iPad2's Limited Operating System

[s2mikey]

S2mikey--that is funny, you really should get one for EACH of them...Xmas is coming soon! They really would love it! I love mine. I found it very funny that when I purchased the a500, I realized that even though it had flash support-it could not play those dreaded, beloved games on Facebook: Farmville, Cityville, etc!! What a ruckus this created for many android users who purchased it in order to play some of their beloved games. There were many posts on the android forums as to work arounds for this. I go on this forum, and I see nothing about Farmville. Maybe it is passe for our apple fans and they have now moved on to Dragonvale!! Anyways, glad that you made your decision, and hope the best for our OP, Toglenn!

Oh Im sure I'll end up with one more.... but that'll be enough!

 

[dsfreeworld]

I've had my IPAD2 for a week. it was a gift to me and I almost sold it. I am a huge fan and follower of all things Android. I am also a PC person. I have always hated the idea of Apple because of their ideals. They shoved it down our throats by offering great products/services only to coddle us in this almost communistic approach of "We know you love this and we want you to use this but if you try to do it your own way, we'll kill you". So for that I swore off EVER purchasing an apple product. I have never owned an IPOD, IPHONE, ITOUCH...heck, I don't even like to use the letter "i" in sentences. My colleagues think I am a moron because I used to say things like "Me want to know if Me should bring this to meeting"; they thought I was stoned.

Than last week came...the gift. When I first saw it I used a pair of salad tongs to maneuver it around my table, almost as if touching it would pass some disease equivalent to Lepersy onto me. I heard my Android phone having a combination of crying and violent fits towards my direction. The little green Android Mascot appeared before me right in my kitchen and killed the person who gave me this blasphemous gift (It was my wife's 80 year old Grandmother, she's in a better place now). I scolded Droidy and sent him back to Androida to chill and let me work this out. I instantly had thoughts of the Motorola Xoom. I researched online only to confirm my suspicions - the Xoom was the superior tablet. 10.1" screen, Flash, FREE Android Market. I knew the shape of evil now, an apple, and I detested it even more than before.

Over the next couple of days I came to realize that all of my local retailers were out of stock on the Xoom. I took the evil, Devil made tablet to work and showed it off to some mates I have here and offered it up at $550. Not bad for a brand new boxed 64GB IPAD2. Retail is $700. One of my co-workers told me to give Apple a chance, that it was a great OS with great features. I proceeded to ram his IPhone into his face and removed several of his front teeth in the process (I told security a guy in a green robot suit did it and they passed that lead onto the police). Still I felt bad, and after leaving his hospital room that night I thought I owed it to him to try this hellish machine out.

I went home prayed to my Lord for advanced forgiveness against the sin I was about to commit (now this is not your ordinary Jesus I am talking about here, it’s a picture of the Android Robot I have hanging in the bathroom). I unpacked the IPad2 only to curse and spit vile in its direction at the thought of having to d/l ITunes 10 in order to set this thing up. What the heck kind of nonsense is this??? I have to soil my PC with (vomit) Apple Software in order to get a USB Transfer going to fire this puppy up?!?!?!? Okay, I'll do it.

Once I had the tablet up and running, I continued my tirade against all things apple due to the weakness of Safari. I am, after all, a seasoned Firefox expert. Safari is weak and I laugh at its very existence almost as an NFL Linebacker would a midget wrestler threatening him with violence. I surfed the web and found all of the useful ways to set this IPad up including MobileMe, Dolphin HD Browser (piss off Safari) and Netflix. It was my local cable providers app that sold me. I can actually watch everything I pay for including any of the 3 DVRs in my house right on the IPad. I can mess with my kids with the cable box virtual remote control and turn the cable box off on them - this machine is evil, but in a good clownish kind of way. As the next few days rolled by, I have realized a few things:

I love Android
I will always hate the ideals of Apple
Pizza is not as good unless you put some anchovies on it
The IPad2 is a pretty kick-ass tablet and I am proud to own one

RIP Steve Jobs, thanks for making a great tablet even though your former company is a bunch of communists.

Best,

Me

 

[EvilMonkey]

I'll be honest. I have an Android phone (EVO 4G) and absolutely love the thing. I couldn't picture using an iPhone at this point, but do have an iPad 2.

I got my iPad2 through work though (when the company is buying, I'm not going to complain), and it's alright for what it is. I wasn't expecting a laptop replacement or anything. Some things in the OS baffle me, and honestly the entire thing seems "dumbed down" to me (for lack of a better word). I do consider myself very technical. Well, I am technical given my coding/development/systems analyst job. I just don't like being told what I can and can't do (like I'm nearing 40 and I think as an adult I can decide whether or not I want to view Flash or not, and don't need Apple making that decision for me, as just one example). I don't like being made to feel like I'm an idiot who can't handle my electronic devices (which is what their policies make me feel like).

My biggest complaint by far is only being able to use 1 signature for all my emails. As a person with 8+ email accounts for various projects and companies I work for, it's a real pain. I haven't updated to iOS 5 yet (will tonight), but I can't find that this mentioned as being addressed (I'm still hoping it is, even though I can find no mention of it in the iOS 5 features). That's just horrible horrible horrible design and something simple that email programs have done since the inception of email and the concept of having more than one email account.

I have a list of complaints about iOS as long as my arm, which I won't detail. But I also have a similar list about Android. Both OS's have their pluses and minuses. As for apps, I've found the same apps (or equivalents) on both for everything I need to do, so that's a wash for me.

Like I said, though, it is what it is. It works great for what I figure the majority of people need. Checking email, surfing the web, reading the news, watching some videos, etc. Which is really what tablets are for.

Personally, I'm looking at getting and Android tablet for personal use (looking forward to Ice Cream Sandwich). How I function personally, the Android OS suits me better. I like the "freedom" of not being told what I can and can't do with it, etc. I use an Android phone and Google products (Gmail, Picasa, the cloud services, Google Docs) and it all just suits me and my lifestyle better. The integration with Google products is pretty great, actually. I also really just feel iOS is playing a bit of catch up for what I've already done on my phone: like the camera icon on the lockscreen....I've had that and more (like a direct dial to my wife) on my lockscreen for a year+. It's another instance of Apple telling me I should have a camera icon there, but not letting me put other things I may want. Again, the "dumbed down" issue I have with being told what I can have and can't have. Same with the keyboard (why do I have to use the keyboard Apple wants me to use and I can't use Swype or something else?). I also like to customize out the wazoo, and after playing around with my Android phone, the screens of icons irks me to no end. I like to be able to change my lockscreen and even the unlock slider and pretty much everything else about it from the dock to using a different icon for Facebook or Angry Birds if I want (just for some examples, here's ~4700 pages of customizations people have done, some good, some bad, (and a lot of half-naked women) but the possiblities are endless and you can really personalize your device, which I like.

Not that I am giving up my iPad2 of course, because I do like it. It's the best tablet out there IMO, but Ice Cream Sandwich should somewhat close that gap as my issues are definitely more with the OS than the hardware. At least I hope ICS is what they are promising, or I won't be getting an Android tablet after all.

 

[SweetPoison]

My daughter has an Android phone as well, and loves it too.

 

[ProPhotoGA]

I love my Droid Bionic phone as well. Still love my iPad2 for the things that it does so well.

 

[madhatter61]

I’ve had my iPad2 for less than a month and have come to the conclusion that it has a lot of potential but is severely limited by its poor operating system. Many Apps use work-a-round methods to try to correct some of the numerous restrictions but many of these are awkward in operation.

I believe these limitations were intentional in accordance to Steve Job’s Apple policy. Granted he was a great business man and forward thinking entrepreneur who greatly impacted the communications world of today but he was also a control freak who jealously guarded his Apple world from outside competition. He put great emphasis style and limited functionality where it strayed from his domain.

Don’t get me wrong, my first computer was an Apple II+ which I bought in the early 80’s and got great production from it using Multiplex for numerous spread functions for business and adapting 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] party software for use in Ham radio applications but when IBM came out with the PC my Apple went on the shelf and still sits there today, gathering dust. When new tablets are introduced with the Windows 8 OS it will become crystal clear how limited the iPad2 OS really is.

You have some learning to do. My grandkids had my iPad2 in full operation in about 5 min. My wife (doesn't understand computers is using it everyday because it is so simple. Just realize it was not designed to replace your computer or laptop. Rather is is so EZ to sit and relax and surf the web, read your E-mail, Ez to write with the proper App. Photos is awesome, reading books and magazines is a snap. Can watch movies and play games. What more do you want?

 

[toglenn]

Congratulations to the members of the iPad2 forum. When I posted this comment I knew it would be controversial but I’m surprised about how many posters gave intelligent, knowledgeable comments rather than a bunch of “troll” comments that I was expecting. Most were thoughtful and offered helpful advice to prospective iPad2 customers.

Thank you for your interest. I’m really not a bad guy, just expressing my opinion as many of you here have also done. I respect the few negative comments or those who don’t understand about limitations and ignore the disrespectful ones and hope you don’t feel that I intended to ridicule those who are satisfied with their iPad2 operating systems.

Now that everyone has their adrenaline levels higher…have a niceday!

toglenn

 

[Lmparkhurst]

Apple vs Windows Platforms

Any Apple operating system is different than dos/windows. The " problem" is not that it's Apple. It's that software development is taking a dos/windows based product and attempting to convert it to run on an Apple platform. I was a software engineer for almost 30 years. I've worked with both. Everyone in the house, including all the kids, have lap tops and desk tops. If you know what you're getting with both platforms, and you know their limitations, all are workable and acceptable. I own both a windows lap top and an IPad2. I use both for different things and love both. All 5 kids ranging in age from 10 to 14 only have windows based lap tops and desk tops. That's because the school sites they have to access for homework use windows based documents only. My son owns and uses an Apple lap top for work because of the Apple based applications he needs to access.He owns a windows desk top for home use. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with either platform. Before you buy take into account what you'll be using it for and what you'll be accessing. Those answers will tell you what you need to buy.

 

[JoshuaD80]

my only real complaint with iOS is it's lack of file system access. i'm used to being able to view folders and move documents/files around. i can use my HTC Evo4G as a flash drive if I want, and it's EASY to move stuff to and from the device (think drag and drop here). with the ipad, i've got to use some other third party method of moving files, like dropbox, if i want to get around itunes, which seems pretty limted in what you can use it for.
my second complaint, which is much smaller, is the lack of easy methods for viewing/editing text/word documents. i've got the full Microsoft Office suite (which i need for school), and it would be nice if i could easily move those files to/from my ipad/macbook and edit them on the ipad. as it is, i just send completed files to my ipad, like study guides, so i don't have to have that window open on the macbook. that makes studying a lot nicer.

all in all, i feel that iOS is much more stable than android, at least as far as tablets go. android is a great OS for phones, but as far as tablets go, android has some serious growing up to do, which i'm sure will happen eventually. i ended up going with my ipad2 for the simple fact that, like i've read all over the place, it. just. works.

i think the biggest thing for me though, is that i've only had the ipad for a week now, and i already know that if i were to lose it, i'd miss it a lot. that's enough to tell me that i made the right choice.

 

[AdmiralAdama]

I'm fairly new to Apple products. iPhone 4 (1year) iPad 2 (2 months).
These devices look and feel clean. They do what I want and expect them to do.
I've been to the Apple Store twice about operational issues. Both times the customer was right and left satisfied.

AA

 

[arttext]

I'm not an Apple fanboy but a consumer well aware if what he wants and needs. I've got three pc's at home; a server, a heavy duty (video edit) and a htpc, all Windows because I need the flexibility, especially in replacing hardware parts when upgrading. I had three smartphones android and Winmobile. Now I have an iPhone 3GS (and soon a 4s) and I love it. Still, I will never buy Apple computers. Two months ago I purchased a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and used it for two weeks and returned it. No Skype video, no proper movie playing ( believe me, I tried everything, I'm at home in this area) but only sluggish playback or none at all, with all kinds of formats amd last but not least; a painfully small tab adapted amount of apps. And given all the lawsuits I didn't expect that to change. So I got my iPad2. Everything works as it should, updating to 5 was a piece of cake. Multi touch gestures, I love it. So if one argues that iOS is a poor OS my only conclusion is that one didn't one think his needs very well through and got a wrong system, but not neccessarily a poor one.

 

[arttext]

p.s. Why are so many self declared Android fans reading and responsing (and sometimes very rudely) in an iPad forum??????

 

[s2mikey]

I'm not an Apple fanboy but a consumer well aware if what he wants and needs. I've got three pc's at home; a server, a heavy duty (video edit) and a htpc, all Windows because I need the flexibility, especially in replacing hardware parts when upgrading. I had three smartphones android and Winmobile. Now I have an iPhone 3GS (and soon a 4s) and I love it. Still, I will never buy Apple computers. Two months ago I purchased a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and used it for two weeks and returned it. No Skype video, no proper movie playing ( believe me, I tried everything, I'm at home in this area) but only sluggish playback or none at all, with all kinds of formats amd last but not least; a painfully small tab adapted amount of apps. And given all the lawsuits I didn't expect that to change. So I got my iPad2. Everything works as it should, updating to 5 was a piece of cake. Multi touch gestures, I love it. So if one argues that iOS is a poor OS my only conclusion is that one didn't one think his needs very well through and got a wrong system, but not neccessarily a poor one.

Some good points here but I would argue back that you really cannot fully analyze a device until you've owned it and used for a while. Reviews and specs are nice and messing with someone elses for a few minutes helps but owning the product for a while is the only way to really understand what you have and what you do not have. However, most stores have a return policy so within a few weeks you should know what you are dealing with. If it aint working out - just return it. Easy.

I will admit that I dont like the way every little thing works on my iPad2, but its 97% fantastic and does just what I want. That 3% of "head scratching" isnt a biggy to me.

 

[BobDenny]

I'm with Joshua. Everything to do with files/documents feels like a workaround for lack of a file system and Finder. GoodReader is a classic example. It has it's own file manager, and a very clumsy one at that.

 

[parcas1]

Has anyone spotted that all this opinion was generated by a post that mentioned serious failings in iOS but then gave not a single example?
What does that say about forums, the pseudo Apple/Android face-off, people who post on forums - Oh, like me! Damn!