Comments on: Organizing Apps on the iPhone

By: C C

C C — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:43:10 +0000

I have organized my apps so that the bottom row is empty. It gives me a horizontal scroll and lets me keep everything in place when I download new apps, Just another way to go…

By: Eugene Gordin

Eugene Gordin — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 21:44:22 +0000

One more interesting articles from the Rogue Amoeba people on the subject: http://blogs.oreilly.com/iphone/2008/09/organizing-your-iphone.html

By: mike sanders

mike sanders — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 04:17:54 +0000

seems you guys didn’t read my comment about the unlocking software from the UK. This is not jailbreaking it unlocks the phone properly and completely and permits future upgrades as per a normal unlocked phone so there is no risk.

By: Eugene Gordin

Eugene Gordin — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:47:18 +0000

Thank you guys for the kind words. Yeah, the jailbreak vs. not debate is a very interesting one, and hopefully I’ll get a chance to address it soon in a post on my website.

In the mean time, here’s an interesting organizing solution that I came across on UneasySilence:
Banish Those Unwanted Apple Applications From Your iPhone:
http://feeds.uneasysilence.com/~r/uneasysilence/blog/~3/395735614/

By: What About Webapps?

What About Webapps? — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:57:48 +0000

the app that i use mainly is a web-app HyperOffice , which i use for accessing and collaborating on corporate information. web apps dont clutter your system, thats one up for web apps right!

By: Rik Watson

Rik Watson — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:45:52 +0000

Oops,

Ok, so the screenshot didn’t work. Take a look here.

http://i-spacer.appspot.com/i-spacer.jpg

Thanks,

Rik

By: Rik Watson

Rik Watson — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:44:40 +0000

I’ve created a very simple iPhone WebApp which allows me to add spacers where ever I please.

See the screenshot below.

If you want a copy then take a the instructions are here.

Thanks,

Rik

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:04:57 +0000

“seems to install the update to an application in place of its deprecated self. Woohoo”

Couldn’t agree more, this is a huge but very simple UI feature that is thankfully included now.

By: mike sanders

mike sanders — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 05:39:12 +0000

your comment on unlocking your 2g phone prompts me to let you know that the software available from http://www.iphoneunlockuk.com/buynow.php is really superb. It allows your phone to be used anywhere on any network and according to them is also used in the apple store in UK.
My personal experience is excellent and recent upgrades have been seamlessly handled.
It is expensive but it works.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 01:44:13 +0000

One nice thing about 2.1 is that when you update a program, it keeps it in the same place. Previous versions didn’t do that.

By: Kha

Kha — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:10:08 +0000

I just wanted to clarify that Categories is a jailbreak app, and that when I last tried it, it was incompatible with firmware 2.1, however, I’m sure that an update to it will bring back the program very soon.

By: Kha

Kha — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:07:25 +0000

There is another program that is a dream come to true for iPhone users as well, called Categories. It basically hides the icons that you choose and put them in a “screen” that you can access when you click on an icon, and so it simulates having folders on the iPhone to hide your icons in. Managing the folders in it is a bit of a pain but once you do that, the feeling you get when you have your favourite games on the desktop and those you don’t use so often tucked away but easier reachable is incredible.

By: Antonio

Antonio — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:36:51 +0000

I have my organized the following way:

Screen 1: Webclips, and general apps like settings, ipod and camera.

Screen 2: Any app related to news. Here I have MLB At Bat, NY Times, Wordpress and NetNewsWire.

Screen 3: All utility apps that don’t connect to the internet like Calculator, Things, Tips, Units.

Screen 4: These are all apps that connect out to the world. Ebay, Now Playing, Bank of America, AIM, Maps etc.

Screen 5: Games.

Screen 6: Default Apple apps that I don’t need and can’t get ride of. Weather, Clock, Notes.

This as worked well for me so far. I wish here was a way to label the screens and change the order of them.

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:27:57 +0000

Great article and great ideas in it. And great ideas from the comments.

I particularly like Vermaak’s idea of organizing icons on the Mac, then transferring the layout to the iPhone with iTunes.

And Eugene, thanks for your great ideas and the example of you iPhone layout. But I, too, an queasy about jailbreaking my iPhone. How about an authorized product that will do what you do. I might go for that.

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:24:26 +0000

Since getting my iPhone I’ve wondered about having something on the PC to arrange the screen. It’s very tiresome arranging those icons on the phone. When I had a P900 I had an app on my PC that allowed me to control the phone so I could write a message using my computer so I could leave the phone in the dock. The iPhone could really benefit from such a thing.

By: Nick Santilli

Nick Santilli — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:22:26 +0000

@Eugene Gordin
You’re correct in that I was aiming at the vanilla iphone users out there. Early on I played with Springboard and liked what it had to offer. I assumed it had something along these lines already, but wanted to focus on the ’sanctioned’ side of things.

I live and die by my phone (not to mention it’s used heavily for work) and as such, am a bit queasy at the thought it could potentially end up bricked with a new release, etc. However, seeing your screen looks awfully tempting - VERY nice. thanks for sharing.

By: Colin

Colin — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:03:51 +0000

@Nick Santilli

I think all of those implementations are right on. I don’t think I have a huge amount of apps (by my count 39 across four screens…and that’s including the apps that come with the device) but the frustration I get everytime I update an app is unbearable. (I have OCD so having a game on the front page freaks me out) I haven’t yet updated to 2.1…or perhaps I have but I haven’t updated an app yet.

Vertical scrolling sounds great as well as the keyword implementation. I’d definitely install an app that gives either of those functionality.

@Eugene Gordin

Your home screen looks amazing. I’m assuming that’s a result of jailbreaking the iPhone. Personally I’m a bit weary of jailbreaking my device. Dunno why, but I am. I’d like to be able to see these implementations without it being jailbreaked just because of my weariness.

By: Eugene Gordin

Eugene Gordin — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:12:41 +0000

This post comes at an interesting time for me because I really have begun to despise all of the icons on my springboard (especially since I dont use a lot of them regularly).

Now I realize that you were probably not talking to the pwn-ing crowd for this post, but I believe that pwn-ing has gotten yet another trophy in its corner with the introduction of an app called QuickGold by Zataang (and the Poof app by BigBoss).

QuickGold, if the name didnt give it away already, is QuickSilver for the iPhone, allowing you to search for apps, contacts, phone numbers, and websites with one click of the Home button on the SpringBoard. With QuickGold installed, I was able to use Poof to hide the majority of my icons, reducing my SpringBoard to just two screens with a combined total of 13 icons on it.

The apps I use occasionally are no longer in my face all the time, and the apps I use regularly are quickly accessible from the SpringBoard. It’s truly amazing in terms of neatness.

You can find more information about the apps here:

Quickgold: http://code.google.com/p/zataangstuff/wiki/QuickGold
Poof: http://iphone.sleepers.net/onepackage.php?bundleid=com.bigboss.poof&db=

And for an example of what my SpringBoard looks like now: https://dl.getdropbox.com/u/19133/homescreen.jpg

So neat! Hope that helps!

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:51:51 +0000

The vertical smooth scrolling is something that has already occurred through jailbreak applications, and worked rather well. I could see that working. Keywords is a good idea too.

However, I think what I’d rather see is either an application menu/file manager, or a Spotlight-like search and launch feature. Even with additional scrolling options and keywords to sort your desktops, you would still be left with tons of application icons. I’d rather hide most of my icons, as many applications are ones I only use once and a while, and be able to cut my desktops down to one or two, including only the applications i use most regularly.

Also, with the launcher/menu idea, you could even hide default Apple applications that you don’t use often (like Stocks for me), or ones who’s functionality you’ve replaced (for instance, if you download a weather or maps application, why would you want to keep the default one’s around?).

By: vermaak

vermaak — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:49:21 +0000

and, as I said above but you could also then move whole screens of apps!

By: vermaak

vermaak — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:47:13 +0000

What would also be nice is some way through iTunes to position the apps on virtual screens. This way you could layout all your apps on the screens you want using your mouse then sync up with your iPhone.

This methoud would be much easyier

By: nate

nate — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:45:32 +0000

i like the idea of having a vertical dimension. maybe just the addition of a spaces like workspace (with vertical support). also the ability to move icons anywhere, so i can have gaps/spacers