Comments on: Browsing the web on an iPad stinks–and Apple likes it that way

By: db

db — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:41:09 +0000

Very disappointed with the lack of specific iPad technical limitations in the article.
As for me I do not see any limitations in using the iPad. I no longer surf the web on a PC at home, I only use the iPad.
If a web site is not supported on the iPad, it probably due to the web site owner still in the 1900s, or stuck on JAVA. Either way they are out of date, so web site content is probably out of date as well and does not need to be viewed. Now-a-days this is an extremely small percent of websites.

By: nicolasconnault

nicolasconnault — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 07:03:08 +0000

Some good points here. I also fail to see how browsing the Internet with a touch device (I have an iPad, a Kindle fire and another android-based tablet) is in any way more “fun”, “pleasurable” or “immersive” than using the good old keyboard and mouse.

Please, someone help me see why I’m missing out on all the fun and pleasure!!!

By: Valerie

Valerie — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 18:45:26 +0000

Thank you for writing this article. And for your clarification in the comments. Please don’t feel disheartened by the mindlessness and the spoonfed reactions of pretty much all the comments. Before Apple released the iPhone, at least one person I know was lamenting existing feature phones and was desperately calling for a phone that did exactly what the iPhone does. Eveyone of these types of spoonfed reactioners dumped this same type of crap on her. Not six months later, the iPhone was here. And they all conveniently forgot that they had accepted stale mediocrity as nature’s law. The same goes for app developments that actually utilize the possibilities of the iDevices–before them, it’s “Whatare you talking about, the way it is is the best way ever! Nothing wrong with it!”…and then there’s, oh, I don’t know, Mailbox. Or Clear.

Anyway, write on, think on. Because the way I discovered your article was by googling “browsing on the iPad sucks” and if I’m thinking it, and you’re thinking it, and that guy over at Mozilla is thinking it, then possibly innovation is on its way. I wouldn’t be too concerned about the people who are just happy with whatever mediocrity is in existence. Certainly Steve Jobs wasn’t.

By: ehhemmer

ehhemmer — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 05:06:04 +0000

I fail to see the point of this article, at all.
Obviously browsing experience on a mobile device is more simplified than on a desktop. If you need the comprehensive desktop experience, why not just put your iPad down and go to your Mac or PC?
As for the app pop up windows appearing on websites, you can simply touch the cancel button. Or did I miss something?

By: kceezy

kceezy — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 06:28:55 +0000

You and this article are equally full of it. Maybe it’s your opinion that browsing the web on the iPad is a terrible experience, but (as the statistics you point to indicate) many would disagree with you. If Apple were really out to ruin the mobile web browser experience for the sake of encouraging app use, they could have done much worse considering their mobile browser is often applauded as being the best all around browser experience on the web according to many of the top tech blogs out there. If you’re complaining about the state of mobile browsing across all mobile devices in comparison to the desktop experience then you may have a point; however, your points become ridiculously weak when you try to single out the iPad on the mobile landscape. Especially when you consider how weak competitive mobile platforms are in performing the same task.

Sent from my iPad

By: rhedman

rhedman — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 21:39:03 +0000

I don’t think that browsing on the iPad’s Safari is any worse than Mac’s Safari. Aside from having to pinch-zoom to see the text, I don’t notice any difference between the two. The article here says that iPad’s Safari is a “diminished experience”, but there are no specifics. How, pray tell, is Safari “hobbled” on the iPad? Evidently, we just have to take Nothhaft’s word on the matter.

If he thinks Apple “diminished” the browser experience because website are popping up the “download our app” messages when you visit them (or worse yet — sites like The Daily Show and Hulu simply won’t let you browse without buying their app or service), then you really can’t blame the iPad. That’s the prerogative of the individual companies that own the sites in question. It’s THEY who are trying to coerce you away from the browser, not Apple.

By: Eolake Stobblehouse

Eolake Stobblehouse — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 23:11:26 +0000

Apart from not being able to change text size, I don’t have problems surfing the web on the iPad.

I would have appreciated some examples of exactly why you think this sucks so badly because I don’t see it. this is a very vague article.

By: Consultant

Consultant — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 18:43:49 +0000

This is a dumb story. You’re reaching.

Hey Gigamoma, if you don’t have anything to report, just don’t throw anything out here. It makes you look stupid.

There is way too much of this going on today. I’m going to quit coming to your site if you keep putting up half baked articles like this.

By: Wsav_tracyhayns

Wsav_tracyhayns — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 19:27:01 +0000

Mr. Nothhaft. No. You’re not right. You don’t have a point. You’re not even close. Could cruising g the web always be better? Well yeah, I guess so. It stinks on the iPad? Please. Find another subject, then try to write a truthful article. Go ahead. We’ll wait. Oh Yeah- ‘Sent From My iPad’.

By: Srini

Srini — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 18:33:26 +0000

Worst ever article on gigaom, I am surprised that a biased article like this got published.

Have used most of the tablets in the market, browsing on iPad using Safari is the best. Apart from Safari, Chrome works beautifully on iPad.