Trying to Love iPad Mini, But Having a Hard Time. Anyone having this problem?

[Father Tech]

Trying to Love iPad Mini, But Having a Hard Time

I recently bought an iPad mini 4 - my first ever Apple product - after years of Android phones. People love the iPad so much and I really want to also, but I'm finding it enormously frustrating.

My biggest problem is selecting text for editing in apps like Evernote or Word. With Android it's so easy: just tap and a cursor appears right under your fingertip. With the iPad, I tap and tap and tap and a cursor hardly ever appears. The only place where I can tap and consistently get a cursor is at the end of a paragraph, so that's where I tap when I finally give up and then I drag the cursor to where I want it to be. Working that way is crazy!

Also, when I long-press on a word to select it for editing, the "Select | Select All" button appears and disappears so quickly that I can't make a selection. I have to use a two-handed method where one hand long-presses and the other hand tries to quickly choose "Select" before it disappears. This can't be the tablet that everyone raves about. :huh:

My other major problem is that with many apps there's no apparent way to go back to the previous page. With Android this is effortless: just press the "Back" button. With the iPad, I'm constantly hunting for a way to go back and often not finding one. Many apps have no backwards arrow or 'back' text to tap on. Sometimes swiping to the right does the trick, other times not. Sometimes I'm just stuck on a page and even when I press the Home button and then go back to the app, it opens to the same $#!* page and the only way to get away from it is to restart my iPad. Why is a simple thing like going back so hard to do?

Is there something fundamental about using the iPad mini that I just don't "get?" Or do people consider these things charming quirks of iOS that you just have to look past?

 

[phreddyl]

Re: Trying to Love iPad Mini, But Having a Hard Time

Regarding apps unless you force close then (double click home button and swipe up) they will always open to what you were doing last.
I personally don't have this issue and love my iPad mini- that being said might I suggest an apple training class on how to use iOS. I think Apple has them- I can imagine it's an adjustment if you are used to android.
Finally if you are happy with the Android ecosystem- maybe you should look into an android tablet.

 

[TwitchyPuppy]

Trying to Love iPad Mini, But Having a Hard Time

I can put the cursor in pretty much any word I want by putting a finger on it and holding it there for like a sec.
Then the 'Select|Select All' menu stays there until a further action is made. When I want to directly select a whole word, I just double tap it and voil?!

Most apps have some kind of indication on the upper left hand of the screen, like "Back to " or they simply have an arrow to "switch page" (like Tapatalk) or swipe function but there's always a way.

 

[Rob Phillips]

Trying to Love iPad Mini, But Having a Hard Time

...that being said might I suggest an apple training class on how to use iOS. I think Apple has them- I can imagine it's an adjustment if you are used to android.

Great suggestion. The Apple Store has a FREE iPad Basics workshop that they offer right in the store. Here's a link:
https://forums.imore.com/e?link=htt...mUvbUpU2732947%26subId2%3Dvbim&token=y0EBqbBV

 

[Ledsteplin]

Re: Trying to Love iPad Mini, But Having a Hard Time

Classes or a workshop won't work for many. Only if your close enough to an Apple Store. I'm 80 miles away from one. Some farther!

 

[Father Tech]

Re: Trying to Love iPad Mini, But Having a Hard Time

... if you are happy with the Android ecosystem- maybe you should look into an android tablet.

Wow, some 'Ambassador.'

 

[phreddyl]

Re: Trying to Love iPad Mini, But Having a Hard Time

Wow, some 'Ambassador.'

Did you even read my entire answer? Not every operating system is right for everyone. Some people prefer android and that's fine. And btw my initial suggestion was to take an apple run class.

 

[natasftw]

Re: Trying to Love iPad Mini, But Having a Hard Time

Wow, some 'Ambassador.'

Part of being an advocate for something is being aware it's not for everyone. "If you make an effort and aren't enjoyig it, find something you do enjoy" should be common sense advice. The alternative is "no, it's amazing. You must be dumb." That's the mentality of a blinded fanboy, for any ecosystem. Don't be that guy.

 

[Father Tech]

Re: Trying to Love iPad Mini, But Having a Hard Time

As suggested, I took an 'Introduction to the iPad' course at the local Apple store and discovered to my chagrin that the problems I described in my original post are not 'problems' to Apple ... that's just how the iPad is. It's a quirky device and people learn to live with or work around its quirks. Maybe that started with "you're holding it wrong."

So now I have to decide whether I'm willing to play the Apple game in exchange for the undeniable benefits of having an iPad. My wife has lived with me for almost 20 years, so perhaps I can live with the iPad.

 

[Amamba]

You do know that you can use the keyboard as trackpad, right ? Just press & hold anywhere on the keyboard and then you can move the cursor around the screen.

In my experience, while Android is far more customisable, IOS provides a far more reliable user experience - which was my #1 reason to stick with it after having a few Android devices first. No random slowdowns, crashes, freezes, needs to do a factory reset to get your unit working again, jerky mouse or ink. It gets slower as your device gets older and can't keep up as well with newer OS versions, but even that is even, consistent, predictable and not nearly as irritating as "oh **** my device keeps freezing on me" that I kept having on my Nexus tablets.

I have a Mini 2 and it's still as enjoyable to use as it was 2 years ago. That's the first tablet where I can type as fast as on regular computer keyboard for as long as I need. A perfect form factor for portability + usability.

 

[Honey Beagle]

Re: Trying to Love iPad Mini, But Having a Hard Time

I never liked the word mini in any device. So I never peaked interest in purchasing that device. So my answer would be I would have a hard time getting used to such a tiny screen.

 

[MaxSmarties]

Re: Trying to Love iPad Mini, But Having a Hard Time

I never liked the word mini in any device. So I never peaked interest in purchasing that device. So my answer would be I would have a hard time getting used to such a tiny screen.

such a tiny screen is still much bigger than any smartphone out there.... It's not that hard to get used to that.

 

[scruffypig]

You do know that you can use the keyboard as trackpad, right ? Just press & hold anywhere on the keyboard and then you can move the cursor around the screen.

In my experience, while Android is far more customisable, IOS provides a far more reliable user experience - which was my #1 reason to stick with it after having a few Android devices first. No random slowdowns, crashes, freezes, needs to do a factory reset to get your unit working again, jerky mouse or ink. It gets slower as your device gets older and can't keep up as well with newer OS versions, but even that is even, consistent, predictable and not nearly as irritating as "oh **** my device keeps freezing on me" that I kept having on my Nexus tablets.

I have a Mini 2 and it's still as enjoyable to use as it was 2 years ago. That's the first tablet where I can type as fast as on regular computer keyboard for as long as I need. A perfect form factor for portability + usability.

The iPad Mini 4 does not have a 3DTouch screen needed for the trackpad feature.

 

[BD_BB_8520]

Re: Trying to Love iPad Mini, But Having a Hard Time

Is there any way to take the class online? I am at a location where they do not have an Apple store which offers the free classes. I would love to take one for the iPad and MacBook Pro. I live in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Thanks in advance for any advice.