So You Just Bought an iPhone

So you just bought an iPhone, and you're trying to figure out how to use it. Here are some things I wish someone had told me the day I got my new iPhone:

1. Double tap and Pinch. When using Safari, the internet browser, you can double tap to zoom in or zoom out. It doesn’t always work, but when it does, it is quicker than the “pinch”. (The two-finger motion to zoom in or out is called a pinch even when you are moving your fingers apart, apparently). In photos, if you have zoomed in using the “pinch”, double tapping will return you to the regular view, so you can scroll to the next picture.
2. Copy. When you are editing a note (and sometimes other places) you can double tap to bring up the Select/Select All/Copy floating menu.
*3. Moving Cursor. If you need to move the cursor back to something you have already typed, hold your finger on the screen close to where you want to go. A little bubble will appear that will show that area magnified. Keep your finger on the screen and slide it until the cursor is in the right position, then lift your finger.
*4. Avoiding Errors When Typing. When using the virtual keyboard, leave your finger on the screen until you see the letter you have selected “pop up” on the screen. If you hit the wrong letter, slide your finger until you get to the right letter, then lift your finger.
5. Bigger keyboard. In some applications, you can turn the screen sideways – you’ll get a bigger keyboard.
*6. Changing keyboards for one keystroke. When typing letters using the virtual keyboard, if you need a single number, press on the number icon and keep your finger there, then slide it to the key you need when the number keyboard comes up. When you release your finger, the keyboard will return to the alpha keyboard. This works for symbols also. Big time saver.
7. Edit existing note. Single tap to edit a Note that has already been saved.
8. Entering periods. Double-tap the spacebar to enter a period and a space. Turn this feature on in Settings/General/Keyboard.
*9. Power off. To power off your iPhone, hold the lock button (the one at the top you press to turn off the display) for 5 seconds. You’ll be given the choice to power down. Once you have powered off your iPhone, click either the lock button or the button to turn it back on.

10. Rapid repeat. Hold down the backspace key for rapid repeat. This is the only key that does this.
11. Caps lock. Double tap on the shift button for Caps Lock. This option must first be enabled in Settings/General/Keyboard.
12. Resetting network connections. If you are having trouble connecting to the network, you might try resetting your network connections by going to Settings/General/Reset/Reset Network Settings.
13. Warning! Before you update your operating system to a new version, such as OS 3.01, make sure you back up your device. I didn’t, and lived to regret it. If the update fails partway through, you will have to restore your iPhone to 3.0, which will wipe out all your data.

Here’s a great article on using the iPhone, even though it’s a little dated: http://www.macworld.com/article/131264/2007/12/tco_iphone.html.

If you know of additional online resources that are good for iPhone newbies, please let us know in the comments.

To your Prosperity!

Keith O. Hudson