Why I Returned My iPad This Weekend

Posted by Hanson Hosein on
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010 at 9:14 pm

All good epics come in trilogy form. Here on Flip The Media, we began with Why I’m Not Buying an iPad This Weekend from my faculty colleague Kathy Gill. Then MCDM student Jeremy Snook sounded off on Why I Bought an iPad This Weekend. So I’ll wrap it up with my Return of the iPad (apologies JRR Tolkien). I took it back this evening (and paid the 10% restocking fee), though I had made the fateful decision this weekend when I left it behind with my family for two days and realized that I hadn’t missed it.

Most of my thoughts can be summarized in my review of the iPad last week on Seattle’s New Day Northwest:

I wouldn’t go as far as Lost Remote’s three word review: “Heavy niche toy.” But as the Apple customer service rep told me sympathetically, the iPad has compelled users to determine their specific portable computing needs and ask themselves whether this device fulfills them. For me, it didn’t — and it negated any desire to cart it around. In the last 72 hours:

- I decided to watch the uStream of the Seattle Social Media Breakfast event from home — on my Macbook Pro because the iPad’s browser doesn’t support Flash, and there’s no app to compensate.

- I used the webcam on my laptop to conduct a video Skype chat with my family in London. Not possible on the iPad. That’s not a deal breaker, but it means that if I need to decide which computer I want to have with me on an ongoing basis, I’m going to choose the one that gives me the most utility.

- I took my cheap, light somewhat stodgy Asus netbook to the Pacific Science Center for a run-through for our TEDx Seattle event; using Evernote to take notes about our speakers. There’s an Evernote app for the iPad, but I wouldn’t have been as adept with the on-screen keyboard; and it would have been tough to balance a bluetooth keyboard on my lap. I’ve been thinking hard about what I’ll use as a notepad as the event’s moderator; ultimately, I think I’ll use….a notepad.

- I opted for a trial subscription for the Seattle Times on my Kindle 2. I do like the iPad’s color screen, but the Kindle is much lighter — and I can hold it for extended periods of time.

- I’ve returned to messing around with my very delightful, Linux-based Maemo OS Nokia N900 mobile computer — the antithesis to the iPad (warts-and-all open-source, comes with a full-featured browser that supports Flash, a geek’s wet dream and a technological dead-end given Nokia’s new relationship with Intel to develop the MeeGo platform).

I really do like the multimedia streaming options on the iPad (the Netflix and ABC apps especially); but that’s not enough to justify a $500 expenditure. I know that my 2 year-old daughter will dearly miss the “big iPod.” But I think it’s worth sitting out the tablet wars to come and see if someone does develop one device “to rule them all.” I get what Apple is trying to do here, it’s just not for me. Of course it’s absolutely ridiculous that I have so many gadgets to begin with, but I was hoping the iPad would help me cut back. Not just yet.

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3 Comments, Comment or Ping

Rob S

Enjoyed the post. My office picked up a dozen iPads for testing and I had the opportunity to test one out over the weekend. I had the same experience as you. At the end of the weekend, i turned it back in and happily returned to my netbook.

The iPad is either a replacement for an existing device, or it is trying to create a new occasion of computer use. Or possibly a little of both.

I think the replacement idea is tough because Apple has limited the functionality in the design. No Flash support, camera, USB, etc. limits the capabilities out of the gate. Like you, I have a netbook, laptop, desktop, iPhone, and other devices. I’m very content with my netbook for doing the iPad type tasks.

I think the stronger argument for the iPad (and tablets in general) is that Apple has create a new occasion of use. I think there is tremendous opportunity in business and consumer spaces for having a device that enables non-traditional collaboration. Think about applications that would allow business people to collaborate around information rather than being presented a deck. Think about families that use this device to play board games while on vacation. Or apps that bridge the gap between TV shows and surfing.

Introducing products for new occasions is a very tough process. You must create the product and the industry, and first in does not guarantee winning the game.

Will be interesting to watch the coming tablet wars, but until then I’ll continue being perfectly happy with my netbook.

Apr 15th, 2010
David

Oh, my… this segment’s target audience is 45-70 year olds who are insecure about technology. I’ll never get the wasted time back.

And a sucker punch against the Wall Street Journal? Lame… wasn’t interested in his politics.

Apr 20th, 2010
Mark Eichler

I had exactly the same reaction to the iPad. It had a lot going for it, but its flaws and price made it easy for me to return 14 hours later (restocking fee avoided).

The economic rationale to not run Flash became obvious to me when I saw the Bridge Island ap was $20. I play 1-3 hours of bridge per week on yahoo for free. Over the course of the year $20 is pennies per hand, but I knew it was the tip of the iceberg. Additionally, the user reviews of the ap made it clear that a critical mass of human bridge players had not yet developed – ‘bot city awaited. I am not going to pay for a sleeker but less-satisfying online experience.

This is a “web consumer” portal that misses the point. The web is now an interactive space. Can anybody do serious typing on that thing? Where is the camera? Where is the USB connector for my camera? Why are they making it hard for me to get my content to the web?

I remember an ad where a bunch of drones sat in front of a machine having their minds melted until some decathlete threw a hammer. The screen she shattered may just be the iPad. The device is great for basking in the glow of the internet, but it is not good for adding one’s personal radiance.

Aug 31st, 2010