The Broken iPad

I hate when an accident is just an accident; a completely meaningless misfortune.  If at least there's a definitive reason, you can focus yourself, and your emotions, towards anything.  When its not based on fault or making a mistake, its harder to take.

I reached into my electronics bag last night, like I have about 1,000 times before.  The iPad is the biggest thing in there, so its easy and immediate to find it.  I clutched it tightly and pulled my hand out.  I wasn't fast or slow with it, but firm.  I definitely wanted my iPad, so I wasn't casual about pulling it up.

I had the iPad by the corner, so it was turned at least 30 degrees from directly oriented in either its portrait or landscape mode.  So there was a corner of it that could catch on the bag's strap as I pulled it out.  Like I said, I pulled it from the bag firmly.  There was no doubt I wanted it.  The result being, when the corner of the iPad caught on the strap, the angle, and my commitment I had to getting it, resulted in the device catapulting out of my hand.  It flipped in the air and did at least one revolution.  Obviously I tried to catch it, but it was an awkward motion and I missed.

I've dropped my iPad before, so I wasn't that worried about it to be honest.  Plus it was still in the spongy case that I have for it.  It seemed like any of dozen other times.  But I'd be lying if I didn't confess to a brief moment of intuition about this.  The sound it made when it hit the base of my chair just didn't sound right.

It was smashed.  It looked like you'd expect if a golf ball landed square in the middle of it.  I circular, central part that was smashed up very small, then outward extending waves of larger and larger pieces.  I believe the image that came to mind last night was "spider web".

So I checked this morning with the local Apple service center.  I asked the girl "can you fix the screen on a first generation iPad"?  She didn't even hesitate and said "not really".  She further went on to explain that you technically /could/ replace the screen but it wasn't worth it as it would cost as much as buying a brand new one.

So I'm getting a new iPad.  I guess I'm happy about it.  It would feel better if it hadn't come under such dispiriting conditions.