[jcromartie]

True, apps backed by web services will die off. But that's been a risk at any time, even on the latest device. Those services don't exist for you. They can (and do) pull the plug at any time.

I think the way forward for old devices like the iPad 1 is through a stable OS, jailbreaks and web apps.

[mpyne]

So iPad 1 users should have to jailbreak their iPad to get to fully utilize it longer than 2 years? I agree completely that they could at least give it a stable OS (and apps!) but "jailbreak" should never be on a list of generic end-user steps to use your hardware.