Prime example of lame RP choice (mild spoiler).

Yes, I would miss the inventory.  The UI is retarded, but the inventory works.  People think you can carry 50 sniper rifles around (the original inventory limit before the patch) at a time, or stacks of 5000 iron or omni-gel canisters.  A TINY, MINISCULE amount of deductive reasoning shows that that is ABSOLUTELY FUCKING RETARDED.  The inventory limit IS WHAT YOU STORE ON THE TEMPEST.  There is a realism element here.  You store weapons you're not using, you take the weapons and gear with you that you're actually using.  This is why you can have 10+ different consumable options, but only equip 2-4 types.  Those are what you actually take with you. 

Crafting gives a customization element.  One that needs improvement, I think but not scrapped.  Mods serve to further customize.  In ME2/ME3 there was no life to the economy.  Every item, weapon or armor could be found in the exact same place at the exact same time.  Each store had an entirely different inventory that was completely static, save for after different story gates.  Hell, I wanted the game to stop giving me credits and stupidly placed items, and just put the damned things into my "inventory."  It was that stupid.  

Having rank I-X of different weapons isn't the best idea, I'll grant that.  I'd rather they come up with a different system for crafting in any sequel.  But it's MILES ahead of ME2 and ME3.  I've been an opponent of "loot systems" since ME1 at least.  But I'd rather have that than the moronic way we acquired new gear in ME2/ME3.  

The Scanner could be seen in a similar light to what I described above, but it introduces a new gameplay mechanic that has more uses than simply "scan for minerals" or whatnot.  It gives a plausible way to find out information we otherwise wouldn't have access to.  So I do agree that there could have been a better introduction to the thing, this is an area where the gameplay/story segregation thing is just not an issue, unless people are simply trying to find things to bitch about in this game, because it's cool to jump on the hate train.

ME:A has definite, legitimate issues.  There are no denying that, and I've stated my dislike of several things in the past.  This, and issues similar to it, are just reaching the point of the ridiculously absurd.  You may not like the scanner, fine.  It may not be a gameplay mechanic you enjoy.  But at least be HONEST about the damned thing and say "I just don't like it" instead of finding the dumbest damned arguments to say WHY you don't like it.   Eh, whatever.  I'm done here.  I'm just getting really sick and tired of hearing the same old stupid complaints that just a little bit of common sense would give an answer to, but people make out like it's the worst goddamned thing ever, and this game is absolute shit and HERE'S WHY!