A few ?s on the ipad if I may ...

[Lisa1976]

Ok Ok, so im being drawn in by the ipad

I have a couple of questions though and thought you ipad owners could help me out.

I currently use my iphone for my business emails, so obviously would need my ipad to push through my outlook business emails in the same way, presuambly its the same sort of set up as the iphone. I am currently on a pay as you go with 02 and unlimited 3G, so don't pay extra for my emails. From looking at someone like Orange (which is unfortunatley the only phone provider we get where we live) I have to pay something like £15 a month for 3G. I can currently lock into the Wifi at home and that pushes through my emails. Can I do the same with the orange 3G, and not use my allowance and use my wifi instead?

Also I have always use a paper filofax for my business diary and day to day needs. How easy is it to go over to an electronic diary, I am always worried about loosing everything.

Any other tips you thing might be helpful to business / photography etc on the ipad that would help me, I'm all ear

Thanks
Lisa

[josh.p.]

I don't know anything about the Tariffs but I'm pretty sure that Keith is clued up on them and he will be able to advise

You can use wifi on all of the iPads and you'll be able to get your e-mail much the same way as you do with the iPhone

As for photography.. I'd say this is pretty much THE best device to display your photo's on the Photo app that comes as standard is pretty amazing and the screen is absolutely gorgeous quality

The diary app for the iPhone is the best I've ever used, however I do always say that it would be better on a big screen. The iPad would be fantastic for this purpose, Keith uses his instead of a filofax I believe

Every time you plug in your iPad it will create a back up in iTunes however, you might be able to sync using a mobile.me account wirelessly

[catrancher]

Lisa,

Since I'm not in the UK I'm afraid I can't answer your questions about Orange and how they charge.

What I can tell you is that the iPad works with Outlook/Exchange the same way the iPhone currently does. If you're using Outlook with an Exchange account, you should have no problems with the iPad version of mail.

Using an electronic diary usually takes a little bit of effort to get used to. For me, the period when I was in the process of switching was the most difficult. I had all my appointments and such in my Daytimer (even though I work in technology), and till I got everything moved over to my iPad, it was difficult. Where did I put that appointment? Once I forced myself to use only my iPad for new things, and the old things from my paper organizer had more or less expired, it became much simpler. There are several organizer type apps available on the iPad. One of the ones that has gotten really good reviews is called "Things for iPad". Also, the OmniGroup is supposedly coming out with an iPad version of OmniFocus.

Hope this helps!

Tom (... takes some getting used to!)

[Tink]

Here comes old stick in the mud Tink, who although is an Apple person through and through, refuses to give up the paper diary. I learned that for me, writing down my schedules, notes, ect. is something that I use for more reasons than simple scheduling.

I know that sounds hopelessly old fashioned, but I use mine every day throughout the day, and no electronic device has taken over that function yet (in a way that I find as satisfactory or useful).

[Keith]

I know that sounds hopelessly old fashioned, but I use mine every day throughout the day, and no electronic device has taken over that function yet (in a way that I find as satisfactory or useful).

This is how I've felt for many many years. I've tried palm pilot, windows CE, newton, any number of hp devices, tablet PCs and so on.

The gap between what I get from using a paper filofax versus a digital diary are vast but yet so many are so ephemeral in nature yet significant to me :/ Things like someone gives me a business card, I slot it into the filofax (in the front if I want to keep it, in the back if they're useless and I clean out the back every week into that round shaped recepticle ) What do I do on a digital device?

Someone yells over to me as I'm leaving "meeting next fri at 5 ok?" I yell yeah! and on the move I scribble in the date and keep moving. Try that on an iphone and OUCH was that the door frame then?

I can look across at someone whilst theyre wibbling on and be making notes in my filofax without even looking like I am. I can't yet achieve the same on a digital variant.

I often sketch a vision. I can do it quickly, roughly and easily. It won't win any design awards, though I've sometimes considered plonking the lot on a plinth and submitting them to the Turner modern art prize "a life in paper"

I got this "latest" filofax in 1996. It's yet to fail in any way shape or form. No batteries, no water damage, I've dropped it and yes I'm not proud to admit, thrown it once or twice takes a lickin' keeps on tickin'


So with all that said, I'm REALLY making an effort to try to move to the ipad. The motivation is pretty simple, keeping one digital diary/contacts which is synced to my desktops, laptops, phone and ipad provides me with reminders, an interesting overview and timeline views which the filofax cant. It's a consistent weight/size (the filofax has grown untidily). Obviously even if I lost the ipad (gasp) the data is still safe on the server (a colleague about 10 years ago lost his filofax and his life truly did stop. He offered a £2500 reward for it but it was never found)

The ipad as my "always with me device" can get me here on the forums, onto the web which is increasingly essential in my life and the filofax can't compete there.

Annoyances though..... no camera so my idea of taking a photo of a business card doesn't work (I think there's an iphone app though so maybe a work around).

I can make an appointment pretty easily on the ipad but it's still not as quick as me jotting down with a pen. However I've established a new rule, no one is allowed to shout an appointment to me any more, they have to email it. Soon as it arrives, I click on it in the ipad email and click make appointment. Job done.

I CANT take notes on the ipad without looking at the device unlike the filofax.

My useless fingers are too fat I guess to successfully draw diagrams because they cover the lines I'm drawing :/ Im investigating the use of a stylus on that because once solved, digital diagramming will be much more useful than paper ones. I can email it around, get it on the desktop and do a formal version and so on.


So to cut a long story, erm, long I'm finding that I'm having to adapt my workflow to the ipad but I'm finding when I do, I start getting advantages. It's not 100% yet, I'm not yet ready to hang up the filofax but I'm getting close

To answer the other questions, yes you can use WIFI when you're within range and in fact the device will prefer wifi so will only use 3g when needed.

Make sure you get an email/calendar account capable of full syncing. I believe gmail is the cheapest option (ie free!) mobileme is another way to go, exchange is yet another way to go. I personally use Exchange.

The ipad is brilliant for a photography business. It says you're up to date, it allows you to quickly show a slideshow of images in total style.

Honestly for the money it's a remarkable device

[catrancher]

I CANT take notes on the ipad without looking at the device unlike the filofax.

My useless fingers are too fat I guess to successfully draw diagrams because they cover the lines I'm drawing :/ Im investigating the use of a stylus on that because once solved, digital diagramming will be much more useful than paper ones. I can email it around, get it on the desktop and do a formal version and so on.

Oh Keef!!!!!

Looky, looky!

Tom (... sounds like a common problem. I know I've got it!)

[Keith]

Oh Keef!!!!!

Looky, looky!

Tom (... sounds like a common problem. I know I've got it!)

exactly the one I have on order Tom Let's hope it works out

[catrancher]

exactly the one I have on order Tom Let's hope it works out

Please do let me know how it works when you get it.

Tom (... yes, thank you. I am nosey!)

[Skywatcher]

I use mine for pretty much everything - the app that links the camera on teh iphone to the ipad works fine for me , business cards seem sooooo outdated there must be an electronic equivalent coming - I appreciate I am not from the business world but hmm

[Keith]

I use mine for pretty much everything - the app that links the camera on teh iphone to the ipad works fine for me , business cards seem sooooo outdated there must be an electronic equivalent coming - I appreciate I am not from the business world but hmm

ooo not seen that app Chris, thanks I'll go look!!!

Business cards. They ought to have gone the way of the dinosaur, but still when people get a new role, they want the card to say so I work in email/internet as you know and I can tell you exactly how many meetings in the last two years or so I've been in when we all did electronic contact swaps... ONE the rest of the time it was the ritualistic business card exchange skimming across the table at the start of the meeting.