Friday, December 10, 2010
Software 1 - Essential productivity
Now, although I purchased the iPad myself and not through work, my initial interest was in the iPad as a work tool rather than a social one. Essentially I was looking for something that might replace a laptop, or more specifically in my case, a tablet PC. So while the iPad comes with some essential work tools built in (mail, calendar, contacts, web browser) you will have to buy apps for many of the other work tasks you might want to accomplish. I think almost everyone in third level uses a word processing programme, a presentation programme (unfortunately), and some sort of spreadsheet application so these were the type of apps I initially went looking for. You have plenty of options, but I chose to buy the iPad versions of Apple's iWork productivity suite. The apps are Pages (word processing), Keynote (presentation) and Numbers (spreadsheet).
Not being a Mac user I was unfamiliar with Apples competitors to the all pervasive Microsoft Office. One look and you realise it is no competition at all. Mac wins hands down. I had recently replaced my work PC and if I had known then what I know now I would have switched to Mac. This is all the more remarkable considering I have been vehemently anti Mac for such a long time.
The rest of this post will concentrate on evaluating Keynote, as it is the app I use most for work. If you are used to Powerpoint you will be amazed by Keynote. It is incredible easy to use, and the controls are laid out in a very intuitive fashion. Best of all, you can import your existing PowerPoint presentations and they will work perfectly well on the iPad - at least mine do. Most of my lecture PowerPoints are straightforward without animations or transitions or multimedia and perhaps this is why they work so well. Getting the ppt / pptx files onto the iPad is simple. In iTunes select the iPad, then the apps tab and scroll down. At the bottom of the page under the 'File Sharing' heading select Keynote and then in the pane on the right select Add. Navigate to where your ppt / pptx file(s) is and select. Once you have selected all the files you want sync with the iPad.
Now open Keynote on the iPad. On the My Presentations screen select the upload button (at bottom, second from left). Then choose Copy from iTunes and select the presentation you want to open. The file converts and is now available in Keynote on the iPad. Repeat for the remaining presentations. You only have to do this once - the presentations will be present in the My Presentations screen the next time you open Keynote. In the next post I'll look further at the Keynote app.
Not being a Mac user I was unfamiliar with Apples competitors to the all pervasive Microsoft Office. One look and you realise it is no competition at all. Mac wins hands down. I had recently replaced my work PC and if I had known then what I know now I would have switched to Mac. This is all the more remarkable considering I have been vehemently anti Mac for such a long time.
The rest of this post will concentrate on evaluating Keynote, as it is the app I use most for work. If you are used to Powerpoint you will be amazed by Keynote. It is incredible easy to use, and the controls are laid out in a very intuitive fashion. Best of all, you can import your existing PowerPoint presentations and they will work perfectly well on the iPad - at least mine do. Most of my lecture PowerPoints are straightforward without animations or transitions or multimedia and perhaps this is why they work so well. Getting the ppt / pptx files onto the iPad is simple. In iTunes select the iPad, then the apps tab and scroll down. At the bottom of the page under the 'File Sharing' heading select Keynote and then in the pane on the right select Add. Navigate to where your ppt / pptx file(s) is and select. Once you have selected all the files you want sync with the iPad.
Now open Keynote on the iPad. On the My Presentations screen select the upload button (at bottom, second from left). Then choose Copy from iTunes and select the presentation you want to open. The file converts and is now available in Keynote on the iPad. Repeat for the remaining presentations. You only have to do this once - the presentations will be present in the My Presentations screen the next time you open Keynote. In the next post I'll look further at the Keynote app.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Accessories 3 - Now you see it.....
If you are going to give presentations using the iPad you will also need an iPad to VGA connector. These are about €25. I have used one for about three months now with no difficulties whatsoever. One end connects to the iPad connector, the other has a female VGA plug which you can use to connect to an external monitor or LCD projector. Using additional adaptors you can connect to other display devices using composite video, HDMI etc. A word of caution though - connecting the iPad to an external display works differently than connecting your laptop.You can't see your iPad screen on the external display because only certain iPad apps can interface with the VGA out. It's only when running these apps that you can see on the external display what is seen on the iPad screen. Out of the box, only the Photos, Video and YouTube apps can utilize the VGA adaptor so you can display a Photo slideshow or YouTube video, but not your Calendar or Contacts or home screen(s). Not all apps support the VGA adaptor, so if you really want to display your favourite app in action check that it supports the VGA adaptor first.
The presentation app Keynote supports the adaptor so you can display a Keynote (or PowerPoint) presentation without difficulty. More on Keynote in a later post.
Accessories 2 - I'm back
After a full semester of use I have now found the time to update this blog. It's beyond me how people have the time to blog, tweet and text message constantly and still have time to work. that's age I guess!
OK back to accessories. I really like typing on the iPad screen and can do so for about an hour without becoming annoyed or frustrated. But then I am a lousy typist at the best of times, so maybe the onscreen keyboard is good for hunt and peck people like me. For most competent typists, and for most extended typing sessions you will probably want to buy an external keyboard. There are two types - a fixed type into which the iPad docks and is connected to a wall power socket so that the iPad charges when docked, and a Bluetooth keyboard which pairs with the iPad wirelessly. I bought the former and in retrospect that was a mistake. Why? Well, if you are interested in using an iPad in a third level environment you will almost certainly want to use it to give lectures, and that means running some sort of presentation app on the iPad. The best of these is Keynote for the iPad (reviewed later), which I have and use extensively. However Keynote for the iPad only runs in landscape mode, and the iPad can only be docked in landscape orientation - so the dock keyboard is useless for preparing presentations. So for portability and flexibility I would recommend either using the onscreen keyboard, or buying a BlueTooth keyboard.
OK back to accessories. I really like typing on the iPad screen and can do so for about an hour without becoming annoyed or frustrated. But then I am a lousy typist at the best of times, so maybe the onscreen keyboard is good for hunt and peck people like me. For most competent typists, and for most extended typing sessions you will probably want to buy an external keyboard. There are two types - a fixed type into which the iPad docks and is connected to a wall power socket so that the iPad charges when docked, and a Bluetooth keyboard which pairs with the iPad wirelessly. I bought the former and in retrospect that was a mistake. Why? Well, if you are interested in using an iPad in a third level environment you will almost certainly want to use it to give lectures, and that means running some sort of presentation app on the iPad. The best of these is Keynote for the iPad (reviewed later), which I have and use extensively. However Keynote for the iPad only runs in landscape mode, and the iPad can only be docked in landscape orientation - so the dock keyboard is useless for preparing presentations. So for portability and flexibility I would recommend either using the onscreen keyboard, or buying a BlueTooth keyboard.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Accessories 1 - Just encase
So you have made a decision to to buy an iPad either online or in a shop. What else are you going to need to buy and how much is it going to cost you?
The only things that come in the box are the device itself and a charger. You are definitely going to need a case or cover of some type. My advice is to hold off on buying a case for a few days or so, until you have had the iPad and used it. You can use the box it came in as a reliable but unwieldy case during this temporary period.
Why wait? Well first of all unless you have had a loan of an iPad from someone else, it's worth having it and handling it to get a feel for the form factor. It's also useful to decide how and when you're going to use the iPad as this will probably influence the style of case you will buy and what other bits and pieces you are likely to carry with it.
There are lots of different types of cases or covers that vary widely in design and price. The simplest (and cheapest) are probably the wetsuit type of sleeves made of neoprene or some other padded material. They are designed to transport your iPad and you can't use the device while they are in the sleeve. Other common and popular cases are the portfolio style of case (often leather) which allow you to use the iPad while in the case, and can get quite expensive. Some of these also double as a stand for your iPad, allowing you to view the screen in a near vertical orientation when you are using an external keyboard, or angled at about 15 degrees or so when using the onscreen keyboard. I use the iPad at work and at home, and not when I am out and about, so I just use a sleeve to protect it in my bag. Originally, I used a cloth bag and padded envelope but then someone gave me the neoprene sleeve because they upgraded their case (thanks Mark at eMedia !).
One key consideration is what other things you will need to carry with your iPad. If you are going to use it to deliver lectures (a topic for a future post) you will need to carry the VGA adaptor. It's small, but probably something you don't want rattling around in a bag and scraping off the glass screen. You'll almost certainly want to carry the charger with you from time to time and the same considerations as above apply. And if you buy an external keyboard you may want to transport that along also. If style is important to you and you need people to know you have an iPad, you'll probably want to buy a bag (or if you're male, a murse) that matches your black polo neck and plastic framed glasses. In that case you can probably fit all of the above into the bag along with your iPhone, iTouch, iPod nano, and your digital camera/DVR.
You can get a roundup of just some of the case/sleeve/bag options here http://www.macworld.com/article/147154/2010/03/ipadcasepreview.html
The only things that come in the box are the device itself and a charger. You are definitely going to need a case or cover of some type. My advice is to hold off on buying a case for a few days or so, until you have had the iPad and used it. You can use the box it came in as a reliable but unwieldy case during this temporary period.
Why wait? Well first of all unless you have had a loan of an iPad from someone else, it's worth having it and handling it to get a feel for the form factor. It's also useful to decide how and when you're going to use the iPad as this will probably influence the style of case you will buy and what other bits and pieces you are likely to carry with it.
There are lots of different types of cases or covers that vary widely in design and price. The simplest (and cheapest) are probably the wetsuit type of sleeves made of neoprene or some other padded material. They are designed to transport your iPad and you can't use the device while they are in the sleeve. Other common and popular cases are the portfolio style of case (often leather) which allow you to use the iPad while in the case, and can get quite expensive. Some of these also double as a stand for your iPad, allowing you to view the screen in a near vertical orientation when you are using an external keyboard, or angled at about 15 degrees or so when using the onscreen keyboard. I use the iPad at work and at home, and not when I am out and about, so I just use a sleeve to protect it in my bag. Originally, I used a cloth bag and padded envelope but then someone gave me the neoprene sleeve because they upgraded their case (thanks Mark at eMedia !).
One key consideration is what other things you will need to carry with your iPad. If you are going to use it to deliver lectures (a topic for a future post) you will need to carry the VGA adaptor. It's small, but probably something you don't want rattling around in a bag and scraping off the glass screen. You'll almost certainly want to carry the charger with you from time to time and the same considerations as above apply. And if you buy an external keyboard you may want to transport that along also. If style is important to you and you need people to know you have an iPad, you'll probably want to buy a bag (or if you're male, a murse) that matches your black polo neck and plastic framed glasses. In that case you can probably fit all of the above into the bag along with your iPhone, iTouch, iPod nano, and your digital camera/DVR.
You can get a roundup of just some of the case/sleeve/bag options here http://www.macworld.com/article/147154/2010/03/ipadcasepreview.html
Thursday, September 9, 2010
3G or not 3G?
As I mentioned, much of the good stuff on the iPad is crippled if you don't have internet access. So what should you buy? iPad WiFi and rely on work/home wifi and hotspots when you're out and about, or iPad WiFi+3G?
I can't really comment directly on the 3G enabled iPad. In my experience with the iPhone, 3G coverage is patchy - goodish in most urban areas, spotty and inconsistent on the road or train (my carrier is three). I have good WiFi at home and at work, and can live without coverage when I am travelling (largely because if I need it I can use my phone instead).
Also, as I understand it you have to get a microsim from your carrier which will tie you in to a monthly contract. Another (cheaper) alternative would be to get the WiFi iPad, then buy a MiFi (about €80) on a pay as you go basis. That way you avoid the contract and pay just for what you need. You can also use your MiFi to connect other devices.
And before you ask, no you can't 'tether' an iPhone and iPad so that the iPad uses the phone's 3G connection - at least not unless you jailbreak the devices. And we wouldn't want ot upset evil Uncle Steve now would we?
I can't really comment directly on the 3G enabled iPad. In my experience with the iPhone, 3G coverage is patchy - goodish in most urban areas, spotty and inconsistent on the road or train (my carrier is three). I have good WiFi at home and at work, and can live without coverage when I am travelling (largely because if I need it I can use my phone instead).
Also, as I understand it you have to get a microsim from your carrier which will tie you in to a monthly contract. Another (cheaper) alternative would be to get the WiFi iPad, then buy a MiFi (about €80) on a pay as you go basis. That way you avoid the contract and pay just for what you need. You can also use your MiFi to connect other devices.
And before you ask, no you can't 'tether' an iPhone and iPad so that the iPad uses the phone's 3G connection - at least not unless you jailbreak the devices. And we wouldn't want ot upset evil Uncle Steve now would we?
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Ubiquitous WiFi _or_ Why you're not really connected
A long time ago I remember reading about the plan for the then nascent cellular networks in the U.S. The article was a synopsis of an academic article outlining a vision for a cell phone network. The principle was that small radio stations would be attached to phone or power poles at about 250m intervals. Each base station would serve a radius of about 500m, with the overlap between adjacent staions providing the necessary redundancy in case of malfunction. The base stations would initially be expensive and limited to city 'business' districts and university campuses but would soon become cheap and ubiquitous in well populated urban areas. Rural areas would be served by the now familiar broadcast type masts.
For whatever reason, that version of infrastructure was never implemented by the telecoms. But those ideas are now a reality with the advent of affordable 3G 'femtocells' which boost local 3G signals for phones, and MiFi devices that provide you with localised WiFi broadband service. Any competent government which was serious about a 'smart' economy would provide universal WiFi service for free (at least in conurbations of any size), either directly or by contracting a telecoms provider to do so. It won't happen here anytime soon.
What does this have to do with the iPad? Unless you have WiFi or 3G access the device is essentially crippled and largely useless, except as a large expensive calendar and mp3 player. If you don't have WiFi or 3G access in the place where you will primarily use the device then don't buy one.
Now, as you can buy the iPad with or without 3G which should you go for? I'll deal with this matter in another post.
For whatever reason, that version of infrastructure was never implemented by the telecoms. But those ideas are now a reality with the advent of affordable 3G 'femtocells' which boost local 3G signals for phones, and MiFi devices that provide you with localised WiFi broadband service. Any competent government which was serious about a 'smart' economy would provide universal WiFi service for free (at least in conurbations of any size), either directly or by contracting a telecoms provider to do so. It won't happen here anytime soon.
What does this have to do with the iPad? Unless you have WiFi or 3G access the device is essentially crippled and largely useless, except as a large expensive calendar and mp3 player. If you don't have WiFi or 3G access in the place where you will primarily use the device then don't buy one.
Now, as you can buy the iPad with or without 3G which should you go for? I'll deal with this matter in another post.
Introduction
OK, I broke down and bought an iPad. Actually I broke down and bought an iPad for my wife who then gave it to me mainly to stop me from whining about how much I wanted an iPad. 32GB no 3G if you must know.
And allright, I admit I also bought an iPhone 4G but that was before I got the iPad, and I had lost my prior phone anyway so it's not like it was a real indulgence (!).
Anyway so this blog is going to be about my initial experiences with the iPad (and to a lesser degree the iPhone).
I'll post more about my background soon.
And allright, I admit I also bought an iPhone 4G but that was before I got the iPad, and I had lost my prior phone anyway so it's not like it was a real indulgence (!).
Anyway so this blog is going to be about my initial experiences with the iPad (and to a lesser degree the iPhone).
I'll post more about my background soon.
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