Legal Research

iPad Blues

By admin

Well, I bought an iPad while I was in the States two weeks ago. I just wanted to play and it seemed like a good time to buy my birthday gift and phone wifeypoo to tell her I saved her some shopping time.

So here’s what I found out so far:

1. Despite having an iPhone and iPod (others in my home have iTouches and iMacs) and a valid iTunes account, I (or is that ‘i’) am forbidden from downloading apps in the United States. Lordy, the credit card is even an ‘American’ Express that I use on iTunes. Irony rules. Anyway, in my opinion, this is pretty unnecessary hamfisted, meat cleaver geo-targeting of a market. I guess Apple can’t actually produce a truly global device and app store. I can certainly make eBay and Amazon and others work anywhere for me as a Canadian.

2. I cannot even download the free (yes free – that’s what I mean by meat cleaver geo-DRM) apps that I already have on my iPhone like AccessMyLibrary, Kindle, Facebook and Tweetdeck. Surely there could be a level of sophistication built into the store rather than meatheaded geo-IP. These apps are identical in every way on both sides of the border and I suspect that the companies offering them would prefer that I have them!

3. So I patiently waited until I got home yesterday to download the apps I needed since the Apple iPad discriminates based on national origin in access to the App Store. Imagine my surprise when I discover that I still can’t download the free (yes free) apps that I was promised in my iPad purchase. I get a message that the “App Store is not supported in this country”. So I am out of luck until, I surmise, about June, unless they decide to change their mind again. It’s a shame that I can buy or load the identical apps to my iPhone but not my iPad. I guess Apple’s much vaunted interoperability is just a corporate marketing choice. Of course, it is unconstitutional in Canada to discriminate on the basis of national origin. Hmmm, I wonder what would happen if we took Apple’s policies to the Supreme Court of Canada for fun. Imagine if we tagged iPad usage policies for race or gender…? Of course, I can’t download to my iPhone in the US either despite having an unlimited international plan with Apple’s telco partner in Canada. Like I said, hamfisted and shortsighted.

4. I read in the paper that Apple had delayed launching the iPad internationally until the end of May due to shortages and their priority on the US market. I don’t see why that would make it impossible for me to use the App Store just because I reside in Canada. They did the same thing for the iPhone when it launched and offered it in Canada after almost everywhere else. I finally got my iPhone and quite like some of its features. I don’t like that it has turned into a dead brick twice already and I’ve had to reassemble it from half-scratch (don’t ever believe that Apple’s iPhone back-up is remotely complete) twice already. You know this is a common problem when the Apple Store Genius Bar has drawers full of special plain packaging iPhone replacements for handling this issue. The “Geniuses” tell me that it’s pretty common and results from a known conflict as I saw when it died during photo taking twice. Good thing I have a Blackberry too. We’re too dependent on our devices these days.

5. Anyway, for those of you who have asked me for a review I can’t work with a fully functional iPad yet so I only have a partial opinion. In addition to my whining and complaints above, I do like:

a. The screen and colour are great. I love the display and the size is just right for websites and books. The easy standard touch features for zooming text are there and really work for this old person’s eyes.
b. I viewed a few movie trailers and listened to some songs. Not bad and a nice size for the plane.
c. I need to get a cover and slant stand (combo). It doesn’t come with one – just a plastic baggie sleeve.
d. Like the iPhone you’ll find yourself being a little OCD and cleaning the bigger screen more often.
e. While some don’t like the keyboard I found it quite useful for web surfing and doing e-mail which for Gmail is better than on the iPhone, much better.
f. I didn’t get 3G but the Wifi was fine.
g. I do wish there was a USB port and an SD card slot.
h. Since I travel with 2-3 laptops and 2 phones I only got the smallest storage capacity. I don’t think I need more GB’s and this device feels very neotonously transitional and I might upgrade or switch brands and pass this on to one of the kids.
i. I found the absence of a camera and video camera odd but lilkely that’s a conscious part of the upgrade plan. Judy Jetson Skype app anyone?
j. As soon as I get the Kindle app and App Store access I’ll buy a book (in colour not color) and see how that feels. I might even try a textbook. Until then Apple can’t get my money beyond the $499US at Best Buy.
k. I saw the enTourage Edge double screen, combo e-book device (1/2 epaper. 1/2 plasma) last week and was very impressed. I am jonesing after that now! I am such a geek and have no loyalty. So, if you’re an Apple fanboy, just remember to think critically every once in awhile – nothing and no one is perfect.

Wanna be a gazzilionaire? Invent fingerprint proof touch screens.

More later, if Apple ever decides to treat all people the same and not discriminate. I worry about that from another perspective given the conflict between my librarian free access value system and the skirmishes so far with potential censorship at Apple on apps, books, comics, etc.

All for now.

Stephen

Full post as published by Stephen's Lighthouse on April 24, 2010 (boomark / email).