Hi Folks

My fiancee wants an Ipad 3. I have seen some Apple cables, in particularly this one

http://store.apple.com/uk/product/MA591G/B?fnode=MTc0MjU4NjE&fs=m.ipadCompatibility%3Dipad3gen

If you use this, can you just drag and drop files as if the iPad was the same thing as a memory stick? I do not want to have to rely on internet, and these camera SD card things seem to be limited to just transferring photos and not files.

Cheers for any help. I have not used an iPad before, not even a friends.

Simon

Use interweb and dropbox.

No probably not and you will get one of those cables with the iPad.

What type of files does she need on the iPad?

You get that cable with the ipad simon.

As long as you get the appropriate apps from the apple store, you can transfer documents and things using itunes to/from an pc. The data files are transferred as part of the app backup but it’s not like a memory stick where you just transfer files backwards and forwards outside of the opearting system

I can’t stand iTunes, it has to be one of the worst pieces of software ever.

She will mainly be transferring PDF files, as she wants it to be able to do presentations. I think eventually she may get a MacBook, but for now at work she uses Microsoft.

I should also add that it will be used in Brazil, where the internet is not reliable and also wifi is much less common, although its getting better. But you do not have BT Openzone etc.

I ve been looking into this. Seems like you can use the camera kit dongle to give a flash card USB interface. Apparently you need iFile app. I’m not 100% sure on this- suggest you google the camera kit. There is a page with “7 tips” for the cam kits

That would be better I think. The guy in Curreys said all you need to do is buy their adaptor, but I found him totally unconvincing as an expert who could understand my requirements.

Link

Link

I use the GoodReader app to sync directories on my PC to my iPad.

I run an FTP server (free of charge) on the PC as the target for GoodReader.

This setup allows sync over WiFi and, unlike Dropbox etc, keeps file transfers local and does not have storage limits.

We don’t have wifi at home.

Does the iPad have Bluetooth for transferring files?

At the risk of being burned at the stake… Why not consider something that isn’t an iPad? I have a Playbook that synchs directly to my laptop, carries a mirror of my files, including about 3000 pdf files. And it outputs HDMI directly. Other tablets are available, or indeed a macbook Air.

EDIT: and it does file transfer via USB, WiFi and Bluetooth 😉

I use filebrowser on both my iPad and iPhone. It can read my nas, and I can save attachments from emails to its folders to view on the iPad. It may not be what you want, but it works for me

If you do not have wifi then the iPad functionality will be pretty limited – you can use 3G but you had better have a biggish download allowance

I can’t stand iTunes, it has to be one of the worst pieces of software ever.

DO NOT GET ANY MOBILE PRODUCT MADE BY APPLE.

Sorry but it’s an essential component to owning a mobile apple device.

I can’t stand iTunes, it has to be one of the worst pieces of software ever.

And I’ve never, ever, been able to understand what people mean by this.

I can’t stand iTunes, it has to be one of the worst pieces of software ever.

And I’ve never, ever, been able to understand what people mean by this.

I find it clunky, slow to react, slow at syncing and generally “needy” by constantly demanding updates.

We don’t have wifi at home.

Eerm How do propose using the iPad (or any tablet) then? 😕

They are primarily Internet devices.

You can get the 3G versions but you’ll be left paying a fortune in data charges if that is you’re only net access. And you probably won’t be allowed to download larger apps.

Well it will be used for business rather than a home device. In São Paulo it is safer to carry around something smaller than a heavy laptop for business meetings where the main requirement is to sit with clients and run through presentations, as opposed to it being a mainly recreational device. Also internet and email when out and about.

My own solution for myself was that I bought a small Lenovo laptop but with an 11″ screen. It was in a sale a few weeks ago in Currys. It is more powerful than a netbook but I do not need chunky applications, just a few business ones – powerpoint, email, net, and word, and maybe load up photos.

Also, I am open to other makes, but I don’t think this is an option!

I may well investigate wifi now that I will be living there full time. I am sure I will make a lot of use of the wifi and iPad if we had that as I work at home a lot.

this is one of my many bugbears about the ipad..

Hmm.. thread resurrection for SPAM purposes I see (reported).

Anyways, plenty of iPhone/iPad apps that let you transfer files across wifi.

If that doesn’t suit or you want to use a USB cable for some reason then try i-FunBox as discussed here:
http://lifehacker.com/5914638/the-best-desktop-file-explorer-for-iphone

Its gone now grahams.

That link refers to iphone does it work with Ipad?

Yeah – the proper page ( http://www.i-funbox.com/ ) says “Manage files on your iPhone or iPad in a way just like Windows File Explorer”

If you are looking to transfer your valuable iPhone data to PC then for such issues opting automatic File Transfer software is an effective solution. With the help ypu will be able to transfer all your valuable data to PC.

For more details on File Transfer iPhone you can visit: http://www.filetransferiphone.com

Spam reported.

I find it clunky, slow to react, slow at syncing and generally “needy” by constantly demanding updates.

Really? Never happens with mine, except when a very occasional update is issued, about every six months, I think.
Windows, on the other hand, always seems to be bleating about some update or other.

I’m sure that retort was worth waiting three months for.

Spam reported.

ITunes on a pc is slow and clunky and wants to update every other week mad have all the cpu time. Get a nexus instead 😛

I don’t think it’s been suggested already but Documents to Go as an app on both your iPad and PC is an excellent way of achieving what you’re looking to do.

You sync files between PC and the iPad via your wifi though, which I think you’ve said you don’t have? Otherwise you can email them over, open them in Docs to Go and then save them locally.

I’ve run my iPad as a shadow of my laptop for a while because its smaller and lighter to carry and I often only need a copy of my documents for reference rather than editing.

You can run an iPad with barely any connection to iTunes if you want but a fast wifi connection is essential.

Sorry slight hijack.

Can you stream stuff such as photos etc from an iPad to smart TV? Mrs FD has just ordered an iPad and I would like to do this like we can currently with our net book.

ITunes on a pc is slow and clunky and wants to update every other week mad have all the cpu time. Get a nexus instead

Not withstanding this thread is 6months old this is bonafide twaddle.

Yep I must be wrong. I have iTunes so that the missus can use her iPod shuffle. Apple update wants to run all the time in the background. It keeps wanting to update part if the apple family more often than I can be bothered with. Its slow to open and the latest incarnation is even worse.
Just doing nothing it uses lots of memory. Don’t get me started on the max number of devices or the fact that if I move my account from UK to oz I loose some of the music. I wanted to show some videos on my android phone I dragged and dropped before playing later.

Yep I must be wrong.

Why do you assume you must be right?

Apple update wants to run all the time in the background. It keeps wanting to update part if the apple family more often than I can be bothered with

As does a lot of windows software. Turn it off if it bothers you that much.

Its slow to open and the latest incarnation is even worse.

No it’s not, early versions were crap in this regard but the latest version is on par with other windows programs.

Just doing nothing it uses lots of memory

Not really that much and its not really a lot in the context of a modern PC.

Don’t get me started on the max number of devices or the fact that if I move my account from UK to oz I loose some of the music.

that is the apple iTunes stores TOS, not iTunes as a piece of software. You are perfectly able to get your music from somewhere else.

I wanted to show some videos on my android phone I dragged and dropped before playing later.

What’s your point, you can do this on an iDevice.

So in conclusion!

Sure iTunes might not be to your tastes but as an objective assessment there isn’t anything inherently worse about it than anything else you pick.

😐