A short while back I talked about what apps I used a lot on my Mac, and promised to do the same for iPad. This coincided with a lesson in iPad I gave at the Grey Lynn Community Centre recently, so it's timely. I remember back when they first came out, I characterised it as an 'almost useless thing you wouldn't be able to leave alone', and I used to start my iPad sessions with the statement 'The iPad is not a laptop', but I have to say my position on both those things has changed, partly because they're so powerful now.
Maybe you heard that this week, Apple dropped the iPad 2, which was non-retina, and relaunched the fourth-generation iPad in its place. It's now available once again on Apple's website, but only at 16GB capacity, for NZ$529. This new version includes Apple's custom dual-core A6X processor, a 5 MP iSight camera and 1.2 MP FaceTime camera and the much better, smaller, either-way-up Lightning connector. Called the 'iPad Retina' as against iPad Air and iPad mini, it sells here in black or white for $529, or with cellular for $779. It's a lot more powerful than the iPad 2.
Actually, in my house were iPad-less for a few days, and it was an interesting experience. It lives in the lounge/kitchen (they're pretty much the same room) and does duty for finding recipes, information, reading magazines and books and, when my daughter's in the house, playing the occasional game. I wanted one - I run presentations from iPad sometimes, and I present about iPads at times, too. When I'm doing that, it's always better to actually have one. But I decided to try and do without. That simply wasn't going to wash, though. My partner kept looking for it and after three days of that, told me I 'had' to buy one. She missed reading the Herald (app) with her morning coffee, being able to look topics up when the news was on and to pore over maps, so decided this was an intolerable state. Which was music to my ears. So I ordered a 32GB iPad mini, just wifi as I can always find wireless and if not, I can use my iPhone as a hotspot anyway. I figured the iPad mini was 64-bit and I could get the 32GB for the same price as a 16GB Air. I haven't missed the size - in fact, I find it handier (literally) to use. I paired it with a Logitech Folio case which lets you enclose it, and open it and prop it for a good viewing angle. (Sorry, Apple, I can't use your Smart cases - they just collapse on me. I can't make them work.)
The beauty of iCloud is that any apps I've ever bought are recorded (as against actually backed up into iCloud's free 5GB allocation) so I can download anything I've ever paid for free; that's what the little cloud icon with a downward arrow means when you find something in the App Store. Same with music, movies etc from iTunes. Of course, iCloud also means any documents you put in the cloud are accessible on a new device, once you log in, and your contacts fill out magically. I'm not saying you can't do this on other tablets, OK? I have no idea. I hope you can. I'm just saying this is a benefit, on iDevices, of Apple's iCloud. Log-in and you're done.
So what did I put back on? These are the apps I find indispensable. In my Dock along the bottom, I have the following apps: Settings, NZHerald, Safari, Maps, App Store and Music. Yes, six items - you don't have to stick with four - hold your finger on an app for a couple of seconds to enter Edit Mode, and drag two more to it, there's a tip for you. Also, if you don't want something in there, drag it out - like the Mac itself, you should only have the things in there that you want to use a lot. I have all my songs on this iPad already as I use it to play songs wirelessly over my stereo, thanks to an AirPort Express.
