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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
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iPad: Perfectly flawed

By | March 8, 2010, 5:09am PST

Summary: This Friday Apple begins taking pre-orders for the new iPad, which will be available April 3rd. While I really like the device, I’m very aware of the fact that the device is flawed … perfectly flawed.

This Friday Apple begins taking pre-orders for the new iPad, which will be available April 3rd. While I really like the device, I’m very aware of the fact that the device is flawed … perfectly flawed.

Nowadays $500 buys you a lot of hardware, and since I’m not obsessed by having a particular logo on my hardware, I try to make rational decisions when it comes to spending my cash.

I like the iPad, a lot. I like the screen, I like the form-factor, heck, I even like the broad base of apps already available for it from the App Store. But there are aspects of the device that I don’t like, and which I find really hard to overlook.

  • DRM, DRM, DRM
    Just because Apple’s given up on DRM for music, don’t think for one moment that it’s given up on DRM. Expect audio books, movies and other stuff to be locked away nice and tight.
  • The lock-in
    Basically, the device is one big lock into the Apple ecosystem. Sure, there’ll be jailbreaks I’m sure, but that puts my device in the middle of a tug-of-war between Apple and the jailbreakers.
  • No Flash support
    I hate Flash, but web minus Flash is a pretty poor web experience.
  • No removable storage
    It would be really cool to be able to store files and on a removable media, such as an SD Card, and swap that data between other iPads and other devices. It would be a good way to bring photos from digital cameras onto the iPad without having to have a PC or Mac as a go-between. Alas, this is not possible.
  • No USB support
    I know that Apple likes to have an iron grip over its hardware, and that it likes the revenue stream it gets from licensing the dock connector to third-parties, but I’d really like a USB port on the iPad because it would offer interoperability between my existing hardware and the iPad.
  • Built-in battery
    Yes, I still hate the built-in battery.

I think I’ll be holding onto my money for a little while … maybe anothe rvendor will come out with a tablet that offers most of the upsides but without so many downsides.

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Topics

Device, Digital-rights Management, Apple Inc., Hardware, iPad, Digital Rights Management (DRM), Digital Media, Security, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

Disclosure

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

All opinions expressed on Hardware 2.0 are those of Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. Every effort is made to ensure that the information posted is accurate. If you have any comments, queries or corrections, please contact Adrian via the email link here. Any possible conflicts of interest will be posted below. [Updated: February 23, 2010] - Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other actual/potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted so far on this blog.

Biography

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology -- whether that be by learning to program, building a PC from a pile of parts, or helping them get the most from their new MP3 player or digital camera.

Adrian has authored/co-authored technical books on a variety of topics, ranging from programming to building and maintaining PCs. His most recent books include "Build the Ultimate Custom PC", "Beginning Programming" and "The PC Doctor's Fix It Yourself Guide". He has also written training manuals that have been used by a number of Fortune 500 companies.

Adrian also runs a popular blog under the name The PC Doctor, where he covers a range of computer-related topics -- from security to repairing and upgrading.

Talkback Most Recent of 657 Talkback(s)

  • No removable storage
    This is not entirely true as Apple has announced the iPad camera
    connection kit accessory for import of pics and movies from a camera
    directly through USB or an SD card. See
    http://www.apple.com/ipad/specs/
    ZDNet Gravatar
    nmandich@...
    8th Mar 2010
  • Yes but you still need to carry it around
    Instead of just pulling out the card from device A e.g. my camera, and slotting it into the iPad to transfer I need to pull out a 3rd piece and I need to have that with me where ever I go. Apart from the inconvenience it is just another form of Apple lock in - USB and SD card are pretty much standard now.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    PedroTabs
    8th Mar 2010
  • Right. Because the case you are carrying your camera
    in has no room for a little adapter.

    Oh. Wait. It does.

    Fail.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    frgough
    8th Mar 2010
  • re: fail
    Right. Because the case you are carrying your camera in has no room for a little adapter.

    Oh. Wait. It does.

    Fail.

    hmm, not completely. I mean to complain about the space it takes up to bring the adapter along... is a bit of a stretch. But his point about even needing a dongle type adapter just to plug in a Camera or SD card is valid. It's a ridiculous way for Apple to squeeze a bit more money for every iPad sold.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Badgered
    8th Mar 2010
  • Proprietary 30 pin connector.
    Adding a SD slot allows everyone to bypass Apple directly.

    But by using the proprietary 30 pin connector on the iPad, not only do 3rd party companies need to pay Apple for the abilty to create products that'll interface with the iPad, like you said, Apple can just sell you add on items at their leisure.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    John Zern
    8th Mar 2010
  • what you leave out
    is sometimes just as important as what you put in. Some people want this, some people want that, if a given device had everything anyone could possibly ever want, well, it would be a mini-tower with a lot of slots, so go buy one already.
    The argument about lock-in and bypass is really getting silly. Anyone who has an iPhone or iPod touch quickly learns how to put almost anything they want on it. Andy Ihnatko even has a series of books teaching people how to do just that.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    billtahoe
    8th Mar 2010
  • Someone doesn't want SD?
    Really? That's the response, some people don't
    want an SD slot (or even microSD!).

    Apple wants you to pay $100 more for $20 worth
    of memory. And at the same time, not allow you
    to bypass their DRM and ecosystem. Fine, more
    power to them if they can pull it off (and
    probably will, they're on a roll).

    Myself, the lack of a camera, sd slot, usb,
    forced to use iTunes are a deal killer to me.
    Besides the fact that it's not really portable
    (in the pocket sense) nor is it fully
    functional.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    stano360
    8th Mar 2010
  • @ stano360: Yah.. Hard core Sony fanbois locked into Memory Stick products.
    n/t
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Wolfie2K3
    8th Mar 2010
  • You are missing the point.
    My little net book doesn't require I buy a book to learn how to do jack. It is a nice little easy to take anywhere laptop with more horse power than this hunk of junk.

    If you want to be Jobs doormat go for it. I get resentful when I think I'm being disrespected.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    deowll
    8th Mar 2010
  • You mean that by using a single 30-pin connector
    people can make all kinds of adapters that plug into it and offer all sorts
    of different types of connectivity that wouldn't be possible with a simple
    SD card slot or USB connector?

    No, that can't possibly be what you meant, because that would mean the
    connector actually ADDS versatility to the product, and the resulting
    confusion in your agenda-ridden mind would cause your head to
    explode.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    frgough
    8th Mar 2010
  • There's nothing USB couldn't do
    That's why it's called a Universal Serial Bus you Apple'tards. The proprietary 30-pin port is nothing more than a revenue generating device because you need to license the technology, which also happens to protect the walled garden of apple. I think this iPad is waay too restrictive. I'd give it to my Mum to use for Skype but they left out the camera too... seriously ?!
    ZDNet Gravatar
    oligray
    8th Mar 2010
  • Please enlighten us on this versatility?? nt
    nt
    ZDNet Gravatar
    windozefreak
    8th Mar 2010
  • @John Zern
    You mean that 30 pin connector that can do things USB can't. Such as true audio left and right channels input and output or composite video out or chroma and luminance video out?

    http://www.allpinouts.org/index.php/Apple_iPod_-_iPhone_dock
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Axsimulate
    8th Mar 2010
  • Err... what?
    My understanding is that USB works differently from Apple's dock connector. Comparing pin to pin isn't really a valid comparison.

    The point is that USB is a universal standard. That's the beauty of it.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Sleeper Service
    8th Mar 2010
  • Ever use a USB turntable?
    USB does left and right channels just fine.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Lester Young
    8th Mar 2010
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