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I'm an Android user and bought an iPad some days ago. Overall it feels pretty weird and unintuitive from my point of view. First thing I tried was uploading so

I'm an Android user and bought an iPad some days ago. Overall it feels pretty weird and unintuitive from my point of view. First thing I tried was uploading some images on it, but can't upload files via USB storage, have to use iTunes for that. I'm a linux user, so had to install windows on VirtualBox and then forward the USB por to virtualized iTunes. After doing that I realize that can't just place files on the filesystem, files are bound to a particular application, so I have to upload the images to an image viewer, and that program "owns" the files. Also apps seem to be isolated from each other, when on Android they often communicate via "intents". Then I went to the App Store to get some apps to get started, and it asked me to create an Apple Id, I entered the info, then it asked me for credit card number.. I just wanted to get some free apps and skip the credit card part, but it didn't let me continue without it. So cancelled the Apple Id creation, went googling, and after a few tries managed to create the Apple Id account without registering a credit card (you need to download a free app). Seems that it's persuading you to enter a credit card, since the "none" payment option wasn't visible by default. After browsing the store for a while, most of the apps are paid and it's pretty hard to get free apps. You can't really get any decent app without paying, on Android 90% of the apps you'll use everyday are free. So, overall it feels limited, there is no contact with the underlying filesystem or OS, most apps have very poor or zero configuration, and trivial tasks (like uploading files from your PC) require extra cumbersome steps. Seems to be designed as a device for consuming, a toy, not something you're gonna work with. My desktop computer is far superior than an iPad.

jsz0 14y ago
If you use Dropbox you can have it just automatically transfer your photos or iPhoto/PhotoStream. From there it's in your camera roll which any application can access.
- celerity 14y ago
  God help you if you want to use it in two different applications. Plus, "you can use a third-party service" is not exactly an elegant solution.
mannkind 14y ago
Have you ever watched someone organize their own files on disk? Copy files between disks/USB drives? Try to copy a file between two machines (yes, even on Windows)? Or get lost in settings or configuration files? People, typical people, do. not. understand. any. of. those. things. Yes, some people do but most people don't and they don't want to either. Advanced users of <anything> really need to realize that just because something is simple to you does not mean it's simple to everyone; heaven forbid we try to make things that more people can use and understand.
- CmdrKrool 14y ago
  darkstalker's talking about stuff being /limited/, not stuff being simple to use and understand. They're related but not the same - that's where great design can come in. (At least, I still believe!) And I have certainly seen a 'typical' person, who would frequently end up lost having teetered into one of the incredible variety of wrong turns it's possible to take in Windows Explorer - having migrated to a Mac, being brought to near tears of frustration by not being able to arrange things in iPhoto in a way that satisfied her, even after I showed her how to create "albums" to act in a way which is uncannily similar to but not the same as folders, a concept which she does actually understand and use. (I'm now researching - with no definite expectation of a non-excessively laborious answer - how to export the photos from her iPhoto library into something like their original PC folder structure, so that I can set her up with the highly recommended Lyn and so that she can also manage the photos in the Finder as she really wants to.)
- BigTigger 14y ago
  I had a similar user experience with iOS (I admit I bailed out of the ecosystem at the 3GS but it hasn't changed substantially since then). You're correct with everything you say, however, I feel that while you should always cater for the lowest common denominator (which Apple does, very well with iOS). You should also cater for the power user and the ultimate reason I switched out of the iOS ecosystem the only way I could get all the functionality I wanted was by jailbreaking my iPhone, whereas with an Android it's all native (and am glad to say I haven't had to root my Android). Further to the above paragraph from what I observe in iOS is that it appears that they do not want to progress towards power users, unless I've missed some key developments recently. In saying this, I've recently purchased a MacBook and I feel that they've done an incredible job with OSX in the regards, it's very easy to use for the novice but allows for a lot of power user functionality (e.g. multiple finger swipes, access to terminal, keyboard shortcuts for things like spotlight).
pooriaazimi 14y ago
> on Android 90% of the apps you'll use everyday are free They're ad-supported. That's a huge difference. I'd rather (and do) pay for the apps I'm supposed to be using everyday (but, the problem is you can't test-drive apps, so you might end up paying $14 for an app that's pure garbage. That's a valid criticism of App Store.).

jsz0 14y ago

If you use Dropbox you can have it just automatically transfer your photos or iPhoto/PhotoStream. From there it's in your camera roll which any application can access.

celerity 14y ago
God help you if you want to use it in two different applications. Plus, "you can use a third-party service" is not exactly an elegant solution.

mannkind 14y ago

Have you ever watched someone organize their own files on disk? Copy files between disks/USB drives? Try to copy a file between two machines (yes, even on Windows)? Or get lost in settings or configuration files? People, typical people, do. not. understand. any. of. those. things. Yes, some people do but most people don't and they don't want to either. Advanced users of <anything> really need to realize that just because something is simple to you does not mean it's simple to everyone; heaven forbid we try to make things that more people can use and understand.

CmdrKrool 14y ago
darkstalker's talking about stuff being /limited/, not stuff being simple to use and understand. They're related but not the same - that's where great design can come in. (At least, I still believe!) And I have certainly seen a 'typical' person, who would frequently end up lost having teetered into one of the incredible variety of wrong turns it's possible to take in Windows Explorer - having migrated to a Mac, being brought to near tears of frustration by not being able to arrange things in iPhoto in a way that satisfied her, even after I showed her how to create "albums" to act in a way which is uncannily similar to but not the same as folders, a concept which she does actually understand and use. (I'm now researching - with no definite expectation of a non-excessively laborious answer - how to export the photos from her iPhoto library into something like their original PC folder structure, so that I can set her up with the highly recommended Lyn and so that she can also manage the photos in the Finder as she really wants to.)
BigTigger 14y ago
I had a similar user experience with iOS (I admit I bailed out of the ecosystem at the 3GS but it hasn't changed substantially since then). You're correct with everything you say, however, I feel that while you should always cater for the lowest common denominator (which Apple does, very well with iOS). You should also cater for the power user and the ultimate reason I switched out of the iOS ecosystem the only way I could get all the functionality I wanted was by jailbreaking my iPhone, whereas with an Android it's all native (and am glad to say I haven't had to root my Android). Further to the above paragraph from what I observe in iOS is that it appears that they do not want to progress towards power users, unless I've missed some key developments recently. In saying this, I've recently purchased a MacBook and I feel that they've done an incredible job with OSX in the regards, it's very easy to use for the novice but allows for a lot of power user functionality (e.g. multiple finger swipes, access to terminal, keyboard shortcuts for things like spotlight).

pooriaazimi 14y ago

> on Android 90% of the apps you'll use everyday are free They're ad-supported. That's a huge difference. I'd rather (and do) pay for the apps I'm supposed to be using everyday (but, the problem is you can't test-drive apps, so you might end up paying $14 for an app that's pure garbage. That's a valid criticism of App Store.).