I ordered the new iPad last week within minutes of its order-ability. I am not happy about it but I did. Now the iPad is a great and marvelous device and I really enjoy my original iPad and I know my wife and son will continue to use it for years to come. I have also previously written several pieces about this breakthrough device including topics like "No idea why someone would buy any tablet other than an iPad" and a very detailed article on some great apps for an iOS device titled "What can you do with that new iPad".
I didn't purchase the iPad 2. There was not enough to differentiate itself...so I stuck with my original. The new iPad (what is it called anyway...iPad 3? iPad-3rd Generation?) does have enough to differentiate itself from its predecessors. Primarily the display and 4G-LTE wireless connectivity are great additions. But I am still very disappointed in my purchase.
So where do I start? Let's talk about what is driving my disappointment since the technical specs are well known and written all over the web, I don't need to talk too much about why the new iPad "high resolution / fast connectivity edition" (note to self: gotta work up some naming convention/acronym for this version of the iPad) is cool.
Instead there is an ugly story here and it needs to get vetted.
I don't want to get too technical and geeky on you but here it goes...
I've written previously that the MAIN reason I had not upgraded is that the iPad 2 only offered a maximum of 64 gigabytes of storage...the same maximum on my original iPad. And my memory is full. The new iPad "quad-core graphics processor will hopefully highlight better games edition" I ordered has only 64 gigabytes of storage as well. That was the maximum.
Sure I am a power-user but this problem will permeate to your experience as well no matter the type of user you are or which iPad you have. But more about me;-)
I purchase lots of apps and games. I store a good amount of documents I want handy like Powerpoints, PDFs, eBooks and the like. I have some video footage (professional and family stuff) and a good amount of photos too. I have a dozen albums of music, a few TV episodes and a movie or two depending on where and how far I am traveling.
Apple will tell you to leverage "the iCloud" for your additional storage needs. What that means is that you can store information on the internet and stream it to your device when you need it. And for 50% of the time that may work. What happens when you don't have a good internet connection? What happens if you don't have 3G or 4G cellular option and no wifi? What happens when you are on a plane or someplace without service? Have you seen cellular data fees aboard? And even if everything is working great...at the end of the day I end up spending too much time managing what I have on my device and what is in the cloud. What if I choose poorly?
It comes down to the fact that I want my information readily available on my device when I need it. After the past two or three years my needs have grown but the iPad storage has not. As it stands today, I really require more physical storage on the iPad for it to be viable for me. Many have begged for an expandable memory card type of slot...and that would be very nice. But I would have even happily paid a premium for a 96 or even 128 gigabyte configuration!
At this point you are saying...why should I care?
You should and here is why my situation is only going to get worse!
Well guess what happens with your application's graphics packages are rez'ed up to leverage that amazingly detailed display? The application file size gets bigger!
I am talking about applications 2 to 3 times larger than their previous versions. We are already seeing this on Apple's own released software for the iPad "31 Million Pixels Edition". Check out the file sizes for Apple's Keynote app growing from 115 megabytes to 327mb and iMovie exploded from 70mb to 404mb to support the new Retina resolution version.
So it doesn't matter if you have the 1st generation, 2nd generation or 3rd generation of iPad...if you want to get the latest applications with new, cool features...you will soon see your capacity shrink dramatically. Those skimpy 16 gigabyte iPads will quickly become obsolete unless you are limited to using a handful of applications beyond what already comes with the device.
Well I still ordered my new iPad "Finally with a Decent Camera Edition". I got the 64 gigabyte version. I really hope they release one with more storage...it is going to be increasing more difficult to deal with this device if they don't lift this constraint.
I'll probably have to lean more on my Macbook Air...wait a second...is that their goal? I need the Mac to get unshackled from the iPad's limitations? I have to have two or more Apple devices to accomplish all my computing needs? Or am I just being paranoid?
I hope this tirade helps you clarify your purchasing decisions if you are in the market for a new tablet. My advice...I'm certain I will really like the new iPad and will write-up my experiences with the device soon. I will tell you, I have been using the latest generation of Android tablets...and stick to my original sentiment from last August...No idea why someone would buy any tablet other than an iPad!
 Larry Pacey, award-winning designer tracks the latest news on consumer products, electronics, appliances, smart devices, networking and the gadget lifestyle. |
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------------------------------ OR ------------------------------- Follow me on Twitter @WouldntMindThis Please comment below and share your thoughts. If you have any feedback or questions, feel free to email me at wouldntmind@gmail.com. Just my 2-cents,
Larry
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