Tech issues in iPad reported by users in Apple forum

New complaints about technical issues with the iPad emerged today, as Apple celebrated selling hundreds of thousands of the new devices over the weekend.

Apple has maintained its silence over reports about glitches with its new tablet computer. New iPad owners have posted comments on Apple forums claiming that their wi-fi was poor or fluctuating, where other internet devices worked well. Today, new reports suggested there could also be issues with charging the device and compatibility with apps designed for the iPhone.


“Casa de Trevino” from California said: “Having same problem with wi-fi being weak and constantly fluctuating. I have to keep entering my password to regain access to my network after having lost a signal. Two iPhones and two MacBooks showing full signal with no interrupts. Certainly hope this is fixable. Too pricey of a toy for it to have this issue right out of box.”

A commentator named "syunker” wrote: “My wi-fi went down to 1 bar after working great for a few hours. My download speeds started to crawl, I couldn't even surf the web. I rebooted my router and it didn't help."

The initial version of the touchscreen tablet computer connects to the internet only via wi-fi. Commentators have speculated that the problem could be a weak wi-fi antenna, located behind the logo on the back of the iPad.

New reports suggested that the iPad may not power up properly when connected to some USB ports. Users also complained that the iPad would only charge if turned off or in sleep mode. Others said that iPhone apps crash when loaded onto the device. Developers suggested they will send updates in the coming days that can fix these problems. Experts said that many of the issues could be solved through software “patches” that could be sent to the iPad over the coming days.

Despite the technical issues, many industry experts called the launch of the iPad a success. The company said it sold 300,000 units in the US this weekend, with other analysts suggested that the figure may reach around 700,000 over the coming days. Industry analysts suggest sales could reach 6 million by the end of the year.

The iPad will be available in Britain by the end of this month in both wi-fi only and wi-fi plus 3G versions. The 3G version will also become available in the US later this month. iPad prices range from $499 (£326) to $829.

Early reviewers have been enthusiastic about the device, describing it as slick and fast, although some have complained about its inability to run “flash” video software.