No matter how great may be considered to be this second iteration of Apple’s tablet, nobody can say that iPad problems are a thing of the past and iPad 2 is flawless. Just as I expected, we can notice two big categories of iPad 2 problems: those related to various hardware issues that happen mainly because something went wrong during the manufacturing of the device and the problems that can’t be fixed by returning your defective device, since they are nothing but design flaws. These being said, let’s split the remaining part of this article into two sections and start with those issues that will probably go away in a few months for most users…
iPad 2 - Evil or Divine?
iPad 2 Problems – Hardware Issues
1. Display problems – I always loved Apple’s displays, especially the ones they used with the iMacs and I must admit that, no matter the device we’re talking about (iPhone, iPod, iPad included), the giant from Cupertino gives its competitors something to think about. Unfortunately, quite a few iPad 2 users noticed bleeding screen edges and, unfortunately, this isn’t something that could be solved with a software update, one day. More than the bleeding, some users also noticed discoloration of their displays on arrival, but this is a minor proble, since it seems to be caused by the fact that iPads are shipped so quickly after being manufactured, that the bonding glue used in the display doesn’t dry in time.
2. Wireless signal issues – For now, this seems like a hardware problem, since the devices that have been reported to drop connections have the latest iOS version installed. For most original iPad owners, firmware fixes managed to solve the problem, so I guess this will fade away in time for iPad 2 users, too… or maybe not, if it’s a more serious hardware issue.
3. Poor cameras – While the original iPad had no camera and a lot of people bashed it for that, the iPad 2 comes with two cameras, the main camera delivering HD video recording, but only 960X720 still images (less than 1 MP!). No need to talk about the front camera – the idea is that both of them provide lower resolutions than most smartphones currently on the market.
4. This may be more of a marketing problem and it’s surely not something only encountered here but, as it happens with all Apple products, accessories for the iPad 2 are really expensive.
5. Overheating – It happened with the original iPad, now various reports claim that the iPad 2 also overheats from time to time, especially when crunching some serious numbers…
6. Microphone issues with the 3G version – After performing recording tests with both the WiFi-only iPad 2 and the 3G one, iLounge concluded that the first one delivers better sound quality, so the 3G module seems to affect the microphone’s recording capabilities. Whoops… 😉
7. Screen resolution – not that bad, but the same as the first generation iPads. Come on, Apple, should we wait for iPad 7 to get better
iPad 2 Problems – Software Issues
1. Various programs not being able “to spot” the new hardware – In time, I think this kind of problems will go away, but it’s rather frustrating to get a brand new and rather expensive iPad 2, go online and then notice that some really cool program isn’t that cool, because your front camera is not being recognized…
2. Contacts lost – I’ve seen a few user reports here and there claiming that the restore function doesn’t work as it should, so lost contacts remain lost. Whoops once again!
3. Random freezes – This really feels like my Android 2.2 Chinese tablet, only that I didn’t pay $500 for it… so, since more than just a few people report this kind of problem, there must be something wrong, maybe a combination of overheating and software instability, can’t tell for sure.
4. No Flash support – This happens while various Android tablets, marketed by more or less notorious brands, handle Flash content really well…
iPad 2 Problems – Bad Design & Marketing Ideas
1. Still no support for microSD card – Nothing new here, I can’t say I expect such a thing anytime soon in any Apple product. No need to talk about the reasons, right? It’s enough to say “iTunes+App Store = no memory card slot,” I think…
2. No internal USB and HDMI – It can surely be done without breaking a sweat, but why not sell expensive adapters, after all?
3. Expensive AT&T or Verizon data plans available, no other choices available. Do I have to say more? I guess not…
4. The price – No comment needed…
iPad 2 Problems – Conclusion
No matter what some people say, it seems Apple is still struggling to meet demand for the iPad 2 and that says it all – despite all its problems, this gadget is quite a hit. On the other hand, Android-powered tablets are getting better and better with each month and there are hundreds, maybe thousands of different models to choose from. Sure, some of them are really cheap from all points of view, but there are quite a few to make you think twice when deciding to go for an iPad 2.
These being said, I would only like to ask you a simple question – if you got an iPad (first or second generation, doesn’t really matter), what do you think about it and the problems that you encountered with yours? Will you get an iPad 3 or 4 when they come out?