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Seven Years Ago Today: Steve Jobs Introduces the iPad

My story with the iPad:

Used iPad months after it came out at the Apple store. Absolutely blew me away. Preordered the iPad 2 after it's announcement. Finally received it weeks and weeks after the launch date (crazy demand). Used it for years and years. Absolutely wonderful device.

Fast forward to today, I rarely use my iPad. I delegate most tasks either to my phablet phone or my more-capable-than-my-iPad laptop. And my iPad has unfortunately become a lemon due to iOS updates. I really enjoyed my time with my iPad but I don't think I'll buy another. Just don't have any explicit uses for it. Anyone else?

edit -- What I can say is that the iPad revolutionized so many industries. Pilots in airplanes use them. They are used in construction and engineering. They are used in schools and hospitals. Heck, look at Square's point-of-sale systems. Those wouldn't even exist! (Or if they did, they'd be running on laggy Android tablets).
 
Romy90210 said:
Feel bad for Steve. The iPad of today is not what he ambitioned back then... Steve wanted the iPad to be a computer replacement, instead it became a giant iPod toy to play silly mobile games and watch youtube videos :(
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Watch the presentation again and stuff he said after. It was always obvious to me that he wanted the iPad to be a device for consuming data and the laptop/desktop to be the main creation devices.
 
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Is it me, or has there been a lot of "on this day XX years ago, the (apple product) was released" articles? Totally cool with celebrating the past achievements but it somewhat telling of the current state of Apple.
 
I just gave my first gen iPad to an elderly friend, after her 15 year old powerbook finally gave up the ghost. It's fine for what she needs, email and light web browsing, it's enough for her to stay in contact with her friends. For a 7 year old device it's going well.
 
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Bought the original iPad on release day. Used it for a few days and then gradually stopped due to its weight. Ended up sitting in a drawer for 2 years until i gave it to my dad. Total waste of 700 bucks just for the novelty.
 
DTphonehome said:
Still have my unlimited data plan on at&t on my 12.9" iPad Pro. Love it, but they really need to overhaul iOS with more iPad-specific features.
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Yup I use the hell out of my unlimited plan. Would never give it up. They definitely need to overhaul iOS because that is what is holding it back .. not the hardware
 
Glassed Silver said:
One of the most annoying things with flat design is that you need to think a whole lot more about which areas are interactive and which ones are really just plain text or design elements
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Go to accessibility options and turn on button shapes- makes all the difference. Makes the interactive area around said button slightly darker.
 
Wowereit said:
"It's just a big iPod/iPhone" might be a little bit ignorant, but at the end it's the truth.
They didn't bump up the capabilities and threw away lots of potential.

Steve actually said that it might not be 100% there yet as a PC replacement, but that he strongly believes it will evolve to this point and fill the gaps.

Well, in 7 years of development it got a pen. Same product otherwise.
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The thing that people forget is the software..you can do more now with IOS split screen etc..
for music apps, they get released first for IOS and sometime never for android.
For the people who think that the surface is better..good luck with that..
And for Tim..the iPad is not a Mac replacement..so keep improving the macs
AND Ipads!
 
Ipad? Meh. The most important iOS device Apple created started with the iPhone 6 Plus. That's when time began. That was the most fundamental computing game changer in Apple's history.

The Plus size phones are everything. They do everything. The best device Apple has ever created.
 
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Hah, just yesterday I brought my work iPad Air to the Apple Store because the battery was lasting a half hour on a full charge. They did a fine job with the diagnosis and said they could offer me a refurb replacement for $99, or $120 to upgrade to a new model. But, since it's a work device, I had to go through IT and order a replacement. The ONLY option I was given is to go with a 9.7" iPad PRO with 128gig Ram and the Apple Pencil.

Sometimes working for a large company has its advantages.

Oh and this will be the 5th iPad in our household.
 
now i see it said:
Ipad? Meh. The most important iOS device Apple created started with the iPhone 6 Plus. That's when time began. That was the most fundamental computing game changer in Apple's history.

The Plus size phones are everything. They do everything. The best device Apple has ever created.
Click to expand...
Thats a great phone but if you do music, draw, edit video the extra real estate of the iPad is even better.
 
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So does the iPad from 7 years ago do anything different then the current iPad does? Has Apple done anything new with the iPad? IMO no.
Again just another category where Apple is falling short.
 
businezguy said:
It's sad to see the iPad rapidly dying due to the misdirection of Tim Cook. It has so much potential, but needs software support to truly unleash its capabilities.
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I'm really hoping it changes this year...but that is what I have been hoping for the past 7 years. iPad has a lot of really great things about it - PIP is awesome, split screen works well (But needs a major overhaul to the app selector), Apple Pencil is great, other than having to carry it around separately. The keyboard is nice, but it needs some kind of indirect input (trackpad.)

Everything is just almost there with the iPad. Moving files is annoying, video editing is a nightmare because you have to go through the photos app. The biggest problem with the iPad right now is probably just the App Store - making really good paid software is just unsustainable right now with the way the app store is set up to value volume over quality/longevity. Making a quick game with IAP is way more profitable than making an expensive productivity software that will end up buried in search results from junk apps that are completely unrelated. Not to mention giving apple 30% for that. Also, still no ability to have a trial version.
 
I miss those Apple days of old: "come see our latest creation"

Today, even when there is something "new"....we will show you pictures and a video of a product that will be available in 6 months, then when it is released, it will be sold out in an hour, then not available in our stores for months. :eek:

...But one a positive note...I am enjoying my iPad ;)
 
I remember the intro and how everyone panned the iPad. I thought it was a bit oversold by Jobs but it was a better experience using it than watching someone explain it. It was better than a netbook at everything the netbook was trying to be for the most part. However it really hasn't seen what it takes to really take off: a dedicated iOS that exploits all the surface area. The home page grids and folders have to be replaced with something better. The UI conventions need more tweaking to be iPad specific to exploit what it can do. It's gotten better for sure but it needs a long way to go -- especially in ergonomics. A big slab is very difficult to hold for a long time.
 
now i see it said:
Ipad? Meh. The most important iOS device Apple created started with the iPhone 6 Plus. That's when time began. That was the most fundamental computing game changer in Apple's history.

The Plus size phones are everything. They do everything. The best device Apple has ever created.
Click to expand...

Even the iPad mini has a screen over twice the size of the Plus. They are fundamentally different.
 
I knew there was something important about today. Can't believe it's already been 7 years. What a magical experience, using the first iPad. Still have mine, too!

Rest In Peace, Steve. Thank you.
 
someone please share the funny photos of larger ipads
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AceFernalld said:
I knew there was something important about today. Can't believe it's already been 7 years. What a magical experience, using the first iPad. Still have mine, too!

Rest In Peace, Steve. Thank you.
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magical experience?

a lot of us hardly use our ipads these days :confused:
 
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