Buyers remorse and the iPad

[Mounds]

It's finally time to admit it: the iPad was a bad buy.

It's been slightly over a year that I've had it. At first, it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. I was reading books, typing up thoughts, playing games, watching videos, and surfing the web. I wasn't exactly sure how it would fit into my life, but I was pretty confident it would happen.

Thirteen months later, it still doesn't fit into my life.

Here's a list of the problems:

- it's not an iPod. I'm not going to carry it around and listen to music.
- it's not really made for playing movies. Constantly having my head down watching a screen is just bad news.
- the flagship writing app, Pages, has a terrible filing system, no word count, and several other missing features.
- $35 a month for 5 GB of data. Fat chance.
- the games (with the exception of Plants vs Zombies), kinda suck. I have an XBox and it hammers the crap out of anything in the App Store.
- the only thing I really loved about it was reading (nice big screen). Only problem is that now I take most of my books from the library.

The final blow came this morning. I wanted to breathe new life into my unit so I started searching for the best apps. One app would let me stream videos from my computer, on my iPad. Another (FlipBoard) would aggregate my RSS feeds into an app that made it look like a magazine.

My apathy quickly soared to new heights, and I closed the window.

When this tablet dies, I will never buy another. This is a prime example of buying based on an idealized version of yourself. Apparently, the me I had in mind was a relentless consumer of popular media. Square peg, meet round hole.

-Tim

[supertom]

I think cado said it best "apple's only product is its brand" Thanks for this feedback I won't get a iPad, I was thinking about it.

[Mounds]

Originally Posted by supertom

I think cado said it best "apple's only product is its brand" Thanks for this feedback I won't get a iPad, I was thinking about it.

That's an excellent way of putting it!

Here's a similar perspective on the iPad that drives the points home:

Why I'm Returning My Apple iPad ($AAPL) - SocialTimes.com

Justifying the purchase is exactly what I've tried to do for the past year.

-Tim

[Aminka Ozmun]

This is why I'm so awestruck by the power of marketing, and why I'm working on a handful of sites right now to see if, despite being very niche-y, I could market them to some semblance of mass appeal!

Much easier to do with an actual product, especially technological goodies, of course, but still....

Wish me luck selling snowballs to Eskimos!

[Tarzansjane]

Oh I so totally disagree with this. The iPad is amazing. I've had mine for almost a year and I am not tired of it in the least.

My complaint is the keyboard. I would use it more if the keyword were easier to type on.

But I consider it one of the best purchases I've ever made, hands down. And I bought based on IT, not on marketing.

That's all I'm gonna say.

[Angela]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I may be getting one anyway, for doing presentations and trainings.

[Andrew Brunelle]

I would probably never buy an iPad, simply because I really can't see when I would ever use it. If I have a laptop right here, what would be the point in using an iPad? And I'm not too keen on Apple products anyway, mostly because I've had PCs most of my life. And so far, I'm very happy with them.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by Andrew Brunelle

If I have a laptop right here, what would be the point in using an iPad?

The one-pieceness of an iPad is actually a significant difference with the two-pieceness of a laptop.

When you try reading a book on a laptop and a book on a Kindle, you will see the difference.

An ipad is something cosy and compact to use, when you are in bed, or in a sofa, or a plane seat. Much more so than a laptop.

[Dimitri]

@ALG Then isn't the Kindle a better option? No LCD can compete with e-ink when it comes to reading.

I completely agree with buyer's remorse. You buy it and you feel obliged to use it, because you bought it so therefore it must have some value from you. And so you try to squeeze out value from it.

I bought one and spent hours trying to organize my life around it and see how many things I could do on it. I finally admitted that there is nothing that I can do an iPad that I can't do better elsewhere.

Typing on the touchscreen is worse than typing on a keyboard. Buying a wireless keyboard just goes to show that laptops and computers already work. Besides, there's no Colemak wireless keyboard for Apple.

Watching movies on the iPad seems comfy and cozy but again, computers and TV do it better. Especially if you download movies and spend hours converting them to an iPad-compatible format. No.

Buying apps to make your life better and make yourself more organized like mindmaps and to-do apps is just time-wasting when you can just open up a Word document and start typing away plans and organizing your thoughts. If you use an app on the go, then you'd use it on your iPhone and iPod touch.

Reading: get an e-reader.

Browsing the web: just like with movies, if you really want to spend time browsing the web, then sit down in front of a computer and browse. If you really want to watch a movie, sit down in front of the computer or TV and watch. There's no need to make it seem like browsing the web on your iPad will save you time or will help you accomplish more.

Basically, the iPad aims to convince us that mouse-free, keyboard-free devices are better. This is true only if the device is portable, like an iPhone. But the iPad is a hassle to carry around, so nope. Total mistake.

[BillyTheAdult]

Never been tempted to buy an iPad even slightly, but check this iPhone 5 Concept Features - YouTube ♥♥♥♥ out. Now that is worth having.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by Dimitri

@ALG Then isn't the Kindle a better option?

Yes, if you only read books and do nothing else with an iPad.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by Dimitri

This is true only if the device is portable, like an iPhone. But the iPad is a hassle to carry around, so nope. Total mistake.

??? How can an ipad be a hassle to carry around, in comparison to a laptop?

I carry my ipad everyday. Sometimes, standing on a crowded train, I will still browse my ipad. Not quite so possible with a two-piece laptop.

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by Mounds

I have an XBox and it hammers the crap out of anything in the App Store.

You can't bring your Xbox on an aeroplane or a train.

[pyrogen]

I quite love my iPad 2, but it's good for what I specifically use it for.

If I had to do extensive amounts of writing on something portable, I'd find my old Asus eee netbook (I was an early adopter - I got this in '08, when it was the first netbook on the market in my area) far more convenient.

My iPad is not a game machine or a computer or a portable mp3 player; it works perfectly for the niche it fills, and that niche is when I need to either take brief/short notes in school, update my planner, keep short notes, write and read email, surf the web, and watch movies... and I can do this curled up in a recliner chair, with a blanket and a mug of cocoa. I can also do (much) of this on transit to and from school.

I do not bother with the data plan because I spend most of my time within reach of a free wifi connection and it's not worth the money.

[pyrogen]

Oh, one last. Watching movies while curled up in bed with my cat. FTW!

If you have to watch with your head down, then you just need to get a stand, and it's an easy enough thing to jerry rig.

Check out the one made from legos!

Seven DIY iPad Stands for Six Bucks or Less

[Acting Like Godot]

Originally Posted by pyrogen

My iPad is not a game machine or a computer or a portable mp3 player; it works perfectly for the niche it fills, and that niche is when I need to either take brief/short notes in school, update my planner, keep short notes, write and read email, surf the web, and watch movies... and I can do this curled up in a recliner chair, with a blanket and a mug of cocoa. I can also do (much) of this on transit to and from school.

I do not bother with the data plan because I spend most of my time within reach of a free wifi connection and it's not worth the money.

Same here. I download whatever I need when I am at home .... Then the rest of the time I use it without an Internet connection.

Actually, right now, I am at home sitting on a toilet bowl, and typing on my iPad at the same time.

[Lil Chris]

Originally Posted by acting like godot

same here. I download whatever i need when i am at home .... Then the rest of the time i use it without an internet connection.

Actually, right now, i am at home sitting on a toilet bowl, and typing on my ipad at the same time.

lol!

[Lil Chris]

I love my iPad2 also. The portability of it is great. I mostly use at home, so no need for data plan. Ironically, not a fan of apple and the way the company does things, especially with iTunes.

[cacheborn]

Thanks for the info. I was not going to get it in any case, does not fit into my minimalist lifestyle. (My cell phone can be used only for calling and texting. )

[reflections]

I wouldn't go so far as to say that I love my Ipad. I've got one, I use it for reading ebooks but I use my laptop for everything else.

[James Fletcher]

Originally Posted by Mounds

- $35 a month for 5 GB of data. Fat chance.

Be grateful you have alternatives. Here in down under that would still be considered a pretty good deal. Our internet lags behind that of many developing nations.

[MariconesUnited]

Today we've learned that different products appeal to different people. Yay!

[Mounds]

You guys bring up some good points.

I'm now reminded of the 12 hour drive to my in-laws. The iPad is very nice to have on those trips. Also, I love to journal on here (typing on it right now ). Some of the learning apps are pretty cool (wish they had more for adults).


The sad part is that I really do want to heart my iPad. It's got so many options that I thought I'd use, such as the To-Do app, the calendar, the contact book, ect.

It's like Dimitiri said. I tried organizing my life around it, but it doesn't do anything better than what I'm doing already.

For example, I have a To-Do app on here. I'm always creating to-do lists, so I thought it would be a perfect match. In reality, it's clunky. Pen and paper is 10x faster.

Just one example of course... Many more where that came from.

I guess the iPad and I are just not a match.

[moonrambler]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

Actually, right now, I am at home sitting on a toilet bowl, and typing on my iPad at the same time.

TMI alert!

[Mounds]

Originally Posted by moonrambler

TMI alert!

Let's be glad it's not an iPad 2. You think it's TMI now? Imagine if there were photos.

-Tim

[Dimitri]

I think it's important to have a purpose to work towards at any time during your day. This means: consciously deciding to work and then working, consciously deciding to relax and then relaxing, and in this case, consciously choosing to browse the web and then going and browsing.

This whole business of stealing a few minutes of browsing/planning/writing while waiting for the train or while being in the bathroom... it really doesn't amount to anything in your life. We all know that we can accomplish far more when we commit ourselves to one task for a long stretch of time rather than doing the task in chunks. In our case, web browsing is not even a task. It's not something you can finish. There's no end in sight. It's just something you do to spend your time while waiting, checking your email, forums, etc.

What's better for me is to have a book or an e-reader with me and read. With reading, at least you know you're getting something done and you know the end result (finishing the book). With browsing or planning, there's no end in sight. I would dedicate a separate hour just for planning or for browsing. If you really need to jot something down, that's where the portability of the iPod touch or iPhone comes in handy. It's always with you and in your pocket.

You'll also note that most of the time you web browse is to read. It's better to have a book because you don't waste time looking for what to read. You know what you're reading, you always have a purpose in mind.

[marinik]

I love my iPad 1 and 2. I use it all the time, specially at board meetings were I don't have to printout anything any more. I use it when I travel so I leave my MacBookPro at home. I also have a Kindle that love too. But the Kindle is just an eBook device. I love watching movies and videos on airports while I wait for a connecting fligh.

[Spinoza]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

??? How can an ipad be a hassle to carry around, in comparison to a laptop?

I carry my ipad everyday. Sometimes, standing on a crowded train, I will still browse my ipad. Not quite so possible with a two-piece laptop.

Why not get a tablet pc. I always wondered about the Ipad craze since it seemed like you could get a tablet pc that was more powerful and more functional for the same price. Not that I'm criticizing, if it works for you that's great.

PS..using my android phone while on the toilet bowl is the best, Star Trek was never more enjoyable.