This will probably be a short article 🙂
But, I like the hardware, I like the applications, I like the interface, I like the layout.
What I really don’t like is the PC side of the setup… namely iTunes! iTunes is the absolute worst piece of crap application ever written and it’s just criminal that we are force to use it in order to do anything with our Apple hardware.
They just recently upgrade to iTunes 10 and I’m dreading the upgrade. I’ll probably try and hold off as long as possible. From what I’ve read, it’s even slower in the new version. They added on a useless social site called Ping which expects to setup a whole new framework of friends – assuming they all use iTunes as well. From what I’ve seen of it on TWiT, it’s probably got a few years of work before it’s good.
iTunes is so slow. Clicking on the iPad device causes a 5 second wait before the page actually changes over to it. Moving along the tabs at top take a few seconds each to switch. Moving around the interface is just horrible.
Browsing the iTunes store is horrible as well. Their design limits what you can see on screen at a time. Sometimes either 4 or 20 apps. Then they expect you to sit and hit next, next, next, next, … forever hitting next. God forbid you need to exit and come back later. You have to start over at the beginning. If you’re an app developer, your chances of ever getting near page one are so slim, it’s not even worth trying anymore.
File transfers are a pain. You need to get to the Apps page on your device which takes at least 30 seconds. Then you have to drag files into this special list at the bottom of the page. But there is no support for folders there. And there’s no hint that you can hit the delete key to get rid of files.
iTunes needs a re-write from scratch. No doubt about it.
Given this downside, would I give up my iPad for another device? Not a chance!