Tech Geeks: Why do some people have 4.2.1 problems?

[Tinman]

True, but I was speaking to the more general point of discussion: how can identical devices have different reactions. Since nothing is truly identical then in that light, faulty parts and build quality can come into play...

Not likely. These things work or they don't. They don't "run poorly" due to some hardware not being installed at factory: they don't run at all.

Much MORE likely is the human element. FAR more "faulty parts and build quality." OK went a lil far on THAT one..... lol!




Michael

 

[BrennB]

LOL I get what you're saying....
Just saying....equipment can and does fail...as likely as user error no....

 

[Superbike81]

Thanks for the detailed responses, sometimes it's just hard to understand how people can have these kinds of problems that we are seeing.

 

[wrecklass]

Not likely. These things work or they don't. They don't "run poorly" due to some hardware not being installed at factory: they don't run at all.

Much MORE likely is the human element. FAR more "faulty parts and build quality." OK went a lil far on THAT one..... lol!

Michael

Hardware tends to have a pattern to failure. You get a crash one day and nothing seems to be wrong. It works fine again and you forget about it.

Then it crashes again and while you are investigating the problem it crashes again. A few hours/days later it keeps crashing every time you attempt to use the device.

Hardware tends to fail in this way. A connection being broken due to oxidation, memory chips failing due to temperature overheat, disk sectors with poor magnetic coating finally breaking down.

Working in a big data center we see the problems all the time. And you wouldn't believe how often it finally goes south when you do one of the following: Reboot the system for the first time in months, install a new piece of software or even more frequently when you install/upgrade a new OS. Things work fine in the steady state, but as soon as you stress the system by doing something like updating an entire OS or firmware the system collapses.

I know the iPad is Solid state and hardware failures are rare, but they are not impossible. And they tend to appear with the same patterns as other hardware failures. Now if you take rare and multiply it by several million devices you get a number of failures that will surprise you.

I'll grant that other variables are just as likely, but dismissing the possiblility of failures in hardware during an upgrade just doesn't track with observed reality.

 

[Tinman]

Not likely. These things work or they don't. They don't "run poorly" due to some hardware not being installed at factory: they don't run at all.

Much MORE likely is the human element. FAR more "faulty parts and build quality." OK went a lil far on THAT one..... lol!

Michael

Hardware tends to have a pattern to failure. You get a crash one day and nothing seems to be wrong. It works fine again and you forget about it.

Then it crashes again and while you are investigating the problem it crashes again. A few hours/days later it keeps crashing every time you attempt to use the device.

Hardware tends to fail in this way. A connection being broken due to oxidation, memory chips failing due to temperature overheat, disk sectors with poor magnetic coating finally breaking down.

Working in a big data center we see the problems all the time. And you wouldn't believe how often it finally goes south when you do one of the following: Reboot the system for the first time in months, install a new piece of software or even more frequently when you install/upgrade a new OS. Things work fine in the steady state, but as soon as you stress the system by doing something like updating an entire OS or firmware the system collapses.

I know the iPad is Solid state and hardware failures are rare, but they are not impossible. And they tend to appear with the same patterns as other hardware failures. Now if you take rare and multiply it by several million devices you get a number of failures that will surprise you.

I'll grant that other variables are just as likely, but dismissing the possiblility of failures in hardware during an upgrade just doesn't track with observed reality.

It is very much observed reality. Since the first iPhone came out I have had over two hundred people swear their device was broken or malfunctioning... every single time there wasn't anything wrong with it.

Now someone whose pics look like they came from a .25 MP camera? Yea that is hardware but it rarely comes out during an upgrade.

Computers with moving parts, non-permanent connectors (eg, RAM), barely attached cables, electric motors (fans--big one right there), power surges during boot, etc. are a different animal... not the same thing.

The hardware in these iOS devices is so tight they often survive water immersion. In fact I have rarely helped someone who had water immersion on an iphone not get it back to full working order. Now would I suspect a hardware issue on that device if something went awry down the road? You bet! But not suddenly during an upgrade.

Supporting, developing, and installing enterprise class applications has shown me that much of what people experience is not quite what they first assume is happening. When I come on site the questions I am asked are literally insane: "Your upgrade broke my email!" The app had nothing to do with email, and no upgrade was even done yet--barely got there. Lots of instances like that. I have even gotten blamed for a water fountain not working... true!




Michael

 

[josuebatista]

Bluetooth Problem 4.2.1

Hi guys!
I do not know if i had the problem with 4.2 because when i bought it i've upgraded it straight away.
But now, i cannot connect any device.
I turn on bluetooth on my iPad, and although my mobile and macbook Pro can see it, the iPad looks like it keeps searching and searching and finds nothing nor identify any device.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!

 

[BrennB]

Hi guys!
I do not know if i had the problem with 4.2 because when i bought it i've upgraded it straight away.
But now, i cannot connect any device.
I turn on bluetooth on my iPad, and although my mobile and macbook Pro can see it, the iPad looks like it keeps searching and searching and finds nothing nor identify any device.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!

Unless you're Jailbroken iPad's bluetooth does not connect to devices besides headsets and some keyboards. It does not work as a data transfer. So yours is acting normally.

 

[josuebatista]

Hello BrennB!
Thanks a lot for your answer.
Ive just turned on My Bluetooth headset and turn the sound into mono and still cant find it...
Ive been thinking about jailbreaking it. I have 4.2.1 is it tottaly safe?
Will i be able to transfer data?
Thanks again!

 

[BrennB]

I am not the one to talk to about jailbreak as I've never ventured. As far as Bluetooth did you put the headset in pairing mode.

 

[josuebatista]

Hi there!
Thanks again for your help, but yes it was in pairing mode.
Unless this headset is not compatible...
Thanks again for your help!

 

[BrennB]

Could be that. I would try another set just to see if you can get a connection, if you have a headset for like your cell phone see if you can pair that. I can listen to music from the iPad on my jawbone...

 

[thesoundsmith]

Look at the number of threads started with "where did the screen lock go?" or "the mute button does not mute". Folks just update the software and then start pushing buttons and get flustered.

So do you have a link where one can get this information? it seems to me that Apple releases new devices - computers, OS, iPad, iPod, etc. with virtually ZERO documentation, Stevie seems to belive we can all just 'figure it out' precisely how you are describing.

When Apple starts releasing real, readable and rational documentation, we may have better answers.

My big one, that i have been unable to answer either on Apple's site or in the OS manual (that would not download...) - I have never seen an app that deliberately disabled HARDWARE. Where's my screen lock? PLEASE - point me to the location where this info is hidden. maybe I'm just blind, but I worked in REAL databases (SQL, dBase, FoxPro) for 15 years, and I do not find the answer on Apple's site.

 

[iPadCharlie]

Look at the number of threads started with "where did the screen lock go?" or "the mute button does not mute". Folks just update the software and then start pushing buttons and get flustered.

So do you have a link where one can get this information? it seems to me that Apple releases new devices - computers, OS, iPad, iPod, etc. with virtually ZERO documentation, Stevie seems to belive we can all just 'figure it out' precisely how you are describing.

When Apple starts releasing real, readable and rational documentation, we may have better answers.

The Book of Luke Chapter 11 Verse 9 "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you"

Here is what you seek -- Apple - Support - Manuals

 

[thesoundsmith]

Thanks - been there with no luck, and this time it downloaded - I tried several times to get this doc a few days ago and could not. Xmas rush, I guess.

 

[kwgrimes]

Yes everyone, THANKS! great info here. And let's not forget that not all is created equal. As the col. said, with that many units being produced, there is a level of failure that the MFR (suppliers and, in this case Apple) have deemed acceptable. Yes, perfection is possible, but it comes at a huge price. A price which could result in the product being too expensive for the population Apple expects to sell too. MFRs build everything with an acceptable level of failures - electroncs, gadgets, cars, even airplanes. Hopefully, they cover that range of failure within their spec limits so as to limit or even elimitate the impact to the users. Take airplanes for instance. They typically only carry half the weight they are certified or capable of carrying. MFRs build for the majority of the population, but not for 100% of them. Just my thoughts.