<p>My wonderful husband got me an iPad for Christmas and I was pretty excited about it. However, upon opening and checking it out, it became clear to me that I will never use the thing and it will either sit in the box collecting dust until it’s thrown out (there is precedent for this) or will be given to one of my daughters. I just hate everything about the iPad and it was so recently purchased that it can be returned. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can gently explain this to my husband, or should I just leave it to collect dust and hope he doesn’t notice that it is never used? Give it to my daughter behind his back? We have almost never exchanged presents in our 27 years of marriage, so this has not come up before. I know he isn’t going to be happy, but I absolutely loathe the thing.</p>
<p>I’m curious – why do you loathe it? Why don’t you think you’ll ever ever use it? Sometimes we think that; then, as we become acquainted with the object, we start to see its uses.</p>
<p>Edited to add: Zoos, don’t you have a fairly long commute on a bus every day? Maybe this would be a good toy to use for watching movies, doing some emails, etc.??</p>
<p>It is physically uncomfortable to my hands. I already have a Kindle, which I love, and I don’t like the way the screen is illuminated for reading on the iPad. I won’t listen to music on it, I don’t every watch movies. There is just nothing I would choose to do with it that I couldn’t do better in another way. I gave it a great shot last night, but I am confident I won’t use it. I think I would have been much happier with a Kindle Fire.</p>
<p>zooser, give it a bit of time… i love apple products, but i really dont use them to their full potential as there are a lot of things they can do, with special keys etc and that is one thing i think they dont do that well, “instructions”.</p>
<p>crossposted with you… what about exchanging it for an ipad mini…smaller</p>
<p>I too can’t Imagine how you can give up on it so easily- I know that’s not the advice you are asking for, but wondering too what turns you off so much???</p>
<p>Do you have wireless at home to enjoy it if it is a wireless model? Do you prefer a laptop?? Or how do you use a laptop that you don’t think you will use the iPad???</p>
<p>Also, any chance your H bought it because he wants to enjoy it too?? That could make a return more difficult.</p>
<p>I have a lot of experience with the “I don’t want this gift” situation - I’m JUST not good at accepting gifts and me and my H tend to not exchange. In 31 years of marriage I haven’t learned to decline or accept very gracefully!!</p>
<p>Give it a fair trial period zoosermom! I gave my H an ipad for his birthday. To me, it seemed like the perfect thing for him. He didn’t want it. He felt that he had no use for it, he had a laptop and that was good enough for him. I got it anyway, figuring that if he really didn’t like it, I would take it. It took a couple of weeks for him to get used to it, but he loves the thing now.</p>
<p>Maybe secretly check with the place he bought it to see how long you have to return it without a problem.</p>
<p>If you really aren’t going to use it, I would give it to your daughter, but after a decent interval rather than immediately. You can tell your husband the truth: that you really appreciated his thoughtfulness in buying it for you (I would emphasize this point a lot), that you tried it, and that it just isn’t something you see yourself using very much. </p>
<p>Is there an occasion coming up for your D where you could suggest to him that it would make a great present for her?</p>
<p>What about your son? Many schools are now putting their textbooks on the iPad…</p>
<p>I would be happy to send you my address. I’m going to be buying my second IPad next week.</p>
<p>If you REALLY don’t like it, just tell your husband that your Kindle is your preference. </p>
<p>Then next year, have everyone post their Santa lists on the fridge.</p>
<p>
Her birthday is in the summer, so that would be a decent interval. I just would like to return it because it’s such an expensive thing to just sit. Seems a terrible waste of money. I really do know that I won’t use it and it seems a shame to hold onto it beyond the point when it can be returned. It was a lovely thought, but it wasn’t a present that would never have been right for me. </p>
<p>If my husband would use it, it would be the greatest thing ever, but he won’t. He doesn’t use technology at all. Sigh.</p>
<p>
I think this might be why my husband bought it. My son goes to a school with a one-to-one computing model. The school provides an iPad that’s fully loaded with the things it requires, and my son does everything on the iPad. My suspicion is that my husband bought me one so that I could have something in common with my son.</p>
<p>My mom is enjoying her new iPad. She is taking pictures and posting them on FB.</p>
<p>zooser, I totally get it. I watch my sil who is in love with her ipad, and I just don’t see the attraction. I really think a lot of it is in how you use the internet. She loves it for reading magazines and blogs, and playing scrabble, but hardly ever wants to type things herself.</p>
<p>I would just tell him! My husband asked if I wanted one and I told him I couldn’t enjoy it as I already have a laptop and a dslr camera. It’s really just a very expensive toy.</p>
<p>Your daughter might prefer the cheaper google alternative. I wouldn’t just let it sit since the warranty clock would be ticking during that time.</p>
<p>Sent from my SGH-T989 using CC</p>
<p>I purchased my own ipad last year and I do not like it or use it. It’s heavy, cumbersome and I don’t like the keyboard. I have a Galaxy android smartphone that gets me everything I need and fits in my pocket. My laptop is my device of choice for home use and it also serves as a nice lap warmer in these cold drafty months. My iPad is collecting dust and everyone over here is happy with their devices, so no need to pass it on. Return it! I wish I had, because there is always going to be a “newer version” if you ever decide you MUST have one. I just am not an apple person. (sorry macnuts!)</p>
<p>I say just nicely explain that while the thought was great now that you have hands on knowledge the product isn’t for you and return it. Can you suggest using the money for something you would both enjoy? A great dinner out to thank him for the sentiment?
A weekend away?</p>
<p>
This is GENIUS. I’ll try to find an inn to suggest to him before D goes back to college.</p>
<p>I got a Kindle Fire HD and really like it. Maybe you could exchange for that.</p>
<p>I got H the iPad mini for Christmas. Other than his beloved iPod, H has no other Apple products (the rest of us are all Apple fans). I got it because he commutes by train and I thought it would be a great way for him to read, check email, web surf,etc. all on one device. Right now he’s sitting at the kitchen table trying his darnedest to figure the thing out. The rest of us find Apple products to be pretty intuitive.</p>
<p>The one thing I did do, was to sign H up for a workshop at the Apple store. On Saturday, he’s heading off to " Getting started with your iPad". If he still has questions, he can go to another workshop or get some 1:1 training. </p>
<p>Give it some time.</p>
<p>I don’t understand this. I love my iPad and find it very comfortable for reading, looking at pictures, emailing, online shopping etc. Have you thought about using it for facetime and being able to see your family members when you talk to them? It seems short sighted to me to decide in less than 24 hours that you hate this thing. I sense something else going on here. Even playing solitaire on it is awesome!</p>