Am I the only one bored with the iPad?

[Tyberian]

Warning: Long rant from a disappointed machead.

I admit that I was really excited about the iPad when I first got it and it was something new and fun. But for me it seems like the interest has completely vanished recently.

My main problem is the lack of good or interesting apps. The majority of good apps that I have on my iPad are simply ports of successful apps from the iPhone (Plants vs Zombie, Reeder, Epicurious). The majority of these apps don't give any functionality beyond what the iPhone provides.

-Plants vs Zombies is just an expensive version of the game.
-NY Times actually provides LESS content on the iPad than iPhone
-Things is not different at all from the iPhone app.
-ESPN SportsCenter is a PAYED app and the UI is awful.
-Netflix is just a slow version of the website. Not exactly finger friendly.
-Office^2 has a nightmarish UI. Too many apps using the Mail landscape layout.
-Magazine apps (I'm looking at you Wired) are interesting, but too damn expensive.

The vast majority of apps on my iPad are launch day apps. The only thing I downloaded in the past month was Reeder. I was willing to be patient, considering it takes time to develop and market apps, but it's already been exactly 3 months, we breached 10,000 native apps in the store, and there's still nothing too interesting.

If anything, I actually started using my iPhone more than ever, since it's way more mobile and convenient than carrying around my iPad. Not to mention that things like facebook and twitter work way better on the iPhone than the iPad.

The media seems to be immune to this sentiment. Every day I keep hearing tech/mac media talking about how the iPad is a massive success and the best thing on earth since porn. In the middle of this, having difficulty finding interest in this thing, I have to question whether people aren't criticizing the iPad because it's really so good and i'm missing something crucial, or because it's an apple product and it's become flavor of the month for the media to lick apple's boots?

Thoughts? Anybody else almost never using their iPad recently? I know I'm not the only one, since a recent retweet from First and 20 was along the same thought process, but I'm wondering how many of us are there.

Sent from my Desktop. because writing this on the iPad would be stupid slow.

 

[spinedoc77]

No I'm also bored with books in general, bored with all music, bored with magazines, bored with my periodicals on pdf, bored with movies on demand, bored with pictures, oh I'm bored with drawing programs and definitely bored with all games, bored with newpapers, hell I'm bored with the internet while we are at it.

 

[caubeck]

If you'd invested your money in watercolor paints instead, just imagine what great stuff you'd be doing by now! Or piano lessons!

I bought my iPad knowing how I was going to use it, and here I am, using it. Not because of some app, not because it was cool, but because I knew what I was buying. How come you didn't?

 

[petvas]

I bought an iPad two weeks ago and the novelty has still to go off. I love it! I love the mobility it has in doing some common computing things. Surfing the Internet, checking email, calendar, watching movies (just get Air Video, it is great), playing Command and Conquer, Pinball HD, Civilization and many other games, reading my RSS feeds with Feedler Pro, listening and watching podcasts and many many other things I cant even think about, all these things make me love the iPad. I believe that at some point the novelty will wear off, but that wont change the fact that this is a great device to surf the Internet and do some of the things I mentioned before. This is by far the best device I ever owned and I love it. i even use my ipad to manage my SABNZBD downloads...


I wrote this on my ipad and it was great!

No I'm also bored with books in general, bored with all music, bored with magazines, bored with my periodicals on pdf, bored with movies on demand, bored with pictures, oh I'm bored with drawing programs and definitely bored with all games, bored with newpapers, hell I'm bored with the internet while we are at it.

Are you maybe bored with Life?

 

[aristobrat]

I feel almost exactly the opposite, but I bough my iPad 3G for a specific task -- personal Internet access while at work.

It's more than met my expectations there. Just can't wait for iOS 4, ... it's weird to go from that on the iPhone back to 3.2 on the iPad.

I didn't expect this, but I find myself bringing only my iPad when I go on road-trips. This is so much more convenient for me than packing my 15" MBP around.

Lately I've been using the EyeTV app to stream live local TV to my iPad when I'm outside doing yard work and stuff.

 

[Q-Dog]

If it only had Internet and e-mail, I'd still have one. It really is my main Internet and email device.

 

[kemperman]

Am I the only one bored with the iPad?

In a word yes, I bought mine on launch day in the UK after a recommendation from a friend. I love it for doing exactly what I'm doing now.. Sitting on my sofa surfing the web! The ported apps aren't groundbreaking but the ones made specifically for the iPad are fantastic, you don't need apps for using this for web surfing, watching films/tv as it's great in its own right!

 

[wolfpackfan]

Interesting topic and I hope it can be discussed reasonably without turning into a flamefest. I do have to say my use of my iPad has changed greatly since I made my purchase. At first I thought my iPad would pretty much replace my use of my desktop as well as a lot of what I use my iPhone for. Over time this has just not happened. I am finding the iPad is just too restrictive in some areas to replace my desktop. There are still a number of websites that are flash based that I really need access to. Also there are some Mac apps I need that there is no corresponding iPad app I can use (Quicken mainly and printing). As far as my iPhone use goes, at first I was toting my iPad everywhere but over time that has been reduced a great deal. I'm finding I'm going back to using my iPhone more lately and leaving my iPad home. What I do use my iPad for is web browsing and email around the house and watching videos. I am still happy with my iPad, but looking back now I wish I had spent the extra money for a MBP.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Interesting thoughts. I'm not bored yet, but I do use my iPhone 4 way more than the iPad.

 

[sapporobaby]

Warning: Long rant from a disappointed machead.

I admit that I was really excited about the iPad when I first got it and it was something new and fun. But for me it seems like the interest has completely vanished recently.

My main problem is the lack of good or interesting apps. The majority of good apps that I have on my iPad are simply ports of successful apps from the iPhone (Plants vs Zombie, Reeder, Epicurious). The majority of these apps don't give any functionality beyond what the iPhone provides.

-Plants vs Zombies is just an expensive version of the game.
-NY Times actually provides LESS content on the iPad than iPhone
-Things is not different at all from the iPhone app.
-ESPN SportsCenter is a PAYED app and the UI is awful.
-Netflix is just a slow version of the website. Not exactly finger friendly.

-Office^2 has a nightmarish UI. Too many apps using the Mail landscape
layout.

-Magazine apps (I'm looking at you Wired) are interesting, but too damn
expensive.

The vast majority of apps on my iPad are launch day apps. The only thing I
downloaded in the past month was Reeder. I was willing to be patient,
considering it takes time to develop and market apps, but it's already been
exactly 3 months, we breached 10,000 native apps in the store, and there's
still nothing too interesting.

If anything, I actually started using my iPhone more than ever, since it's way
more mobile and convenient than carrying around my iPad. Not to mention
that things like facebook and twitter work way better on the iPhone than the
iPad.

The media seems to be immune to this sentiment. Every day I keep hearing
tech/mac media talking about how the iPad is a massive success and the best
thing on earth since porn. In the middle of this, having difficulty finding
interest in this thing, I have to question whether people aren't criticizing the
iPad because it's really so good and i'm missing something crucial, or because
it's an apple product and it's become flavor of the month for the media to lick
apple's boots?

Thoughts? Anybody else almost never using their iPad recently? I know I'm not
the only one, since a recent retweet from First and 20 was along the same
thought process, but I'm wondering how many of us are there.

Sent from my Desktop. because writing this on the iPad would be stupid
slow.

Sigh......Another _________( fill in the blank thread )....

Maybe you aren't satisfied with anything or are just a serial complainer. Speaking of developing apps, which one have you developed so I can check it out. Did you submit it to the App Store yet?

Interesting topic and I hope it can be discussed reasonably without turning into a flamefest. I do have to say my use of my iPad has changed greatly since I made my purchase. At first I thought my iPad would pretty much replace my use of my desktop as well as a lot of what I use my iPhone for. Over time this has just not happened. I am finding the iPad is just too restrictive in some areas to replace my desktop. There are still a number of websites that are flash based that I really need access to. Also there are some Mac apps I need that there is no corresponding iPad app I can use (Quicken mainly and printing). As far as my iPhone use goes, at first I was toting my iPad everywhere but over time that has been reduced a great deal. I'm finding I'm going back to using my iPhone more lately and leaving my iPad home. What I do use my iPad for is web browsing and email around the house and watching videos. I am still happy with my iPad, but looking back now I wish I had spent the extra money for a MBP.

There is no Flash on the iPhone either and I hope it never comes. You know that right? Second, I have been pruning on my iPad for quite a while. There are several apps to choose from. The iPad was never meant to replace the desktop. If you purchased it for this reason you clearly had no idea of what you were purchasing in the first place. If you had paid more attention in the first place you might have purchased an MBP.

 

[rikbrown]

For me, it's filling the exact niche I bought it for.

I can sit on the sofa, relax, or wherever (chairs, the floor, wherever I happen to be perching in my house) and browse the web, chat (IM+), whatever.
Games are fun - either seeing who can do the best in singleplayer (Angry Birds HD, Mod Conflict, etc) or multiplayer-on-the-same-pad (MultiPong, FoozBall, Glow/Touch Hockey).

Basically, I didn't buy it as a novelty device, I bought it to replace my laptop in /certain/ situations: i.e. where I didn't need a full computer, but simply something to browse the web and play fun games on.

If you bought it for the novelty without any real purpose, I see how it could be boring by now. If you bought it for a use, then I'm sure you're still enjoying it

 

[wyneken]

These excerpts seem to tell much of the story.

The majority of good apps that I have on my iPad are simply ports of successful apps from the iPhone (Plants vs Zombie, Reeder, Epicurious). The majority of these apps don't give any functionality beyond what the iPhone provides.

The vast majority of apps on my iPad are launch day apps. The only thing I downloaded in the past month was Reeder.

Sent from my Desktop. because writing this on the iPad would be stupid slow.

It sounds like you're kind of stuck. Obviously if the vast majority of apps you're using are from launch day, then they are mostly upscaled iPhone apps that were rushed to market, or new apps that were created by developers who hadn't even seen or touched an actual iPad. How much can you expect under these circumstances?

Also the fact that you don't feel comfortable doing something as simple as posting a comment with the iPad suggests that you haven't settled into using the new device. So maybe it's not for you. That's cool.

But I don't think you can blame the lack of software. I personally have found more interesting apps than I have time to check out. Have you even been looking?

I mean, jeez, three months is not a long time. Really creative things don't magically appear out of nowhere. It takes a bit of time for app developers to get a feel for the capabilities and limitations of a new device, to mull over what can be done with it, and to do them. And then to test and refine them. And finally to bring them to market.

Some of my favorite apps are pretty new. There are new apps coming out all the time as developers try to one-up each other. One of the joys (?) of early adoption is to watch these things play out.

 

[spinedoc77]

Are you maybe bored with Life?

My point was (if you missed the sarcasm really?) if they stopped releasing apps for the ipad tomorrow I would still be incredibly happy with it.

 

[mprofit]

I just bought my iPad yesterday and absolutely love it, so to answer your initial question, no.

However, purely from an app standpoint, which seems to be a main focus for you with your iPad, I can see your point. I've downloaded a few apps and browsed the App Store, yet aside from the "big" apps like Plants vs. Zombies HD and Angry Birds HD, I haven't really found many that would compell me to buy. The top twenty of so paid apps haven't really changed much in the last few weeks it seems. I guess I'm slightly disappointed and maybe a little concerned with the iPad App Store, both because of its selection (or lack thereof), and because of the difficulty of navigating through its thousands of apps (not a new issue).

I would say wait it out a little longer, and hopefully app developers who may have been focused on delivering iPhone 4-specific apps will return to the iPad. The iPad is still a wonderful device aside from apps, and so far I've been more than impressed.

 

[Clix Pix]

Bored with my iPad? Not at all.........

 

[appleguy123]

I bought my iPad on US launch day. I am almost bored with it. I use ot to play silly games and on the fly web browsing at home. I use my iPhone 4 way more! It turns out that the Mac is still the perfect machine for most tasks.

 

[wolfpackfan]

There is no Flash on the iPhone either and I hope it never comes. You know that right? Second, I have been pruning on my iPad for quite a while. There are several apps to choose from. The iPad was never meant to replace the desktop. If you purchased it for this reason you clearly had no idea of what you were purchasing in the first place. If you had paid more attention in the first place you might have purchased an MBP.

Sheesh, I knew I shouldn't have posted in this thread. I knew exactly what I was buying when I bought my iPad. I had hoped my usage would change, but it didn't. I paid complete attention. I just thought I wouldn't need those flash sites as much (or would miss them as much). But I do. And yes, I know the iPhone doesn't run flash. I'm not that stupid. I access the flash websites on my Mac.

I LOVE MY IPAD. But just not to the extent, I had hoped. You folks are simply amazing. Anyone at all that expresses the slightest complaint, gets labelled immediately as ignorant or a complainer or a whiner. It is folks like this, that turn so many of us off with Apple products.

 

[jaw04005]

The lack of iOS 4 and iPad-specific apps isn't helping. A person can only pay a 300+ percent premium over the iPhone app price for now slightly better graphics (960x640 vs. 1024x768) so many times. But I still use mine everyday after work for web surfing.

I hope now that iOS 4 is out, they're back to focusing on the iPad. It needs a lot of work (software wise). It's also pretty pathetic Apple doesn't even have versions of its first-party applications available for iPad yet (Remote, MobileMe Gallery, iDisk, Apple Store, etc). They've had iPad development tools longer than anyone else.

iPad is very much a 1.0 product.

 

[roundobi]

I am a college student and use it to take notes during classes. It is pretty handy, much lighter than laptops i'd be carrying around.

 

[sapporobaby]

Sheesh, I knew I shouldn't have posted in this thread. I knew exactly what I was buying when I bought my iPad. I had hoped my usage would change, but it didn't. I paid complete attention. I just thought I wouldn't need those flash sites as much (or would miss them as much). But I do. And yes, I know the iPhone doesn't run flash. I'm not that stupid. I access the flash websites on my Mac.

I LOVE MY IPAD. But just not to the extent, I had hoped. You folks are simply amazing. Anyone at all that expresses the slightest complaint, gets labelled immediately as ignorant or a complainer or a whiner. It is folks like this, that turn so many of us off with Apple products.

Wrong. The way I understood it from you was that you iPhone was now able to visit these Flash sites or maybe I misunderstood you. The fact remains, there was plenty of info regarding the iPad before and after it dropped to make informed purchases. You went ahead and purchased it anyway knowing what you say you already knew. Fine enough, and reasonable. My gripe is not with you personally, but with the constant complainers that start threads about how the iPad doesn't do this or that when it was clearly stated before they hit the shelves. Buyers remorse is fine, but to devote a thread to it is sort of whiny in my opinion.

 

[DylanLikesPorn]

I wish iPads have a vibrate mode.

 

[Tyberian]

Wrong. The way I understood it from you was that you iPhone was now able to visit these Flash sites or maybe I misunderstood you. The fact remains, there was plenty of info regarding the iPad before and after it dropped to make informed purchases. You went ahead and purchased it anyway knowing what you say you already knew. Fine enough, and reasonable. My gripe is not with you personally, but with the constant complainers that start threads about how the iPad doesn't do this or that when it was clearly stated before they hit the shelves. Buyers remorse is fine, but to devote a thread to it is sort of whiny in my opinion.

Your argument is really weak. Yes you are right that there was plenty of launch day information about the iPad. That information was a ton of GREAT apps like Epicurious, Elements, Scrabble, Formula 1 app, Marvel Comics. My problem is that after Day 1 there has been pretty much 0 apps of similar quality. If your reason to buy an iPad was 5-6 great apps and the ability to play Flash-level games on your couch, I don't know what else needs to be said.

 

[DaveOZ]

Nope. I've brought mine on holidays for the first time and loving it. I watched Avatar on the flight and never got bored. I've been able to load photos and email them to family. Read news in bed and surf the net while sitting in a sun chair on the beach. I like it.....

 

[sapporobaby]

Again, the iPad was probably the most over-hyped as well as critiqued product launched, excluding he new iPhone of course. Before I purchased my iPad i thought about the uses of my MBP as well as the uses of my iPhone and decided that the iPad fills a niche. Being that I had money to burn, you brought up the chest thumping and pissing contest, I bought a wifi only version just to test it out before I decided to spring for the 3G version. Unlike you, i took my research to the next level and made an informed decision based on practical, everyday experiences. Thus my iPad performs and provides the same level of satisfaction that it did when I first bought it. I am not looking for it to do more than that because I know it is not capable.

 

[spinedoc77]

I was giving you an answer on all the things the ipad does, some of which are its core functionality. That core functionality does not have to be exciting, but it keeps me from lugging around 100lbs. of books, newspapers, my medical periodicals, pictures, movies, my television set (stream TV), hell I can even make a case that it saves me from carrying my desktop PC as with remote connection I can completely control my home PC! Now those may not be exciting for you, but for me they are. That's the reason why if there were not any more apps for the ipad EVER I'd be quite happy with it until ipad 2.0.