Business Bytes
Renee Oricchio

Trouble With iPads Already

 

My latest Newsweek is declaring that what makes the iPad so great is nothing less than "everything". Just so we are clear on that, it also claims it will "revolutionize reading, watching, computing, gaming... and Silicon Valley."

Oh my!

Well, all that remains to be seen. Unlike Newsweek, I don't feel comfortable speaking of the future as fact (as a friend of mine likes to say, "If you want to make God laugh, tell 'em your plans").

I will say this, however. This so-called iPad revolution isn't going to get very far without a better WiFi connection.

The iPad is now three days old (launched on Saturday) and already the Apple support page is flooded with complaints from new iPad owners who can't get a decent WiFi signal.

What's really unfortunate for Apple is that one of its early adopters, Michael Arrington, shares in this WiFi issue.

For those of you who don't know Arrington, he is the unofficial leader of Technorati. And, uh, Apple, er uh, Michael isn't picking up a signal so well. This is like your souffle turning out flat or food poisoning at the raw bar in your restaurant the day The New York Times food section drops by to do a review.

Michael and others are finding the signal is either non-existent or too weak to work in places where other Apple devices are doing just fine.

I'm sure this will all get sorted out in due time and Apple PR will likley barely break a sweat through this little bump.

But then again, I wouldn't want to risk making God laugh by going on record with predictions.

Renee Oricchio is a technology writer and former supervising news producer for CNN Financial News. She has been covering the computer industry since 1987. @oricchio