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Why I returned my iPad, purchased an iPhone 4 instead.

caubeck said:
I don't believe people who prefer to read on an iPhone, whatever the screen resolution, do much reading. I am sure they don't compose many texts, conduct much research online or edit too many documents or images. It's not just a question of screen clarity, it's having to focus on a space not much bigger than a bar of soap that makes it hard. If anyone goes for an iPhone instead of an iPad (or any tablet device or netbook) their needs must be very different from mine.

But I've substituted my netbooks and laptops with this thing and use it all day, every day, for writing books/articles, doing research, reading the news, watching TV and composing/translating documents at work.
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really, ibooks for iphone 4 is so much fun! i can't no longer read ibooks in ipad since my eyes have been spoiled by the retina display.
 
Jare said:
Originally I was very highly excited about the iPad release and the multitude of ways it would be useful to me. I played with it for a very long time after purchasing and quite enjoyed the time I had with it. It made my iPhone 3GS feel obsolete, small and ugly. For days on end I preached about how great the purchase was and how I did not regret investing my hard earned cash and it didn't bother me what so ever.

This was up until of course about a month or so after purchase date. Within 3 weeks I started to notice how there were not very many apps available that really took advantage of the iPad. I saw Flipboard (a social network magazine) and immediately that changed my mind and gave me hope that new things would surely come that could replenish my wonder in the iPad.

Although, nearly 5 weeks after purchasing it I noticed that the "magic" disappeared. Holding the iPad/sitting with it was awkward and I never really felt that I could take it outside or that it was "portable". Web browsing almost now felt like a chore on the iPad, no longer a convenience. It felt more like something I'd sit in a dock and use on occasion, which is actually exactly what happened. I propped it up in my iPad dock and just let it collect dust. Still, there were very little apps that actually intellectually stimulated me into using the iPad. It just really felt like I've seen it all before, but now on a bigger screen which really wasn't that amazing.

In reality the iPhone suited me just enough that I felt more comfortable taking it outside and doing daily tasks on it, even though I had less screen real-estate and some things took a little longer to do; it didn't bother me because I was able to do them conveniently. My iPhone was a MUCH better iPod (the iPad version looked like a really ugly version of iTunes something I don't think a lot of us love to use on a daily basis anyways it's more a necessity), a little worse Internet Browser (but I mean, I don't do a lot of internet browsing on the go anyways! Most things are just a quick look up here and there maybe a post on a forum or two) but a much more functional device all around. I mean the iPhone is a phone too, do we forget that often?

All in all I returned my iPad. I decided to upgrade my iPhone to an iPhone 4 and haven't looked back. The Camera both front and back with flash, nice retina display and more versatility over all swayed my return. Honestly if the iPad was actually more "portable" maybe a tad less heavy, but honestly it's not SO bad I didn't notice it too much other then prolonged use with one hand and smaller size would defiantly make me want to try revision 2.


Please understand that I am not bashing the iPad, or trying to sway you from purchasing one. I really hope that my opinion doesn't sway you from a purchase of an iPad. This is just my personal experience/opinion and obviously others will feel much different then me but I, as the average consumer did not feel that iPad version 1 wasn't really worth my money or time. Hoping for the future though.

PROS:
  • Great looking device, very sleak.
  • Very good screen size, takes advantage of some apps that do indeed need a larger screen.
  • Adds another Apple Device to your collection.
  • Great to show off to friends and lurkers that take a glance at you using it in public (never took mine out though..)
  • Flipboard. Enough said.
  • Decent upgrade from the iPod touch in terms of everything but the iPod.

CONS:
  • In reality isn't as portable as you'd want/hope it to be.
  • Useful for some, painful for others and all around not amazingly average consumer friendly.. YET.
  • No where near a computer/laptop replacement.
  • Back gets dirty VERY easily, even with generally clean hands.
  • Smudges, EVERYWHERE. Can't avoid them, pointless to clean them as they just reappear within 5 minutes of usage.
  • Seems fragile still, but hopefully this will change.
  • Very very limited selection of apps that actually interest the average user.
  • Re-buying "HD" apps at almost the same price as the app you purchased for your iPhone.
  • Horrible music device with gross looking refurbished iTunes UI.
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Cool story, bro!
 
Winni said:
And you know all these things about iOS 4 for iPad because you have already used it or because Apple has given you a detailed feature-list?

But of course, you are right, the iPad is a new device category, but the problem is that it is a device category for a yet undiscovered niche and its greatest hurdle to become really useful is its limited smartphone operating system that just doesn't cut it for a device of this new category.
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A fully redesigned touch OS that fits between Mac OS and iOS would go nicely.
 
Les Kern said:
Not fair, man. Not fair.

Good god, don't ever turn an APPLE product back in and make a list of personal experiences related to it for others to read, even though it's filled with fact and took quite a while to ponder and write. Might as well say "Mom, I'm dating a serial killer.". And THEN Calling them out... wouldn't it be better just to say to YOURSELF "I think that's self-serving" and move on to another post? Or leave a comment related to a part you might agree or disagree with? Oh, and THEN saying how he needs to UNDERSTAND the iPad and how to USE the iPad is ***** priceless.
PRICELESS.
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Thank you!

Also to everyone else: I'm glad that you can find a way to utilize your iPad. Especially for professionals I'm glad to see it being used wisely.
 
Wow, this is so opposite from my position and from my wife's. I got it for the neat new gadget factor and my wife roundly criticized the expense (what do you need it for?!) Two weeks later I'm having to pry it from her hands to get it from her. So I get her one of her own, but I neglected to get a 3G version (mistake!!). So a month later she says she is taking mine on her weekend trip! Solution, we purchase our 3rd iPad for the family!!

For me I was amazed with it from the beginning but it's uses for me grow and grow. Netfix has been fantastic, and soon HBO and Verizon will be on it too. I've read several eBooks now one the device and for reading professional scientific papers for work it is fantastic. It is my preferred web browser. This device is more useful and valuable to me now than when I fust got it.

Clearly YMMV!
 
sapporobaby said:
@OP,
You've made your point. Don't linger on like a bad divorce. The split was amicable. Just move on and don't look back.
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Your snarky is full of win today :)

I have an iPad and iPhone 4 and they both have their place. I'm not going to read National Geographic Traveler on my iPhone 4 on the couch, nor am I going to try and look at code in an Objective-C ebook on it either. iPad all the way for tech docs and magazines.

Even on the gorgeous screen of an iPhone 4, trying to pinch zoom all around a single paragraph to get a code snippet gets old fast.
 
Different strokes for different folks.

After having an iPad for 3 months and a crappy BlackBerry Storm for almost the last 2 years I decided to upgrade to an iPhone 4. While the iPhone 4 screen is beautiful I find that the iPad has way more useful apps than the iPhone 4 for me (i.e. journal, news apps, Netflix, etc.) and therefore I have only used my iPhone 4 for texting and making phone calls.

I don't plan on going back to a BlackBerry as I didn't care for them either but I'm not as wowed by the iPhone 4 as I thought I would be - but that is probably because I've already been spoiled by the iPad.
 
Makes sense OP.

For me I use both the iPad and iPhone 4. As a teacher that has private students, I find the iPad an amazing help both in teaching and in the downtime between my classes. I much prefer it to a laptop when I'm out and about. I find it very portable. The iPad has actually cut down on what I need to carry daily.

I use the iPhone for when I'm even more mobile, like walking or sitting in a taxi or just quick things. The retina display is awesome but it can't compare to the iPad for surfing the web or reading books for me. I read email on my phone, usually respond with my iPad.

I don't use my laptop anymore at all.

i do most of my work on my iPad but the heavy lifting on a desktop.

The iPad is wonderful and it's great that we can have these classes of devices to fit in to our personal lifestyles rather than fitting our lifestyles around the device.

Desktop, laptop, netbook, tablet, smart phone, to be used in any combination we like.

For me it's iPad, iPhone, Desktop in order of use. For the OP the iPad doesn't fit. For me there is no need for a laptop.
 
U can return the iPad after 5 weeks? The bestbuy guy told me 2 weeks? Owell, it's been 3 months and no complaints here!
 
drenline said:
U can return the iPad after 5 weeks? The bestbuy guy told me 2 weeks? Owell, it's been 3 months and no complaints here!
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It was out of their policy but since it was in mint condition they just accepted it without question.
 
Winni said:
Neither the iPad nor the iPhone are good mobile Internet devices, but the problem is that there are no good mobile Internet devices on the market. At all. Why? Because all mobile browsers plain and simple suck, especially those on mobile phones. And yes, I have an iPhone as well and if there is one thing that I almost never use, then it is Safari because it's just a horrible experience.

I also received my iPad a couple of days ago, and in a corner of my brain I'm already thinking about returning it to Apple. I've got a bunch of iPad apps on it (Pages, Keynote, Numbers, OmniGraffle, PenUltimate, OPlayer HD, Shredder, The Early Edition and a bunch of other XL or HD apps), but all the software restrictions of the iPad make this whole thing feel... Useless.

Depending on the rip, video playback (with OPlayer) on the iPad is not smooth at all. It drops frames and feels out of sync. This might be a software issue, but I don't really care because Apple's own lousy player doesn't play the formats that I use and so I have to use the only available third party app for it. And the iPad doesn't cut it.

Writing on the iPad is a horrible experience thanks to its lousy on screen keyboard. I write a lot and fast, so I need something that's good enough for that purpose. The on screen keyboard isn't, end of story.

Well, the only two things work really well for me so far are Shredder and Plants vs Zombies HD. But somehow, just somehow, this doesn't quite justify the 538 Euros that I just spent on the iPad hardware alone (not counting all the software licenses).

I begin to think that I should have bought the Kindle instead and spend the rest of the money on eBooks - which I could even read in bright daylight on a Kindle, but which is not possible with an iPad because of its daylight-incompatible display.

The current incarnation of the iPad is about as useless as the first incarnation of the iPod Touch was for me. Only the iPhone provides a complete user experience that somehow makes sense; the iPad is a laptop-wannabe that just doesn't cut it because of its castrated mobile phone operating system.

If I could put a real operating system on it (read: Linux or Mac OS X or even Windows) I'd probably really love the device. But as it is right now... Well. I'll sleep over it one more time, but chances are that it will find its way back to Apple to become another refurbished device.
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You almost sounded logical until you said you would maybe buy a Kindle :D Now, THERE'S a boring, limited, and crippled device if there ever was one!
 
Winni said:
Neither the iPad nor the iPhone are good mobile Internet devices, but the problem is that there are no good mobile Internet devices on the market. At all. Why? Because all mobile browsers plain and simple suck, especially those on mobile phones. And yes, I have an iPhone as well and if there is one thing that I almost never use, then it is Safari because it's just a horrible experience......
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BWT = Best Whiner Thread of the Year......

Ever hear of this little thing called the Internets (GWB)? It is where you can do research, read about things, get an idea of a product before you buy it and then come and complain about your ill-advised purchase. Take it back, sell it, but above all go away.
 
Winni, lol, what a ridiculous post. Filled with inconsistency, the iPhone is a horrible mobile device but somehow the OS works well. Joke, I think these devices surpass your brains ability to understand how to use them. That's why they don't work for you. Please return ALL apple devices you own, so the rest of us are NOT associated with someone who's brain doesn't quite function properly. Thank you.
 
Also want to comment on the OP who thinks the iMac is better than the iPad. Can you carry the iMac from room to room? No. Can you sit on the couch with the iMac in your lap, no. Also an external keyboard is great for long typing. I think your argument for the iMac being better for long e-mails is garbage. I have 2 Mac laptops and a desktop and they are all collecting dust since I got my iPad. Its not as limited as people think, especially if it's JB, I use it for everything.
 
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