Hyundai Replaces iPad Owner’s Manual with Paper Version for 2012 Equus

Last year brought news of another innovative use for an iPad when Hyundai announced that the 2011 Equus would include one as its Owner’s Manual. That was sweet: look up your maintenance schedule, make service appointments, and order pizza right from the glove compartment.

This year Hyundai has apparently decided to go back to the Dead Tree Version.

According to Hyundai spokesman Jim Trainor, the 2011 iPad bundle was only intended as a one year promotion and the 2012 Equus will revert to a paper manual. The company’s expectations were apparently met with the single bundling. “We got a lot of mileage out of it” Trainor noted, “people are talking about it.”

A 2012 Equus Owner’s Manual will be available for download, but now you’ll need to supply your own iPad.

Actually paper does have advantages over an electronic manual – no batteries to recharge, and less of a theft target – but it looked like Hyundai was starting a trend last year. Here’s the 2010 TV commercial announcing the initiative.

[via USA Today]

Adam Rosen

Adam Rosen is an Apple certified IT consultant specializing in Macintosh systems new and old. He lives in Boston with two cats and too many possessions. In addition to membership in the Cult of Mac, Adam has written for Low End Mac and is curator of the Vintage Mac Museum. He also enjoys a good libation.