My current Ipad frustrations

[cavi]

I thought I would bring up my current complaints to see i anyone has found any solutions that I may have mised.
Here goes. As with everyone I would have liked a usb port, but I can live without it. My thre major complaints are first it drops my wifi connection and even looses the key often. I know that I could change the settings on my router, I am not willing to do this, I expect a solution to this with the first software update hopefully???
Second, the lack of printability, this is a severe shortcomming in my view.
Last, the lack of ability to view like 75% of video on the net. That is unforgivable.
I had expected this device to replace my netbook and my e-reader. It has replaced my E-reader very well, but not the netbook for the lack of the print capabilities and the video viewing, and a couple of other issues, minor but still a pain

[DixieGal]

I had terrible trouble with it dropping off the wifi also. So I have been talking to a darling support girl named Elizabeth, and we have pretty much found out how to resolve this widespread problem.

What was happening was that the Ipad IP address for some unknow reason keeps redirecting back to itself. I have ATT wifi with the Westell modem. What we finally figured out was that I had to go to the modem website (via PC) and download the modem update. Then we reconfigured the iPad to search for the modem and it found a new IP address, and is much better. It still drops off if it goes to sleep for a long time, but usually I just have to toggle the power button back to sleep and on again. We are still working on it.

Customer support is magnificent. I could easily underestimate that she has spent 36 hrs total with me until we got it fixed. As a matter of fact, she just called about 15 minutes ago to see if our latest experiments are working. It sped up processing probably double and is so fast now that it sort of gets away from me!

Call Apple, and if it helps, tell them to talk you through what Elizabeth is doing with Bambi Nix. Read the above to them about how I had to update my modem software and that my IP address kept pointing back to the iPad itself.

Printing apps are out there already for wifi hookup, but they are not great yet. I understand that is one of the main things they are working on right now. Have you tried any of the print apps yet?

[stargazertony]

Originally Posted by cavi

...the lack of printability, this is a severe shortcomming in my view.
Last, the lack of ability to view like 75% of video on the net. That is unforgivable.
I had expected this device to replace my netbook and my e-reader. It has replaced my E-reader very well, but not the netbook for the lack of the print capabilities and the video viewing, and a couple of other issues, minor but still a pain

I think you had expectations that were not entirely real. While the iPad is a very slick device that does what is was designed to do very well, it's still a rather mediocre device when it comes to competing with a computer like a net-book or laptop. It was never designed to be a net-book. Lack of printing, flash, programming except for those authorized by Apple all hamper it.

[cavi]

I disagree, I feel that apple wanted a device that would replace a net book as a office tool also, and the lack of printing is horrible, and the lack of flash is inexcusable, they project it as the ultimate Internet experience, and flash is definitely part of the Internet in my book. Yes I tried one of the print apps and was not thrilled
I also forgot one complaint, lack of the camera, again in this world for the Internet experience a camera is essential.
End result is that the iPad does a bit of everything, but nothing well. As for apple's intentions go watch their demo on their site, you will see that it was clearly meant to be an Internet experience for sure.

[cavi]

Btw, I am by no means saying that i hate mine or anything, it is way better than my Sony reader for reading as I had major problems reading the reader in low light, and it does allow me to view my email, but I do end up having to still use my net book for some Internet functions that I do at home as I need the flash, and this I had not expected

[WillAdams]

- USB port --- this is available as a hardware add-on (even supports keyboards apparently)
- Printing --- there're apps for that
- You knew about the lack of Flash support up-front --- complain to the people who're providing the video using a proprietary wrapper, or look for sites which don't do such

[scottjl]

hmm.. well. the device is different for everyone. where it has replaced my netbook entirely and satisfactorily for me.

1. wifi, i have not had the trouble others have reported, and this includes both my home wifi mesh and many airports and hotels i've been through in the past several weeks. the problem with the DHCP lease is known and workarounds posted. i guess if people won't implement the workarounds they have to deal with it. one thing you might try on your home network is simply setting a static IP to the ipad and be done with it.

2. lack of printing ability. well. this was known from the start. so no one can really say this is a surprise. this is a device for media consumption, not necessarily production. there are a few apps that allow you to print through host systems, but don't expect this to be addressed by apple. this has been discussed a few times on the forums.

3. lack of flash. again, a topic pretty much beaten to death and should not be a surprise to anyone. flash will never come to the ipad. don't say you weren't warned. if flash is a requirement, the ipad is not for you.

i really don't understand people's requirement for a USB port. to do what with? plug in a keyboard? takes away from the portability of the ipad. alternatives exist in the bluetooth keyboard and keyboard with dock anyway. plug in a jumpdrive? to what purpose? the iPad OS has no concept of a file system (available to the user at least) to move things around in. plug in headphones? that's what the headphone jack is for. webcam? apple wants you to wait for ipad 2.0 for that one. a hard drive? again, no file system available and would again defeat the purpose of portability.

if you're really desperate for a usb port pick up the camera kit, there are many people reporting successfully using other devices (keyboards, headsets) with it successfully. ymmv.

if you need flash, printing, usb ports, a full os, apple sells devices for that. they're called macbooks. the ipad was never marketed as a netbook or laptop replacement.

[nikkie]

The wifi problem will almost certainly be fixed with their first update. It's causing pretty big issues at campuses because iPads are trying to use old leases. The iPhone used to have the same problem.

As far as printing - I'm waiting/hoping for Google Cloud Print to take off.

[scottjl]

i had read somewhere that apple was doing no further development on the 3.x OS, which means we'd have to wait for 4.0 for the DHCP issue to be addressed. this puts any ipad update off until the fall, quite a ways away. i have to wonder if they're going to do anything about it at all.

google cloud printing but it will take years to implement everywhere along with new hardware. certainly not an immediate solution.

searching the itunes store turns up several applications to help with printing including Air Sharing, Print n Share and PrintCentral. while I haven't purchased any of them I have heard good things about PrintCentral.

[nikkie]

@scottjl I would not be surprised to see a minor fix for the wifi issues in the next couple of months regardless.

As far as cloud printing being "way off", it's not as far as you might think since you can just use a proxy for all the legacy devices. It seems completely reasonable to expect an alpha release of some proxy software within a month or two.

[Tamara]

Originally Posted by cavi

My thre major complaints are first it drops my wifi connection and even looses the key often. I know that I could change the settings on my router, I am not willing to do this, I expect a solution to this with the first software update hopefully???

If you know that making an adjustment on your router will correct the issue, it seems silly to not do it.

Second, the lack of printability, this is a severe shortcomming in my view.

I guess you have not checked the app store for printer apps. There is some printer support.

Last, the lack of ability to view like 75% of video on the net.

You must've of missed all the discussion about the iPad not having Flash and it probably never will have Flash.

[scottjl]

Originally Posted by nikkie

@scottjl I would not be surprised to see a minor fix for the wifi issues in the next couple of months regardless.

As far as cloud printing being "way off", it's not as far as you might think since you can just use a proxy for all the legacy devices. It seems completely reasonable to expect an alpha release of some proxy software within a month or two.

well. what i meant was it's going to take a while, months, possibly years, for people to either replace their existing printers with one that has GCP built-in, or to get around to running a proxy. and i certainly don't expect people to be installing any early alphas, even betas, certainly not in public locations like hotels (that i frequent).

i personally would love to see some sort of universal cloud printing given that i travel extensively. it would be great to walk into any hotel or airline club and "just print" without worrying about drivers, printer capabilities, etc. as is, when i do have to print (which is pretty infrequent because i try to be as paperless as possible) i typically print to PDF (cuteprint on windows, or the native pfd ability on os x) and then print that out. pretty much every public system with a printer that i need to use has acrobat installed. they may not have word, excel, visio, etc.

it took years for usb to replace serial (9 pin, 25 pin, etc.) and parallel ports. it will be nice when we can do away with all these custom and unique printer drivers.

[Daddy Warpig]

Originally Posted by cavi

Last, the lack of ability to view like 75% of video on the net. That is unforgivable.

I presume you speak of Flash. Without getting into the flamey debates, I just want to ask this:

If the lack of flash was "unforgivable" & "inexcusable", why buy at all? If it really bothers you, often and deeply, isn't that a sign to buy something more suited to your needs (whatever that might be)?

Personally, I have enough problems with programs/equipment I like, that I would never buy something I knew beforehand would bug the shit out of me All. The. Time.

I have too much to do, and too little time to do it. I do not need another aggravating device cluttering up my life. The iPad seems to aggravate you (whereas it doesn't aggravate me), so why buy it in the first place?

I can see overlooking small flaws, but not something "unforgiveable." YMMV.

[Sonist]

Originally Posted by Daddy Warpig

I presume you speak of Flash. Without getting into the flamey debates, I just want to ask this:

If the lack of flash was "unforgivable" & "inexcusable", why buy at all? If it really bothers you, often and deeply, isn't that a sign to buy something more suited to your needs (whatever that might be)?....

I think some here forget that most people out there, including those who walk into the Apple Store and get wowed by the iPad, don't know Flash from Java Script, or from Silverlight.

Not everyone spends their life on forums, or reads every review in depth. Maybe all they saw is the big Apple iPad poster in the store, proclaiming that the iPad is "the best way to experience the web."

So it is to be expected that for at least some it will be both a surprise and a disappointment, when they get home and find out that a good portion of video streams don't work, or that some sites don't work, or that some sites look funny compared to their desktop.

There is really no need for accusations or hostility..., or posters will fear to tread here....

Cheers.

[scottjl]

ok. so i'm a computer novice. i walk into an apple store, don't speak to anyone who might explain the limitations (no flash, no printing) but somehow manage to walk out with an ipad and take it home. i do have wireless at home and manage to get it on my network and start surfing.

sitting on my couch in the living room...

i go to cnn.com, looks great and the web site works for a few pages. i read some news.

i go to abc.com, looks great and the web site works for a few pages. i want to watch some shows and it kindly redirects me to the ABC application at the app store. i download and watch with this.

i go to nbc.com which secretly redirects me to m.nbc.com. i get to browse a mobile site that looks different than my desktop. but i figure it's because i'm on my ipad. i'm still able to view some video clips i can find (apparently they're streaming h.264, which i know nothing about).

i go to disney.com, get redirected to an ipad specific site (http://home.disney.go.com/mobile/?device=ipad) which looks great and is pretty functional.

i go to target.com, i can surf their site and even order on-line. looks nice for me here too.

i go to hulu.com. i get a large box up-top that tells me i need to install something called Flash Player 10.0.22 or higher. i can look through some of the site but i can't view any video.

now one out of the past 6 sites isn't working. why would a sensible person immediately call the ipad a failure, say it is an unfit device and storm apple's walls demanding flash? would i not email hulu and ask "why does your site not work on my ipad?" after all, my 5 previous sites worked just fine, and plenty others do too.

is it apple's fault another site doesn't work on the ipad? no. is it apple's fault someone else's site was built with flash? no. does apple produce flash? no.

so i return to the apple store and talk to a "genius". i explain how i tried to go to hulu and it asked me to install flash. he tells me that the ipad doesn't support flash. since it's my second day with the ipad i have two options:

1. return the ipad because it doesn't work with flash and go get something else
2. keep the ipad knowing that some sites don't work.

that's pretty much it.

moral of all this.. if you want to surf the web with a full desktop experience, use a full desktop!

try sitting with that on your lap on the couch!