How to speed up original ipad? Jailbreak?

[SpatiallyAware]

I swear, apple somehow intentionally writes their software to not work as well on old devices.

A good example is the app store... It used to be very quick going from page to page or searching, now it slows to a crawl. Safari is also much slower than it used to be.


Any suggestions? I've tried wiping it, turning off running apps, clearing history, turning off notifications.

I'm thinking about jailbreaking it in an attempt to find a faster/better internet browser.

I primarily use it for internet browsing around the house, email, that's about it. I don't care about games or weather apps or any of that junk.

 

[Eug]

I specifically avoided that machine when it came out because it was crippled right out of the gate IMO, with 256 MB RAM and single-core CPU.

Quite frankly, I would sell it and get a new iPad.

BTW, you can already install a new browser now. You don't need to jailbreak. It won't really help you though.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

What? The browser was fine for years. It was only through the last couple of sw updates when the browser got sluggish. Whichever update that added notifications was the one that slowed everything down.

I don't want to replace the ipad.. I like not having to worry about being too careful with it, it's outside often, that sort of thing.

 

[Eug]

Yes, as the OS progresses things get added, and the memory footprint gets bigger. Two options are either to downgrade the OS or else upgrade the memory, but unfortunately both are impossible with the iPad (unless you've saved your SHSH blobs or something).

 

[Kaido]

What? The browser was fine for years. It was only through the last couple of sw updates when the browser got sluggish. Whichever update that added notifications was the one that slowed everything down.

I don't want to replace the ipad.. I like not having to worry about being too careful with it, it's outside often, that sort of thing.

Yeah mine was very snappy when I first bought it, now it's a slug. Not terrible, but you can tell - definitely sluggish. I wish Apple had stopped a release or two back and said "this is all you get - it works fast, but no more new apps" or something.

 

[Eug]

Interestingly I just went through the same thing with my G4 Macs. I downgraded a couple from 10.5.8 to 10.4.11 and they decent again. They have 1.25 and 1.0 GB respectively. For the third one I'm leaving it at 10.5.8 for now but I am upgrading it to 2 GB when the extra memory arrives. That should do the trick.

 

[bearxor]

Jailbreaking it won't help you.

Honestly, I'd get an iPad 2. The iPad 1 is almost three years old now (my god it doesn't feel that long ago). The iPad 2 is an improvement in every way. Double the processor. Double the RAM. Significantly faster GPU. Thinner and lighter. FaceTime camera.

You could offload the iPad 1 used for about $200 and get a refurb 2 off the apple store for $320.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

That is unacceptable.... If the device is 100% obsolete after 3 years then I'll get a surface or something else.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

It's not completely obsolete, you just shouldn't have upgraded past iOS 4.

But the tablet industry as a whole is definitely on a cell phone (~2 year) obsolescence cycle.

 

[ControlD]

That is unacceptable.... If the device is 100% obsolete after 3 years then I'll get a surface or something else.

The only thing I find unacceptable is the inability to drop back to an earlier version of firmware. I had the same problem with my old iPod Touch 2G. iOS 4.x completely broke that device and Apple never release a newer firmware update to fix the problems. Luckily I had saved my SHSH blobs and was able to drop back to a working firmware. Still, that option should be available to me without having to game Apple's system.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

The only thing I find unacceptable is the inability to drop back to an earlier version of firmware. I had the same problem with my old iPod Touch 2G. iOS 4.x completely broke that device and Apple never release a newer firmware update to fix the problems. Luckily I had saved my SHSH blobs and was able to drop back to a working firmware. Still, that option should be available to me without having to game Apple's system.

Well yes, that is what this is all about, and that is what's unacceptable.


What a fantastic business model.. Release hardware that the company makes obsolete by forcing new software down your throat 2 years down the road. I mean seriously, does that not piss anyone else off?

This device would be absolutely fine if I could run ios4. Internet, email, every single thing was fine. Apple crippled the device with the new software.


Regarding the 2 year lifecycle... I have no idea where that is from. What phone, other than apple device, has software forced onto it which essentially cripples the device?

 

[TheStu]

Well yes, that is what this is all about, and that is what's unacceptable.


What a fantastic business model.. Release hardware that the company makes obsolete by forcing new software down your throat 2 years down the road. I mean seriously, does that not piss anyone else off?

This device would be absolutely fine if I could run ios4. Internet, email, every single thing was fine. Apple crippled the device with the new software.


Regarding the 2 year lifecycle... I have no idea where that is from. What phone, other than apple device, has software forced onto it which essentially cripples the device?

The software isn't forced onto either it, or you. This isn't Windows where you have to fight the auto-updater every week, just to get 15 more minutes of work done before the system automatically reboots.

iOS pops up and says 'Hey, there's an update'. You say NO, easy peasy.

However, your complaint about them cutting off a downgrade path is something that I can get behind. On a computer, and let's use Macs as an example since they are the same manufacturer, you can downgrade back the OS that shipped on the device. Unfortunately, the only way to do that on iDevices is to back up these SHSH blob things.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

The software isn't forced onto either it, or you. This isn't Windows where you have to fight the auto-updater every week, just to get 15 more minutes of work done before the system automatically reboots.

iOS pops up and says 'Hey, there's an update'. You say NO, easy peasy.

However, your complaint about them cutting off a downgrade path is something that I can get behind. On a computer, and let's use Macs as an example since they are the same manufacturer, you can downgrade back the OS that shipped on the device. Unfortunately, the only way to do that on iDevices is to back up these SHSH blob things.

Ok, since apple selectively allows updates (for example, my original ipad won't run ios6) I assumed that they would not allow software that would render the device useless.

I get what you're saying, and for a tech geek that's ok, but that is a very apple apologist attitude considering that they intentionally allow software that slows down the device. I mean isn't that the entire defense towards the super duper closed platform?? That the user doesn't have to worry about crap like that?



But yeah, I get it now.. As an apple consumer I guess it is somehow my responsibility to wait 2-3 months after an update is released so I can research to see if it's going to cause my ~2 year old device to be practically useless.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Is it possible to jailbreak the device, then install ios4?

 

[TheStu]

Ok, since apple selectively allows updates (for example, my original ipad won't run ios6) I assumed that they would not allow software that would render the device useless.

I get what you're saying, and for a tech geek that's ok, but that is a very apple apologist attitude considering that they intentionally allow software that slows down the device. I mean isn't that the entire defense towards the super duper closed platform?? That the user doesn't have to worry about crap like that?

But yeah, I get it now.. As an apple consumer I guess it is somehow my responsibility to wait 2-3 months after an update is released so I can research to see if it's going to cause my ~2 year old device to be practically useless.

No, they screwed up, and wanted to show that they were still supporting a device that hardware wise should have been cut off. The biggest thing that is hampering it is the 256MB RAM in there. The iPhone 4 has the same CPU, and it got iOS 6, and it runs pretty well IMO on there, not as fast as the newer hardware, but never so slow as to make me want to put it through a wall, which is what it sounds like you are running into.

You got screwed, no two ways about it, and if you can't downgrade the device (which you can't) and you consider the device unusable, then sell it, donate, or use it as a frisbee. If it is no better than a paperweight to you, then that's where you're at.

I would recommend against getting an iPad 2, it's plenty old at this point itself.

I'm not trying to be an Apple apologist, I just try to push back against over-reaction and hyperbole in this sort of thing. There are plenty of things to get up in arms about with Apple products, we don't need to exaggerate problems to make our points.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I don't know what other people are up in arms about, but my ~2 year old tablet being borderline unusable is not an exaggeration. I'm truly ticked about it.


It would be one thing if I could roll the thing back, or it would be understandable if this were an 'open' platform that you have to be careful with. However, the entire ipad/iphone concept is marketed as though you don't have to worry about stuff like this.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

And "hardware-wise should have been cut off"............



They had no issue 'cutting it off' at ios6. Why even allow ANY os that cripples the device?

Like I said, I feel ripped off. They basically try and rope you into this entire architecture that is, by design, obsolete in 3 years. I'm sure it's great for their business model but as a consumer I will certainly think twice before buying a supposed dummy-proof device.

 

[ControlD]

Did you ever jailbreak the device in the past? If so you might be able to go back but otherwise you are most likely stuck. I agree it sucks, but if you decide to stick with Apple mobile products then start backing up your SHSH every time a major update is released. Then you can try the new versions without worrying about getting stuck with a crappy experience. It has saved me on more than one device.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Did you ever jailbreak the device in the past? If so you might be able to go back but otherwise you are most likely stuck. I agree it sucks, but if you decide to stick with Apple mobile products then start backing up your SHSH every time a major update is released. Then you can try the new versions without worrying about getting stuck with a crappy experience. It has saved me on more than one device.

No, I've never done anything like that. I didn't jailbreak it, back up any shsh blobs or whatever, none of it.

I just used it as a tablet, updated when prompted, and a few years later the thing is a frisbee. Yes, I'm pissed.

 

[bearxor]

The thing that always boggled me about the original iPad is how the iPhone 4 got the same CPU 5 months later with double the RAM. Someone just wasn't wasn't very forward thinking.

But I think you misunderstand me, because in no way do I feel the iPad 1 is unusable, especially from a basic usage standpoint. My wife has an iPad 1 updated to the latest version of iOS 5 and she uses it just fine. I use it occasionally and the only complaint I really have on it is that I can't open more than 4 or 5 tabs in Safari before it starts page reloading when you switch and that's definitely RAM.

All I was saying is that jailbreaking is not really going to solve your issue of slowness and that the iPad 2 fixes the iPad 1 shortcomings in just about every way. I fully expect the iPad 2 to be kicking around for another couple of years bevause it's simply that much better. I believe Apple wanted to get the jump on the tablet market and released a piece of hardware that maybe wasn't quite capable enough for the vision. That a chance you take as an early adopter though.

 

[Rakehellion]

That is unacceptable.... If the device is 100% obsolete after 3 years then I'll get a surface or something else.

You realize the Surface costs twice as much as an iPad, is slower, and does less?

 

[ControlD]

You realize the Surface costs twice as much as an iPad, is slower, and does less?

The Surface Pro maybe, but not the Surface.

 

[Eug]

The thing that always boggled me about the original iPad is how the iPhone 4 got the same CPU 5 months later with double the RAM. Someone just wasn't wasn't very forward thinking.

They do this all the time actually, and I'm thinking it's intentional. They always release the next greatest thing... and then leave out one or two very useful features. That way you have incentive to upgrade sooner rather than later.

BTW, one of the main reasons I jumped at the iPhone 4 was precisely because it got 512 MB RAM instead of the crippled iPad 1's 256 MB.

It's the same reason I didn't buy the first aluminum MacBook. Wait one year and they drop the price, and add a backlit keyboard and Firewire standard in the base model.

 

[ViRGE]

I don't know what other people are up in arms about, but my ~2 year old tablet being borderline unusable is not an exaggeration. I'm truly ticked about it.

Keep in mind that this isn't the PC industry. Mobile devices are still undergoing a rapid transformation with regards to both hardware and software capabilities. It's equivalent to the early 90s in the PC industry, where computers were quickly rendered underpowered for newer software.

Your iPad 1 is towards the beginning of that curve. Apple isn't trying to drive you insane, it's just really lousy hardware in comparison to everything else that has followed. It's old, outdated, obsolete (it's essentially a higher clocked iPhone 3GS with a bigger screen). It doesn't even get a newer OS, which means you're behind the curve on security updates and if there's not already a browser based exploit, then there probably soon will be. It was a nice device in 2010 and I hate to say it (since this is so unhelpful), but there's little to do besides move on.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

You talk about it being old and out of date all you want, but I bought this thing less than 3 years ago.


Even worse, is that ios5 is what really slowed the thing down, which was released late 2011.


So, apple effectively crippled the device via software within a year after they stopped selling it.