Zaggmate Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad

Zaggmate has come up with a keyboard case combination that actually does a pretty good job. With a number of dedicated iPad function keys, cursor control keys, numeric keys, volume control and iPod controls, this is as close as it comes to being able to replicate a notebook's functionality with an iPad. It doubles as a protective cover for the iPad's glass screen, and only adds a little less than 1/8 inch to the thickness of the basic iPad.




With its rechargeable 510 mAh battery, and micro USB charging cable, the product is sure to be a road worthy addition for me. Construction quality seems to be top notch. The outer case is Aircraft Aluminum, with everything else being plastic and rubber. The cover fits snuggly enough that there will be no worries about the iPad coming uncovered.


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iOS 4.2.1 Is Here!

The iPad is becoming the device it was meant to be with this latest software update from Apple. Multitasking, AirPrint and the ability to manage applications in Folders, all combine to make iPad a much more productive system. When you add AirPlay to the mix, which enables audio streaming from iPad to Airport devices, and audio+video streaming to the new Apple TV, things really start to get fun.









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Location:Orange County California

Farmville gets a welcome update

I am in off the road, and happy to report that Farmville for the iPad is now Farmville HD. No more 2X display of a low res iPhone app. It even supports screen rotation. It is so much easier to navigate the screen. It is still somewhat frustrating that certain things can only be done on a full size computer running Flash.





The new Orchard sits empty and unusable on iPad. Many gifts are not useable, although now it appears that they do not even show up. I have not tried Farm All yet, but tractors , seeders and harvesters do work.

Fertilize All, FarmHands and Arborists still require a non iPad visit to your Farm. Give it a try though, as it is still a welcome improvement.

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Location:California

Professional looking iPad Case

I finally found a leather folio case, that has an integrated stand that does not make it look like a repurposed picture frame. Room for business cards, receipts, and my boarding pass. Having used a Convertible Book Jacket case for several months now, I also am enjoying the lack of bulk, with no slipping iPad problem either.




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Location:Portland Oregon

Welcome To Starbuck's Digital Network

Free WiFi! Declared in bakeries, hotels, motels, airports, car washes........what they should usually say is Free Dog Slow WiFi. I can't tell you how many times I have just turned WiFi off, or forget the network, in order to force a 3G connection, which with AT&T isn't that great. Imagine my surprise when getting a decent connection while at Starbuck's in Portland. Granted, they may not all have decent throughput, but it was unexpected nonetheless.




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Location:Portland Oregon

Cases, Cases, who has a case?

I have tried them all. The Apple case, the incase convertible book jacket, and nothing at all. I have found that I use the iPad so much now that the case just somehow gets in the way. While on a trip to the Carolinas this week, I popped into the local mall and picked up one of the grip cases that just covers the back of the iPad with a somewhat sticky/tacky cover. While I was at it, I also had a non glare screen protector installed.

An interesting side note is the fact that the Apple Store did not stock a grip case, so I wound up buying it from one of the kiosks in the middle of the mall. We will see how long it lasts, but I am liking it so far.


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There Is No Time To Waste!

Or is there? Just when you thought you were running out of things to kill time with on the iPad, along comes FarmVille. Swap gifts, plant crops, buy stuff, sell stuff, it's all good. It's actually an iPhone App, but doesn't look so bad at 2X. I did not know what all of the excitement was about, but have really gotten sucked in to the FarmVille Therapy.




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Tom Tom on iPad

I tried TomTom when I first got the iPad 3G, and when I received the "Connect an External GPS" message, I moved on to other things. It seems clicking continue at the message prompt would have resulted in a working, if imperfect, application. Now that version 1.4 has been released, no more popups, and excellent performance. If you already have the app for your iPhone, it costs nothing to add to the iPad. Give it a try!




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Location:Orquida Corte,Rancho Santa Margarita,United States

iPad Users Guide on iBooks

No more excuses for not reading the manual folks! At least this will apply after you figure out how to load iBooks, and then add the Users Guide. It is available for free, in all of it's full color glory. Read it cover to cover, and then keep it in your library for future reference.





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I Love Netflix

I wasn't sure what to expect from Netflix on a mobile device. Having worked in the past with every type of streaming service had left me skeptical of Netflix over AT&T 3G. Boy have I been surprised! I have spent most of the last two weeks on the road. Watching "Bones" episodes at home with my wife had gotten me hooked on Netflix. With my travel schedule, we did not want to get out of sync, so we agreed each day on which episode to watch, and would Skype afterward to compare notes and talk. Netflix has performed amazing. In many cases the 3G connection is much better than the Hotel WiFi. Give it a try. The picture quality is amazing, and if like me, you fall asleep part way through, high speed scrubbing works great too!


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Testing remote post

Just a test


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No Pressure!

Wacom Tablets, Tablet Computers......it was normal to use varying pressure to get different effects within applications. The iPad has no such pressure sensing, but is very responsive to a gentle touch.

Many are complaining about the level of fingerprints retained by their screens. Although the fingerprints are usually most noticeable when the iPad is off, they can build up to a point of interference when the iPad is on. The secret to success between cleaning is a light touch. Use the tip of your fingers, not the entire pad.

Give it a try, and drop me a comment on your results.

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A 3G Moment

For me, 3G is often a Nice To Have, as apposed to a Have To Have. Last night was a perfect example. Our local power company was scheduled to finally do some major maintenance, and had notified us of an outage planned from 11:30pm until 6:00am. Sure enough, at 11:37pm the lights went out. I was not yet ready for sleep, so I lit a few candles for navigating around the house, and settled down with my iPad 3G and some NetFlix entertainment. I actually fell asleep shortly after, but it was so cool to be able to watch a movie or read a book during a total blackout.


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AT&T Changes The Game Again

I see a lot of comments online about Apple and AT&T promises. I never saw, or heard, the word promise used. Promise denotes contract, and contracts must be bilateral, or they are not a contract. They said they would offer a product for a price, with no long term commitment required to get that price, but also no commitment on how long that might last.

I see AT&T's move as being more like Europe, in that the plans have caps, but overage charges do not gouge the customer. Many power users of 3G average between 10 and 25 GB per month. With Verizon, this would equate to $310 per month for 10 GB, as they cap at 5 GB and charge $.05 per MB on overages. With the new AT&T plan (2GB Cap) the same service will cost $105 per month for 10 GB.

Unlimited plans have been going away with other carriers for some time for anything other than a non-tethering smart phone. I think my iPhone data usage is about 1GB per year, so I will save money on the new plan.

The harsh reality is that nobody broke a promise, they just ended a sweetheart deal way too soon to have gotten any PR value out of it at all. I would assume most folks can do pretty well at a 2GB cap, and can still turn it on and off as they please. Those that need more on a regular basis need to buy now and lock in, as they would likely not be an on and off customer anyway, and if they do want on and off, they will likely save enough in the off cycle to pay for some data overage in the on cycles.

I suspect that iPad will continue to sell like hotcakes in both configurations, and people will realize that after the newness wears off a little bit, their use will be more balanced over many different app and data types, where 2 GB will go a long way in meeting their needs. I have not heard anybody voice concern over 4G coming soon, and being stuck with a 3G device.

We have all gotten very used to getting something for nothing, and even finding ways to get around what makes the free stuff free, like advertising etc. Most of the same folks who complain about the AT&T network, are the first to consume the all you can eat data plan. The age old business model of "You get what you pay for" has not changed. If you want a great network, with everywhere 3G, buy a WiFi iPad and get a MiFi from Verizon. If you want an all you can eat plan, get the Overdrive device from Sprint, especially if you live or travel in their 4G areas, as 4G is unlimited, with 3G metered at 5GB.

Let's all maintain some perspective on this. We did not spend our last working capital on an iPad, and build a business plan that requires unlimited Internet via 3G for life. For those that have built a business plan around leveraging the iPad that requires more than 2GB of data per month via the Internet, or is going to have demonstrative financial impact from any resulting data overage, need to rethink their plan.


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Audio Books As Close As Your Public Library?

Many of you have some experience with the Overdrive media application that allows for Audio Book lending by your local public libraries. Did you know there was an iPhone app for this? Well there is, and it also works great on the iPad.







Simply use Safari to access your Library's Overdrive area. After checking out via their ecart system, the Overdrive apps will launch automatically. A couple of things to keep in mind:

1. Almost every library will require you have a Library Card and PIN Number.

2. Audio Books take up a lot more space than iBooks do, so do not be in a hurry to download all of the segments.

Until next time........

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Just Jetting Along

I am flying along at 37,000 feet, between Chicago and San Francisco. I just finished watching Iron Man, and am now listening to Andrea Bocelli as I update this blog. Most weeks find me on and off of airplanes, but this week was a couple of cross country marathons that really gave me the opportunity to appreciate the simplicity of the iPad. From checking in for flights, to taking notes at the job sites, the iPad filled the role beautifully.

A testament to Apples claims of sales volume are the number of ipads being seen as I travel around the country. On a recent flight from San Francisco to Charlotte NC, the last two rows of the single aisle plane had a total of four (4) iPads. And for those of you that are convinced this is a product aimed at the youth of the world, two (2) of those iPads were in the hands of retired folks well into their seventies!

As far as experience updates with the technical features of iPad, I have a few new areas to discuss.

1. PhotoPad is an excellent application for doing light editing of photos while on the go. Can't beat the price.

2. Solitaire may be one of the old standbys when it comes to games, but there is something about playing it on the touch interface that makes it seem brand new.







3. As a photography enthusiast, I am really enjoying Eyewitness. This is a Canon sponsored free application of photographs submitted from around the world by professional photographers. The bonus feature are the Pro Tips included with each of the photos.

4. I will close this post out with another free app, Whistle. For all those that think the iPad would be a perfect device if they could just make phone calls with it, give Whistle a try. You will have to put up with a few ads, but will likely find it worth the trouble. Pretty clear audio, although subject to how well your Internet connection holds up.

Until next time................



-- Post From My EyePad

iPad+NetBook+iPhone = Road Warrior

OK, so it has been two weeks since I last added a post to this blog! I have been on the road, and slammed with projects, but have figured out a few things about the iPad. Some things I like, and some things I dislike.

One of my objectives, over the last two weeks, was to see just how much of my "Day Job" could be accomplished with only using the iPad. I would have to rate the mission "Semi-Accomplished".

Email, document review, airline checkin, remote file management, in-flight entertainment, a few phone calls, and even GoToMeeting, were all accomplished with the iPad. Tasks that required software not available on the App Store, or I/O Ports for things like equipment configuration, has to be completed with my Toshiba NetBook. Some observations on the experience:

1. I would not want to type long documents on iPad very often. A very useable keyboard for email responses, and light document comments, but nowhere near a full size keyboarding experience.

2. Limited viewing in brightly lit environments. Direct sunlight is a real bear, but everywhere else a little screen tilt solves the problem.

3. No Camera? No problem! I use the Camera For iPad App, which allows my iPhone Camera to be controlled from my iPad, including a pretty good view screen. Work in Portrait Orientation with it zoomed, and you have a very cool view finder. Not to mention applications where you need to orient the camera on the iPhone where it is hard to see the iPhone screen. Having the iPad as a remote screen and shutter control is very cool!

4. Connectivity while on the road? I used combination of Free WiFi Hotspots, Boing Hotspots ($7.95 per month on iPad) and my Verizon 3G MiFi Wireless Hotspot. Needless to say, connectivity was not an issue.

5. What about those fingerprints? Having a lint free cloth in my bag is a must, but I am also finding that I have a tendency to touch the screen with a great deal more pressure than is really required. Whether typing, web surfing, reading email, or playing games, a light touch is all that is required. When the screen brightness is anywhere in the middle ranges, fingerprints are hardly noticeable with the iPad turned on.

6. Do I really need a case? Case, Sleeve, Folio or Skin? Whether it is protecting the screen in your carry bag, or adding some grip to a potentially slippery device, some kind of case will be needed. I opted for the Apple Case, and all of its convertible configurations. I love the slight angled mode for typing, and the Inverted Landscape mode for movie watching.

All in all, a successful first venture with the iPad. I am now starting the process of discovering all of the applications available, and will be writing over the coming weeks with feedback on the ones worth mentioning.

Air Sharing HD is so cool

File sharing, printing, file management, all in a very nice package. I will be writing a detailed review next week of several apps, but this one in particular is worth the price of admission.


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Size Matters

I had to spend several hours yesterday alternating between the iPad and my
iPhone. Needless to say, it really drove home the difference in the screen size of the two devices. Surprisingly, the functionality is remarkably similar.





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Location:Paseo Acebo,Rancho Santa Margarita,United States

Application Highlight - Rotate Mojo

Ever wish the iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad gave you the ability to rotate photos? This issue became quite obvious with the introduction of iPad. When taking screen shots in landscape mode, I wound up with pictures in my saved album that really needed to be rotated for use in other iPad apps, like the software used to maintain this blog. Rotate Mojo makes this a snap. Although an application developed for iPhone, it runs just fine on iPad, without impact on image quality. Start rotating!


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Love those racing games

Use the iPad like a steering wheel and have a blast.

The Screen Shot below is from RealRacingHD







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iPad as a blogging device?

You bet! This blog was entirely created on iPad, and will be maintained via iPad for the most part.


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iPad Mobility

I experienced true mobility with my non 3G iPad. The thought of adding another device with a dedicated and restricted data plan did not appeal to me in the least, so I got the Verizon MiFi device, which functions as a mobile WiFi hotspot for up to five (5) devices at a time, with no wreak restrictions, save for the 5GB of monthly bandwidth use, followed by 5 cents per MB for overages.

This works with my MacBook Pro, iPhone, iPad, and just about anything else that needs a connection to the Internet, like game consoles.

I worked with the device off and on all day, and never took it out of my pocket.







-- Post From My EyePad

The new iPad is amazing for first gen attempt

Welcome to EyePad Central. This blog will be a stream of tips, tricks, experiences and general impressions of this new class of product. Feel free to leave comments, but let's keep it on topic.




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