iPhone To Do List (v2)

it has been some time since i have posted the first version of the iphone to do list. now apple has updated the software to 1.0.1 and 1.0.2, but that did not change a lot in terms of functionality (other than disabling Wi-Fi access for certain scenarios).

now apple has reduced the price to $399, which will attract more customers, and thereby hopefully improve apple's incentive to keep improving the device. i'll try to organized the list into obvious bugs (things that need to be fixed), features (things that would make sense from a usabilty and/or functionality point of view), and nice to have (things i'd like to see but which are more or less irrelevant).

bugs:

1. fix the character handling of the SMS app, which now mangles non-ASCII characters and sometimes even discards complete messages.
2. let me enter non-ascii characters on the iphone, so that i can actually enter the text i want to enter in apps such as SMS, email, and contacts.
3. fix the inability of the SMS app to recognize concatenated SMS messages, which are now displayed as separate messages.
4. fix the SMS app to display a character count when composing SMS messages, so that users actually know how much they will be charged for a message (just as a reminder: international messaging is not free and in fact quite expensive).
5. fix the SMS app so that it no longer tries to make messaging look as if it were chatting. these are different things and the broken metaphor breaks functionality (such as being unable to send SMS to multiple recipients).
6. fix the broken syncing of podcasts so that deleted podcasts on the iphone are also deleted in itunes when syncing.
7. fix the spam-friendly email app which currently cannot be configured to not download images when viewing emails.
8. fix the broken caching of safari which not only seems not to cache anything at all, but even discards web pages when switching between tabs (or whatever these things are called).
9. fix the broken address syncing with Yahoo! so that it (a) does not simply report information-free error messages, and (b) is more diligent in mapping fields which should be mapped.
10. add a search feature to contacts. and to notes. in fact, to everything. right now, these things are unusable when you get over a small number of entries.
11. add an alphabetical index (like the one in contacts) to the list of folders when using IMAP in the email app, right now this list in unusable if you have more than a small number of folders.

features:

1. let me control my iphone. please. i bought it, i want to control it. the number of configuration options is incredibly small. i don't talk about colors and backgrounds. i talk about functionality. retrying to establish a defunct EDGE connection, for example.
   
2. liberate me from itunes. let me upload stuff. and let me upload documents such as PDF and doc files. itunes may be useful as a music store and ipod companion, but it certainly is no good as a general syncing software.
3. support sms: uris so that users can simply click on them and then compose an SMS message.
4. unified messaging which would make the SMS app go away and integrate SMS and email messaging into one app.
5. add geolocation to the iphone, so that any web site can start providing location-based services. but please let the user control it. in the next hardware revision, add a GPS receiver.

nice to have:

1. add one of these cute white leds that dim between on an off, and use this as an indication that something is awaiting my attention (SMS, voice message, missed call).

and please please please, don't put flash on it. let me enjoy this flash-free zone. it is really bad enough that there is a youtube app.

[[ January 22, 2008: there now is a static page for the iPhone To Do List, please visit that page for the latest version. ]]

Comments

[Paul]

Good rundown. I would say they easily could add GPS support, without a hardware revision... a bluetooth GPS receiver. They're easily available, falling greatly in price (some as low as $60 USD now), and the google maps app (by function) already uses GPS coordinates to do its drawing.

the sms: uri thing is a GREAT idea. hadn't thought about that.

another thing i would like to see is being able to beam photos or contacts or whatever via bluetooth (hell, even wifi) to another phone, computer, or whatever. also exchange calendar support, but i know that's pushing it...

[MrCyberdude]

My biggest complaint's are
CUT & PASTE missing, its painful to pass on a persons number.
SMS COUNT let me know when im at 160 characters.