Apple iPhone4 and iOS4.0 - Thread

According to the data on my quicktime movie inspector

iPhone 4 records at
H264
1280 x 720
24fps
10.5 mbps

Really high quality stuff.

Funny, I thought it was 30p, but quicktime reads it as 24fps. Interesting.

The other thing that really impresses me is the low light capabilities of this sensor. Phenomenal.
 
Zissou said:
iOS4.0 has pretty much cripped my 3G, dl'ing iOS4.1 now. i do love my fiancee's iPhone 4.
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Go into Settings>General>Home Button>Spotlight and uncheck everything in there. The iphone indexes every program when you start it up, making it lag. I did this and it made my phone work as well as it used to. You won't be able to use spotlight search, but I never did anyway.
 
Brandon Rice said:
According to the data on my quicktime movie inspector

iPhone 4 records at
H264
1280 x 720
24fps
10.5 mbps

Really high quality stuff.

Funny, I thought it was 30p, but quicktime reads it as 24fps. Interesting.

The other thing that really impresses me is the low light capabilities of this sensor. Phenomenal.
Click to expand...

That is strange, because in the phone it tells me (with almostDSLR) that it is 30fps.
 
Hi Barry,

Yes, with the H264 inclusion in 2.2, the video quality does improve quite a bit. However, it's not enabled to record at 720 in H264 yet. Bummer.

And I'm in total agreement with you about the frame rate drop / auto shutter in low light. This is exactly what it looks like to me. There's a group of android developers who are looking into it and discussing workarounds to develop a new app (or hack the OS) to get better manual controls over the video capabilities and to install better audio / video compression codecs as well. This is why I bought the phone - I just have faith that either HTC or the app developers who are scouring over this thing are going to come out with a great solution eventually.

After the 2.2 update, I did a video test and uploaded to youtube. I found a half measure work around to deal with the drop in shutter speed / frame rate in low light - crank up the ISO to 1250 and the majority of the slow down is removed, but definitely still there.

Here's my youtube viddy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vvTnp029SY

I just used the QT inspector while watching a video - the max fps is 30, and will drop in frame rate / shutter speed whenever the phone feels like it needs to gather more light (it is often inaccurate). I've seen it drop to as low as 8fps. Yeeps.

I left a couple of messages in the thread at xda developers telling them about my theory about the auto shutter. Not much response, probably because I'm not a developer? Anyways, there's a group looking into improving the camera function and reporting their progress here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=711808

Other than this software limitation of the camera, the phone is absolutely perfect.


Barry_Green said:
Nice -- does it substantially improve the video quality? Because the early samples from the EVO's camera were horrible, and I swung back to looking at the iPhone 4 because of 'em. I'm hoping that the terrible video samples I've seen from the EVO were due to a lousy codec, and that hopefully the new h.264 will give it a performance boost about like the GH13's codec improvements have done for it.

What frame rate does the EVO record at in broad daylight sunlight? I had understood it to be 720/24p -- is it?


Disappointing. But with Android being an open OS, it seems like hopefully that's something that could be fixed in short order? Somebody send one to Vitaliy...


Y'know, I'll bet you a dollar that the frame rate drop is due partly to the automatic shutter. I'll bet that as light goes down, the shutter stays open longer, and when the shutter drops below 1/24, the frame rate must drop also. If it went to 1/20, you could never have more than 20fps, and if it went to 1/12 you couldn't have more than 12fps. So if they can implement a way to lock the shutter, then that should solve the frame rate drop too (although, of course, obviously the video will be just plain darker if the shutter isn't being opened up!)
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Barry_Green said:
Nice -- does it substantially improve the video quality? Because the early samples from the EVO's camera were horrible, and I swung back to looking at the iPhone 4 because of 'em
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Actually, they did a weird thing when implementing H.264. If you select that setting, it limits your max resolution to 800 x 480. You need to select Mpeg4 to capture full 720p footage. Admittedly, I haven't done too many image tests to compare the different settings (I have been playing with all the other features). The one clip I posted, I noticed that the auto exposure is very sensitive and will often adjust even during minimal to no light change. But again, I have yet to really delve too deeply into the controls. Perhaps I can switch the auto off to lock it and get better results. But, I'm pretty confident that if you know what you are doing, you can get some pretty great looking footage especially for a camera phone. But, I have many other test shots to take and upload. So, give me a couple days and I will post some more footage. If you'd like anything specific, let me know. Btw, I can tell you right now, low-light is going to be horrendous.

As for the other aspects of this phone, so far it ROCKS! I cannot put it down. My gf is thoroughly annoyed. I mean, every day I am digging into it more and more and it continues to impress. And, I'm not even talking about the features or apps. I'm talking about sheer performance. It is so ridiculously fast that it is a pleasure to click around and play with it. There is virtually no lag time. Coming from a Palm Pre, it's a Godsend. I am clicking around ALL day EVERY day and it has never once failed me. I have had a beta app crash, but never the Android OS. The phone is solid! I actually think the snapdragon processor doesn't just improve the in-phone performance but it speeds up the 3G internet as well. I see a marked improvement in browsing from my Pre to this phone and the Pre has a pretty solid transmitter. But its really nice to be able to go to a Flash heavy website and not run into any problems.

The Google Voice feature is not just a toy anymore. It works. It is very accurate and I use it all the time for Google searches, Google Shopping, constructing emails, texts, etc. It's amazing. I rarely type unless I'm saying or searching for something obscure. And, even when I do need to type, my touch-typing worries were unfounded. The phone has excellent response and the screen is so big that its very easy to hit the proper keys.

The screen is awesome and the size is like having a mini HDTV in your pocket. Watching trailers from the IMDB app is very impressive. People ooh, and ahhh, every time (and the kickstand is way handy).

The apps are definitely awesome. But, for anyone who is teetering between the iPhone and the Evo, it's probably a moot point. I'm sure they both have awesome apps. I've barely scratched the surface but Google Shopper, Google Sky (impresses everyone every time.), Google Earth, etc. All great. Anything having to do with a Bar-scanner blows me away. I'm already annoying my girlfriend by scanning everything she pulls off a rack. I still haven't even deployed Qik to test out the video conferencing feature. But, I need someone with the same software to test it so....

I'm not much of a game player, occasionally to pass the time but I did download Homerun Battle 3D, which looks and performs ridiculously well. It's a very sophisticated looking game for a phone. Also, my apps were getting outta hand (I've spend the better part of the past few days, downloading and playing) and its pretty easy to organize on this phone. You can either download an App Organizer which will allow you to organize your apps in a folder-type system or you can create folders on your Homepage. Also, you can have multiple "home pages" like you would on a PC (i.e. Admin, Dad, Mom, Work, Play, etc...). If you are the type who likes to have different homepages for work and one for personal, this is very handy.

I'm sure I've got a million other things I could add but I'm still getting the hang of this phone. Admittedly, I am struggling with the transition from WebOS to Android. While the Pre sucked, it sucked from poor manufacturing, buggy performance issues and a medicore processor. But, its a very intuitive operating system. You press a button and EVERYTHING you are doing minimized to a set of cards for easy multitasking. On the EVO, you depress the HOME button for 1-2 seconds your last 8 tasks will pop up from which to choose. That's handy and you will use it regularly. But, I am still struggling with going back and forth between my tasks but it's too early to say if this is a user issue or an OS thing. I tend to think I just haven't gotten the hang of it yet.

I have yet to try out the Hotspot feature. But I love having that ability. And, when I am traveling next month, I see using that. Now, I still haven't convincingly figured out my previous WiFi issues. The few times I was in an 'EXCELLENT' range it gave me a sturdy connection which never failed me. However, at home, my range is slightly wacky leading me to believe that the WiFi transmitter just isn't as robust as it is on the Pre. Again, could be an EVO thing, a settings thing, a software update thing or a 'this particular unit' thing. So, more to follow on that...

Overall, I am nearly in love with this phone. I am not the type who is quick to judge but if this phone was a woman, we would be on our third date, I'd have butterflies and I'd be ready to introduce her to my family.
 
Well that all sounds very promising. I think what appeals to me most about an Android is that it's an open platform. Apparently my contract doesn't end for a few months so there's no immediate need to upgrade, but as of now, yeah -- I think I'm totally back on the EVO 4G bandwagon, and I'm looking forward to seeing if the wizards can improve the video camera. (I mean, not that it matters that much, if there's one thing I've got too many of it's video cameras!) :)
 
Rick Meyer said:
The Google Voice feature is not just a toy anymore. It works. It is very accurate and I use it all the time for Google searches, Google Shopping, constructing emails, texts, etc. It's amazing. I rarely type unless I'm saying or searching for something obscure.
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Glad this phone is turning out to be a winner. And as I said before, that voice recognition feature is a game-changer; Sorry, had to. I think this really is a feature that's going to play a major part in how we interact with these devices down the road. One of the human interface paradigm shifts that'll come along.
 
Brandon Rice said:
Get the iP4 Barry :)
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Seriously considered it, but ... I don't think so. I like the philosophy behind Android better. And there are two things that I demand from a phone, and the iphone 4 doesn't do either - I want turn-by-turn GPS directions, and an LED flashlight. Android's got 'em, iPhone doesn't.
 
iPhone has turn by turn, I use it all the time. and it also has an LED flashlight. I used it on Saturday. Where have you been getting your info? ;)
 
Agreed. You can get both.

Also, some things you might not know.

You can unjailbreak an iPhone, you cannot unjailbreak an Android phone. Once you root an Android, there is NO going back.

Tethering costs on the Androids as well it appears. At least with many of the carriers.

This whole openness on Android is not something I totally see happening yet (although I hope it too becomes less restrictive).

And I've yet to see a camera on any droid that comes even close to the ip4. This weekend, I shot pictures on my phone compared to a Android X and the ip4 beat it in photo and video in every test, hands down.

Having used them both side by side, I've also yet to see an android phone, even with 2.2, be as touch sensitive as the iPhone or have a screen that is ANYWHERE near as nice.

The thing I love about the droid is the widgets. I really like that customization ability. That said, I have NOT been impressed with most of the apps or the structure of the device. It feels like linux window managers running on a phone! :)

But, like I've been saying all along, go play with both. It was easy for me to decide after doing that.
 
Brandon Rice said:
iPhone has turn by turn, I use it all the time. and it also has an LED flashlight. I used it on Saturday. Where have you been getting your info? ;)
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I asked at the Apple store. Must have talked to a nincompoop. My wife's 3Gs doesn't have either of them, which rules it totally out, and I didn't think the new 4 did either.
 
grimepoch said:
Tethering costs on the Androids as well it appears. At least with many of the carriers.
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Only if you choose to pay for it. There are already free apps to allow tethering without additional cost. And that, frankly, is what I love about Android -- it's not a tightly-controlled, "only Apps we approve" type of scenario. People are free to turn it into anything they want it to be.

And I've yet to see a camera on any droid that comes even close to the ip4. This weekend, I shot pictures on my phone compared to a Android X and the ip4 beat it in photo and video in every test, hands down.
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Yep, that's one area where the iPhone has a big advantage. Which may be solvable in software, seeing as the EVO's camera is the same as the iP4's (except it's the 8-megapixel vs. the 5, but other than that they're the same). So software may solve it.

But, like I've been saying all along, go play with both. It was easy for me to decide after doing that.
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Yep, no need to make a decision today as I'm contracted for another four months under the worst touchscreen phone ever created...

I wanted to like the iPhone 4. I really did. And I think it's pretty good. But Apple's response to Antennagate has totally turned me off. Their initial response was to say "there's no hardware problem at all, it's a software fix -- we've been reporting the wrong number of bars", while simultaneously (same day, actually) posting jobs for iPhone antenna hardware engineers. Then they continue to say "there's no problem", even when Consumer Reports scientifically proves there's a problem. Then they say "just don't hold the phone that way". Then, when that fails to suppress the fury (imagine that!) they say "everyone else has the same problem", except -- everyone else has put the "soft spot" in a place where you'd never touch it. Then, today, the guy in charge of iPhone antenna engineering is fired or quit. Yet Apple will still say "there's no problem."

So I've got a few months to go, and I think I'd like to see what the other manufacturers can do to earn some business.
 
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Barry_Green said:
I asked at the Apple store. Must have talked to a nincompoop. My wife's 3Gs doesn't have either of them, which rules it totally out, and I didn't think the new 4 did either.
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Yep, the 4 has the blinding LED of doom! :)

Asking questions at the apple store is like going to walmart and asking for DSLR advice :) I tell them immediately I am a professional and do not need assistance other than checkout. I do all my research before I get to the store.

I do understand there are people who need that level of help, but man do I cringe when I hear them helping people. Sometimes when the Apple help walks away, I tell the people to run! haha, only kidding, but I do offer a differing piece of advice.
 
Barry_Green said:
I asked at the Apple store. Must have talked to a nincompoop. My wife's 3Gs doesn't have either of them, which rules it totally out, and I didn't think the new 4 did either.
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I use the free Flashlight app to use the LED "flash" on as a flashlight (quite bright) and I use the Mapquest free app for turn by turn navigation, and it works fantastically! Been using it for a month or so now. :thumbsup:
 
Also... regarding the antenna issue, at least the way I hold it, I never even knew there was a problem until someone told me about the big story it was. I will gladly take the free case though :)
 
This is exactly why u chose to go with the evo over the iPhone. There is a tremendous amount of untapped potential because it is open source.

That, and the fact that I have the full internet browsing in my fingers including flash. I've already caught myself browsing the web on the phone in spite of the fact that I'm sitting at my computer desk. This thing operates and feels like a multi tasking computer with free turn by turn gps and unlimited data for 70 bucks a month.

Dillon

Barry_Green said:
Well that all sounds very promising. I think what appeals to me most about an Android is that it's an open platform. Apparently my contract doesn't end for a few months so there's no immediate need to upgrade, but as of now, yeah -- I think I'm totally back on the EVO 4G bandwagon, and I'm looking forward to seeing if the wizards can improve the video camera. (I mean, not that it matters that much, if there's one thing I've got too many of it's video cameras!) :)
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dillont said:
This is exactly why u chose to go with the evo over the iPhone. There is a tremendous amount of untapped potential because it is open source.

That, and the fact that I have the full internet browsing in my fingers including flash. I've already caught myself browsing the web on the phone in spite of the fact that I'm sitting at my computer desk. This thing operates and feels like a multi tasking computer with free turn by turn gps and unlimited data for 70 bucks a month.
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Well, plus it's 4G and I do live in a 4G city. But I don't like buying something for what it may someday be, I rather like getting something that does exactly what I want it to, the day I buy it. So I do look forward to seeing how the video camera app develops... because that is a major disappointment on the Evo so far...
 
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