iPad Air Frustrations
My current iPad Air is a frustrating device. It has so much obvious potential, but its functionality is deliberately being hamstrung by Apple itself.
There are certain tasks I’d like to accomplish with the aid of my iPad Air in conjunction with my other devices that seem difficult or impossible because of Apple-imposed restrictions. Most of the time, I would like to be able to easily move my files to and from the iPad for processing.
Apple seems to still be trying to position the iPad primarily as an iTunes storefront complete with DRM, thus hobbling the iPad’s potential as a real-world productivity device.
Unless I want to jailbreak it so I can do what I want to with it, I’m ending up using it mostly as a very expensive streaming video player. Jailbreaking really isn’t a good answer either. Software apps are continually being updated, which ultimately will interfere with the jailbreak.
The restrictive, claustrophobic nature of iOS is becoming ever more apparent, especially since having moved to a Galaxy Note 3. I am finding that I’m doing ever-more real-world work with the phone that I’d like to be able to do on the iPad Air’s larger screen.
Why does Apple have to be so frustrating? My first years with Apple computers and moving away from Windows was a very positive experience. Apple computers seemed worth the premium price because everything just worked with minimal frustrations.
At this point it seems like I’m constantly running into locked doors.
Tom,
I think the reason why people sometimes challenge what you write is because it is often baseless criticism. And I’m not trying to be a wise guy – nor am I angry.
A perfect example is that you often state that apple “broke” Ubercaster, your podcasting app. And this forces you to run Snow Leopard with no intension of upgrading to the modern OS. It’s absolutely your prerogative to use what ever version of the OS that you are comfortable with. However in the case of Ubercaster – it’s solely the developer’s fault for not innovating. Apple moved away from antiquated 32 bit API’s that Ubercaster depended on. What’s interesting is many apps. that share the same exact API dependencies still work in Lion, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks. In fact they sometimes work better due to the OS advancements.
When apple plans a major OS update – developers are given ample time to make the necessary changes in their code in order to meet compatibility standards. This can be upwards of a year, if not more. If developers decide not to put in the time and effort to make their apps compatible – it’s their fault, not apple’s. Sure, apple is far from perfect. But in this case for you to state that “apple broke Ubercaster” – it sounds pretty ridiculous. Statements like this is what get’s the apple fan boys going. Your claim makes zero sense. You should be all over the developer for abandoning the software that you invested in.
As far as AVI container issues – join the club. It’s not a friendly cross platform video format. This should have been realized before you purchased the camera.
Like I said – I get what you are saying. But I think sometimes you come across as a technology “elitist.” If you are going to be critical, be prepared to be challenged, especially if your argument is weak.
Why are you so angry?
I am mobile the majority of the time. Moving large HD video files via Dropbox is unacceptable. I am simply expressing my disappointment in that it’s obvious the iPad could be so much more useful than it is if it weren’t deliberately locked down to try to herd end users into buying Apple-only products. Perhaps naively I would like it to be more like the Mac and be able to work seamlessly with non-Apple devices. Silly me…
The article would have more substance if you actually provided examples of what you are struggling to do with the iPad and how you would like it to work. Is Dropbox not an answer for moving files between your devices? At the moment it just sounds like a bit of an Apple rant, not a well founded article.
This is the most retarded piece I’ve read in a long long time. You seriously feel you are entitled to use a device however you want? I don’t want my Android tablet to be so ridden with malware and fragmented, but do I moan about how dumb Google is to approach “open” this way? No, I buy what I want and work with what it is, or I don’t buy it at all. You have no God given right to do what you please or demand Apple provide you exactly what you personally desire. Grow up… seriously. This must have been written by a 12 year old entitled baby.
I want to use the various devices I purchase with my hard-earned money the way I want to use them, not necessarily the way the manufacturer might try to dictate. For example if I want to use video from a dash cam that is in AVI format, it is hit or miss whether the iPad will recognize it. Also if I want to get processed video back out of the iPad without using a computer to transfer the files between devices that is also a major pain. This is supposed to be an easy, as painless as possible experience, and sadly it just isn’t.
I think the producers of this piece would disagree with you. Shot on iPhone 5s and assembled on iPad Air. It’s documented at the end of the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyYhM0XIIwU