Q: Upgrade iPad iOS 5.1.1 to iOS 6

Not trying to insult your intelligence. Your iPad should work - especially considering that it is only ~3 years old. Mine still works - it has a few issues here and there with crashes, but it still works pretty well. I updated it to 5.1.1 and then stopped updating everything, because I bought an iPad 4. The 4 is great and updated to iOS 7, but my 1 still streams video constantly and flawlessly for my toddler. THe apps on the 1, including mail, browser, youtube, calendar, and others are still great and useful. It sounds like you are haveing particular Safari issues. You could restore it to see if that clears some issues or possibly try downloading a different browser.

Considering the iPad 4 has the same hardware specifications as the iPhone 4, and the iPhone 4 is update to ios 6 and 7.

Um, the iPad 4 and iPhone 4 are not similar at all in specs.

The iPad 4 was released after the iPhone 5.

Yes, but many (not all) of the "bugs" are related to the later operating systems.  That means they won't effect you on the earlier ones. 

Someone said to me, when it crashes go into the settings, then about, then diagnostics & usage. In there are details about why/what the crash was about. Now i know nothing about the workings or language of these things but MY iPad 1 details the doings of an iPhone running 5.1.1....???

did i say ipad 4? how stupid.
I meant ipad 1.

Sorry

Money doesn't seem to be an issue for you.  Buy me a new IPad once every "4 to 5 years".

My iPad 1 was purchased February 2012 just before the 2 came out. It now has constant safari and google chrome shut downs. I have researched fixes and found lots of other people with the same problem. I have tried lots of the so called fixes. Total shut down, emptying history, etc. nothing can solve the issue. I understand the whole "new innovations" thing but why a new operating system that puts paid to the old one? To say that it isn't a computer is misleading as that is what most people, myself included, were told by salespeople that it was.. I paid $900 for this devise. Sounds like a computer price to me. It should last longer than this. Yes I can still use my iPad. But not like I want to.

The iPad 2 was released in 2011, iPad 3 was released March 2012.

For $900 you must have purchased yours outside of the US or you got a really bad deal because it was 2 years old when you got it.

Doesn't matter! The fact is he/we bought something (my ipad 1was £399, purchased when iPad 2 released) that now apparently isn't worth or can't be updated.

I just bought a refurbished ipad 4 which is very nice and I like it a lot but it STILL crashes when I use Safari to look at Facebook. The genius at my local appl store suggested only using the Facebook app but it's pants! It doesn't show things in recent order. I now use Safari to browse and the app to look at individual things which works but is a pain in the butt.

We paid a lot of money (which I had to save up hard for) on something which doesn't do what it's supposed to do! Yes the other features are brilliant but when it comes to browsing the net it crashes.

Apple seem to think we can just recycle it and buy a new one.

I totally agree with you. Apple just thinks that we can roll over our wallets for something that it's software only lasts 3 years. Never again will I purchase another iPad from apple.

Be prepared to find issues on any tablet brand that you consider. This is not just an Apple thing, in fact you may find the lifespan of other brands to be shorter than the iPad.

I own an iPad 1 and an iPad 4 - I know the 1 can't do what the 4 can, so it has become my toddlers iPad and works great for that.

My old MacBook Pro got a little slow, so now it's relegated to my little music studio and is perfect for that.

This is life with technology from a hardware standpoint to maintain it's compatibility with more demanding software and from a business standpoint to maintain a revenue stream to continue building improved hardware. You won't be able to avoid this. Three years may seem short for a tablet to you, but if you're not demanding the most cutting edge apps, you shouldn't really be having too many problems. If you are, maybe there's something wrong with your device.

If you live in the US, Target is giving $200 for any iPad, which is a great deal if you have a first gen iPad that you want to trade up.

There IS something wrong with it! The 'genius' said it was a hardware issue and that was that.

And if you live in the UK there are a few companies on the net who offer around £100 for your old iPad (Apple only offer £65).

I can't seem to access my email on the new one so the old one stays for now!

I don't think I'd be so bothered by not getting IOS 6 so much if IOS 5 worked better. Especially given that the iPhone 3GS did get updated and has the exact same SOC and RAM. Not only does the browser crash on a regular basis, no matter how many times I reset my device but it chokes on the app store regularly too. Or just freezes up trying to scroll. Typing in iPad apps has a noticiable delay. At least now you can download the last compatible app instead of it updating past compatibility. I really do love my iPad but it frustrates as often as it delights.