Flashback: the iPad is not just a large iPhone, but never fulfilled its potential
- N
- Nabil Januar
- Kxg
- 22 Nov 2021
"The problem is: Netbooks aren't better and anything." - Steve on iPad launch event
- e
- evilmessiah
- fCL
- 18 Feb 2020
I was looking forward to replacing my 5 year old Xiaomi MiPad with something more modern. I was surprised to see the lack of options in the tablet market nowadays.The android camp is pretty sad- didn't want to spring for Mipad 4 since it was quite old already, Samsung Tab S5e was nice, but the processor is sluggish at that price and the Tab S6 is out of contention since it was too expensive. There are barely any other Android tablets left considering.
The only options left for me was either the Surface lineup or the iPads. Ruled out Surface Pros since they were too large and expensive. Plus, I already had a pretty powerful laptop. The Surface Go was it then. But it's more or less in the same bracket as an iPad. I decided to check them out in person at the nearest mall. There was no Surface Go on display, but there was a Surface Pro 4. It was sluggish and Windows didn't seem to be pretty good on a touchscreen. Using the iPad Air after that was a different experience. Opening multiple tabs and scrolling on heavy websites barely slowed the iPad Air down whereas the Surface Pro 4 was choking badly with a simple web page loaded on Edge.
I thought I was never going to using an iOS device owing to the walled garden mentality the Cupertino company adopts. However, there is no denying that they have nailed the tablet concept. Since I am actually looking for a device to watch Netflix, Amazon Prime, do some light word processing and browsing, it appears that a tablet will fit my needs better than a small Windows laptop. It sucks that the iPad doesn't have expandable storage and that there are so many limitations in its OS, but there is no denying that its battery lasts a lot longer, runs cooler, offers a way smoother experience and nails the tablet experience aspect correctly. I am not an Apple fanboy by any means (I am in the Android & Windows camp), but as far as tablets are concerned, an iPad just works and lasts for a long time (since Apple provides updates for a very long time). If Windows 10 was more optimized for touch and if the battery lasted longer, I would have gone for Surface Go in a heartbeat since I love its hardware design. Currently on the fence waiting for the iPad Air or Mini prices to drop a bit before taking the plunge. Would welcome contradictions, though.
- v
- vasilmitev80
- mF2
- 13 Feb 2020
Ipad is nobrainer for me, especially if there are little children to use it...Battery is amazing, responce is instant, plenty of apllications, great drawilng capabilities with pencil (comming from user of Galaxy Note taken because of the pen)...On stand by battery drains no more than 2-3% for 24 hours which is really great achievement. The best product from Apple!
- Nicolas F
- pRS
- 04 Feb 2020
Anonymous, 04 Feb 2020Everything that you could do on the windows 10. Please provide more specific examples.
- ?
- Anonymous
- KSu
- 04 Feb 2020
Nicolas F, 04 Feb 2020OK, so what is it that you couldn't do on an iPad?Everything that you could do on the windows 10.
- Nicolas F
- pRS
- 04 Feb 2020
gilda, 03 Feb 2020Whats the point in having long battery life when the device... moreOK, so what is it that you couldn't do on an iPad?
- g
- gilda
- 3iK
- 03 Feb 2020
Anonymous, 03 Feb 2020Surface go burns out in 3 hrs under heavy load. 5 hrs tops ... moreWhats the point in having long battery life when the device is never used due to it's extreme limitations? I tried to love the ipad, but refuse to use a product that dictates what you can and cannot do....windows does not have that flaw.
- Tonberry
- 0Ep
- 03 Feb 2020
I don't have a tablet, but if I had to pick one, I'd prefer a Surface. It's basically a little computer, while Apple and Android tablets are just oversized phones.
- ?
- Anonymous
- sG{
- 03 Feb 2020
I’ve been saying it for years, put Mac OS on the iPad and watch it sell.
- v
- viveksubhash
- rJW
- 03 Feb 2020
You know after a time the market will get saturated.. People are fed up of changing devices so often.. Do we really need a flagship every year? Is there so much in innovation? Shouldn't we be going for more sustainable methods?? Just a rant
- ?
- Anonymous
- KSu
- 03 Feb 2020
Anonymous, 03 Feb 2020Surface go burns out in 3 hrs under heavy load. 5 hrs tops ... moreIPad ecosystem of apps is a joke compared to Windows.
Full functionality unlocked running PC (in tablet form factor) vs iPad with limited OS.
Windows tablet wins every time. Plenty of alternatives to surface tab which smoke everything on the market in tablet section.
- ?
- Anonymous
- Kxu
- 03 Feb 2020
gilda, 02 Feb 2020Ipads and anything running iOS are too limited. No torrents... moreSurface go burns out in 3 hrs under heavy load. 5 hrs tops in watching normal webbrowser. Heavy and clunky. Battery drains when sleep, if wake from hibernation.. it can't last more then 2 days.
iPads last days. Light and smooth. Instant on.
Unless you are using x86 programs.. I definitely will not suggest Surface at all. Even when comparing x86 Macbook Air vs typical PCs, i will still pick Macbooks. Its battery saving standby mode is extreme, and last thru a workday without needed to charge.
- S
- Sidewinder
- vxs
- 03 Feb 2020
iPad don't need to fulfill anything for being a large iPhone, coz IMO, as a user of iPad 3 and iPad 10.2, iPads are better than iPhones, specially if you have an iPad Cellular
iPads of the recent times can do what a PC or laptop does, except that iPads don't have any exe files, or can't download from external source, but well, from being a graphic artist, illustrator, heavy gamer, blogger, editor and many more, I can say that having an iPad really fills the need of having a mobile PC, i'd pick it over a notebook or a laptop
- I
- I'mPhone
- PU6
- 03 Feb 2020
Anonymous, 02 Feb 2020One of the best purchases I made during the last decade was... moreAll gadgets have restrictions.
An iPad 2 won't get past ios 9 because of its dated hardware. If, it was to be updated, then new features won't support the iPad properly, and it's likely that performance will drop.
Do you expect a first/second gen Samsung Tab to go at least to Marshmallow? Of course not, because its hardware won't support it. It's just too old for what it is.
And you realize that Apple is still more generous in giving software updates. Most Androids won't get more than 3 years of software updates. I have ios 13.3 in my outgoing iPhone 6s. The buyer who bought my Samsung Note Fan Edition (Exynos) has never received OneUI 2 (it's newer than the iPhone).
And before the Note was sold, I have experienced lots of slowdowns with the phone (and severe throttling in demanding games). Both the OS and chipset is to blame. It's not a flagship-worthy phone. Not to mention the fingerprint sensor's slow and inaccurate, even when wiped clean. The iPhone still works faster than the Note. There may be slowdowns, but it's still generally more fluid (games still run quite smoothly in low details). Fingeprint scanner is also way faster, too.
You should not blame Apple for not giving more software updates to your iPad 2. Apple is already generous in this respect. Shouldn't have smashed it :)
- ?
- Anonymous
- 7sp
- 03 Feb 2020
Why the bash on android? I didnt think apples ipad was the best when it first released. I do believe android has the edge over apple and thatis to do with file transfer and management. Apple you have to stick with itunes whereas android is a plug and play senario. Androids cuatomisations make the device more feasable to use as well. Surface range is good now altbough was a disater in the begining due to the limitations of compatability with hardware. Now ditched the range is just an expensive slate that a laptop can do.
- P
- Pepa
- gEt
- 02 Feb 2020
potato4k, 02 Feb 2020What kind of “potential” did the writer expect for the iPad... moreYes, went there to say that. iPad is ideal media consumption and internet device and excels in this role.
- ?
- Anonymous
- pxx
- 02 Feb 2020
One of the best purchases I made during the last decade was certainly the iPad 2, I used that thing to death and only left it behind with a screen cracked because iOS 9 essentially crippled it - I was so angry with Apple's move that I didn't buy a replacement. The OS was always the limiting factor, Apple created this platform for consumption and has struggled to get it to become that PC replacement device they have yet to shut up about (but they still haven't convinced anyone).
- Nicolas F
- pRS
- 02 Feb 2020
And, btw, I don't have so called "iOS limitations problems" with my iPad, when I upload videos from a computer on it (directly to VLC app, through iTunes "Shared Files" section, or how is it called in English), or books directly to other app, or when I download gigabytes of manga (japanese comics) from translations websites right inside Manga Bird app and then read it offline, or when I copy/paste multiple formulas in Google Spreadsheets, etc.
So, maybe it's not iOS who might have "limitations" ;)
- ?
- Anonymous
- n1D
- 02 Feb 2020
I think the first iPad Air made it sexy. But the main reason why it is a success: Display quality + never changed their display format + performing well for years
I stil have Xperia Z2 Tablet and I still like it. But have been using my iPad Pro 9.7 since I have it. It's working flawlessly and I think I have no reason to change for another additional 3 years.
- Nicolas F
- pRS
- 02 Feb 2020
I bought my first tablet, iPad Air (2019), 4 months ago, and since then I use it much more more than my Redmi 5 Plus (which has not a small screen) - web browsing, comic books (oh, it's such a pleasure on an iPad!) and just books reading, watching videos, writing notes, some gaming, even trying to learn drawing and making music (Garageband looks quite interesting).
Yes, tablets market is very slow compared to phones, but it's because tablets just live much longer and their area of use is more steady (mainly because of cameras). So, I always find very strange to compare their markets.