4 iPad Flaws That Restrict Internet Innovation

The iPad is a killer of freedom, innovation, and all things good with the Internet. But do you want to know the worst part? I am being entirely serious about that statement, and it is not funny at all.

Of all the Apple products I have seen over the years, the iPad is, by far, the biggest disappointment, and the fact that so many people purchased it is absolutely horrifying — it proves that consumers are truly lacking in judgment and objectivity, and it proves that any device you slap an Apple logo is considered gold.

So let’s run down the list of reasons that Apple has created a device that truly restricts internet innovation. Shall we?

1. No Flash

I hate Flash! No, seriously. I’d love nothing better than to see it disappear forever. That said, Flash is a huge part of the Internet right now, and to do something as silly as, say, not support the technology at all is ludicrous.

Let me reiterate that I do not like Flash, and I would love nothing more than to see it phased out of existence; however, screwing over Flash content producers and consumers is not the way to go about it — sure, the big boys with tons of resources are already working on HTML 5 compatible technologies, and I am sure they will cope just fine. But what about the smaller developers? What about those developers who make their living from Flash technology or who’s sites require Flash to function correctly (which, admittedly, is a flaw in itself)?

It just isn’t right, and this type of attitude towards Internet technologies isn’t right either — we should have access to the Web, the entire Web, and not what Apple defines as the Web (which is clearly a WWW without Flash).

Also, another thing to consider is the fact that by not allowing Flash, Apple is shoving many developers into a corner and putting immense pressure on them to sign up and develop for the iTunes ecosystem. Remember Miniclip? I can’t imagine how many of the developers who have created Web-based games are now lulling over creating dedicated applications for the Apple’s App Store.

There are better ways to handle this, and that is by building up support for better technologies like HTML 5, but sweeping the older stuff under the rug can’t work for the Internet. It takes time, compromise, and effort to make it all work.

2. Lockdown — Proprietary Applications

The next huge disappointment with the iPad is that it encourages proprietary software. Of course, this is not new — we all know about the iPhone/iPod Touch, but the fact that Apple is marketing this device as a potential replacement for traditional netbooks speaks volumes.

These platforms that force developers to pick and choose are not right, and that is a serious problem. But Apple has seemingly done it again by changing the platform and encouraging developers to create Applications dedicated specifically to the iPad. (I am not 100% sure if applications created for the iPad can work on the iPod Touch or iPhone, but if not, that is quite lame as well)

Imagine a scenario where Apple insists that traditional desktop operating systems are locked down as well: the Macbook or iMac running the iPhone OS. Does it really seem so insurmountable to consider that Apple might be toying with the idea of merging the iPhone OS and Mac OS together? Could we live like that, in an entirely closed and proprietary system where we give up all our freedom?

I can’t imagine too many people agreeing to that — yet that is exactly what the iPad is, and it is not only destructive, it is dangerous as well.

And don’t even get me started about the digital rights management mess.

3. No Camera

What 3G-enabled device these days doesn’t have a camera? Hmm. Let me think. Well there aren’t many (if any). Oh wait. The iPad doesn’t! — and there is something very very very wrong about the iPad not having a camera. It makes me sick.

Many social networking sites (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, Vimeo, ChatRoulette, and others) take advantage of multimedia. Nearly every computer has at least a 2-megapixel camera on it, but why does Apple get a free pass to exclude such a basic element yet integral element in modern day technology?

There are so many amazing things that a forward- and rear-facing camera could have added to the iPad, but none of that is possible now.

It is inexcusable. It is stupid. It is another glaring flaw with the iPad.

And you have to know that a camera will be slapped on to the second-generation iPad. But why isn’t it on there now? Why, Apple?

4. Promotes Consumption, Not Creation

Finally — and this is the big one — the iPad instills a contradictory behavior into people that conflicts with the essential reason that the Internet is so great. The iPad promotes the thought of consumption instead of creation. And that, in truth, is quite odd, especially from a company that designers and creatives around the world adore.

People have WordPress accounts, Twitter accounts, Facebook accounts, YouTube accounts, Flickr accounts, and who knows what other kind of accounts there are — but all these sites have one thing in common: they revolve around the idea that the users will create and share their content, but Apple’s iPad is only good for contributing to a few of these sites.

If we compared it to the iPhone, we would say that the iPad is nothing more than a crippled iPhone with a giant screen and lack of creativity.

What a Shame

I, like many of you, had high hopes for the iPad, but it isn’t only a disappointment: it is a device that does more harm than good. From rising e-book and publication prices to instilling a lack of creative power for its users, the iPad is truly a failure for consumers and for the Internet.

I wouldn’t mind reading about the iPad 10 years from now as the biggest disappointment of the ’10s.

What a shame, indeed.