Apple’s iPad Camera Connection Kit Supports Other USB Devices
The new camera connection kit for the Apple iPad offers some hidden USB-related features. People who have received their connection kit have been trying it with USB keyboards, speakers, mics and even VoIP headsets, all with success. While you can already make a VoIP call over WiFi in apps such as Skype, and using the built in iPad mic with earphones (or using Apple earbuds that include a mic), reports are that using a proper VoIP headset plugged in to the appropriate USB dongle produces high quality audio. The camera connection kit comes with two dongles, one for an SD card and another supposedly for only USB cameras but obviously supporting other devices.
Via Into Mobile.
Have a mobile device, platform, application, service, accessory or related news or tips you want to share? Email info/ press releases to callstyleblog at gmail.com.
Don’t Sleep With Your Apple iPad!
If you’ve become addicted to your new Apple iPad, you might want to think twice before reading on it before bedtime, as it can affect your sleeping habits. In fact, viewing any sort of content on consumer electronics devices before bedtime, including TV, can affect sleep patterns.
If you enjoy a good read before bedtime on your iPad, whether using Apple’s new iBooks feature or one of the several other quality book-reader apps, you might want to change your plans. Sleep experts are saying that e-readers such as the Amazon Kindle actually have an advantage over the iPad. According to the LA Times, Kindle uses Sony technology called e-paper that simulates printed pages and reduces emission of light. Meaning you can read with the Kindle in sunlight.
On the other hand, iPads use an LCD screen like computers and TV sets, whose use before sleep has been pooh-poohed by experts in the past. More at the LA Times Tech blog.
Top 10 Ways I’ll Be Using My Apple iPad
Boxed Apple iPad and case
There’s a fair bit of mixed sentiment for Apple’s new iPad mobile device, from love to indifference to outright hate. If you’re in the latter category but want to be convinced otherwise, you might like to read this post. The ways I plan to use or am already using the iPad may not be the way you would use it, but you might find a way to use the device that hadn’t previously occurred to you.
Fact: I already have a love/ hate relationship with the iPad, with a lot of mixed impressions:
- Yeah it feels heavy, but the touch screen is beautiful and responsive and the heaviness tends to be forgotten quickly.
- Yeah it’s too akward to hold, but the Apple case ($39) is relatively versatile and almost makes up for the awkwardness. It’s relatively easy for me to moderate spam on my websites between TV commercials, via the Safari web browser or through the WordPress for iPad app.
- Yeah it’s not cheap — but it satisfies a niche, and I honestly feel that my usage of the iPad is such that the $599 I spent for a 32GB WiFi-only model is warranted.
- Yeah it doesn’t support Adobe Flash-based websites.
- Yeah it doesn’t have even a simple USB port when the smallest of netbooks have at least one, sometimes three. It doesn’t function as a flash drive, and it’s a pain to store files. Hey but it does amazing things and the user experience is actually addictive. (Go read up on acupuncture points in the human hand and you’ll know what I mean.)
- Yeah it doesn’t have a flash card reader — but the camera connection kit shipping soon has one dongle that lets you read SD cards. Unfortunately, you can’t use these dongles AND charge your iPad simultaneously, though with a reputed 10-hour battery life (under minimum use), that’s probably not an issue for most people.
- Yeah my hands barely fit on the virtual keyboard and it slows me down some because I’m a touch typist. The keyboard’s way too small and some keys are missing, but it’s beautifully responsive and, for the most part, sufficient. I do have an Apple mini aluminum Bluetooth keyboard for when I have a lot of text to enter. (However, because this keyboard disables the virtual keyboard on the iPad, you have to go through the hassle of “forget this device” with the Bluetooth keyboard if you want to use the iPad while lounging on a couch or in bed.)
- Yeah finger grease gets all over the screen and I’m constantly having to wipe them down. Apple did ban transparent protection films for their devices, but Zagg has a variety of Invisible Shield options for the iPad and other devices.
- Yeah there are charging issues that people are reporting, but despite seeing a “not charging” message on the iPad when you plug the USB cable into an older or lower-powered USB port, the device IS in fact charging.
- Yeah there are WiFi connection issues, though there are ways to minimize the problem, including switching your WiFi router from WEP to WPA encryption.
But…. there are several reasons I bought the iPad and several ways I’m either already using it or will be, and most of which are work-related. (I work almost entirely online, not including any conferences and tech meetups or networking gathers.)
- To develop apps for it. In fact, this is actually the main reason I bought the iPad. I have several apps in mind that can take advantage of the form factor, and I’m really gunning for some of that VC fund money for iPad development. I’ll be working particularly on utilities, as well as some in very specific niches (more to come, as I’m working out some deals with a few great mobile app development studios).
- Moderating spam – It’s so much less of a chore to moderate spam on sites when you can do it during a TV commercial or other slow moment, instead in one big, boring, draining session.
- Browsing news for the day’s highlights, for writing articles. I have WSJ, NYT and USA Today all downloaded. I also sometimes use the iPad as a dedicated Tweetdeck monitor to scan for breaking news on Twitter, or rotate up and watch Techmeme, Alltop or other “portals” when scanning for article ideas for my other work.
- Checking on and composing emails on the go. The iPad native email client beats the one on the iPhone hands down, particularly when you rotate the iPad into landscape mode. I’ve also purchased an Apple mini aluminum Bluetooth keyboard.
- Mobile WordPress blogging – Nice. You can actually see what you’re typing. Or you can monitoring for spam (see #1 above), publish an earlier draft, check on traffic, etc. Sure, you could do this on an iPhone but would you want to?
- Checking on social media profiles, namely Facebook and Twitter streams and messages.
- Reading all the business PDF ebooks (and some free classic literature) that I’ve never had time to read before. (Personally, I still love print, but reading on the iPad isn’t that bad.
- Viewing iTunes University material, which has been a boon (and free to boot) for learning iPhone and iPad development. If you have the Apple case for it, the iPad is fine for lounging in a comfy chair or on a couch and watching some educational videos.
- Watching videos on YouTube, Daily Motion, ABC Player, or TV show content I’ve bought from iTunes — such as the first two seasons of Breaking Bad. Can’t wait for something Hulu-like to be available, though.
- Just for a bit of relaxing, playing games. Even iPhone-only games are more fun on the iPad, but not if they require a lot of physical manipulation, such as tilting, shifting, rotating.
Have a mobile device, platform, application, service, accessory or related news or tips you want to share? Email info/ press releases to callstyleblog at gmail.com.
Apple iPad First Impressions
The line isn't as bad as it looks -- only a 2-hour wait, whereas some guys camped out overnight.
So Apple finally released the iPad amidst a ton of speculation about first day units sold, whether the device would be a game changer like the iPhone, and whether it would live up to being a “second coming” of Apple. (Hey, it was Easter weekend, and Steve Jobs even made an appearance at the Palo Alto store at some point.)
After staying up all night debating whether I should go line up early at the Palo Alto, Calif, Apple Store, I finally decided against, got two hours of sleep, got ready, then went and got in line by 9:30 am to get an iPad. Two hours later, after having to endure a group of idiots taking turns each elbowing me, I got into the store and spent less than 15 minutes purchasing a 3GB WiFi-only model. In retrospect, I should have purchased a 64GB model, considering that I’ll be using the device for app development and other online work. However, I wanted to stick to budget and get a few accessories as well as Apple Care. Here are few of my first impressions of the Apple iPad.
- The form factor is really awkward. I’m glad I bought Apple’s folding case, which flips over to wedge shape that makes it easier to see on a desktop, but only in landscape mode.
- Besides being awkard, the iPad feels heavy. It’s a disappointment if you intend to lounge around with it doing a bit of extra work or entertaining yourself. However, with the aforementioned Apple case, it’s not so bad. Without the case, the weight and shape would be a hindrance to regular use.
- Apps are easy to move around the home screen, using the bottom dock. You get two spots on the dock for two additional icons. (Still want folders, Steve!!)
- Incredibly responsive touchscreen. Scrolling through pages is beautifully easy. No need to pound on the virtual keyboard. Though I hope someone comes up with ‘alternate keyboard’ apps, which unfortunately has to wait until the iPhone OS has 3rd-party multi-tasking to even use.
- No USB port, so sending files over is really awkward. There are apps like Air Sharing that let you do that, but there are still a variety of limitations. For example, I created a spreadsheet in Apple iWorks’ Numbers application on my MacBook Pro. Then I both emailed it to myself and sent it to my iPad via Air Sharing. Even though I paid $9.99 to have iWorks on the iPad, I couldn’t open the file. I had to resend the email as an Excel-saved document. Does that make any sense to you? (I’ve double-checked that I didn’t miss something, but maybe I did.)
- No camera, so forget having video conferences on the iPad. Well, wait; actually, Apple will have a camera converter kit shipping soon that’ll let you attach your digital camera. However, this kit will use the power port, so you cannot charge the iPad and use the camera simultaneously.
- No CD/ DVD drive, but then not many people expected that, given it’s size. However, with no USB port and no optical drive, you are forced to get audio and video content via iTunes, whether from your computer or purchasing through the iTunes store. Netbooks are still safe for now, as there are people who need that functionality and have no need of an iPad.
There’s more, but I have to stop somewhere. Overall, I’m both really impressed and incredibly disappointed. As things stand, the iPad is definitely no replacement for your laptop or even a netbook. The fact that you need a computer to sync this with iTunes (for backup reasons) means that many schools planning to offer students Apple iPads OR laptops will have to think again.
Still, with all the upgrades sure to come in the future, the iPad still stands to be a game-changing mobile device. At least, enough people with money think so that there are multi-millions of VC funds available for iPad apps development.
Some colorful character wearing portable speakers and showing off Smule's very cool, Magic Piano app, which has a spiral keyboard.
Getting closer to the front door!
Almost in the Apple Store!! Then my iPhone conks out and I can't take anymore pictures for a while.