The slow lingering death of the iPad 1

When the iPad was released into the world 4 years ago critics initially rejected it as the answer to a problem we didnt know we had. In spite of a glamourous Steve Jobs pitch it was slammed as a piece of noise with the iPhone the real story. Within weeks those experts and critics were eating their words as the iPad became the must have piece of tech for home and office use. This revolutionary tablet opened the door for the numerous tablets that we have now and has seen an annual update from Apple (www.apple.com) bringing out ever lighter, thinner and faster machines to lure us into a purchase. So what of the iPad 1?  The founder of this revolution?  Is it still as desirable now almost drifting into cult status?  Alas no as Apple have long since turned their back on this cutting edge piece of kit. The iPad 1 will only run on iOS 5 with no newer versions of the system accepted by the dated hardware which in turn means that apps are slowly no longer being supported and becoming redundant. Indeed the internet browser (safari) has become so slow it is almost too painful to even use. Poor iPad 1. We pity you and shame on you Apple for not looking after your own. iPad 1 an epic revolution in tech. 

Multi sport punters get your goodies at Wiggle

Multi sport past times such as triathlon require all manner of exciting products that your standard high street sports shop may struggle to supply. Where to go for a pair of pro jammers and similar daily challenges. There are a number of specialist shops dotted about the country but if a trip to one of these isn't likely to get a pass from home then you are left with online suppliers for your sport addictions. Wiggle are just a supplier (www.wiggle.co.uk) who offer everything from socks to time trial bikes. In addition to a mobile optimised site that supports its shopping basket with a favourites and wish list function it also has customer reviews directly referenced per product which can be a life saver for buying a new item that you have not seen in the flesh before. This customer reive system also suppliers customer profiling so you can relate your own needs and experience levels against those providing your review. Great range of products but even more valuable epic review information available. 

Sainsbury's online grocery shopping improving your quality of life

Sainsbury's (www.sainsburys.co.uk) like many other supermarket brands have built a mature online grocery shopping experience allowing you to browse from your sofa and have your choice in goodies delivered straight into your kitchen. In terms of quality of life this is a no-brainer for me. You can flick through their internet pages and fill up your virtual trolley with goods at 10 o'clock at night while watching the latest episode of Breaking Bad then kick back until it is delivered the following evening while you are relaxing with a beer listening to your favouring old school club classics. Quality of life - tick. No struggling to find a parking space near the entrance where you then fear for the integrity of your car from some stray trolley to then blunder around the store grumbling at how your time could be better spent sanding down your knee caps. The online experience gives you intelligent searching and if this seems too much hassle it can import your favourites straight from your nectar card giving you direct access to all your regular purchases. The drop down menu system allows you to browse in a more free format style in case you need inspiration which is further augmented by targeted suggestions based upon your past purchases even combining options that go well with previous items. All deftly added to your virtual trolley allowing you to select a specific delivery slot to the nearest hour including evenings allowing it to work around you. It really is the future and will slash 1000's of hours off my lifetime shopping quota. Now if only someone could deliver such epic improvements to ironing I would be laughing. 

Parrot phone kits transforming your motor

When selecting your options on your shiny new car the Bluetooth phone option may startle you in how much this extra may cost.  Lost in all the other expenses though £800 for the phone may seem reasonable against a total running into the £10's of thousands. For those not able to swallow this large cost there are options and opportunity to fit a phone kit latterly to your car that need not rely on wires strewn throughout your car or irritating sync steps every time you embark upon a journey. Parrot (www.parrot.com) have a range of products that can be smartly blended into your cars interior with models such as the 9200i that even allows Bluetooth music streaming services and a broader range of wired connectivity with additional USB and iPod connections. The experience is much more akin to that of a built in system albeit with a slightly less integrated screen to contend with but against the price it is a small compromise. Indeed for many older cars the prospect of having a car phone was not available so such an option opens the door safe connectivity for these vehicles. No need to drive while holding your phone risking penalty points and more importantly danger to pedestrians and other motorists when such solutions can be installed in your car in a couple of hours. Keeping you safe and connected. Epic. 

The tube strike customer experience

Travelling into London at the best of times is a challenge with expensive commutes on packed trains and tubes. Travelling when there is a tube strike expertly planned to coincide with some fierce weather is monumentally bad. As you check for the latest updates on the transport for London website (www.tfl.gov.uk) hoping for good news you are met with a dismal forecast of what to expect but with little options you have to slug it out and hope for the best. In summer with the sun on your back a walk in London would not be too inconvenient but a walk in 50 mph rain is not for the faint hearted. The general atmosphere is sour with commuters resenting the strike as they struggle around it, there will be little support for this impact on the usual customer experience which is rarely good anyway. On a day when the weather is also epic it has to go down as nothing short of an epic fail by the tube workforce who should have looked again when seeing the weather and thought twice about a strike when so many are battling the effects of a tough start to 2014. 

The halfords fitting service customer experience

Getting after market alterations to your car has become a less straight forward exercise as cars have become more integrated with the old slot in stereo a thing of the past. Now your stereo is split across three screens with controls connecting your phone, iPod and stereo together. This has seen the demise of the in car entertainment specialist who would have whipped out your old head unit and replaced it with the latest Kenwood all singing and dancing stereo complete with colour graphic equalizer. Halfords (www.halfords.com) has found a growing gap to fill with its offering to fit your car equipment. This allows satnavs to be hardwired in or after market Bluetooth phonekits to be fitted integrated with your existing car audio equipment. With less I.C.E. Specialist there are few alternatives.  This is demonstrated in how far in advance you now need to book in such a service getting a scheduled slot to have your upgrades completed. Having booked in an eager young chap will know the inner workings of your cars electrics and proceed to with minimal fuss install your kit leaving it like a part of our cars interior. Epic.  

The customer experience of selling on eBay

The interweb has created a generation of entrepreneurs as the opportunity for anyone to set up a cottage industry from their garage and market to the world has evolved. While simple site builder websites have become more affordable and simple to use the easiest route to market for many is eBay (www.ebay.co.uk). Set up an account with a corresponding paypal account and you are ready to rock selling anything from second hand cars to home made jewellery. For the seller the website offers step by step guidance to list an item with smart detection algorithms prompting you for improved listing names and then suggested categories to list your items in maximising any search results. In addition the web site and possibly even more straight forward is the mobile app that hooks straight into your photo library allowing you to photo you items from your phone and upload directly without having to convert anything for the site. The app includes a bar code scanner to auto populate your items details and make available library images of your product if you prefer to use these. Once up and running the selling service includes secure direct messaging to answer any potential buyers queries and a mediation service if there were ever a dispute over goods. The genius of the site though is that this is rarely needed as it relies on customer feedback so suppliers have to work to earn a reputation and threaten having this risked if the deliver poor service and receive bad feedback. Epic business model for eBay.