Eric Stewart: Running Off At The Mouth

So, yeah, instead of waiting, I got iOS 7 onto my phone as soon as I could (I didn’t even sync and backup the thing before I pushed the button).  I had to fight with the iPad2 a bit to get it to update (hint: I suggest syncing and backing up the device before you upgrade, but do your upgrade over the air instead of through iTunes).  So, chaotically mixed together, here are the things I like and hate so far:

• Font change: Well, my wife hates it; I’m mostly indifferent.  I admit the font choice makes things look cleaner to me and probably provides more space to cram information into.
• Some functions are more subtle: The swipe to unlock is more of just words on the screen than a button or switch image.  Again, I don’t mind this so much, but I think older folks might have a hard time adjusting to it.  I do like that –
• the screen slides completely over to the keypad or keyboard for typing in your unlock code or password.  But –
• I’m not so sure I like hate the styling of the keyboard now, especially considering how much –
• The changes to the Messages styling completely suck.  That shit is begging for me to download the iOS version of Handcent.
• The Apple icons seem a little more rounded.
• I do like that the system bar at the top (where your signal strength is) switches colors (so far I’ve seen blue in Facebook, but usually it’s just black or white) depending on the style of the theme on the display, but –
• I hate that many of the default app color schemes lean towards white background, darker text.  As you might guess from the look and feel of this site, I tend to go the other way.
• I’m not impressed that the color scheme for the stock app icons (like “Notes” or “Music”) are “brighter” than they were.  It’s like they’re a little off from where they should be.
• The animations are nice, especially when opening a folder of apps, and –
• If you couldn’t before, you can now swipe through multiple screens within a folder. However –
• I particularly detest that they decided that only nine icons would be shown on each folder screen.  My screen is perfectly big enough for 14, 16, or even 20!
• I really hate the “frosted transparent” background of the “dock” area.  That shit right there can go away.  I don’t need any visual indicator that those four icons aren’t going away when I swipe to another screen; and heck, if you’re going to steal ideas from Android, steal the ability to customize the damn thing.  Allow me to choose!
• I will say that the option to activate Siri by just putting the phone (if the screen is on) up to your ear is nice, and –
• My wife likes that you can give Siri a male voice now.
• It was annoying that I had to (yet again) upgrade iTunes to sync my phone, and that –
• Apple Software Update failed to update iTunes for me; I had to download it.

The things I dislike (or positively hate) completely outweigh the positives I’ve perceived.  I’d say stick to iOS 6 if you have a choice.  The overall font and color styling might be all little “old school”, but some of the styling choices are just way too ugly to me, and there’s no way to change them.