iPhone launch.

If that $36 activation fee is enough for you to call in to AT&T and ask for some sympathy from the customer service rep, then by all means, please do. We’d recommend approaching the situation with honey, as vinegar is rumored to not catch as many bees.

With the incredible profit margins and exorbitant kickbacks that Apple is getting for each new iPhone customer, we’d like to see all activation fees waived, courtesy of Steve Jobs - but that’s about as likely as AT&T going out on its own and picking up the activation fee tab for new iPhone customers. Especially considering how badly AT&T botched the launch of the iPhone.

Call in and let us know how it goes!

[Via: TUAW]

These days, frivolous lawsuits are something of a staple for lawyers across the nation. If you can think of a reason to sue, there’s a good chance someone else has already said suit. And, it seems the Apple iPhone is no exception. A Mr. Jose Trujillo has filed suit against Apple and AT&T on grounds that he wasn’t aware that the iPhone’s battery was a sealed, non-removable unit. This guy is claiming that the iPhone’s battery can only be charged 300 times, after which it will need to be replaced. He must be the only guy that didn’t get the memo. Well, him and maybe PC Magazine.

We’re sure the most successful thing about this case will be the press-coverage. Can Jose truly claim ignorance to Google? Seriously JT, a simple search for “iPhone battery” would have been a good idea before you filed this lawsuit. Even the judge probably knows what’s up with the iPhone’s battery.

[Via: MacNN]

So, it turns out that the iPhone can’t always receive incoming calls while it’s transferring data over the EDGE network - and vice versa, EDGE can’t be accessed while on a voice call. Apparently, it all has to do with what type of network you’re on.

iPhone Atlas reports that the problem, acknowledged by Apple in Knowledge Base article #305711, is caused by the network. More specifically, it has to do with what type of EDGE network you are connected to - NOM1 or NOM2. Apparently, a NOM1 EDGE network connection should allow you to receive incoming voice calls while transferring EDGE data (interrupting the data connection to facilitate voice), but a NOM2 EDGE network will send voice calls directly to voicemail while you’re using EDGE.

How can you tell which network you’re connected to? Simply dial *3001#12345#* (and hit “Call”) to bring up the “Field Test Mode.” Select “GPRS Information” and find the entry “nom.” You will see either a “1″ or a “2″ in the field - “1″ indicates a NOM1 network connection, while a “2″ indicates a NOM2 network connection.

If you’re on a NOM2 network, you may be missing calls without even knowing it. Is anyone out there actually on a NOM1 connection? We’re starting to doubt whether the iPhone even supports the NOM1 network!

Drop us a line and let us know what kind of EDGE network you’re on!

[Via: iPhone Atlas]

First, we get reports of some iPhones experiencing intermittent echoing problems. And, now we’re hearing reports that some of the recently released Apple Bluetooth Headsets are exhibiting some strange audio anomalies. iPhone Atlas has received reports of audio fading in and out, depending on the iPhone’s proximity to the Headset.

It seems to be a headset-specific problem - the audio “skipping” does not happen when using the wired headset or any other non-Apple Bluetooth headsets.

Anyone out there having similar problems? Give us a holler!

[Via: iPhone Atlas]

The iPhone has finally succumbed to the hacking efforts of Independent Security Evaluators - but not in the good way that would leave us with an unlocked iPhone. We wish we could kick off the new week with news that the iPhone’s GSM radio has finally been cracked to work on non-AT&T networks. Instead we’re going to tell you about the first ever malicious-code exploit on the iPhone.

Apparently, Independent Security Evaluators were able to take full control of their iPhone through malicious code embedded into a webpage. According to a Security Evaluators post, the iPhone user can be tricked into navigating tot he malicious webpage in a few different ways:

• An attacker controlled wireless access point: Because the iPhone learns access points by name (SSID), if a user ever gets near an attacker-controlled access point with the same name (and encryption type) as an access point previously trusted by the user, the iPhone will automatically use the malicious access point. This allows the attacker to add the exploit to any web page browsed by the user by replacing the requested page with a page containing the exploit.
• A misconfigured forum website: If a web forum’s software is not configured to prevent users from including potentially dangerous data in their posts, an attacker could cause the exploit to run in any iPhone browser that viewed the thread. (This would require some slight changes in our proof of concept exploit, however.)
• A link delivered via e-mail or SMS: If an attacker can trick a user into opening a website that the attacker controls, the attacker can easily embed the exploit into the main page of the website.

The malicious code can be used to tap into the information stored on the iPhone - call logs, SMS text messages, address book, call history, and voicemail data can all be transmitted to the hacker. And, it’s foreseeable that the code can be changed to execute any of the iPhone’s functions - send mail passwords, send premium SMS text messages, even record audio (although audio recording is not a feature on the iPhone, as of yet).

So, how do you avoid this particular vulnerability from biting you in the you-know-where? Don’t click on any links embedded into emails; only visit trusted websites; never use an untrusted wireless access point and your’re in the clear (at least as far as this exploit is concerned).

On the upside, this vulnerability has already been reported to Apple. And, since the iPhone can be easily updated through iTunes, as opposed to waiting for a firmware update, we expect an official patch from Apple before this exploit becomes a real problem. There are no reported instances of any iPhones being subverted using this particular hack, and the malicious code has not been released into the wild - so iPhones are still in good shape.

Now, we’re just waiting for the even more impressive news that the iPhone has been hacked to work on any GSM network.

Source

Reports are coming in of iPhone users experiencing anomalous picture quality from the iPhone’s 2-megapixel camera. iPhone Atlas is reporting that users are sending in complaints of pictures with a greenish tint, resulting in odd skin tones. There are also reports of iPhone camera images showing a reddish center with a surrounding green tint.

The good news is that the “Enhance” function in iPhoto and “Auto-correct” feature in Photoshop will quickly and easily resolve your green-tint problems. The bad news is that the red center and green outer ring are not as easily fixed.

And, to make matters worse, the image anomolies vary from shot to shot - sometimes you see it, other times you get a perfect shot.

How many of you iPhone users out there are experiencing these problems? Give us a holler, we’d love to get an idea of how widespread this problem is.

[Via: iPhone Atlas]

Where is the EDGE?! It appears that iPhone owners nationwide are (still) experiencing EDGE network outages. Not only are Into iPhone readers chiming in with reports of “unavailable” EDGE connection, but the Into iPhone team has also noticed intermittent problems connecting to the data network. Thankfully, EDGE only abandons us when we’re in close range of WiFi hotspots - but we imagine that may not be the case with most iPhone owners. We thought AT&T’s upgrading of their network would make it robust enough to prevent activation blackouts and EDGE outages. Oh well, we guess we were wrong.

With all those iPhones out in the wild, it’s understandable that AT&T’s EDGE network may be feeling the strain of eager-beaver iPhone Safari web-surfers. It’s not acceptable, but it does makes sense. Could Apple have foreseen such difficulties? Perhaps this is why Verizon was the first choice as the exclusive iPhone carrier.

Regardless, AT&T really needs to up their game. They still have a couple weeks to prove themselves as a competent carrier before the 30-day return policy expires. Hey, AT&T! Get in gear with your EDGE network. Otherwise, you might find a flood of service terminations (with no termination fee) - leaving a fairly substantial customer-base with a bad taste for AT&T. You wouldn’t want us to tell all our friends how unreliable your network really is, do you? We thought not.

If you’re still having EDGE data problems, please let us know!

Citing customer complaints about internet performance on AT&T somewhat pokey EDGE network, AT&T seems to be giving disgruntled users the option of a new data-free wireless calling plan for the Apple iPhone. Apparently, this last ditch option will be offered as a retention tactic, to keep subscribers from completely canceling their iPhone plans due to the lackluster web-surfing experience. The phone-only wireless calling plan should run AT&T customers about $40 per month - $20 cheaper than the minimum $60 iPhone calling plan.

The neutered iPhones will still be able to surf the web and check email through WiFi connections, and will still include 5,000 nights/weekends minutes with 450 anytime minutes. However, the 200 free SMS text messages and Visual Voicemail feature will be surrendered - SMS text messages will cost $0.25 a piece without an additional text messaging bundle.

A post over at Kludgeless claims to have successfully wrangled the $39.99 data-free iPhone calling plan from AT&T’s grasp. It’s as siple as 1-2-3:

1. Call AT&T customer service
2. Threaten to cancel your service due to crappy EDGE network performance. Ask to remove data features from your iPhone if they don’t offer you that option.
3. Confirm what your data-free iPhone calling plan will cost - the $39.99 does not include any additional charges such as taxes and fees

[Via: Electronista]

The stresses on AT&T activation system must have been at the limit. Over the weekend, AT&T took down the iTunes activation system for “maintenance” reasons. Can you blame them? With the incredible number of activations that must have taken place over the past couple of weeks, and AT&T’s recent activation problems, it makes sense for the wireless giant to take preventative measures to keep the system free from future bog-downs. We’d rather AT&T impose a short activation blackout to prevent further serious outages - those can be so annoying.

Any of you out there run into the screenshot pictured above? Let us know how long it took to get your iPhone activated!

[Via: TUAW]