# iPhone 3G Question.. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 21, 2008, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276 "2008-07-21T17:36:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrknButterfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@BrknButterfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrknButterfly)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/1 "2008-07-21T17:36:48Z")
I am not sure if this is in the right section or not… but here’s to guessing. :dubious: I just got my new iPhone today and I was wondering if there was a manual out there some where on the web for it? It didn’t come with one (obviously) and I tried googling it, but I am getting a ton of hits for everything BUT a manual. Also, I am not liking the texting “bubbles”… Is there a way to change this setting? I am not sure I am liking the phone. Though I am going to give it a few days before I make a decision. Thanks in Adavnce. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/2 "2008-07-21T17:43:04Z")
There’s [this.](http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/iPhone_User_Guide.pdf) (.PDF) ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/3 "2008-07-21T17:55:36Z")
You don’t like the texting bubbles? Oh man, I thought they look great. ---
**Author:** ![BrknButterfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@BrknButterfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrknButterfly)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/4 "2008-07-21T17:58:55Z")
No I hate them. I can’t find where I can change them or even if you can change them. And can you rearrange the icons on the home screen? ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/5 "2008-07-21T18:01:01Z")
[QUOTE=BrknButterfly] And can you rearrange the icons on the home screen? [/QUOTE] Yup, just hold your finger down on any icon for a second or two – they will all start wiggling around. You can now slide them whereever you want. Press home when you’re done. ---
**Author:** ![BrknButterfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@BrknButterfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrknButterfly)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/6 "2008-07-21T18:02:36Z")
[QUOTE=Red Barchetta] Yup, just hold your finger down on any icon for a second or two – they will all start wiggling around. You can now slide them whereever you want. Press home when you’re done. [/QUOTE] Can you be my new iPhone Guru? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/7 "2008-07-21T18:18:08Z")
[QUOTE=BrknButterfly] I just got my new iPhone today and I was wondering if there was a manual out there some where on the web for it? It didn’t come with one (obviously) and I tried googling it, but I am getting a ton of hits for everything BUT a manual. [/QUOTE] Have you looked through the pages that are bookmarked in Safari? ---
**Author:** ![BrknButterfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@BrknButterfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrknButterfly)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/8 "2008-07-21T18:34:50Z")
I am using this manual that **cmyk** posted below. Since I don’t have the internet at home until next weekend, the BFF got it the PDF file on a jump drive for me. I will go over that once I get home. [QUOTE=cmyk] There’s [this.](http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/iPhone_User_Guide.pdf) (.PDF) [/QUOTE] So I take it there is no way to get rid of the bubbles in the texting section, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/9 "2008-07-21T18:45:20Z")
[QUOTE=BrknButterfly] So I take it there is no way to get rid of the bubbles in the texting section, huh? [/QUOTE] Not from what I can tell. Just out of curiosity, what is it about them you don’t like? [QUOTE=BrknButterfly] Can you be my new iPhone Guru? 🆒 [/QUOTE] Sure, but only if you accept the bubbles for what they are 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/10 "2008-07-21T18:53:56Z")
[QUOTE=BrknButterfly] So I take it there is no way to get rid of the bubbles in the texting section, huh? [/QUOTE] Nope. ---
**Author:** ![BrknButterfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@BrknButterfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrknButterfly)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/11 "2008-07-21T19:04:37Z")
[QUOTE=Red Barchetta] Not from what I can tell. Just out of curiosity, what is it about them you don’t like? [/QUOTE] They take up to much room on one side leaving alot of empty space on the other side. I don’t mind the colors and what not. I just like it laid out from left to right using all the space available, not just one side. It would save room if they used the entire screen. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/12 "2008-07-21T19:13:43Z")
[QUOTE=BrknButterfly] They take up to much room on one side leaving alot of empty space on the other side. I don’t mind the colors and what not. I just like it laid out from left to right using all the space available, not just one side. It would save room if they used the entire screen. [/QUOTE] Oh, I think they do that so you can easily tell who said what, since the other person’s text msgs appear on the left side, with a gap on the right. But fair enough, either way. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/13 "2008-07-21T19:29:50Z")
[QUOTE=BrknButterfly] I am using this manual that **cmyk** posted below. Since I don’t have the internet at home until next weekend, the BFF got it the PDF file on a jump drive for me. I will go over that once I get home. [/QUOTE] Apple products are (in)famous for lacking manuals. Try playing with it for a bit, though. Honestly, after years of using Windows you’ve been brainwashed into thinking computers have to be hard and non-intuitive. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/14 "2008-07-21T21:47:04Z")
My Recommendation: (1) Go to your local bookstore. (2) Find 3rd-party iPhone book (e.g. iPhone for Dummies, iPhone: The Missing Manual). (3) Go to bookstore cafe with iPhone book. (4) Buy coffee. (5) Sit in cafe and work through book. Just a thought. Don’t have any idea about those damn bubbles though! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/15 "2008-07-21T22:13:57Z")
[QUOTE=Mathochist] Apple products are (in)famous for lacking manuals. Try playing with it for a bit, though. Honestly, after years of using Windows you’ve been brainwashed into thinking computers have to be hard and non-intuitive. [/QUOTE] Actually, after years of using Windows I found I was brainwashed into believing that I couldn’t possibly make a computer do what I wanted unless Microsoft deigned to build an interface to do it or rely on it to function properly. I do get a little frustrated in the Apple Darwin Way of Doing Things when it differs (for no reason I can readily discern) from the FreeBSD Way Of Doing Things (and the seeming lack of explicit, up to date easily accessible information on DarwinOS from Apple) but that’s more of a technical problem than the average user ever has to cope with; Apple is very good about making the basic interface (mostly) consistent and putting things where I can find them. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![BrknButterfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@BrknButterfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrknButterfly)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/16 "2008-07-21T23:03:46Z")
okay so the bubbles are growing on me and I am liking the Internet on this thing as well. So there is hope for me afterall. I was hoping to get a stlyis to help with the texting but guess you can’t use those with the iPhone. So far so good I guess. Just have to slow down when it comes to texting. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/17 "2008-07-22T00:06:40Z")
[QUOTE=BrknButterfly] Just have to slow down when it comes to texting. [/QUOTE] After a while you get up to speed with your thumbs. It’s sort of a stealth skill yoou don’t notice that you’re doing it until you are. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/18 "2008-07-22T00:19:51Z")
[QUOTE=BrknButterfly] I was hoping to get a stlyis to help with the texting but guess you can’t use those with the iPhone. [/QUOTE] There are some 3rd-party ones, such as [this](http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/iphone/pogo-stylus-tickles-your-iphone-with-more-precision-328847.php). They have to be specially made to simulate the capacitance (or whatever) of a finger, though – you can’t just use any piece of plastic; it doesn’t react. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/19 "2008-07-22T08:16:55Z")
[QUOTE=BrknButterfly] okay so the bubbles are growing on me and I am liking the Internet on this thing as well. So there is hope for me afterall. I was hoping to get a stlyis to help with the texting but guess you can’t use those with the iPhone. So far so good I guess. Just have to slow down when it comes to texting. [/QUOTE] Glad to hear you’re coming around – the iPhone guru knew you would 😉 Oh, and here’s a tip regarding the touch-screen keyboard: Don’t worry about mistakes. The iPhone uses a really cool/intelligent word recognition system where it automatically guesses what you meant to type, even if you hit the wrong key. Granted, it’s not perfect, but it works amazingly well, and will vastly speed up your typing – so don’t hit delete every time you miss a keystroke =P ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276/20 "2008-07-22T09:22:56Z")
[QUOTE=Red Barchetta] Oh, and here’s a tip regarding the touch-screen keyboard: Don’t worry about mistakes. The iPhone uses a really cool/intelligent word recognition system where it automatically guesses what you meant to type, even if you hit the wrong key. Granted, it’s not perfect, but it works amazingly well, and will vastly speed up your typing – so don’t hit delete every time you miss a keystroke =P [/QUOTE] Can it be set to different languages? And what happens if you type more than one language in a sentence? [sub]I waaant one…[/sub] [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-3g-question/457276.md?page=2)