“In the life of every device, there’s a moment when you start to wonder whether it’s still useful. Everything becomes old, and obsolescence is all but assured in the world of technology,” Michael deAgonia writes for Computerworld. “But ‘old’ is not the same as ‘obsolete.'”
“It’s been more than three years since Apple debuted the original 9.7-in. iPad, the first tablet to go mainstream and the one that opened the floodgates to all the tablets that have followed,” deAgonia writes. “Then in March 2011, Apple discontinued the iPad, replacing it with the thinner, faster iPad 2 — the same model that Apple still sells for $399. With the arrival last month of the ultra-slim one-pound iPad Air, and the rollout this week of the new iPad mini with Retina display, it looks as if time has passed the original iPad by.”
“But has the original iPad really outlived its usefulness? Absolutely not. There are still a plethora of uses for the iPad, including the sacrifice play. At the very least, you can usually trade in an old iPad — even the first model — for savings on a new one,” deAgonia writes. “From my own perspective, the first-generation iPad is still great for watching movies and TV shows, listening to podcasts, or, if you don’t mind reading on back-lit screens, perusing an ebook…. The iPad can serve as a hand-me-down device that can grow with your child; there are cases that add bulk (and protection) to the iPad in kid-friendly designs that can be updated as needed. And the wealth of kid-oriented apps in the App Store means it will serve as a learning tool for as long as it’s still working.”
Many more ideas for your old iPad in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: There are plenty of uses for old iPads! What are you doing with yours?
I hang my 1st gen iPad in the kitchen or bathroom and use it for streaming TV via Slingbox.
Here’s a couple of things I do on my iPad 1:
Safari
TuneIn Radio
Pinger
Pandora
Notebooks
Notes
Calculator
Music my library
Watch Video/Movies
iTunes U audio and video very cool!
Dictionary
PlayChess online
Translator
Find iPhone
Read Magazines
News Apps diverse bunch
Remote connect with citrix receiver
And a lot more…. The best thing of all is iPad 1 is still skeuomorphic design for many apps. Aaaaah.
Don’t understand why people insist on calling the iPad 1 obsolete.
Plus carrying around a 100 reference brick books in iBooks.
How many times a day does Safari quit unexpectedly?
I curse my iPad everyday and it only gets worse each time web designers add more features to the web.
I actually installed a different browser this morning, hoping for relief, but Dolphin proved to be worse; it couldn’t load a complete page of a news sight without crashing.
Don’t even get me started on spurious touches of an already overburdened screen, resulting in my course-correcting touch that only confuses iOS 5, causing Safari to collapse.
Safari is advancing but my original iPad can’t keep up with the changes. Games on the iPad that would seem burdensome for the iPad don’t have as many problems as Safari does.
I use mine as an alarm clock/radio on steroids, Bought an upright charger/stand from Brookstone, I have Hue and Nest on it, plus can check the weather. Works like a charm
My mom just traded hers to Target last week for $200 (a special promo that’s expired now). I gave her my iPad 3 and bought and iPad Air for me. Win-win!
My iPad 1 was crashing on complex web sites and while running TV video (even after restart with all other apps closed). I took advantage of the Target promo — got the $200 card but still waiting for my local store to get the iPad Air in stock.
I had this problem too. Ditched all bookmarks, history etc, switched off the iCloud nonsense and, so far, have no problems on my 1st gen iPad running OS5. So it loads a second or two slower than more recent models but still fast enough for browsing use.
use my iPad original every day, did have to get new battery about two years ago.
Even though it’s not a retina display, porn still looks good on it. :)-
Even though it’s still our only iPad, my gf uses it as a 2nd screen using iDisplay app so she can do homework while I watch TV or play PS3. We use our TV as a monitor for our Mac Mini
The original iPad is equivalent to the iPhone 4, in terms of processing power (although it has less system RAM). And the iPhone 4 was sold as new until just a few months ago. It is FAR from being “obsolete” in terms of usability.
I still use my 1st gen iPhone, which I bought used a few years ago (when the iPhone 3gs was “new”). I use it with a “pre-paid” wireless service, which is very low cost to me on a monthly basis. I have replaced its battery, and it still works fine, even though it cannot be upgraded beyond iOS (“iPhone OS”) 3.1.3. And it has a very elegant appearance; it does not look like a phone from 2007.
I was planning to get another “newer” used iPhone to replace it by now, but have found no urgent need. I just need it to make phone calls and do some basic online tasks when I’m alway from my Mac (and iPad). The old Mail app still works perfectly. It has the old version of Maps (with public transit info). All the third-party apps I use I downloaded years ago. I use the Kindle app to read books, and I use the Opera mini-browser instead of the old version of mobile Safari.
While it is supposedly something like 50x slower than the latest iPhone, I’m surprised that it is still so useful.
I think it’s more like the 3GS
The original iPad used the A-4 processor, like iPhone 4. The iPhone 3GS used the older “generic” ARM processor (not designed by Apple).
hie
Wish to know if its possible to install opera mini on ipad 1st generation. thanks
I just sold my old iPad. Prior to that I was thinking about mounting it in the toilet so I could stream content from iTunes whilst I was on the crapper.
Read articles online,
iBooks,
iMessages,
iTunes – music, videos, podcasts,
Email,
Light Gaming – Pinball, Cards, Othello, Angry Birds,
View Photos,
Stream videos to the AppleTV,
Manage my calendar.
My original iPad works just fine for me. While I would love to get a new iPad Air – I can’t think of anything I would do on the Air that can’t be done on my original iPad. I rarely have video chats. When I do, I use my iPhone 4S. And besides I am not a real big fan of the look (color, flatness) of iOS 7 – although Apple did improve iOS’s functionality. My wife upgraded her iPhone 4S to iOS 7.
*** If anyone could help with the issue below, it would be GREATLY appreciated. ***
Some websites (IGN, CNBC, CNN, etc.) have videos which work fine on the iPad but will not work on my Mac Mini because the websites want Flash Player when surfing from my Mac Mini. (I refuse to install Flash Player or any MS products on my Mac Mini.) Anyone know how to “fool” the websites to think my Mac Mini is an iPad so that web sites will play videos?)
A sincere “Thank You” for any suggestions to this issue!
Try this:
1. Open Safari Preferences.
2. Select “Advanced”.
3. Put a check next to “Show Develop menu in menu bar”.
4. Close Preference window.
5. Click “Develop” on the Safari menu bar.
6. Select “User Agent”.
7. Click “Safari iOS 6.1 – iPad”.
Done.
Chefpastry – Thank you! Worked like a champ!
The Roving Skeptic – Thanks but there are videos which play fine on my iPad but do NOT play on my Mac Mini. Instead of playing the video, the website responds that I need to install Adobe Flash Player. Try it out for yourself. Visit http://www.cnn.com with an iPad and the videos will play. Visit the same site with a Mac computer (without Flash Player installed) and those same videos will NOT play on the computer. Chefpastry solution works.
Adobe Flash Player is not and can not be installed on a non-jail broken iPad. Apparently the default player (which format of the video is displayed?) changes based upon the Safari agent. When the desktop version of Safari is detected, the web sites present the Flash version of the video – which will NOT play without Flash Player.
Thanks again Chefpastry and The Roving Skeptic.
My pleasure.
Hmmm. You can install Flash on your Mac mini, but NOT on your iPad, so it can’t be that videos run on your iPad but not your Mac mini because you have Flash on your iPad, unless it’s jailbroken.
Ooops. One reply off. Should be the post above this one.
He’s not saying that. Sites that see iPad often stream an HTML5 version that works with iOS and he does not want to install the virus that is Flash on his mini.
Why would anyone want to watch any of those programs you mentioned any ways. Unless you don’t mind being lied to and the truth being ignored.
Are you kidding? I recently got an air after suffering with my iPad one for so long. my Ipad1 one is slow and sluggish, crashes all the time (safari) it’s just a pain in the bloody ass to use.
Go to Settings , General, Reset and “Reset all settings”. Doing this helped with Safari crashes many other issues I was having.
It is a simple step to do, I wish more of the tech sites would refer to it more.
Safari was almost unbearable to use and when the Apple site started to crash I knew something was up. After that reset, all good now.
Hi, regarding your suggestion about General Settings where an IPad is crashing, well I have just tried your .suggestion with regards to the IPad crashing & I’m looking forward to crash freedom from here on in, it seems from another user who is crash free at the moment but I don’t know as yet if it works for me but I’ll let you know as soon as I get a day or two crash free, fingers crossed !
I mounted my iPad 1 in my car. I use every day to play my music, Podcast, audio books. And using that large screen with a GPS is really nice. Makes taking a quick glance at the map on the screen much easier when the screen is so much larger than an iPhone’s or stand alone GPS.
Yes!
I have a temporary mount and using an iPad for GPS is great with that huge display. Never lost a signal unless in a tunnel.
Both of my grand daughters have our first generation iPads. Some how, when they when on vacation with them, we never got them back. We have the newer retina iPads and they both like using one at their home and at our house. I guess their mom (my daughter) will get mine as I get the new A7 iPad this year. Not sure if I want the mini or the Air.
Get the Air. You’ll love having that bigger screen. Much easier on the eyes. I was going to get a Mini, but when they dropped the weight to one lb., that was a big enough game changer for me to opt for the Air. My only complaint with previous models of the 9.8″ iPad was the weight. Amazing they were able to shave a full .4 lbs. off the weight. Loving my new 64GB WIFI iPad Air.
7 year old uses it daily for watching videos, games etc.
As far as I’m concerned, it has a lot of life left in it.
Paprika recipe manager, use it EVERY day!
I use my iPad 1 today for everything I used it for when I purchased my 64 GB Cellular model from Best Buy in June 2010! Nothing has changed except the notification on a few apps that I look at that require iOS 6 and now iOS 7…
But it still works and I can’t complain…
Well I was to quick on the gun twice.
I purchased the first gen on Day 1 and got screwed when my 2 year old iPad that I paid nearly $1,000 bucks for was no longer upgrade worthy, and now most App updates kill the apps on the iPad, so I can only do updates from the iPad itself now. Can’t connect to iTunes to do them.
Then I purchased the 3rd gen on day 1 and 6 months later Apple trashed it’s value buy introducing the iPad 4th gen. I still use the 3rd gen daily and my daughter uses the 1st gen when the apps she like are not killed off. She really wanted to use it for Netflix but the Netflix app is one of those that shuts down as soon as you launch it on the iPad 1st gen.
I use the Netflix app all the time on my 1st gen iPad.. you may want to try deleting it and reinstalling it. Still works great on the old iPad!
Jeff and any others in your situation. I finally got an answer in Apple’s forums on how to get the proper version of apps even if you had not bought them earlier. So Netflix is a perfect example. Never owned it but you want it on the iPad. Netflix current version requires iOS 6 but the iPad 1 is stuck at iOS 5. You buy/download the current version on the Mac or PC. Now that the App store knows you own it, got to the app store on the iPad and download it. It will ask you if you want to download the last version that works with your iOS version. Yes, and then you are all set.
If after all this Netflix still gives you problems, then go to Settings , General and “Reset all settings”. Doing this helped with many other issues I was having.
Haven’t you heard? Planned obsolescence that is the name of the game at Apple! I also got burned byuing iPad one which became obsolete so soon.
Um, in a month and a half the iPad 1st gen will be 4 years old.
4 years is obsolete so soon???
Ask Android users about their phones and tablets and how long they last.
My Ipad 1 works like a charm for Netflix! I use it virtually every night to sneak a peek at something before I drift off to sleep. As a matter of fact, just this morning, I watched a TV episode on my wife’s Ipad Air and I could not notice ANY difference in the quality of the picture.
The one thing that is a bit annoying is the way that the new apps will not play nice with the old Ipad. I have a bunch of apps on my Ipad 1 that no longer work due to the lack of the updated IOS. I envision the day that nothing will work on it.
I use mine nearly every day for web browsing primarily. Still a VERY nice and capable machine. However, it HAS begun crashing regularly on complex webpages recently. Upgrading to an iPad Air for Christmas!
Go to Settings , General, Reset and “Reset all settings”. Doing this helped with Safari crashes many other issues I was having.
A million thanks ! It worked! Parislemon was crashing everytime. I did the Think’s trick and I just opened thé site witthout crashing. Hurray! Another million thanks!
You gave my iPad first gen. a coat of fresh paint!
Darn! The ParisLemon site crashed at second try. I wrote too fast.
Ha, well….
It’s something in the javascript. Maybe that could be cured with an update to 5.1.1. I don’t hold my breath…
We still have two original iPads that go to work each day. I love how they’ve stayed updated until OS7. But even though they don’t ruin the most recent OS, they still get the job done.
Well I know you made a typo but actually they did ruin the most recent iOS cause iOS 7 is crap. I won’t stop harping on it. By the way they stop supporting iPad1 with iOS five.
That’s right! Hang on to that anger over something you have absolutely no control.
I think iOS7 rocks. You’re missing out.
I use mine and iOS 5 as a daily backup (several times a day) whenever I have to force my iPad 3 with iOS 7 to restart after freezing.
You likely need to reset all settings or do a clean install on your 3. I have had zero issues with iOS7 on my 3.
I use my iPad 1 as a teaching tool in the ESL classes. Students can it as a Korean-English dictionary. An internet search tool. Information resource. Or as a game platform for playing language learning games. My original iPad can also be used as a clock, radio, timer and still good for documents and taking notes. I love using my iPad 1 & iPad 3 in my classroom for teaching. My Korean high school students enjoy it too.
Gave mine away to an older woman who did not have any Internet access. It has changed her life.
Kids and then grandkids …..
I bought the TomTom app when it first came out and now use it on all 3 iPhones in the family. All for the price of one
Better yet, when any of us travel south to the US, we have full use of TomTom without having to get a data plan.
And now that we’ve upgraded to the mini, TomTom looks even better on the original iPad.
I keep my first gen iPad in the kitchen and use it solely to control my Hue lights (which by the way are awesome). For this I use it many times a day, and it’s totally reliable. It may well be the Apple device that I use most frequently, despite my wonderful iPhone 5S and iPad mini!
I’m donating my first gen iPad to the “Judge Lucy Koh payoff fund” to stop these insane judgements where she strikes hundreds of millions in damages awards from Samsung for no reason.
I hope voters remember this.
She’s a District Judge, an appointive office. Voters are holding an empty paper bag.
I gave mine to my 90 year old mom. We are all amazed how fast she picked up the nuances of the device and just loves using it. She is amazed by email and communicates often and surfs the web for interesting articles.
Funny thing is she never wanted a computer but after seeing my new first generation iPad, she was hooked. She says since I gave her the device her life has been enriched and she feels “connected”.
Undoubtedly the best gift I ever gave her…