# My GF can't use my iPhone



## mjager (Oct 8, 2007)

Her fingernails are too long, and it's difficult for her to tap with her finger. I thought that maybe the eraser end of a pencil would work, but that doesn't. 

So, 2 questions. What do women with long fingernails do when using an iPhone.
Also, is the keypad "heat" sensitive, meaning the only inputs it will recognize is from a finger?


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## [email protected] (Sep 24, 2007)

it's conductive, similar to the track pad on a laptop...

I think some companies make stylus pens which work with it...


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## whatiwant (Feb 21, 2008)

mjager said:


> Her fingernails are too long, and it's difficult for her to tap with her finger. I thought that maybe the eraser end of a pencil would work, but that doesn't.
> 
> So, 2 questions. What do women with long fingernails do when using an iPhone.
> Also, is the keypad "heat" sensitive, meaning the only inputs it will recognize is from a finger?


she should try using the pads of her fingers rather than the tips. or cut her nails.


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## James3967 (Aug 30, 2004)

My girlfriend can't use my iphone either.....because I won't let her  

Maybe a blessing in disguise?


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## mjager (Oct 8, 2007)

jawknee said:


> she should try using the pads of her fingers rather than the tips. or cut her nails.


Thats the issue right there, using the pads of her fingers make it very cumbersome due to the length of her nails. And no, she won't cut them :lmao:


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## jamesB (Jan 28, 2007)

mjager said:


> Thats the issue right there, using the pads of her fingers make it very cumbersome due to the length of her nails. And no, she won't cut them :lmao:


Oh yeh, some guys have all the luck.:lmao:


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## guytoronto (Jun 25, 2005)

Seems pretty obvious. Your girlfriend had long fingernails that prohibit her from using the iPhone:

Option 1 - Don't use the the iPhone
Option 2 - Cut the fingernails

Running around trying to find a solution, when the problem is NOT the iPhone is kinda silly. The problem is your girlfriend's devotion to her fingernails. Besides, tell her that really long finger nails scream Value Village fashion.


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

Plus, she could just strap on some guitar fingerpicks if she really needs to dig into yer back.


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## mjager (Oct 8, 2007)

guytoronto said:


> Seems pretty obvious. Your girlfriend had long fingernails that prohibit her from using the iPhone:
> 
> Option 1 - Don't use the the iPhone
> Option 2 - Cut the fingernails
> ...


Thanks for that valuable contribution. And keep your VV fashion comments to yourself


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## John Clay (Jun 25, 2006)

guytoronto said:


> Seems pretty obvious. Your girlfriend had long fingernails that prohibit her from using the iPhone:
> 
> Option 1 - Don't use the the iPhone
> Option 2 - Cut the fingernails
> ...


Agreed. :lmao:


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

Seriously, my daughter had the same problem with the demo in the store. She was trying to use her nails like a stylus. Fortunately, her nails are not that long yet and she just tilted her fingers a little so she could make contact.


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## winwintoo (Nov 9, 2004)

I hope someone is making *screen protectors* for the iPhone like you can get for a Palm handheld.

I ruined the screen on my Palm by playing too many games of solitaire on it. Fingernails might have the same tendency to leave tiny scratches as the stylus does.

Didn't the Apple engineers stroll through a mall before they designed this thing? Half the women in the world have long fingernails and the rest of us don't because we can't grow them or afford the cost of fake ones. In some parts of the world, men also have long fingernails.

Margaret


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## John Clay (Jun 25, 2006)

winwintoo said:


> I hope someone is making *screen protectors* for the iPhone like you can get for a Palm handheld.
> 
> I ruined the screen on my Palm by playing too many games of solitaire on it. Fingernails might have the same tendency to leave tiny scratches as the stylus does.
> 
> ...


It's a glass screen. Good luck scratching it with fingernails.


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

Maybe your nose would work, Or your tongue. Or some heat-emitting body part. How about toes?


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## mjager (Oct 8, 2007)

John Clay said:


> It's a glass screen. Good luck scratching it with fingernails.


Fingernails do not work on the iPhone, she tried that. It appears you need the flat part of your fingertip to use it.


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## winwintoo (Nov 9, 2004)

John Clay said:


> It's a glass screen. Good luck scratching it with fingernails.


Well, I guess you'd know.

iPod screens are glass too and a quick search will reveal how quickly they got scratched.

Margaret


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## John Clay (Jun 25, 2006)

winwintoo said:


> Well, I guess you'd know.
> 
> iPod screens are glass too and a quick search will reveal how quickly they got scratched.
> 
> Margaret


iPod (other than the touch) screens are a plastic polymer.


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## John Clay (Jun 25, 2006)

mjager said:


> Fingernails do not work on the iPhone, she tried that. It appears you need the flat part of your fingertip to use it.


Exactly. Cut her fingernails. Or get a stylus.


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## psxp (May 23, 2006)

winwintoo said:


> I hope someone is making *screen protectors* for the iPhone like you can get for a Palm handheld.
> 
> I ruined the screen on my Palm by playing too many games of solitaire on it. Fingernails might have the same tendency to leave tiny scratches as the stylus does.
> 
> ...


The original iPhone had a GLASS screen which is VERY scratch resistant. I had it in use since last Nov and only have one minor scratch on a naked iphone screen. From keys being jamed with iphone in pocket. 

yes, fingertip heat is what you need for the touch screen. Answering your iPhone is a pain in the Cold Canadian winter... lol! We'll see complaints coming later this year..


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## mjager (Oct 8, 2007)

John Clay said:


> Exactly. Cut her fingernails. Or get a stylus.


Forget cutting the fingernails folks, that isn't happening. 

That stylus looks like the answer I was hoping to get....thanks!


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## thedarkhorse (Jul 12, 2008)

if she curls her finger with a little practice she could use her knuckle, It's not the greatest for typing but you can navigate around the phone decently.


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

mjager said:


> Forget cutting the fingernails folks, that isn't happening.
> 
> That stylus looks like the answer I was hoping to get....thanks!


Looks like she'll need two styluses if she wants to do that pinching-to-resize thing. Seriously, dude, it might be cheaper just to get another girlfriend. :yikes:


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## mjager (Oct 8, 2007)

fjnmusic said:


> Seriously, dude, it might be cheaper just to get another girlfriend. :yikes:


:lmao: that isn't happening either :lmao: 

Anyways, thanks for all the replies. 

BTW, she has a phone, but I was hoping to convince her to get an iPhone, hence the original question.


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## CamCanola (Jan 26, 2004)

I have no immediate sources (reddit?) but I remember something about apple applying for a touch screen patent to accomodate fingernails. For what it's worth.


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## JustAMacUser (Oct 21, 2007)

mjager said:


> BTW, she has a phone, but I was hoping to convince her to get an iPhone, hence the original question.


My wife had the same trouble when first using the iPhone. She doesn't have really long nails, but it was still an issue. Eventually, she learned to use the phone without any trouble. It might just take a little bit of practice.


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## Chantal (Sep 14, 2007)

I had a good laugh reading this thread. All of a sudden, I had a mental image of someone with nails like Flo-Jo trying to use an iPhone.


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

mjager said:


> Thats the issue right there, using the pads of her fingers make it very cumbersome due to the length of her nails. And no, she won't cut them :lmao:


I don't hold much hope for this relationship particularly in matters where manual dexterity is needed if you get my drift and I think you do.


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## darrenlovesmac (Apr 29, 2008)

Chas, I totally agree. I was envisioning a certain part being sawed right off in the, uh, heat of the moment?

XX)


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

I don't suppose your girlfriend has nails like this?


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## azrail (Oct 3, 2007)

LMAO - nice thread - needed a laugh this eve - thx


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## JustAMacUser (Oct 21, 2007)

fjnmusic said:


> I don't suppose your girlfriend has nails like this?


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## Chantal (Sep 14, 2007)

I woke from my sleep because the A/C shut off. I made the mistake of checking this thread and looking at that picture. Now I will have nightmares for sure. 



fjnmusic said:


> I don't suppose your girlfriend has nails like this?


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## JustAMacUser (Oct 21, 2007)

Chantal said:


> I woke from my sleep because the A/C shut off. I made the mistake of checking this thread and looking at that picture. Now I will have nightmares for sure.


My reaction was the same as Data's in _Star Trek: Generations_ when he tasted that drink in Ten-Forward after having the emotion chip installed.*

(*With the exception that I'm *not* going to ask for more.)


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## irontree (Oct 28, 2006)

How about she just cut one nail, and call it her iPhone nail? lol


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## Mississauga (Oct 27, 2001)

Surely the girlfriend can wait for the full voice recognition iPhone, eh? I mean, we all know it's coming, right?


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## jabberjamie (Jun 12, 2008)

*problem solved*

I hate to bump this thread, but here you go:
MacRumors iPhone Blog: iPhone Stylus with Flexible Tip


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

Mississauga said:


> Surely the girlfriend can wait for the full voice recognition iPhone, eh? I mean, we all know it's coming, right?


I've seen the future, and it's all slidewalks, hovercars, and, still, Bruce Springsteen. And voice recognition for the iPhone will follow. And bluetooth stereo. And cut and paste. And turn by turn GPS.

.


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## Kosh (May 27, 2002)

psxp said:


> yes, fingertip heat is what you need for the touch screen. Answering your iPhone is a pain in the Cold Canadian winter... lol! We'll see complaints coming later this year..


As someone above already said, it's not heat that's needed, but conductivity. Skin is conductive (or whatever oil, water, salt is on your skin), fingernails aren't.

I hate women with long fingernails... those things are scary...

Let's see... what could shee use instead of a finger to use the phone...

- a toe
- a nuckle
- her nose
- a stylus
- voice activation - maybe there is a voice activation program


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## gmark2000 (Jun 4, 2003)

My wife can't seem to accurately type due to fingernails as well. Not an isolated issue.


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## Chantal (Sep 14, 2007)

I mentioned this thread to someone and he pointed me to this video on YouTube. Pretty funny.


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

"CrunchGear points to an interesting looking stylus from Japan that allows you to more precise movements than your finger might allow."

Boy, those Japanese designers think of everything. :lmao:


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## Mississauga (Oct 27, 2001)

Chantal said:


> I mentioned this thread to someone and he pointed me to this video on YouTube. Pretty funny.


Good one. The last eight words sum it up.

Thanks!


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## adagio (Aug 23, 2002)

I had a problem using the iPhone and my nails aren't crazy long. I've learned to type using the side of my finger. I make the odd mistake but I can always go back and correct.

If someone can't do as I do then the nails must be insanely long, in which case, they should be cut shorter a bit.


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