Apple iPad 4.2 and 4.2.1 Mute Sound Problem

Many people were asking us via e-Mail and by our Good e-Reader Forum about the latest Apple iPad 4.2 and 4.2.1 iOs updates causing a loss of sounds on their device. Some people reported issues like lost sounds on the keyboard, or other menus, including some games.

The solution is Apple changed the way Orientation locks via their built in accelerometer. Before you installed this update, there was a button above the volume control on your iPad that would lock your orientation, either in portrait mode or landscape. The button has been changed to mute your device or to unmute it. So if you had locked your device in one of the two modes before you installed this update, after the update your iPad would have muted all the sounds. The solution for this is obviously to unmute your iPad.

Now here is the main problem, if you want your orientation button back you have two options, either install the earlier firmware on your iPad or Jailbreak your iPad and download a new app called, you guessed it “NoMute” this is available for free at the Cydia store.

If you do not care about getting the button back, there is an option to fix this on your iPad, but it takes a few extra steps. First, you have to double click the main iPad HOME button, the big circle, it will then give you a toolbar at the bottom. Simply scroll to the left, via the proverbial iPad sweeping gesture and you will see the orientation lock displayed on the far left. You can click on it to lock the device to whatever orientation is displayed at the time you hit it. Although it takes a few extra steps to lock your orientation, and is really inconvenient, currently this is the only way possible to do it at the moment.

Many people on the internet including myself is up on arms about this casual decision to change the way we lock our orientation. We have received plenty of messages about how irate people are. People reported that they lock their orientation sometimes 10 to 20 times a day, and normally never mute the device.

There is a big movement to send Apple Feedback to reverse this in their next 4.3 iPad firmware update. The obvious question is whether they will listen to their customer base on the internet, which is notoriously fickle. It would obviously make more sense to relegate the mute button to the navigation bar and settings menu. Mainly because having mute, right next to the volume button makes the whole audio management process a little bit redundant.

Michael Kozlowski  (1799 Posts)

Michael Kozlowski is the Editor in Chief of Good e-Reader. He has been writing about electronic readers and technology for the last four years. His articles have been picked up by major and local news sources and websites such as the Huffington Post, CNET and more. Michael frequently travels to international events such as IFA, Computex, CES, Book Expo and a myriad of others. If you have any questions about any of his articles, please send Michael Kozlowski an email to michael@goodereader.com

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