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Dumb iPad questions
Posted by fortuneight on 1 September 2010 - 9:35pm.
I still haven't come across anyone I know well enough to ask some dumb iPad questions, so if the more tech savy Massive would indulge me ..
- I'm tempted to buy one in the USA. Would that be a stupid idea? (I know the warrenty won't be valid).
- I know that you use iTunes to get music on to the iPad as you would an iPod, but what about other data?
- I assume 3G is necessary if you expect to be out of wireless range fairly often. Have I got that right? And if so, is 3G coverage up to much in the UK?
I suppose considering a Dell Streak as an alternative would be a dumb idea?
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It depends
The Dell Streak is more comparable to the 7in iPad that is expected soon.
When you say data, what sort of data do you mean? Apple doesn't like data being made available to more than one application so each one deals with data on it's own terms. For example, if you buy a copy of DataViz, it comes with it's own sync program to sync files to your device. There are several apps that allow you to sync with data held in "The Cloud".
One of the things that the Streak will do for you is that you will be able to get data onto it however you like, I can effectively carry all my data around with me on my Android phone because I have an ftp app that I can access my NAS drive at home with so that's all my music, all my scans, all my photographs etc etc. I don't think you could do that with an iPad.
The sort of data
I'm hoping to hold on there would be stuff I know iTunes handles - music, photos etc, but I was wondering about basic text files and stuff like movies that I own that I've converted to avi format to show when I'm on the move. I'm used to using VLC on my laptop that hoovers up everything I throw at it. I'm wondering how you get these onto an iPad and if it will play this kind of file.
Handbrake
Text files are no problem, if you have a new enough Mac, you can sync those using iTunes otherwise you have a choice of either something like Evernote (free) or DataViz (about a tenner).
I'm not sure about the videos - but if you can get iTunes to recognise them, you should be able to get them onto the pad - you may have to re-encode them with something like Handbrake.... of course the Streak has VLC available to it.
Dropbox
Dropbox is great for transferring files, makes the whole thing seamless and editing files through Pages is easy enough. There is an app that plays avi and xvid files, called CineXplayer.
Pogo Plug
If you have a pogoplug enabled hard drive connected to your router, you can access the full contents on an iPhone or iPad using their free application.
To answer your last question
There isn't a decent alternative at the moment. Maybe in six months' time.
Warranty
Not sure that it would be invalid if you bought it in the US and had a problem with it here. You would have to take it to an Apple store but the warranty does not specifically limit you to the country of purchase. You would be safer buying it from an Apple store in the US. If your having it sent here, be aware of the import duty etc. which will eat into the saving as well.
I had a problem with a US-bought iPod Classic a while back.
They replaced it under warranty, no questions asked, in the UK in about five minutes on production of the US-generated invoice.
Only problem was the replacement was the EU-modified version with quite onerous noise limitation in place.
Very tempted
Looks like I can buy the 64mb 3G version in the US from an Apple shop for $829 - c.£550, which compares to £700 from Apple in the UK.
Many thanks for the answers above - at the risk of wearing out my welcome, one last one - if I buy one when I'm in the US next week I won't get the new OS; is this something which I'll be stuck with, or do Apple make it available as an upgrade?
Smuggling!
I'm pretty certain that an iPad is an iPad and it works the same wherever you bought it. The differences will come when you register it, either with a US address or a UK one, and either a Mac or a PC.
You do realise that you should pay duty and VAT on it when you bring it into the UK don't you? The currnet limit is £390. I feel guilty walking through the green channel even when I'm innocent!
Not that I advocate this kind of thing
but use it whilst your there and send the receipt in the post to a trusted friend. And lose the box.