Image from Engadget Mobile
A lot of people have been poring over screenshots from the iPhone Software Roadmap event — our own Chad Garrett saw evidence that there might be Task/ToDo functionality built into iCal. The other shot that’s been making the rounds is the one above, where you can clearly see a magnifying glass at the top of the “scrolling strip” in the contacts app. The current speculation is that it will finally allow us to “Type to find” a contact rather than have to scroll through the list. That’s what I want, but Pocketnow has just posted up an editorial with this little tidbit:
However, none of the internet communities made mention of how this may be a function of the integration of Microsoft function; rather, these sites just mention it as an Apple update. [...] However, thinking back to the contacts search, perhaps this is a Microsoft innovation related to server searching ability for contacts and emails.
AHA! We know that Apple already told us we’d be able to search through an Exchange server’s Global Address list, and I wondered how exactly it would work. On Windows Mobile a search just automatically scans through both your local and the Exchange list — with luck it will do the same on the iPhone. It’s possible, though, that all we’ll get is a separate search of Exchange with that icon. Windows Mobile uses very similar databases as Exchange so a common search is likely much easier to implement than it would be on the iPhone.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that search icon might not give us the contact search functionality we’ve been jonesing for.
Apple’s Thursday press release (via Ars Technica), while big on Enterprise and chock-full of SDK goodness, also snuck in some new, long sought-after features for one of the built-in apps: MobileMail (Mail Touch?).
In addition to these new iPhone network and security features, the beta iPhone 2.0 software provides several new Mail features such as the ability to view PowerPoint attachments, in addition to Word and Excel, as well as the ability to mass delete and move email messages.
But what about the other built-in apps like Calendar and Contacts?
Our own eagle-eyed Chad Garrett has already spotted a mysterious new icon on Calendar, and predicted we may indeed see Task integration (GTD’ers, put it on your to do’s!).
Now BlargKABOOM (via TUAW) has hauled out the iMicroscope and discovered yet another tantalizing new icon, this time in Contacts:
It is a little spotlight icon right above the A on the alphabet.
Does this mean we may just be getting search as well? If so, how will it be implemented, and will it be limited to contacts or (dare we hope?) system wide, SDK-level CoreSearch?
iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, YouTube, the Weather, Stock and other widgets, and MobileSafari Touch have all had search for a while now. C’mon Apple, share the love!
Yesderday’s Apple Event was very, very exciting. My wife is a clinician and was almost leapt off of the couch when she saw Epocrates with the new functionality. I was excited by the gaming apps; go figure.
With all of this energy around the SDK, you might ask why am I feeling a bit disappointed? I feel there is still a lot of work to be done with the core iPhone applications and functionality. The iPhone has been out a year, yet there is basic and fundamental functionality still missing. I think we know what the big ones are; copy/paste and MMS. However, there are some areas that I don’t feel get enough attention. These areas include search and calendars.
It is very difficult to find an appointment on the iPhone. I literally have to go day by day to find an appointment. Since the iPhone runs OS X, where is my Spotlight?
For those of us who use multiple calendars, why can’t I add an appointment to any one of my calendars instead of a default one? While we are on the topic, where is my Notes and Task syncing?
I did notice the 2.0 calendar that was shown had the calendar buttons placed on the bottom instead of the top and a mysterious button located in the lower right. Could it be a task button? Am I getting worked up over nothing? Only time will tell.
