Q: Has any of iOS 5 iPad users experienced slow safari browser, frequent crashes and slow keyboard response when posting something online?

Bluntly Apple screwed us original iPad owners with IOS 5...   I too, have complained about the lously IOS 5 issues describled here and elsewhere...  I have tried numerous fixes suggested to no avail...   Unless our problems hits the national news media, will they start to pay attention to your needs...  All the remedies mentioned in the various Apple forums DO NOT WORK...   Apple flat out DOES NOT CARE!!!  You own an expensive aluminum paper weight, get use to it...

As the result of months of web surfing and testing, I could narrow down the issue at is causing performance on all our original iPads! One would say to turn all the iCloud features off, but I have found that there are major performance bugs in contacts and calendars! Turn them off in the iCloud part if the settings. This, alone with disabling spotlight search results in no keyboard lag and no "checkerboard effect" in safari whe pages won't load fast enough! I hope this helps everyone as it did to me!

This is a persistent issue that Apple dropped the apple on.  They have remained silent on the issue and refuse to address it.  I'm guessing that the real solution is to upgrade to Ipad2/3.  I won't let Apple get off that easy.  First off I refuse to send Apple another penny.  Second, since these issues are also effecting Iphone users I'm surprised that there isn't a class action over thie yet.

I am disgusted by the lack of response from apple. However, I assume that given ipad3 with iOS vNext is around the corner that this will fix the issues....

Both Safari and Perfect Browser had been experiencing the same sort of frequent crashing - to the point that it wasn't even worth the bother to use my iPad 1 for web surfing. Perfect Browser has a feature that warns of low execution memory, and this appears frequently even when it is the only app loaded.

Last night, I went through Settings and disabled virtually everything - location services, cloud, contacts, calendar, notifications, etc.. The improvement in overall performance was very noticable - ex: the keyboard doesn't lag when typing. Browser crash frequency went from once every 30 seconds to once every 5 minutes.

Still not acceptable, but at least I can sort of use the thing while waiting for Apple to take notice...

Just jailbreak it if your on a ipad1 you're  warranty  is most likely  done.with any ways .my safari crashes once or twice a week now details depending  on how heavy  the flash is. Spend the time to read up on it very easy to do and well worth it. Because apple is not gonna fix your ipad1 anytime  soon  .I didn't want to own a 700$ paper weight  neither should you

What does jailbreaking the iPad 1 do for me? 

Well first of all no more constant crashing no key board lag. And the ability to customize the boring stock features. And I shouldn't have to

wait a year for apple to fix a ios that isn't intended for a 3 year old device. I own ipad1 iphone3gs iPod touch all which  are jailbroken. And the only way you can't restore to factory  ios is if you break  the screen. What do you really  have to lose. Because right if it crashes all the time its useless .

Anyone tried ios5.1 yet?

Yes. I'm using it right now. iCal works normally and so far typing has no lag time and Safari hasn't crashed. While apple didn't advertise this, it seems that they have finally responded. I'm still getting the new iPad, though.

my iPad1 is doing much better with iOS 5.1 -- it's night and day.

I've installed 5.1 and it is much better...at least so far

I'm having a similar issue on my iPad 2 ever since I upgraded to iOS 5.1 I have not been able to access the app store, and keep getting the "Cannot connect to iTunes" message.

When I had my original iPad running 5.0, I had no problems.  Same with my iPad 2 running 5.1.  It must not be a problem with all iPads.