Using an iPad2 with a wireless keyboard for travel?

[MBAustin]

Since it's an iPad2, go to IOS6 (either directly if that option is offered or first with IOS5). iTunes will tell you there is an upgrade available and manage the process. Once you have IOS6, you can do further updates directly over WIFI.

No disadvantage to moving to IOS6. I am running it on an old iPhone 4 and it is perky.

 

[Mulligan]

I have had a refurbished IPad 1 for 2 years, use it daily, and have not noticed any loss of battery power. Dumb question of the day. Do these things have any built in security features such as anti virus, etc. to conduct financial transactions on, or do you have to purchase it? I have avoided all financial matters on this iPad because I don't know.

 

[explanade]

Well because they review the apps or curate it, there's less of a chance of viruses or other malware sneaking in.

If you use the browser, it supports the same SSL encryption so when you use a bank web site the lock icon should show on those pages.

As for bank apps, you can bet that major banks won't put out apps. Without using the same secure methods as their web sites.

 

[audreyh1]

I have had a refurbished IPad 1 for 2 years, use it daily, and have not noticed any loss of battery power. Dumb question of the day. Do these things have any built in security features such as anti virus, etc. to conduct financial transactions on, or do you have to purchase it? I have avoided all financial matters on this iPad because I don't know.

I go through the browser to do any bank transactions on the iPad - same secure communications as on my laptop.

 

[Meadbh]

I recently "upgraded" to iOS6 and was very disappointed to see the embedded YouTube app disappear. There is a YouTube app for iPhone but it is not customized for the iPad. Also, when I go to YouTube from Safari, an increasing number of videos are not available. Apple is ducking it out with Google at my expense. Can't they just all get along?

 

[Nords]

You may not be offered both iOS 5 or iOS 6, maybe just the latter.

iOS 5 gets you iCloud, so you can back up to online and not have to connect to the pc.

Yes restoring from backup will preserve your apps and system settings like wifi. Some apps may preserve app-specific settings. It will copy over the music you had before. Probably photos and videos too.

iCloud is a nice upgrade for not having to connect to PC though if you do, you can sync over your bookmarks for instance.

With iOS 6 you get a different Maps app, which no longer use google mapping data. This has stirred controversy as apple's mapping data isn't as good. You also lose street view, which is slick on iPad. (So is google Earth)

Thanks for everyone's advice. iTunes jumped me right up to iOS6... a three-hour download through iTunes and then a while for the iPad. I'm not sure how long it took the iPad to do the upgrade-- I left it in progress and it was done when I returned nine hours later. But "it just worked".

I'm typing this on the Logitech keyboard as suggested earlier. $99 at Amazon (plus S&H) or $95 at the local Navy Exchange (no tax or S&H, returnable for 45 days). It's a nice solid feel, but it's lightweight compared to the Brookstone keyboard I saw a couple months ago. Different setups, too-- the Logitech puts the iPad in a support slot during use. When it's stowed it lays on top (like a clamshell). This means that I can tuck it all away in the existing case (no extra expense for a new case) and the iPad is supported by the keyboard instead of by the case. Logitech claims about six months of battery life if it's used two hours/day.

The key action is pretty good-- they appear to be real keys with a clicking sound, but very quiet. I have XXL hands but they fit comfortably on the keys. Of course this is a Mac keyboard so it has a bunch of strange keys that I have to learn how to use, and I'm not at all familiar with the keyboard option/cmd shortcuts. That'll come with time.

So far so good. I can type on this for a couple hours and probably format a blog post. Now to download Apple's word-processing program and load a few eBooks. I won't miss the bulk of the laptop one bit, and now I can sell the Nook.

 

[audreyh1]

I love being able to sync/backup my iPad with my laptop over wifi. No cable. The iPad can be lying around anywhere in the house, and if I launch iTunes on the laptop, it shows the iPad, and I can click to sync. Very nice!

 

[modhatter]

How many gigs of data do you get per month for $20 (I think you said)
Also, how do you make a check deposit with the I Pad? Do you take a picture of check? How does it work?

 

[NW-Bound]

Apple is ducking it out with Google at my expense. Can't they just all get along?

Not when billions of dollars are at stake! The gloves are off. They are fighting for your expenses, i.e. money.

 

[FIREd]

How many gigs of data do you get per month for $20 (I think you said)
Also, how do you make a check deposit with the I Pad? Do you take a picture of check? How does it work?

With Verizon, you get 1GB per month for $20.

For depositing a check, you simply enter the amount you want to deposit and then take pictures of the front and back of the check.

 

[Brat]

The cost of getting Verizon/At&T via the IPad is more than I want to spend. My BIG decision is whether or not to buy a refurbished 3rd generation with Wi-Fi now or wait until after the IPad Mini announcement. I haven't been watching Apples pricing policy over the years. What would you do?

 

[Nords]

Also, how do you make a check deposit with the I Pad? Do you take a picture of check? How does it work?

Each financial company has an app that takes images (photos or scans) of the front & back of the check to comply with the Check21 electronic processing requirements. Some require you to signature endorse the check, others only require you to endorse it something like "For eDeposit only". You enter the information into the app, take the photos/scans, and submit.

The software tries to process the check just as if the images were created in house from a paper check by their employees. If the image is good enough then your deposit is confirmed and credited to your account. You get some sort of confirmation (probably an e-mail) and you're free to destroy or file the check.

Somehow the check number is in the system, so if you tried to "deposit" it again to somewhere else it would eventually bounce back from the payee.

I haven't had to visit an ATM to deposit a check for years. And now I'll never have to mail in another $%^&ing John Hancock paper check for Fidelity deposit, either.

 

[Sarah in SC]

I love the deposit feature, too!

Mead, try using the free Photon app for YouTube
I agree it is a pita but this is the easiest workaround I've found.

 

[audreyh1]

I'm still here clinging to my iOS5 . By some miracle that's what my iPad3 shipped with. Not ready to deal with new apps yet.

Google refused to allow Apple to use turn-by-turn navigation in their mapping software. It's a feature Google reserved for their Android phone. That's why Apple had to develop their own map app.

 

[Nords]

Google refused to allow Apple to use turn-by-turn navigation in their mapping software. It's a feature Google reserved for their Android phone. That's why Apple had to develop their own map app.

I thought they reverted to Google Maps while they fixed their ragged app, but I haven't been keep track.

We're going to be driving between Houston & San Antonio next month. I'll have a real analog map with real printed directions, of course, but I'm going to see how much of it can be done on a WiFi iPad 2 (no 3G).

 

[Meadbh]

I thought they reverted to Google Maps while they fixed their ragged app, but I haven't been keep track.

We're going to be driving between Houston & San Antonio next month. I'll have a real analog map with real printed directions, of course, but I'm going to see how much of it can be done on a WiFi iPad 2 (no 3G).

You might want to try the NavFree app....

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.navfree.android.OSM.USA&hl=en

 

[explanade]

Without a GPS chip it can't track your position.

 

[audreyh1]

I thought they reverted to Google Maps while they fixed their ragged app, but I haven't been keep track.

We're going to be driving between Houston & San Antonio next month. I'll have a real analog map with real printed directions, of course, but I'm going to see how much of it can be done on a WiFi iPad 2 (no 3G).

No, they didn't "revert", they just suggested alternative apps.

We use the iPad all the time as GPS when we have flown somewhere and then rent a car. It does require a passenger to follow it while driving. And you do need the 3G/phone connection for it to track where you are/update the map.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Call me crazy, but the new iOs map is better than the old one from Google IMHO. Now, it hasn't sent me off a cliff yet, but the lettering is larger, it is easier to move back and forth on the map, and I think it is quite an improvement, assuming the directions are correct.

 

[REWahoo]

Call me crazy...

I thought you preferred the term "adventurous free-spirit"?

 

[W2R]

Call me crazy, but the new iOs map is better than the old one from Google IMHO.

I like it better, too. I have noticed some weird stuff occasionally but it is pretty minor and I am sure that in time, all will be well. Overall, it is pretty cool.

 

[explanade]

Accuracy should improve in theory as more people use and submit corrections.

 

[Nords]

You might want to try the NavFree app....
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.navfree.android.OSM.USA&hl=en

Thanks, I'll play with a few of them.

Without a GPS chip it can't track your position.

No, they didn't "revert", they just suggested alternative apps.
We use the iPad all the time as GPS when we have flown somewhere and then rent a car. It does require a passenger to follow it while driving. And you do need the 3G/phone connection for it to track where you are/update the map.

What I'm hoping to do (and haven't tried yet) is to produce a picture of a map on the iPad (or a series of them), with whatever app seems the best compromise of detail & readability, and save it as an image. It'd be just bonus if I could zoom & pan. Then I wouldn't need a 3G connection-- I'd just look at the picture.

I think I can determine position without the aid of a GPS chip, too. It'll be an old-school challenge on new-school gear. My daughter will be fascinated at the concept, like watching a cave dweller start a fire without a lighter.

Call me crazy, but the new iOs map is better than the old one from Google IMHO. Now, it hasn't sent me off a cliff yet, but the lettering is larger, it is easier to move back and forth on the map, and I think it is quite an improvement, assuming the directions are correct.

Large lettering is always an improvement with me, and one of the reasons I'm trying an iPad instead of an iPhone or an iPod touch. I can barely ride shotgun navigator with my daughter's iPhone, and if I had to do it behind the wheel it'd be a horrible example of "distracted driving".

I piled up the gear that the iPad will be replacing, although I'm not exactly hauling around Steve Wozniak's backpack. I've gone from just over five pounds to just over two, and a considerable reduction in volume. And yet my battery life has easily quintupled over the Lenovo's aging "rechargeable" battery.

 

[explanade]

You can perhaps save a screen of something like Google Maps from a desktop, as a PDF, and load it onto something like iBooks or some other app. Which will open PDF files.

You can even zoom in and out but it will be pixelated as you zoom in. You can take a series of screen shots at different zoom levels to show more detail.

Even without a GPS chip, iPad may be able to give a good approximation from wifi networks.

For instance I have a wifi iPad 3 and it gives a pretty good location from my wifi network and those of my neighbors. That is how Find My iPhone tracks iPads, iPod Touches, even MacBook pros.

 

[Ronstar]

Or you could take the screenshots of maps from any ipad mapping app - the screenshots automatically are saved as photos on the iPad. Just hold down the power and home buttons at the same time for a few seconds and the screenshot is saved in photos.