New iPad Review

So I got a free "the new" iPad, and have been using it for a while. Thought I would post a mini review of it.

1 - First and foremost the screen is awesome. But I think everyone knows this by now. My main reasoning for keeping it would be as a mobile portfolio that I can use to show images.

2 - The name is idiotic. "The new!" iPad...just call it iPad3.

3 - During initial setup you either have to use iTunes or configure the WiFi. Well I don't have iTunes so went WiFi. Well it doesn't tell you the MAC address so there was no way to connect. I had to reconfigure my router to temporarily allow access to unauthorized devices so that I could connect, get into the settings and find the MAC address, put it into the router and then put it back the way I wanted it. Really really annoying.

4 - In the other really really annoying category - the iPad will not connect to a router that is not broadcasting the SSID - even if I give it the password and all. I haven't searched yet for a way to fix this, but IMO it should be obvious and easy to manually add one - or if the info was already entered and connected it should easily connect to it even if it isn't broadcasting. Not very user friendly

5 - Surprised at the lack of free apps, and the lack of an easy way to search for those that are. The app store's search sucks hard. You can pick a category and then pick the "free" option for the price, but it's a jumbled mess of stuff that comes up and it's not nearly all the apps that show either. Not very user friendly

6 - I thought there was some sort of coating on the screen to help reduce fingerprints? Maybe there isn't, but suffice it to say, tons of them very quickly. Oh well most tablets are probably this way. There are screen protectors and cases and such but everything I read says they really degrade the screen quality.

7 - It's quite a bit heavier than expected. Also the edges are pointed and it makes it hard to hold in your hand for any extended length of time - the edges of the device start digging into my fingers due to the weight.

8 - Battery life seems great.

9 - Gestures are not being taken very good advantage of. You have some gestures to zoom, return to home screen, switch between apps, etc., but absolutely nothing for Safari. How hard would it really be to have a forward/back gesture?

10 - The corners of the tablet screen are not very sensitive/accurate to touches - this makes the forward/back function in Safari annoying to use and they often don't register touches correctly. This makes #9 even more of an annoyance.

11 - The USB connector is smaller than the ones for iPods and it seems less easy to get into the device.

12 - I can plug in the USB to the iPad to my computer, the device will show up, I can see the storage, but I can't write any files to it. Really? This is 2012. This means no easy way to manage photos by dragging/dropping a bunch into albums.

13 - You can sync a Google Calendar, but only the default and not an additional shared calendar you may have. Guess you want Android if you want that ability.

14 - Lack of file management. No way to easily get to your storage area and see what's there, delete, etc. Though to be fair Android isn't so good at this either without some third party stuff.

15 - The App Store is annoying as hell. Why do I have to enter a freaking password ALL THE TIME for downloading some app?

16 - Cannot charge via a USB connection to the computer. Why, I have no idea.

Overall, I really like the screen and battery life - it would make a great mobile portfolio. But it's not all that user friendly for getting your stuff onto it or organized easily. Not sure if I will keep it or sell it when the Asus Transformer Infinity arrives.

Numenorean wrote in post #14320866
3 - During initial setup you either have to use iTunes or configure the WiFi. Well I don't have iTunes so went WiFi. Well it doesn't tell you the MAC address so there was no way to connect. I had to reconfigure my router to temporarily allow access to unauthorized devices so that I could connect, get into the settings and find the MAC address, put it into the router and then put it back the way I wanted it. Really really annoying.

Yes, you CAN get the MAC address out of the iPad, same as any other iOS device. Settings >> General >> About...in the list is the WiFi MAC and Bluetooth MAC. I use MAC filtering on my router as well and have never had a problem with doing this look-up on any iOS devices, iPad3 included.

Numenorean wrote in post #14320866
4 - In the other really really annoying category - the iPad will not connect to a router that is not broadcasting the SSID - even if I give it the password and all. I haven't searched yet for a way to fix this, but IMO it should be obvious and easy to manually add one - or if the info was already entered and connected it should easily connect to it even if it isn't broadcasting. Not very user friendly

I used my old iPad1 and iPhone 3Gs on my brother's network and he was not broadcasting either. You just go to WiFi, select "Other", enter the name of the SSID manually, select the security protocol, enter the password and "join". If this isn't working, you are probably entering the wrong SSID, security protocol or password (or any combination of the three).

Numenorean wrote in post #14320866
5 - Surprised at the lack of free apps, and the lack of an easy way to search for those that are. The app store's search sucks hard. You can pick a category and then pick the "free" option for the price, but it's a jumbled mess of stuff that comes up and it's not nearly all the apps that show either. Not very user friendly

After you pick the category, then the "top free" option, you can scroll and get more and more and more and more apps. The few displayed on the first screen do not represent the entire listing.

Organizationally, I've never seen any limitation here, as they are listed by the download popularity from greatest to least, not randomly jumbled.

Numenorean wrote in post #14320866
15 - The App Store is annoying as hell. Why do I have to enter a freaking password ALL THE TIME for downloading some app?

Yes, you do. This keeps your children and friends from buying things off your account when you share your device. Assuming you are a sharing person.

Just out on a limb here, but to manage pictures you need to use iTunes I think.

Numenorean wrote in post #14320866
12 - I can plug in the USB to the iPad to my computer, the device will show up, I can see the storage, but I can't write any files to it. Really? This is 2012. This means no easy way to manage photos by dragging/dropping a bunch into albums.

You are right, this is 2012. In the year 2012, we don't screw around with attaching our iPads to computers. We download straight from the camera to the iPad.

If you must add photos to the iPad from a PC, it also is really simple.

Here's the idiot's guide to doing so: http://www.gilsmethod.​com …opy-pictures-to-your-ipad

imsellingmyfoot wrote in post #14321056
Just out on a limb here, but to manage pictures you need to use iTunes I think.

Good Call.

AngryCorgi wrote in post #14321065
Good Call.

I have enough friends with apple devices to know that.

imsellingmyfoot wrote in post #14321071
I have enough friends with apple devices to know that.

Yeah. One would think that would be the FIRST place to look, no?

AngryCorgi wrote in post #14320943
Yes, you CAN get the MAC address out of the iPad, same as any other iOS device. Settings >> General >> About...in the list is the WiFi MAC and Bluetooth MAC. I use MAC filtering on my router as well and have never had a problem with doing this look-up on any iOS devices, iPad3 included.

You can't GET to Settings > General > About during initial setup. It won't let you.

AngryCorgi wrote in post #14320968
I used my old iPad1 and iPhone 3Gs on my brother's network and he was not broadcasting either. You just go to WiFi, select "Other", enter the name of the SSID manually, select the security protocol, enter the password and "join". If this isn't working, you are probably entering the wrong SSID, security protocol or password (or any combination of the three).

It's connected right now. If I turn off broadcasting, it no longer finds the WiFi.

AngryCorgi wrote in post #14321010
After you pick the category, then the "top free" option, you can scroll and get more and more and more and more apps. The few displayed on the first screen do not represent the entire listing.

Organizationally, I've never seen any limitation here, as they are listed by the download popularity from greatest to least, not randomly jumbled.

I just tried this. I picked the category, and there isn't anything that says "top free". I have "New" and "What's Hot" or "Popular" and "Release Date" at the top.

AngryCorgi wrote in post #14321031
Yes, you do. This keeps your children and friends from buying things off your account when you share your device. Assuming you are a sharing person.

If it's free, why should it need a password? Also I don't share with anyone who would randomly start buying things with my account.

imsellingmyfoot wrote in post #14321056
Just out on a limb here, but to manage pictures you need to use iTunes I think.

Yeah, I don't want to install iTunes. Why should I have to install any software? Doesn't make sense.