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Apple iPad: Cue the haters (updated 4x)

By | January 27, 2010, 8:21pm PST

Summary: In less than 12 hours after being announced some nay-sayers have already proven their skills as judge, jury and executioner. Here are the top 15 thing people hate about the iPad.

Well that didn’t take long.

In less than 12 hours after being announced some nay-sayers have already proven their skills as judge, jury and executioner. The assault on iPad has begun and pundits are already reeling off lists of flaws or features that are missing from the new iPad. Is this the fastest backlash in history for a consumer product?

Here are the main problems that are being raised about the iPad:

  • The name, weak
  • The bezel is fugly
  • No widescreen. Yep it’s craptastic 4:3 screen, Hello 1999!
  • No GPS. Apple does include A-GPS (Assisted GPS) via Wi-Fi and 3G, but that’s lame.
  • No AMOLED. iPad uses old-school LCD tech
  • No HDMI out. Wait, what?!
  • No cameras. As in zero. This means no Skype/iChat video conferencing. Really?!
  • No multitasking. Android anyone?
  • No Flash support. Coming to Android by June
  • No USB, (see adapters, above)
  • Adapters, you need all sorts of ugly ones to get things like USB, SD
  • AT&T! (no Verizon)
  • No T-Mobile 3G. Again AT&T only!
  • $500 price. Netbooks can be found for around $200 less.
  • The keyboard. Many don’t like it, I don’t think I’ll mind.
  • Walled garden/iTunes lock-in. Yawn. Get over it.
  • DRM. Many hate it, but it’s a necessary evil, textbook piracy will be a huge concern with iPad
  • VoIP? It’s audio only and you better get the unlimited data plan, buddy.
  • iPhone OS, not real Mac OS X - kind of unrealistic, no?
  • No voice calling/not a phone - no one wants another cell phone bill, that’s what Google Voice is for :)
  • 10 hour battery. People are actually complaining about this? Please…

There are a lot of things that irritate people about the iPad. But what do you expect for a 1.0 product? Oh yeah, a Jesus tablet. For the record, I’m a lover of this device, but many of the complaints have merit. Just imagine what v.2 will look like.

What’s your iPad dealbreaker?

Update: I just added the iPad’s lack of GPS to the #4 position, it’s a huge omission.

Sources: Gizmodo’s 8 Things That Suck About the iPad (for the art too!) and MacLife’s 7 Essential Features Left Off of the iPad.

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Apple Inc., Security, Jason D. O'Grady

Jason O'Grady is a journalist and author specializing in mobile technology. He has published six books on Apple and mobile gadgets and his PowerPage blog has been publishing for over 15 years.

Disclosure

Jason D. O'Grady

Jason D. O'Grady is the creator and editor of O'Grady's PowerPage, which has been publishing mobile technology news since 1995. He maintains an advertising relationship with the following legacy advertisers on the PowerPage:

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    • Advertising on the PowerPage is brokered by a third-party agency (BackBeat Media) and he recuses himself from these negotiations.

Biography

Jason D. O'Grady

Jason D. O'Grady developed an affinity for Apple computers after using the original Lisa, and this affinity turned into a bona-fide obsession when he got the original 128 KB Macintosh in 1984.

He started writing one of the first Web sites about Apple (O'Grady's PowerPage) in 1995 and is considered to be one of the fathers of blogging. He has been a frequent speaker at the Macworld Expo conference and a member of the conference faculty. He also co-founded the first dedicated PowerBook User Group (PPUG) in the United States.

After winning a major legal battle with Apple in 2006, he set the precedent that independent journalists are entitled to the same protections under the First Amendment as members of the mainstream media.

O'Grady is the author of The Nexus One Pocket Guide, The Droid Pocket Guide, The Google Phone Pocket Guide, and The Garmin nuvi Pocket Guide (Peachpit Press), the author of Corporations That Changed the World: Apple Inc. (Greenwood Press), and a contributor to The Mac Bible (Peachpit Press). In addition, he has contributed to numerous Mac publications over the years, including MacWEEK, Macworld, and MacPower (Japan).

When he's not writing about Apple for ZDNet at The Apple Core, he enjoys spending time with his family in New Jersey.

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RE: Apple iPad: Cue the haters
jpdemers@... 31st Jan 2010
Apple makes billions while the haters carp and whine. So what else is new?

Doesn't have true GPS, doesn't crunch Excel spreadsheets in the background while you play Grand Theft Auto XLVII, doesn't microwave your popcorn... on and on and on they go. Meanwhile, users will happily do their e-mail, read books and newspapers, and surf the web, somehow or other surviving the trauma of not knowing their precise GPS coordinates. Looking away from the screen from time to time probably tells them where they are -- the whiny haters should learn to do the same.
View in thread
0 Votes
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I already have...
rshol 27th Jan 2010
...an iPhone and a PC. I don't see a use case for an iPad.
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I Second This
clindhartsen 27th Jan 2010
I have a ZuneHD for music and podcasts, Netbook for taking notes in class + quick web bits, and a decent PC for all the rest. Where do I need this again?
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Why did you get a netbook?
frgough 28th Jan 2010
answer that, and you'll answer why you might want an iPad.
0 Votes
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So I could
T1Oracle 28th Jan 2010
put Linux on it, view the contents of my SD cards from my digital camera, run desktop software, run a server, take notes in class, program in C++, store more than 32GB of files locally, and type responses to iSheeple while laying in bed looking at a screen that doesn't need a prop because the keyboard has a hinge. All for less than $400.

Anymore silly questions?
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I have a touchbook from Gigabyte
TheWerewolf 28th Jan 2010
And it's actually widescreen - so it does everything the iPad does - but better.
0 Votes
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I would guess that in many a case subtlety is lost on you.
James Quinn 31st Jan 2010
Pagan jim
0 Votes
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I already have .....
781lc 30th Jan 2010
Suggest you don't buy one ..
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I to have an iPhone.....
James Quinn 31st Jan 2010
That is why "IF" I get an iPad I won't be getting the 3G ones. However
what my iPhone can not do is offer me iWorks. I am presently writing a
book/story and while i"m at the local coffee shop it might be real nice to
have such a device along with me to do some editing or writing. I don't
think the virtual keyboard that comes with the iPod will give me any
trouble since I"m very good with the one on my iPhone. IWorks and I'm
sure in the near future other Apps that come for the iPad will further
separate it from the iTouch or iPhone.

Pagan jim
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RE: Apple iPad: Cue the haters
kisap 27th Jan 2010
This negative critic is very good sign! Exactly the same
happened when iPod and iPhone were published. Everyone
knew that there was no use for these device and they don't
fly. Well, what happened...
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Precisely...........
dave95. 28th Jan 2010
The iPhone with its on-screen keyboard should be dead by now if we were to listen to critics. Even the Mac should be dead by now, I mean who want to buy a computer you couldn't build yourself, and spend all your time tweaking?
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No dealbreaker
Earthling2 Updated - 28th Jan 2010
Please don't be so apprehensive. There is no clear single dealbreaker. People will buy iPad because of lack of competition.

Not that they are not trying, but it is really hard to produce such extremely beautiful, well designed and balanced-for-the-purpose piece of hardware.

I already replied to another blog what I think the competition will be: http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-12553-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=74518&messageID=1444097.
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Purpose?
aep528 28th Jan 2010
But what, exactly, is the purpose?
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Purpose for $500 Alex
tgschmidt 28th Jan 2010
Purpose is to rape our wallets once again with a "miracle" product hyped to the max by marketing.
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Typical idiocy
frgough 28th Jan 2010
The only organization that can rape your wallet is the government.

Apple can attempt to seduce you. Nothing more.

So dump the childish corporate hatred and understand the real threat to
your freedom. Hint: it's not a company's marketing campaign.
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Evidently....
tgschmidt 28th Jan 2010
You do not understand the humor. Rape your wallet is an expression of what many companies attempt to do with their glitzy marketing campaings & poor to mediocer products.

The Government does not commit rape on my wallet, at least with rape, you get to struggle a bit. When did we go from iPads to iBama anyway? I think there are other forums for that.
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democracy
cradulich 28th Jan 2010
The real threat is the mindless idiots who think that government is free and do not understand government ( think conservatives)
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Actually it is
T1Oracle 28th Jan 2010
Only marketing indoctrinates people shaping their values, perceptions of need, and belief that someone seeking advancement and profit for themselves actually cares about your needs.

The only freedom exists in independent thinking. Which is the very anti-thesis of political allegiance or brand loyalty.

Do you have freedom?
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Ah, purpose...
Earthling2 28th Jan 2010
The purpose is to sit comfortably in a shadow in the garden and read a book, enjoy photographs, read a newspaper, browse ZNDet talkbacks or watch an occasional movie. happy

It is fit for this purpose better than the rest, because:
- the screen is of high quality, and good size
- the interface is nimble, you don't need to watch that horrible page refresh of current e-book readers, and it can do the movies
- there is no unnecessary attachments in form of keyboards which are not neccessary for reading or additional color screens at the bottom which have no purpose whatsoever.

We can argue that the price is high and that the OS is not what we expected to be, but from my perspective, the hardware is simply gorgeous. Nobody will match it in the nearest future because competitors will:
- try to make it cheap, compromising quality of important components, such as the screen
- add competely unnecessary attachments that will be of very questionable usability anyway (like netbook keyboards), will be used 1% of the time only, but will add to price, manufaturing costs and defect rates.

If you need a phone, have a phone, if you need a computer, make sure that you can comfortably use it. In the middle there is a book and a newspaper, which Jobs tries to replace with e-books and the Internet. I think he will succeed. It is a device very well designed for the above purpose, IMO.
0 Votes
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The price is a big issue IMO
CobraA1 27th Jan 2010
I've got a $300 netbook that does almost everything this device does, except the touch screen. I'm not certain it's worth an extra $200 to add touch support and throw away the keyboard.
0 Votes
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ummm
condelirios 28th Jan 2010
and throwaway multitasking, open application support, flash, firefox or chrome or IE or whatever browser you can download... There are whole lots of throwaways in comparison to a netbook...including storage space!
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Where have i heard similar complaint? Oh yeah the iPhone.
James Quinn 31st Jan 2010
And yet did and does sell very well. Which points to the very reason for
this article... You just don't get it. Apple does not expect people like
yourself to purchase this device. Others however just might.

Pagan jim
0 Votes
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I'm not sold on the idea that a phone OS is ideal for a large device
CobraA1 27th Jan 2010
I'm not entirely sold on the idea of a phone OS being ideal for a larger form factor device. Sure, it's optimized for a low power CPU - but it's also limiting. Very limiting.

"But what do you expect for a 1.0 product?"

Wanna know why people buy a $300 netbook? Because it's cheap, yet fully capable of 90% of what a regular notebook will do.

Now - why people will pay $200 more for a device that's more limiting than a netbook?

People don't care about what they "should" expect. All they care about is how well it'll work.
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" All they care about is how well it'll work."
Bruizer 27th Jan 2010
I think that is the main question here. It is not the "featureitis" people
often get but does it work well?

Personally, I was hoping for much better content information.
Periodicals. Newspapers.

What they did, looks like they did very well. Still don't know what I would
use it for. Don't know what I would use a Netbook for either, though.
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I have to disagree
slaskoske 28th Jan 2010
Windows CE/Windows Mobile was primarily seen as an OS for phones and PDAs but was often scaled to larger, hardware-specific devices including voting machines, tablets and ATMs. There are advantages to having a smaller OS on a portable devices and, after all, this is a portable device. However, the smaller OS does limit the capabilities of the device.

Sadly, I doubt that this will impact the netbook industry significantly. It seems more like the love-child of a Kindle and iPod touch. It might be good for limited purposes of those devices but that doesn't mean that it has the functionality to replace a laptop or even a netbook.
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Your assumption is flawed
frgough 28th Jan 2010
Who says the iPad is more limiting than what people want to do on a
netbook?

I'm not aware of many people running photoshop on a netbook. I do
know a lot who do email and surf the web. If the iPad can do these better
than a netbook, it will become the netbook replacement.

Oh, and BTW, netbooks can cost up to $600 depending on what model
you get, and these are becoming more popular as the usability
shortcomings of the cheaper netbooks is becoming more apparent.
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Not sold ...
781lc 30th Jan 2010
Gee, Apple obviously made a huge mistake in not seeking your most expert advice before going to all the trouble of producing the iTab.

The mental immaturity of the anti-Apple idealogues explains their being unable to afford the quality of Apple products.

Nothing wrong with poor financially ... but ..
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Not sold ...
781lc 30th Jan 2010
Gee, Apple obviously made a huge mistake in not seeking your most expert advice before going to all the trouble of producing the iPad.

The mental immaturity of the anti-Apple idealogues explains their being unable to afford the quality of Apple products.

Nothing wrong with poor financially ... but ..
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RE: Apple iPad: Cue the haters
bhaydama 27th Jan 2010
This is just a big iTouch, which Apple has said in the past is mainly a gaming device. That said, this iPad is a media consumption device - that's it. It's not for a serious work envioronment; I wouldn't want to do more than short emails on it; and who wants to carry around a separate keyboard thingy? Note that syncing a device of this size with your media on your REAL computer suggests this meant to be somewhat disposable. Note, too that Jobs demo'd this as if he were sitting at home in the living room...not in an office cube or a business meeting. As far as book reading goes, I would rather use my wife's Kindle than read a book on an 'old-school' LCD. Some will use it for business, sure, but where I work we use notepads and pecils as often as keyboards. M$ was on the right track with handwriting recognition on the laptops, but I guess its just not there yet, and Apple has nothing of the kind to offer.

Admitedly it is a cool device, but a luxury one, not a necessity or serious broad based business tool. Can you see yourself carrying that keyboard into a meeting for taking notes? I do see laptops used that way all the time at work. I would probably buy a low end laptop before the iPad. Though I suppose it will be huge with the teen crowd.

Further, as Apple appeals to a broader market we should understand that needs and wants will be more vaired and thus the hate more volumnous when a specific product doesn't appeal to a widening variety of needs/wants. Welcome to Microsoft's view of the world, Apple.

Bottom line - no hate, here, but I do suspect that Apple is targetting a different market and purpose than what many of the Zdnet types hoped for.
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No, but I can see...
Bruizer 27th Jan 2010
Can you see yourself carrying that keyboard into a meeting for taking
notes?

I can see carrying this in to do a presentation. It would beat a laptop 7
days to Sunday.

But that is not worth the $$$.
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different market
bannedfromzdnetagain 28th Jan 2010
exactly. my mother will get one from me for christmas. she always said
computers are too complicated for me, but i'd like to surf the web. voila.
0 Votes
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Um Wolfie as i've already said Crashpad used Apple
James Quinn 31st Jan 2010
As far as I know it does dome with a virtual keyboard. Also iWorks. So
no carrying of keyboards and unlike the iTouch I can be productive on
said:P

Pagan jim
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RE: Apple iPad: Cue the haters
psychobdelic 27th Jan 2010
All the hype and it's a damp squib.

Significantly underwhelmed.
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RE: Apple iPad: Cue the haters
Daboodah Updated - 27th Jan 2010
My question is this: Will they make a SlingPlayer app that will work over 3G and not be forced to use WiFi? If so, this could be a very interesting device for SlingBox owners.
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Hellz yes!
Geuseppi 28th Jan 2010
Awesome point!!! I didnt even think about that. Support for Slingbox on 3g.... that means your entire cable/sat tv lineup where ever you may be.
0 Votes
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AT&T will not let that happen
Rama.NET 28th Jan 2010
It kills their entire network, which already at a saturation point.
--Ram--
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If they made the bezel smaller...
A Grain of Salt 27th Jan 2010
Where would you put your thumb so that it doesn't cover
screen real estate or make accidental "touches"?
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If you think about it
Cylon Centurion 27th Jan 2010
Those are a heck of a bunch of deal breakers. Looking at it from a consumer's standpoint, I have to say I am very underwhelmed by this device. All that hype and hoopla for a next gen iTouch. That's all it is.

Multitasking is a huge feature to leave out. Especially for a device this size. How am I supposed to use the thing without it? Especially as a student!

The keyboard is another issue. That big a device should be able to handle a full sized on screen keyboard. We're not all sized XXXL

Lastly, give me a real OS, please! My low end notebook can handle Windows 7 without breaking a sweat. The iPad could handle MacOS X.

So, before I leave, I'll ask this. To everyone who has an iPhone, or an iPod Touch, Why do I friggin need this device? Other than sheer fanaticism or bragging rights? Why should I blow $500 of my money to brag to other people that I gave $500 to Apple for a device I already own?
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RE: Apple iPad: Cue the haters
ickyblahzdnet 27th Jan 2010
One of the best responses.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQnT0zp8Ya4
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Re: "One of the best responses"
justanitguy 28th Jan 2010
Dude, that is awesome!
0 Votes
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that is cool.
Rama.NET 28th Jan 2010
thanks for sharing.
--Ram--
0 Votes
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Love it!!! (nt)
JLHenry 28th Jan 2010
nt
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Hitler being NOT an Apple fan is a good thing right:)
James Quinn 31st Jan 2010
Also the idea that a nut case like a Hitler not understanding the draw of
an iPad is understandable. In fact it would seem this commercial states
rather clearly that those who don't understand the iPod might be a
rather large group of Nazi jerks right?

PS All Hitlers complaints were and have been waged on the iPhone and
yet.

Pagan jim
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Cue the Lovers?
iTeaBoy 28th Jan 2010
'For the record, I?m a lover of this device'

How can you say you already love it when you probably haven't even tried it??

I think that says more about your 'anything apple is awesome' bias than how good the device is.

Maybe the 'haters' turn out just to provide some balance to what the 'lovers' are saying.
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Really?
Ceridan 28th Jan 2010
iPad is the worst idea I ever saw...


It's an oversized iPod touch/phone that has no unique uses exept being too big to be a MP3 player and too limited to take notes....


But i'm not suprised the members of the Cult of Jobs are hailing this as the best thing next to butter...
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hmmm
Geuseppi 28th Jan 2010
to limited to take notes? How do you figure? Just shy of a full sized touch screen KB... I think you just might be able to take notes on that bad boy.

What say you wait until you can try out the iPad before you start talking stupid trash.

Once you actually try it out and can confirm that the KB sux... then let everyone know about it. Until then, SHUT YER PIEHOLE!
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Yeah but
bobiroc 28th Jan 2010
I bet the competitors that will be running Windows 7 or Android will do it better. Character recognition anyone? You can do that already in Windows tablet functions and I am sure google will find a way to do it in their OS too.

I already have the iPad mini. Its called an iPhone and my wife has an iTouch.
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Unable to see the obvious are we?
Ceridan Updated - 28th Jan 2010
There are several reasons why the iPad is not a good idea.

For taking notes... it's rather limited, even if you had a pen, your missing the software. I doubt you'll get something as good as what I found on the PC but even then, you will have limited ways to handle where your notes are placed(I back-up my notes to my PC everyday and I take all my notes on this toutchsmart).

For me, it's just an oversized iPod touch. I cannot really see a use that is not covered by another device I have. Furthermore, I am a software engeneer student therefore I actually need to be able to compile code on my machine, something forbitten by iPhoneOS(they will probably never accept that as long as Jobs... oh sorry SAINT Jobs is at the head of Apple.

Finally, the iPhoneOS is quite... limited. I preffer the flexibility and the usability of my current laptop. I cannot really wrap my head around doing school work on the iPad in the bus... the device is awkward at best and if it has the same problem then my iPod touch(unprecise with the virtual keyboard) I cannot fantom to have to take notes on the device.

Nota Bene: the keyboard plug-in is not usuable, I allready have my back-pack filled with physics/math/software school book.

On a more comical note: I found a new name for this... the iFrankenPod it's a Netbook and a iPod touch all in one... and even comes with a RDF that makes you belive that Jobs is a god.

PS: Most of the reasons I have to not buy the iPad is similar to the reasons I will never buy something with ChromeOS on it... if I cannot take notes correcly and/or I cannot write/compile/test code on it... I will not buy it as my mobile computer.
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Seems you share that affliction.....
James Quinn 31st Jan 2010
This device was not made for you. End of story. Put a fork in it.. it is
done. This is an appliance a tool. Something the vast majority of
consumers want. When they go out to purchase a toaster they do NOT
purchase the toaster kit or shop for components to build a toaster
they purchase a toaster. You want flexibility and such they why do
you even consider Apple? Apple has always been about controlling of
its' environment to give the user a better experience. Now you can
disagree with this basic ideal of Apple's and go your own way no one
is stopping you but I happen to like it. I think it makes me more
productive and my fun more well fun because I don't have to waist my
valuable time with projects like building my own toaster. Get it?

Pagan jim
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Actually the correct phrase ends as "Sliced bread"
James Quinn 31st Jan 2010
The iPod had not unique uses according to many like yourself. The
iPhone was not the first smartphone nor had i many "features" that other
devices came with and there for logically it's doom was written before
the first one was offered for sale and yet it did not fail and has not failed
in fact it seems to be a screaming success. I'm not saying the iPad is
going to follow in those devices footsteps but it's a positive sign that the
same arguments are being used against it I would think.

Pagan jim
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Unrealistic OS
galactic_ac 28th Jan 2010
What is unrealistic about using a "real" OS? We've seen plenty of videos of the upcoming HP Slate running Windows 7, and it's only a tiny bit thicker than the iPad.
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RE: Apple iPad: Cue the haters
jpdemers@... 31st Jan 2010
Apple makes billions while the haters carp and whine. So what else is new?

Doesn't have true GPS, doesn't crunch Excel spreadsheets in the background while you play Grand Theft Auto XLVII, doesn't microwave your popcorn... on and on and on they go. Meanwhile, users will happily do their e-mail, read books and newspapers, and surf the web, somehow or other surviving the trauma of not knowing their precise GPS coordinates. Looking away from the screen from time to time probably tells them where they are -- the whiny haters should learn to do the same.

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