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David Gewirtz9 reasons you might NOT want to give an iPad this Christmas
By David Gewirtz | December 16, 2010, 8:24pm PST
Summary
The iPad is fine technology, but quite limited.
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David Gewirtz
Biography
David Gewirtz
As a child, David Gewirtz discovered he was a geek sometime during the middle of the Johnson administration. He is the author of How To Save Jobs: Reinventing Business, Reinvigorating Work, and Reawakening the American Dream and Where Have All The Emails Gone? How Something as Seemingly Benign as White House Email Can Have Freaky National Security Consequences.He is the executive director of the U.S. Strategic Perspective Institute, founder of the ZATZ technical magazines, a CNN contributor, and the cyberterrorism advisor for the International Association for Counterterrorism and Security Professionals.
My esteemed colleague and good friend Jason Perlow just declared the iPad to be the Technology of the Year. I can’t help but disagree with him.
In fact, if you’re thinking about getting or giving an iPad this Christmas, I’ll give you 9 reasons you might want to think again.
The iPad is fine technology, but quite limited. As far as the “Technology of the Year,” I’d certainly say the iPad might rate as the gadget of the year simply due to fan enthusiasm.
But in a year that has seen cloud computing grow to the point that it can provide a $525, 2048-core cluster in 45 minutes, there are clearly ground-breaking technologies that go far beyond a glorified iPhone with a bigger screen.
For that is, essentially, what an iPad is. It’s an iPhone with a bigger screen — minus the phone and the camera. Certainly, the iPad is portable and convenient, but it’s also wildly limited.
Here then, are 9 reasons you might NOT want to buy an iPad.
Reason 1: The iPad 2 is coming
Apple regularly updates its hardware and the iPad is no exception. Many of the features of the iPad already significantly lag behind the iPhone 4, so we’re likely to see a significantly upgraded device released within the next four or five months.
See also: Apple iPad 2 reportedly coming: Will consumers wait?
Reason 2: There’s no USB port
This is one of those no-excuse lacks that makes the iPad infinitely frustrating. Getting data onto the iPad is tedious, at best. If you want to load the iPad up with movies or PDF files, you have to go through any number of convoluted approaches, including using the horrid iTunes interface or uploading files to Dropbox and then downloading them again.
Reason 3: You have to use iTunes
‘Nuff said.
See also: The unofficial guide to installing iTunes 10 without bloatware
Reason 4: There’s no way to wirelessly synchronize your bookmarks
I know this is a nit compared to many of the iPad’s other shortcomings, but it goes to proving how limited the machine is for production use.
It is actually quite pleasant to sit on the couch and browse the Web on an iPad. But if you’re a writer like me, and you find a Web site you want to save for later, you can’t easily bookmark it and have that bookmark show up on your other machines.
I use Xmarks to keep my bookmarks in sync across all my devices and it works wonderfully. But although there’s an Xmarks app for the iPad, it doesn’t work in Safari (because Apple won’t let it). Safari is an island on its own.
Even if you own a Mac and you want to sync iPad Safari to Mac Safari, you can’t do it wirelessly. You have to hook up the iPad and let the — let’s all say it again — horrid iTunes sync process run to get those bookmarks in sync.
One new bookmark could take ten minutes of hooking up, unhooking, syncing, restarting, and otherwise futzing with technology that seems far more 2001 than 2011.
See also: I took the Xmarks pledge and why you should, too.
Reason 5: Kindles are much less expensive
If you want to use the iPad as an ebook reader, you may want to consider a Kindle or a color Nook. Kindles can be had for as little as $139 and the color for $249. Compare this to the iPad, which starts at $499 and goes all the way up to $829.
Plus, the Kindle comes with a free data plan. If you choose the more expensive iPad 3G models, you’ll have to pay for a separate monthly data plan.
See also: Five lessons Apple can learn from Amazon
Reason 6: WiFi is still unreliable
For some reason, Apple can’t seem to get WiFi working reliably with the iPad, even in its latest updates.
This is unfortunate, since the iPad is pretty much useless without WiFi. Some users (myself included) find that the iPad’s WiFi implementation is notoriously unreliable, so much so as to render the device almost useless.
This is unacceptable and, as usual, Apple isn’t acknowledging the problem.
Reason 7: You can only run software approved by Apple
Jason and I have both written extensively about Apple’s restrictive policies. The fact remains that, unless you want to go out and jailbreak your iPad, you’re forced to run software that Apple has approved for sale in its own app store.
Apple is notoriously capricious about what applications it approves and doesn’t approve, often denying publishing rights to software that’s otherwise excellent — except for the mere fact of competing with Apple’s mediocre equivalent applications.
You should have the freedom to run whatever software you want, and developers should have the freedom to sell or give you the software they make. But in the case of the iPad you’re locked in, so much so that members of the GPL community are considering pulling applications because of Apple’s restrictive policies.
See also:
Why Apples new Mac app store gives me the willies
Young Steve Jobs and why 2010 might be like 1984Reason 8: There’s no camera, front-facing or otherwise
Apple’s video conferencing software, FaceTime, is rapidly becoming a killer app for the iPhone 4 and Snow Leopard-equipped Macs.
You would think FaceTime would be a perfect application for the iPad, but there’s no camera. Will there be one in the future? Probably, but not on this iPad.
Reason 9: It can’t be used as a standalone computer
The iPad almost seems like the perfect parents or in-laws machine, a true Internet appliance that would allow less technologically facile family members to have access to the Internet, email, and social networking capabilities without needing to know much about computers, operating systems, software installation, viruses, or any of the other nightmares of daily computing life.
Almost.
Except that, apparently by design, the iPad really, really wants to connect to a computer running iTunes. Bizarrely, to get started using the iPad, you first have to physically tether it to an iTunes-running computer and then, for all updates, it’s again a physical connection.
This from the company that introduced WiFi to the masses. It’s just very strange, highly inconvenient, and rules out gifting the iPad as a turnkey “get online” solution.
So there you go. Nine compelling reasons to avoid the iPad this holiday season. TalkBack below. For the best reading experience, click View All Expanded.
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As a child, David Gewirtz discovered he was a geek sometime during the middle of the Johnson administration.
Disclosure
David Gewirtz
At various times during his adult life, David has voted for both Democrats and Republicans, and has been disappointed by both. He is deeply disturbed by how partisanship has come before patriotism in America, which gives him the freedom to pick on both sides.
David is a frequent guest on TV and radio stations across America and can usually be heard or seen on-the-air at least once a week. He writes weekly commentary and analysis for CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 and has been interviewed by Fox News, CNN, various ABC and NBC affiliates, and Canada’s Global TV. He has been a featured guest on National Public Radio and has also been featured on Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, and Radio Liberty where his commentaries on technology, industry, and emerging nations have been broadcast into 46 countries (all in their own unique translations).
David is the executive director of U.S. Strategic Perspective Institute, a nonprofit research and policy organization. He is the Cyberterrorism Advisor for the International Association for Counterterrorism & Security Professionals, a columnist for The Journal of Counterterrorism and Homeland Security and a special contributor to Frontline Security Magazine. He is a member of the FBI’s InfraGard program, the security partnership between the FBI and industry. David is also a member of the U.S. Naval Institute and the National Defense Industrial Association, the leading defense industry association promoting national security.
David is an advisory board member for the Technical Communications and Management Certificate program at the University of California, Berkeley extension. He is also a member of the instructional faculty at the University of California, Berkeley extension.
David’s “day job” is as publisher and editor-in-chief of ZATZ publishing, an online publisher of technical magazines. Other than than his ownership stake in Component Enterprises, Inc. (the parent company of ZATZ), David has no additional industry investments.
ZATZ has many advertisers who do, in part, provide for David’s lush income and extravagant lifestyle. Most of them are IBM and Lotus aftermarket suppliers, some of them make goodies for Microsoft Outlook, and a few make all sorts of strange mobile devices and add-on products. David has been a regular judge of the IBM Awards, but has no formal financial interest in or with IBM.
Because the ZATZ online magazines often review products, David and ZATZ are sent an overwhelming stream of unsolicited, silly, and often useless products to review. Because they’re such a pain to track and ship back, these products often wind up in a dumpster or fill up the corner of a large closet. Although David has no plans to review products in connection to his ZDNet blog, if he does do a product review, he will disclose any relationship completely in that posting.
Both through ZATZ and independently, David derives a small income through various advertising and sales relationships with Amazon.com and Google. These are minor relationships and they will not impede his willingness or ability to chastise either company should they deserve it.
David has many other business relationships, but none of them relate to anything he covers in his ZDNet blog. David does have a bit of the sales-guy bug and if he’s not doing a sales deal with someone at least once a month, he goes through withdrawal. He has a number of consulting clients, but none of them relate to anything he covers for ZDNet (and if they ever do, he will either disclose that fact, or decline to write about them).
Back in the 1980s, David held the unusual title of “Godfather” at Apple. He has written and published 40 incredibly simplistic applications for Apple’s iPhone.
Although David is forbidden to disclose the terms of his iPhone developer agreement, he isn’t drinking the Apple Kool Aid, will never be confused with a metrosexual, and feels free to mock Apple, and Apple users, any time the occasion permits, on alternate Tuesdays, or if he’s bored.
Biography
David Gewirtz
As a child, David Gewirtz discovered he was a geek sometime during the middle of the Johnson administration. He is the author of How To Save Jobs: Reinventing Business, Reinvigorating Work, and Reawakening the American Dream and Where Have All The Emails Gone? How Something as Seemingly Benign as White House Email Can Have Freaky National Security Consequences.He is the executive director of the U.S. Strategic Perspective Institute, founder of the ZATZ technical magazines, a CNN contributor, and the cyberterrorism advisor for the International Association for Counterterrorism and Security Professionals.
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Got one for my mother
I'll let ya know how it works out. Currently I am loading it up with music, photos and apps I think she'll like. All she has to do is turn it on and link it up to her local wifi. When I visit I'll bring the synced laptop with me and update as needed. As far as "needing" a computer, I bought an iPod touch for my sister-in-law about three years ago. Same thing, activated it at my home, she absolutely loves it and never syncs it to anything. Of course her software gets terribly outdated but that never seems to bother her as she isn't a computer freak and has no idea she is missing out on all the "great" new features.P.S. yeah number 1 is valid but isn't that always the case? The next best thing is just around the corner
RE: 9 reasons you might NOT want to give an iPad this Christmas
@oncall
A fine Holiday present! Hope it works out.The WI-FI doesn't work?
Seems to me that you simply must cite reasons - founded & unfounded (based on isolated cases which have since been addressed) to press your case. I've got no problem with my WI-FI connection. Never. And hope you enjoy your Android tablet.
Grinch! (Grin, David, just Grin)
Actually, David, the only reason worth mentioning is the first one, "iPad 2 is coming".I was puzzled by your WiFi comment (as was sgdogwalker above). No problems with WiFi use from this "day one" adopter.
But I have to ask the following. (And please forgive this if it is too much of a personal family question.)
But from your prior posts, you gave up on the iPad concept after only a very short time period measured in hours (actual use), I believe, and you stated further that you gave the iPad to your wife.
The question (or questions) are: Has her experience with the iPad been a pleasant one? And, has her experiences with the iPad influenced your current blog? (regarding the iTunes issues, etc.)
By the way, thanks to the iPad app store ecosystem, a few really good apps for file transfer have been developed.
To wirelessly transfer photos to and from a PC to the iPad, I suggest using "Transfer". The app is really slick and it works.
To send free text messages and photos to your text messaging Who friends down in Whoville, I suggest using "TextPlus 4".
Out of the list only #1 is possible valid suggestion
All the others are just plain ignorance, stupidity and apple hating crap.#2- If you desperately want a USB port (for what ever reason dumb, ridiculous or valid you needed it), there are a few 3rd party add-ons that provide what you want.
#3- If you want an iPad, chances are you already own an iPod ...... iTunes is not a deal breaker for most people and may just be an annoyance for the rest.
#4- How many times to you sync your bookmarks?? Can you wireless sync your bookmarks on IE on Win7? Not without a 3rd party service ... right? Then why the hell is this even an issue??
#5- The Kindle is cheaper ..... and can only do ONE THING. Nothing more. They are no where near the same category. Comparing the Kindle with an iPad is comparing a single gear bicycle to a BMW.
#6- You need to post some facts that can backup your BS.
#7- Given that the Android marketplace has already deliver thousands of "trojan" apps, the approval issue is not that much of a problem. Besides, if you are buying an iPad, you already considered the issue and found it mute.
#8- No camera .... a nice to have but not a need to have feature.
#9- Given that even a top of the line laptop can't fully replace a desktop, this one is just a complaining about nothing. It is like listening to a complete moron complain about not being able to travel, with the single gear bike, the same distance in the same amount of time that the BMW can travel with a full tank.
I'll bite.
1. So are iPad 3, 4 and 5, and so on.2. Haven't needed one yet.(6 months on).
3. Is that really a good reason. A couple of hundred million people seem to be okay with it.
4. Plug it in for 2 minutes and get over it.
5. Try doing a presentation, or a spread sheet, or type a document on a kindle...or watch a movie, or surf the internet, or play a game, or draw a picture, or listen to music, or make music, or...
6. Never had a problem. Not saying you haven't, I just haven't.
7. Tried to find Angry Birds for a friend on their Android phone the other day, an LG Optimus One. We found plenty walkthroughs, wallpapers and other rubbish but not the real thing. It may just be that I'm in South Korea. Having app's approved by Apple at least gets rid of some of the rubbish.
8. Yes, a camera may be useful but I have never missed having one.
9. It was never designed as one, or pitched as one. It will nice when the total reliance on iTunes is broken however. No deal breaker though. You can still update all of your app's over wifi, it's just the OS updates.
Although there are some knit picks, I wouldn't call any your reasons compelling enough not to buy an iPad. I think as a Christmas present, the most compelling reason would be cost. They are still not overly cheap. That said, I've had no regrets.
All devices have limitations
All devices have limitations. If you find value in what iPad does, go get one for the Christmas.My cellphone camera doesn't have interchangeable lenses. So should I not have bought my cellphone ?
Reason 7 Good Enough for Me
Looks like you hit a nerve with the Apple fans here. But the Big Brother, My Way or the Highway attitude of Apple, with all of its products, is enough to turn me away. Maybe in 2011 we'll start seeing some Real tablets on the market, and not just the very limited, "magical" (makes me laugh every time) iPad.
RE: 9 reasons you might NOT want to give an iPad this Christmas
Needed a story with the words Apple and iPad huh?
RE: 9 reasons you might NOT want to give an iPad this Christmas
Another FUDastic article against Apple by you. Clap-Clap. Enjoy your Microsoft and Android tablets while we can enjoy our iPads with official Apple or unofficial jailbreaking software. FUD you!
RE: 9 reasons you might NOT want to give an iPad this Christmas
None of your concerns, save for number 1, are reasons why I finally gave up on the iPad and just bought an 11 inch MacBook Air.The truth is, at 10 inches I just found the thing too damn big to carry around as an "extra" device without feeling like I was clutching a woman's handbag everywhere I went with it. But I *DID* fall for its charms and *DID* desire having it with me, I just didn't want to CARRY it. If I had to carry something that large, I figured a 1k full featured laptop made more sense than a limited device with a price tag only 170.00 cheaper with the same amount of memory capacity and 3G.
Number 2 is less important, but I am a display fanatic, and owning an iPhone 4 makes the iPad display seem positively archaic in comparison.
All the tabs are in "Gen 1" status right now, though the iPad is a VERY high quality 1st time out. I demoed a Galaxy Tab the night before I exchanged that for my MBA, and found that if Apple ever releases an iPad that size, with at least that much pixel density, I'll be back on board the tablet bandwagon. Until this market matures, I'll watch from afar.
A netbook is a far better choice
....plus it costs far less. Can't understand why so many people want to buy this misshapen fruit of the fruit company.
RE: 9 reasons you might NOT want to give an iPad this Christmas
At last, a journalist who isn't in Apples pocket.Most of your reasons are exactly why I didn't buy one of these limited tablets. I'm waiting till next year for something a little less limited and not as heavy.
9 Reasons to GIVE an iPad
Not true, your 9 reasons are completely out of context. The iPad as a device has open up a new category, yet you people still want to do or treat it as a computer, as a desktop, it is not.Get it people!, this is a new item category! It is not a phone, it is not a PC.
RE: 9 reasons you might NOT want to give an iPad this Christmas
People like the author of this blog and jhughesy please read this. For the last time, the iPad was NOT created to replace your laptops. It was created mainly to consume stuffs rather than create stuffs. If you want to write a novel or edit your movies, the iPad is not a platform to do it on. On the same token, with the few iPad apps that I own, my laptop cannot compete with the iPad in many ways and the things the iPad can do, so to say that the iPad is limited is just plain wrong and naive.Again, it is NOT how many tasks it can do, but how well it does. It is the "HOW" to stupid! no longer the "WHAT"
I am just sick and tired of the view of these Apple haters/idiots or trailer-trash Democrat folks with limited funds who stand on the side line commenting on something they have no idea on or able to afford.
Sure, these folks went into the Apple stores and touch touch touch and probably brought up a couple apps and say oh! it is limited (in other words, I can't afford it).
Unless, you actually own one for a few days, you will then realize how you can not live without this awesome piece of tech.
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