Just as I got done griping about how Apple needs to re-prioritize the iPhone 2.0 OS development goals and bring cut-and-paste functionality to the forefront – ahead of turn-by-turn GPS navigation – I found this new iPhone application that boasts just such a feature. Granted, cut/paste functionality in this application isn’t a system-wide implementation, like we’d need to see for a truly workable cut-n-paste solution, but it’s a great start.
At first glance, the application seems to be a simple “notes” program, but a little exploration proves it to be much more. The application allows for rich text editing – something the iPhone’s “Notes” application fails to offer. And, combined with the ability copy text to another “note,” the application allows you to change the copied text’s font size, font color, font type, and even apply bold, italic, underline, and strike-through effects to the text.
Unfortunately, cutting and pasting text will only work within the application itself – allowing you to transfer text from one particular “note” to another. Apple’s iPhone SDK forbids this iPhone application from bringing its text-transfer capability to other iPhone apps.
Still, this latest iPhone cut-and-paste demonstration highlights the need for Apple to get working on true cut-and-paste functionality for the iPhone, and proves that it is indeed possible to get such a feature working on the iPhone’s multi-touch UI. We’ll be waiting for Apple to turn around and realize that the general iPhone-using public would rather have cut/paste in the near-term at the expense of having to wait for turn-by-turn GPS navigation. Until that happens, enjoy these screenshots of the text-copying iPhone rich text editor.
[Via: AppleiPhoneApps]