Do you use a tablet? Which kind? With what game?

[Argyle King]

Is there a way to plug a thumb drive into an iPad? That was one of the big drawbacks for me when I considered buying one. They may have come out with something to change that since I first looked. Also, am I required to use Apple programs?




As it stands, the current tablet I use is a yellow legal pad. The pros is that it's very very cheap; I bought a whole pack of them for around 4 dollars. The battery life is amazing.

 

[Alan Shutko]

Is there a way to plug a thumb drive into an iPad?

Why do you want to do that?

Apple sells an adapter called the Apple Camera Connection Kit, which has been used by a lot of people to attach different USB devices to the iPad. Since the iPad doesn't let you view the filesystem (each app is sandboxed and seems to have its own filesystem) normal applications won't show anything on the thumb drive, but there are jailbreak apps that would let you do it. You might also be able to copy images off the thumb drive without jailbreaking, if that's all you want to do.

Also, am I required to use Apple programs?

At the moment, iTunes is required when you first open the iPad to activate it. When iOS 5 is released in the fall, that will no longer be required: you can work completely without a PC.

To get music, videos, etc into the stock media players, you need to use iTunes as well. I think that will cease to be required when iTunes Cloud is released in the next few months.

There are also tons and tons of apps in the app store that pretty much bypass the need to use Apple programs. I don't know much about them since I like Apple's software, but there's enough variety for everyone.

 

[Argyle King]

Why do you want to do that?

Apple sells an adapter called the Apple Camera Connection Kit, which has been used by a lot of people to attach different USB devices to the iPad. Since the iPad doesn't let you view the filesystem (each app is sandboxed and seems to have its own filesystem) normal applications won't show anything on the thumb drive, but there are jailbreak apps that would let you do it. You might also be able to copy images off the thumb drive without jailbreaking, if that's all you want to do.



At the moment, iTunes is required when you first open the iPad to activate it. When iOS 5 is released in the fall, that will no longer be required: you can work completely without a PC.

To get music, videos, etc into the stock media players, you need to use iTunes as well. I think that will cease to be required when iTunes Cloud is released in the next few months.

There are also tons and tons of apps in the app store that pretty much bypass the need to use Apple programs. I don't know much about them since I like Apple's software, but there's enough variety for everyone.

Most of the pdfs I have are already stored on a thumb drive. If I were to plop down the several hundred dollars on a tablet, I'd like to be able to just move the files from the thumb drive onto the tablet without a lot of hassle or required extra components.

iTunes is also a bit of a bummer for me. I very heavily prefer other programs. Like with the thumb drive issue, I'd prefer to be able to just take the programs I already enjoy and move them onto a tablet.

 

[Alan Shutko]

Most of the pdfs I have are already stored on a thumb drive. If I were to plop down the several hundred dollars on a tablet, I'd like to be able to just move the files from the thumb drive onto the tablet without a lot of hassle or required extra components.

That's a fair reason. Fortunately, it's mostly a one-time problem. Goodreader (and many other similar programs) offer many ways to get stuff onto your device. You can download them one by one in safari, copy them via Webdav, Dropbox, Sugarsync, and other online hosts, do it over Wifi, or sync over usb using iTunes. (Sorry.)

iTunes is also a bit of a bummer for me. I very heavily prefer other programs. Like with the thumb drive issue, I'd prefer to be able to just take the programs I already enjoy and move them onto a tablet.

Right now, you can deal with iTunes strictly as a one-time affair to activate, and that will be unneeded in a few months.

Since the iPad is running a different OS, it's unlikely you'll be able to take exactly the same program and move it onto a tablet. You'll have the same problem with Android. Various Windows tablets are available, though they are currently heavier and more expensive. But with the size of the App Store, it's likely you'll find something that works for you.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Most of the pdfs I have are already stored on a thumb drive. If I were to plop down the several hundred dollars on a tablet, I'd like to be able to just move the files from the thumb drive onto the tablet without a lot of hassle or required extra components.

iTunes is also a bit of a bummer for me. I very heavily prefer other programs. Like with the thumb drive issue, I'd prefer to be able to just take the programs I already enjoy and move them onto a tablet.

Don't forget the "cloud" or is that "icloud" now. Documents on your iPad can be stored in google docs, dropbox or such, there are apps for that, goodreader being one, readdledocs gives you 512MB free. You can even do FTP servers. See attachment for options...

I have also seen a bluetooth usb storage stick.

As far as running your own programs...the market looks to be Apple OS and Android OS...So the apps are going to have to come from their stores.

 

[IronWolf]

Most of the pdfs I have are already stored on a thumb drive. If I were to plop down the several hundred dollars on a tablet, I'd like to be able to just move the files from the thumb drive onto the tablet without a lot of hassle or required extra components.

As others have suggested - something like Dropbox makes this easy in combination with something like GoodReader. When I get a new Paizo PDF, I just drop it in my Dropbox and then use GoodReader to download it. Works great.

I had reservations of no USB ports when the iPad first came out as well. Made fun of the device even! But now, I have an iPad and I haven't missed not having USB ports at all. Apps that tie in with Dropbox make most of that irrelevant.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Kind of funny when you think about it, but the tablets are our Tricorders!

 

[Argyle King]

Don't forget the "cloud" or is that "icloud" now. Documents on your iPad can be stored in google docs, dropbox or such, there are apps for that, goodreader being one, readdledocs gives you 512MB free. You can even do FTP servers. See attachment for options...

I have also seen a bluetooth usb storage stick.

As far as running your own programs...the market looks to be Apple OS and Android OS...So the apps are going to have to come from their stores.

What kind of privacy does a cloud have?

I suppose, for me personally, what I'd really want would be something pretty much like my laptop; just shaped differently so that I don't feel it's a barrier between myself and the table. Tablets don't quite seem to be that.

One of my other reservations comes from watching a friend of mine use his phone to store information from books. I keep asking myself, "well, why not just get a new phone?"

Thirdly; similar to the phone issue, I'm aware that I can plug my usb drive into my tv and display things to the whole gaming group quite easily while playing here at the house. Likewise, if a friend brings something on their drive, I can do the same with very limited hassle.

 

[Alan Shutko]

I suppose, for me personally, what I'd really want would be something pretty much like my laptop; just shaped differently so that I don't feel it's a barrier between myself and the table. Tablets don't quite seem to be that.

If that's what you want, most current tablets are not for you. They're designed to be different from laptops, and try to trade off compatibility with current apps and operating methods with an improved experience on a touch screen.

Windows 8 might actually be what you want. Microsoft is trying to come up with a full desktop OS that also works really well on tablets. I don't know whether it will work, but it's an interesting attempt.

 

[falcarrion]

What kind of privacy does a cloud have?

I suppose, for me personally, what I'd really want would be something pretty much like my laptop; just shaped differently so that I don't feel it's a barrier between myself and the table. Tablets don't quite seem to be that.

One of my other reservations comes from watching a friend of mine use his phone to store information from books. I keep asking myself, "well, why not just get a new phone?"

Thirdly; similar to the phone issue, I'm aware that I can plug my usb drive into my tv and display things to the whole gaming group quite easily while playing here at the house. Likewise, if a friend brings something on their drive, I can do the same with very limited hassle.

right now I know seagate has a portable drive that works with the Ipad via wifi it is called Goflex Satellite.

GoFlex Satellite™ Mobile Wireless Storage

Take your media library with you. Stream it to your iPad®.
Take more than 300 HD movies on-the-go1
Stream media over Wi-Fi to 3 iPads at the same time
Automatically sync media and documents from your PC or Mac® computer
Up to 5 hours battery life2

As for putting stuff on your tv, iOS 5 and AirPlay Mirroring mode allows you to display whatever is on your iPad 2 through Apple TV and on your larger TV display. This is all done wirelessly, with near instant feedback making it pretty seamless.