What should I do with my ipad 1?

April 2, 2014 8:04 AM

I have an ipad 1 which I still really enjoy. However, I'm noticing more and more apps don't work for seemingly no reason other than the developers are choosing not to support the iPad 1. Since I've got reduced capabilities I'm thinking about installing Android or jail breaking or something else. What would you recommend?
posted by gocubbies to Technology (10 answers total)

Do you have a kid? I loaded mine up with family photos, set it to photo frame mode, put it in a super-padded case and just let my one-year-old play with it.
posted by davebug at 8:18 AM on April 2, 2014 [2 favorites]

I would consider mounting it behind a kitchen cabinet like slide #11, and probably running some speakers under my cabinets. It'll keep on playing iTunes stuff for the foreseeable future.
posted by fontophilic at 8:21 AM on April 2, 2014 [2 favorites]

Leave it in the shitter so you have something to read.
posted by Rob Rockets at 8:28 AM on April 2, 2014 [1 favorite]

Get a fridge mount so that you can read recipes or watch cooking videos.
posted by jgirl at 9:03 AM on April 2, 2014

Get a fridge mount so that you can read recipes or watch cooking videos.
posted by jgirl at 12:03 PM on April 2 [+] [!]

Easy and cheap: buy two pairs of 3M hooks with command adhesive and stick them on the side of a fridge or cabinet.
posted by Gungho at 9:44 AM on April 2, 2014 [2 favorites]

Netflix works fine on an iPad 1; use it as your TV.
posted by escabeche at 10:40 AM on April 2, 2014 [3 favorites]

Jailbreaking might make available some apps that Apple won't allow in the App Store but if an app isn't designed for the ipad 1 or for the version of iOS that it's stuck on, you may not have many additional choices there.

As for installing Android - I know it can be done but not any specifics. The only thing I'd recommend is, if at all possible, to install the newest version (4.4.2 KitKat) as it's much better on devices with limited RAM, which I believe the ipad 1 falls into that category.

Other ideas if you don't jailbreak or install another OS:
Watch TV and movies using Hulu, Netflix, or Amazon video
Watch videos on YouTube
Read books using iBooks or Kindle app
Download audio books and use the aux input on your car radio to listen during your drive
Set up a slideshow and use as a digital photo frame
posted by trivia genius at 11:10 AM on April 2, 2014

I have this same problem, and I use it to watch stuff on Netflix or Amazon Prime, and as a Kindle reader or to check emails, but it's not much good to create anything that requires a newer IoS. On the plus side--it's built like a brick outhouse, so you're probably not going to accidentally damage it.
posted by Ideefixe at 11:11 AM on April 2, 2014

I have the same problem, I renamed mine "Stereobox" and use it mainly for iTunes. It's also our car entertainment system so the toddler can mainline Dora on cross-country road trips - I just got a cheap seat back case for it.
posted by arcticwoman at 11:51 AM on April 2, 2014

I gave mine to my cat - she plays fishing games on it now.
posted by fixer at 5:05 PM on April 2, 2014 [5 favorites]