I berkeleying hate Apple – Major rant coming from an ex cult member

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

Brokeback wrote: Didn't read this all, but try this: When you connect your iPhone via USB to the computer, make sure the phone screen is unlocked and tell it to trust your computer when the message pops up on it. Then, you can pull the phone's memory up in windows explorer and get photos off that way. However, you will begin cursing at Apple's random folder name designations and spend 10 minutes trying to figure out which folder it is in. At least that's how it usually goes for me

We have a winner. After doing this it then re-sync'd and I can access my pics!!!! A++ to the GRM community for helping out. F- to apple for making something that shouldn't have even needed thinking about a three hour odyssey

Isn't that the industry standard for getting photos off a device? Just plug it in via USB and browse? Same way digital cameras and SD cards work.

My phone has tons of photos (like 3000+) and its only like 5 folders, so at MOST there are 4 wrong tries before I get the correct one. 20 seconds wasted, big deal. I agree the order of them should make a little more sense.

I have a 4S, its a pretty berkeleying simple device to use. I have zero other Apple hardware, and don't use any apple software (iTunes, etc.) I'm a phone moron, and I seem to stumble through all of this with little trouble.

OP back. People keep saying how easy it is to get photos off. It wasn't easy at all, hence the original rant. I did plug in in via the USB and it didn't recognize it until a)/I had updated iTunes B) installed icloude for PC and C) plugged it in after first unlocking the screen.

It shouldn't be that hard. Maybe I'm just a dumb ass, but if that's the case then most other people are even more of a dumb ass than me. Go and Google 'why can't I get pictures from my iPhone onto my pc' and there are literally thousands of threads out there, hundreds on apple forums with as many different answers. It simply shouldn't be that hard.

Belive it or not with in my family and many friends I am considered the tech geek because I can figure out most things.

10+ years ago you Sat down at an Apple product and it just worked. Everything was simple. These days its the least initiative of the systems I use. Especially if you want to do anyway across different platforms. People bitch about windows all the time, but these days as a user it just works plain and simple. Android devices work even better.

I want to still love apple I really do, they are just driving me and others away at an amazing rate.thech support is getting harder as well, you used to be able to walk in and get a genius bar visit. Then you had to pre book via computer in advance. Now you can't even get a genius bar visit until you've first been through the only be or phone support both of which normally have a wait list and or need to call you back.

The iPhone has a camera on it. It should open up like a drive on your computer when plugged in, just like the $25 digital camera from WalMart will do, and you should be able to drag your photos from it. Again, I love Apple and I use their system to get my photos, but for the average user it should be so much easier.

You don't need iTunes on your PC at all for it to recognize it (in fact, maybe that's the problem?). I pull pictures off mine all the time on several PCs and a Linux machine, none of which have iTunes or any software to support it. It opens up like a drive on my computer when plugged in, just like the $25 digital camera from WalMart, just like the memory card from my SLR, just like every other digital camera I've ever used... which is exactly what I want it to do.

I don't know why people have to be so adamant that they don't want the i software on their PC. It took a few moments to install and works well. I take pictures and they automatically show up in my iCloud folder in My Pictures on my PC. Once the initial setup was complete, like ANY software, I just use it. I CAN drag them off the phone using Windows Explorer like an Android phone or a camera, but it's just an extra step every time I want a photo or a few off the phone. I used Google Photos on the Androids in the same manner, but it required going on the internet to get the pictures. The Androids also had proprietary software for managing photos and music but that software was different for every phone and it also didn't always work (plug the phone in using the USB cord and it would sometimes say "phone not found"). So saying the Andorid is better doens't ring true in every occasion either.

Yeah, there are a lot of people that also have problems with the iPhone and pictures, but there are a lot of people that have a problem walking and breathing at the same time, so I wouldn't put too much stock in that.

I do have iTunes to manage my music and I did sync it with my Android phones before, using a simple app (though it could occasionally be wonky). But now it's much easier with the iPhone 6+ and it also simply works. (I use my phones as music players to stream my music using Bluetooth to my cars). And yes, I use a number of apps that are quite useful, from navigation to room measuring for my architectural visualization business, to food ordering to music and video. I have Square for taking credit card paymetns over teh phone and banking apps (that let me deposit checks using the camera). All this stuff just works as easily as it did on the Androids. Saying "oh, apps are stupid, I don't use them" seems like an incredibly obtuse way of doing things the hard way just to be obtuse.

What I have found is a lot of engineering types tend to overthink this stuff. I see it all the time as IT support here at work with basic computer operation up to AutoCAD support. Install the software that comes with the phone (Android or iPhone). Use it as intended and it works just fine. Don't overthink it or look for workarounds.

Getting pictures off is easy; my Windows 7 PC at work has nothing iWhatever on it. Connect, "Trust this PC", and find the files. I don't like the challenges in getting pictures or other files onto the phone, I find that to be a stupid process, but that's another matter.

And blaming Time Machine for making it hard to find files inside a backup that's larger than free space on your computer? Time for a better backup scheme. Be glad Time Machine is so easy to use.

pres589 wrote: I don't like the challenges in getting pictures or other files onto the phone, I find that to be a stupid process, but that's another matter.

I have an app I got from the app store that makes it very easy. Hook up the phone to the computer(do the trust thing). Open the app. Open the browser on your PC and go to the address the app gives you. Then it is just like using file Explorer to go the other way.

In reply to Hal:

Yes, such apps exist, but it shouldn't be a requirement to use one. I also wonder how long those apps stay in the Apple App Store as they probably violate some terms of iOS development.

huh strange, I went from PC and Android to Apple because the Apple just worked and windows and Android didn't.

The phone I blame on Android for not tightening down allowable hardware, windows is just what windows always has been.

I miss windows 7

Yeah, I'm about done with Apple too(as I sit here posting from my Mac...). This Mac has been giving me signs of pending HDD and USB port failure for the past year+, the update to whatever the current OS is really sapped performance, iCloud keeps pestering me to login even though I've never used it, and if it weren't for having Logic installed on here I'd have sold it a while ago.

My iTunes is all whacked - I hate having a payment method tied to it, but couldn't find a way to remove it, so I ended up just not updating my card info...now I can't get updates to most of my apps.

Surprisingly my iPhone(5c) is still working ok after 2-years.

Windows 10 is a blessing compared to this.

Datsun1500 wrote: Easiest way to get iTunes to work without a credit card is buy a $10 gift card and attach that to it.

Or if you have a discover card you can generate a one time use online card number and once they validate it it goes out of service.

The hard drive on my Dell went out earlier this year. The hard drive on my Lenovo laptop went out too.

Neither of them nor Apple make hard drives so I'd not blame them.

The new OSx is slower too I noticed. :/

My apple stuff was real simple till it broke, and we aint got none them fruit stores round here.

Flight Service wrote:

Datsun1500 wrote: Easiest way to get iTunes to work without a credit card is buy a $10 gift card and attach that to it.

Or if you have a discover card you can generate a one time use online card number and once they validate it it goes out of service. The hard drive on my Dell went out earlier this year. The hard drive on my Lenovo laptop went out too. Neither of them nor Apple make hard drives so I'd not blame them. The new OSx is slower too I noticed. :/

True they didn't manufacture the HDD, but based on their price and previous reputation I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a ~$2k MacBook Pro to have higher quality hardware than a Windows laptop at half the cost or less. Before I bought my Mac I'd been watching used prices, and even considered building a hackintosh(shh... ), but in the end decided it was worth the extra coin to get one brand new. I was wrong and will not be buying another.

I'm used to dealing with drive and hardware failure like this on ~$300 Windows laptops, but by the time you reach the $400+ price-point most of them are pretty solid.

Oh well, lesson learned.

I have a net 10 phone … barely semi smart … so no iPhone problems here .. I do have a MacMini for my home computer … I had my windows lap top (win7 pro) with me … DAMN it sucks .. could also be the overused hospital WIFI … but I might as well have had bad dial up (as opposed to good dial up) with a fully charged battery, I couldn't get through .. just reading, much less trying to respond to any threads here … before the battery was on it's last legs … and trying to switch from one forum to another was a lesson in futility … I'll stick to my Mac

I just picked up a Macbook Air to replace my aging, dying Windows laptop. I have had a good experience with my three-year-old iPhone; still works flawlessly despite three years of hard use, so I thought I would give Team Mac a go. The Air appears to accomplish everything I need; long battery life, SSD, and svelte profile.

I miss my bag phone.

petegossett wrote:

Flight Service wrote:

Datsun1500 wrote: Easiest way to get iTunes to work without a credit card is buy a $10 gift card and attach that to it.

Or if you have a discover card you can generate a one time use online card number and once they validate it it goes out of service. The hard drive on my Dell went out earlier this year. The hard drive on my Lenovo laptop went out too. Neither of them nor Apple make hard drives so I'd not blame them. The new OSx is slower too I noticed. :/

True they didn't manufacture the HDD, but based on their price and previous reputation I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a ~$2k MacBook Pro to have higher quality hardware than a Windows laptop at half the cost or less. Before I bought my Mac I'd been watching used prices, and even considered building a hackintosh(shh... ), but in the end decided it was worth the extra coin to get one brand new. I was wrong and will not be buying another. I'm used to dealing with drive and hardware failure like this on ~$300 Windows laptops, but by the time you reach the $400+ price-point most of them are pretty solid. Oh well, lesson learned.

They do have higher quality hardware, by a long shot. My house runs the gammit from a Toshiba Satellite to a Dell, ACER, Lenovo ThinkPad.

If I had to rank the hardware quality I would go Apple MacBook Pro ($2100 - still working 3 years old), Lenovo ($2300 but had some software that the Pro didn't so actual price difference was the Lenovo was $100 cheaper - motherboard severed solder points - known issue at 5 years), Toshiba ($1400 - still working like new - 2 years), Acer ($300 - cooked at 4 years...I tried to do something way over spec and it died), Dell ($600 - 2 years before motherboard fried, video card and hard disk replaced under warranty - Also we used Dell at my previous company and had nothing but trouble switched to lenovo and when I was at Aarons we used to be the only retailer (many years ago) of Dell and they were trouble then. Dell has always been cheapest of the cheapest with little support unless you order business class equipment, then they are squared away).

The thing is the Apple and Lenovo were within 10% of each other. It is possible to buy a PC with Apple grade components but you are gonna pay Apple prices. The surprise was the Acer as it hands down was built better than twice the price Dell.

Now the big question is, is the Apple Tax on hardware worth the difference in price in normal use? Because unless you are carrying it daily the Toshiba is a great laptop.

FWIW I am not a cult of Mac kinda guy. I am just tired of dealing with Windows BS and Androids sketchy hardware spec that leaves a respectable but not brilliant OS with lackluster performance and developers picking and choosing what hardware they are going to support. My Mac still just works and so does my iPhone 4S. As I type all of this from the Toshiba.

I have between the wife and kids, above and beyond the stuff above a Lenovo tablet (which at the time killed the iPad but lenovo just stopped supporting it...9 months in. weird. and the reason I stopped buying Lenovo. New chinese owners are sketchy on support for personal stuff.) Kindle Fire HDX (skinned Android), 2 iPod touches (iPhone 4 with out the cell circuit-granny spoils my kids) a iphone 4s still running strong and a iphone 5 my wife has that looks like it has been through WW1&2.

my MacMini was about $700 … ~ 10 yrs ago … when I finally reached the point that I needed to replace it (it still worked, just wasn't able to upgrade it anymore) gave it to Mom, and it will still do what she needs

replaced it with another … again ~$600 … but missing some of the features that the original came with … so had to buy them

seems to me the biggest difference, for an illiterate computer luddite like me, is the EASE of use … Win (before Win8) seemed clunky and SLOW regardless how fast the incoming signal …

from switch on in the morning to being on line, takes me ~ 30 - 45 sec … my Win7 Pro laptop takes upwards to 5 min … and that's with as much of the extraneous crap that loads across the bottom removed …

to shut down, my Mac takes ~10 sec … quicker if my fingers move quicker … the laptop .. again a couple of min

and it seems MUCH easier to switch from Win to Mac OS …. of course depending on what you're using the computer for … all my usage is forums, surfing, and email …

YMMV

In hardware quality I'd put Lenovo at the top of the stack and Toshiba at the bottom (not counting the cheap no-name stuff that may be below them). The Apple hardware has excellent "fit and finish" of the parts you touch, but in actual component hardware quality, they're upper-mid range.

I really like my iPhone, but on the desktop space I feel like they're starting to give up. I'm starting to drift back into the "I really want Linux to work for me" camp. Now that I can get Netflix 4k on my TV (and I guess on Ubuntu Chrome?), the only real barrier left is the DRM-protected music (solutions would be much appreciated) and maybe the real deal Office.

I'm getting aggravated with their traditional computer offerings. They're much slower to release hardware based on new cpus, gpus, etc. They haven't released anything with HDMI 2.0, including the brand new Apple TV. Seriously? At this point, I'd be ready to plunk down money on a new Mac Mini if it had an HDMI 2.0 port. Plus, I don't like the recent practice of fixed RAM and possibly fixed storage.

scardeal wrote: I really like my iPhone, but on the desktop space I feel like they're starting to give up. I'm starting to drift back into the "I really want Linux to work for me" camp. Now that I can get Netflix 4k on my TV (and I guess on Ubuntu Chrome?), the only real barrier left is the DRM-protected music (solutions would be much appreciated) and maybe the real deal Office.

You don't have a Linux problem, you have a DRM'ed media problem, which could even strike on other OSes.

In reply to GameboyRMH:

I know that it's not a linux problem, but until I have a solution to remove the DRM in some manner, I can't use it as my primary desktop computer. So, it's currently a barrier to adoption, despite the fact that "its not intrinsic to Linux".

When I last seriously investigated Linux as my only OS (around 2001), I got pissed after finding myself recompiling stuff after every kernel update and having terrible issues with laptop drivers. Macs were a breath of fresh air with their seductive promise of "it just works." And the shiny new OS X had Unix underneath... best of both worlds. I want that optimism back.

scardeal wrote: In reply to GameboyRMH: I know that it's not a linux problem, but until I have a solution to remove the DRM in some manner, I can't use it as my primary desktop computer. So, it's currently a barrier to adoption, despite the fact that "its not intrinsic to Linux". When I last seriously investigated Linux as my only OS (around 2001), I got pissed after finding myself recompiling stuff after every kernel update and having terrible issues with laptop drivers. Macs were a breath of fresh air with their seductive promise of "it just works." And the shiny new OS X had Unix underneath... best of both worlds. I want that optimism back.

Linux (at least in the Ubuntu form that I played with for a while) is a whole lot more polished now than it was in 2001. Enough so to be a reasonable daily driver for a lot of people, IMO. I'm not currently running it on anything, but if I had a "spare" machine that needed an OS, I'd run it rather than pay $100 for another Windows license.

I probably said so already in this thread, but I'm running Linux on almost all my computers these days, and I don't have to recompile anything on any of them (DKMS handles it for me automatically when needed).

My wife was Mrs. Apple, but last night she took her iphone back to Verizon and told them they could keep it and get it as far away from her as possible. The amount of issues it had were incredible, the latest being it would only answer on speaker phone and no one at Apple could explain it. Anyway, after many years with Apple she no longer has an Apple computer or phone.