If you’ve browsed an Apple Store recently, you may notice that the display devices are no longer tethered to their docks or tables. That’s because new security measures mean that the devices don’t work outside of the store. Maybe no one told the five young men who ran off with with more than 20 devices that can only really be used as pretty paperweights. [More]
ipads
United Passenger Leaves iPad On Plane, Has Joyful Reunion With Airline’s Help
By 1.11.16
Denise made a very understandable and common mistake: she stashed her iPad in the seat-back pouch in front of her during a United flight, and didn’t realize it until later. She ran the always handy “Find my iPad” app, and found that the iPad was in the hands of United staff at George Bush airport in Houston. The problem: she lives in Ohio, and no one at United was interested in helping her. [More]
Dozens Of American Airlines Flights Delayed Over Pilot iPad Glitch
By 4.29.15
Flights get delayed for any number of reasons: bad weather, crew members running late, mechanical problems and trouble with pilots’ iPads. Okay, that last one doesn’t seem routine, but American Airlines says that was exactly the reason why dozens of the airline’s flights were delayed Tuesday night. [More]
iPad Mini Screen Protector Conjures Up Tactile Keyboard From Thin Air
By 2.12.15
In spite of the near-ubiquity of virtual keyboards on flat smartphone and tablet screens, some people really long for the haptic feedback provided by actual keys. That’s why some companies — like the legally besieged Typo slip-on keyboards — have tried to bring that sensation back to consumers who want it. Now there’s a new iPad screen protector/case that claims to be able to conjure up something keyboard like out of thin air. [More]
Apple: “Oleg Pliss” Ransom Demand Not Because We Were Breached
By 5.28.14
According to Apple, their iCloud suite of services has not been breached, and that the “Oleg Pliss” ransom demand that affected some iPhone and iPad owners did not happen because iCloud as a whole has been breached. Maybe, Apple suggested indirectly, this is all users’ fault for using the same darn passwords for everything. [More]
Nonexistent Guy Holds Australian iDevices For Virtual Ransom
By 5.27.14
In case you don’t already have a passcode set on your mobile phone and two-factor authentication activated on your most vital accounts, here’s a cautionary tale that shows why you might want to. iPhone and iPad users in Australia woke up early in the morning to a “Find My iPhone” alert that demanded $100 to regain access to their devices. [More]
Target’s $200 iPad Trade-In Deal A Victim Of Its Own Awesomeness
By 11.14.13
Last week, there was a great promotion at Target. Target Mobile locations always accept electronics trade-ins, but they offered a special deal in order to move some iPads. Customers could trade in any working iPad, dating back to the positively ancient iPad 1 from 2010, and get a minimum of $200 on a Target Mobile gift card. That’s a good deal, and it was very popular. [More]
L.A. Schools Now Taking Back iPads From Students Who Dare To Use Them For Purposes Of Fun
By 10.2.13
We mentioned last week that the Los Angeles Unified School District somehow thought it could hand out hobbled iPads to thousands of students without any of these kids figuring out a way to use the device as something other than a really expensive, incredibly fragile textbook. But now that it’s realizing that the temptation to use iPads the way they are intended (and marketed) can be too great for some students, the school district is taking them back. [More]
Best Buy Handing Out iPads Customers Didn’t Order Again
By 6.19.13
Ryan ordered an iPad camera connection kit from Best Buy for in-store pickup. The employees of his local Best Buy store apparently only read the first word of any order now, and instead packed up an iPad Mini. It sounds wacky, but Ryan says that he somehow missed this discrepancy, picked up his order, and went home. He sent an email and got a form letter in return. [More]
Apple’s Stupid Shipping Gang Sends 93 iPads To Same Recipient In Separate Boxes
By 1.29.13
Everyone at Phil’s office is mad at Apple’s shipping department right now. Well, Phil’s fingers are, their Fedex guy is, and whoever takes out their trash is. That’s because when his company bought 93 engraved iPads, Apple channeled the Stupid Shipping Gang and packaged up each one in a separate box. [More]
Walmart Sells Fake Display Model iPad, Won’t Exchange It For Real One
By 1.14.13
A New Jersey woman took the two large Walmart gift cards that her husband had received as a holiday bonus and bought an iPad with them. Only the iPad that she she brought home from the store wasn’t the same one described on the box. The memory capacity and serial numbers didn’t match. She also couldn’t get the tablet to charge, or even to plug in to the cable. The item in her box, you see, was a plastic fake display-model iPad. [More]
Best Buy Customer Returns Extra iPads Sent By Accident, Feels Like A Sucker
By 12.14.12
We were surprised, last week, to hear about a Best Buy customer who ordered one iPad, then received a box of five. It was even more surprising when we heard from another customer who had the same problem. We keep hearing from more people who have received iPacks instead of iPads. One of them was Eric, who took them back to the local Best Buy and received a $50 iTunes gift card for his trouble. He was surprised to learn from a fellow commuter about our series of posts. Especially the part where Best Buy offered to let the other customers keep the four bonus iPads. Now he feels like a sucker. [More]
Hey, Best Buy Also Sent Me Five iPads When I Only Ordered One!
By 12.6.12
As our post from last night about Best Buy’s five-for-one iPad deal burned up the Internet, some people wondered whether this had happened to anyone else out there. No, that couldn’t be: this is an expensive mistake. It can’t happen all the time. Then we heard from Nick, who has four spare iPads stashed in his closet, waiting for Best Buy to come back for them. [More]
Walmart Workers Toss iPads Around, Post Video Online, Get Fired
By 11.12.12
We should be grateful that stupid people are often stupid across the board. This makes them easier to identify. That was the case with some night-shift warehouse employees at a Kentucky Walmart who thought that it would be fun to toss around what they claimed were iPads, dropping the boxes a few times like [insert name of your least favorite football team here.] Their poor judgement means that they thought it would be a fantastic idea to take a video of the shenanigans and post it on YouTube. [More]
3 Hidden Tricks For iPhones And iPads
By 12.29.11
If you’re a new owner of an iPad or iPhone, you’ve likely been bombarded by Apple cult members who are commanding you to download this and try that with your device. Or maybe you’re the only member of your social circle who has gone Apple and are flailing around without much of an idea of how to use your new toy. [More]
Wisconsin Library Loans Out iPads
By 9.23.11
Any libraries concerned that the ebook phenomenon will render them obsolete could stand to take a cue from a Wisconsin library that has started lending iPads to members. The devices come pre-loaded with at least 1,000 classic books and are available for weeklong loans and four-hour in-library use. [More]
Samsung Cites 1968 Movie To Prove It Didn't Rip Off iPad
By 8.24.11
Responding to Apple’s lawsuit alleging it copied designs for the iPad and iPhone, Samsung’s lawyers have pulled out video evidence from the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. In a 1-minute clip, the lawyers imply that the iPad-style form factor predates Apple’s devices. [More]
Why Students Don't Need iPads
By 7.23.11
With their portability and user-friendliness, tablet computers seem perfect for students. But before you go spending big money on an iPad for a student, you should consider the limitations of the devices. [More]
