Why can't you download files to iPad?

GoodReader will download, store, and play the .mp3 files.

GoodReader may be a slight improvement, but the point still remains: why can't Apple incorporate an in-built filesystem?

Sadly, I don't think we'll see it in 4. Apple like to do things their way, and don't really ever listen to customers. It's obvious that Apple are moving towards this closed, one entry system for products.

I really wish they would have a universal system for all files, even if there are seperate apps like iPod and Photos to use them. Even if we could only download images, videos and pdfs it would be a major improvement.

That's why I'm not buying an iPad. Sad, seeing as it is so awesome in almost all other areas.

Also, I think Apple doesn't want the iPad to become like a full fledged system that could become your main computer. That rubbish excuse they used about it being "a new catagory" was just an excuse to cripple it, meaing you still have to have your Macbook and iPhone. The closed, crippled system is just to keep you buying their laptops aswell. With the right interface (the one it has now), it is perfectly capable of replacing a laptop - they just don't want you to.

NateSJ408 said:

Will this be addressed in OS4?

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Highly unlikely.

NateSJ408 said:

An example of what I mean: I wanted to listen to this Yale course on listening to music: http://oyc.yale.edu/music/listening-to-music/content/downloads

They offer the course in quicktime video, and mp3.

I realize you can probably download to a PC and then transfer, BUT many people including myself run an iPad only.

I understand one reason may be because Apple wants you to buy everything from Itunes rather than having people pirate things.

However not all quicktime videos are pirated, and many mp3s such as the above example are free.

I see this as a significant weakness of the iPad.

Will this be addressed in OS4?

Click to expand...

But then you'd be complaining about not having enough space to store all of these downloads. One complaint leads to another ...

hsotnicam8002 said:

But then you'd be complaining about not having enough space to store all of these downloads. One complaint leads to another ...

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Well, that's a problem that's in the hands of the user, not Apple. And if this is how people want the iPad to be, then maybe 16gb isn't enough space for the baseline model.

Janglo said:

GoodReader may be a slight improvement, but the point still remains: why can't Apple incorporate an in-built filesystem?

Sadly, I don't think we'll see it in 4. Apple like to do things their way, and don't really ever listen to customers. It's obvious that Apple are moving towards this closed, one entry system for products.

I really wish they would have a universal system for all files, even if there are seperate apps like iPod and Photos to use them. Even if we could only download images, videos and pdfs it would be a major improvement.

That's why I'm not buying an iPad. Sad, seeing as it is so awesome in almost all other areas.

Also, I think Apple doesn't want the iPad to become like a full fledged system that could become your main computer. That rubbish excuse they used about it being "a new catagory" was just an excuse to cripple it, meaing you still have to have your Macbook and iPhone. The closed, crippled system is just to keep you buying their laptops aswell. With the right interface (the one it has now), it is perfectly capable of replacing a laptop - they just don't want you to.

Click to expand...

Apple are a stupid company, Bill Gates should have bought them and chucked out Steve.

Look at the sales of Apple products since Steve Jobs took over - it's ridiculous

OzExige said:

Apple are a stupid company, Bill Gates should have bought them and chucked out Steve.

Look at the sales of Apple products since Steve Jobs took over - it's ridiculous

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I really hope ur not serious ur on a site called macrumors and u just bash apple like that. Your entitled to ur opinion but that takes balls.

Janglo said:

Well, that's a problem that's in the hands of the user, not Apple.

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Apple wants as few problems in the hands of the user as possible. They make their choices for a reason, even if some might not like the choices themselves. It seems to be working pretty well for them.

Dr Kevorkian94 said:

I really hope ur not serious ur on a site called macrumors and u just bash apple like that. Your entitled to ur opinion but that takes balls.

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Sorry Doc - I was being sarcastic

http://att.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228764&stc=1&d=1275530158

Janglo said:

Sadly, I don't think we'll see it in 4.

Click to expand...

Why not, when it's already been announced as part of the 4.0 feature set?

There is going to be a system-wide common directory that all apps can access. As well, apps will still have a private sandbox that is off-limits to other apps.

Of course, apps will have to be re-written to take advantage of this.

Why do you need to download them when you can just stream them right in iPad's Safari?

ovrlrd said:

Why do you need to download them when you can just stream them right in iPad's Safari?

Click to expand...

Perhaps for the purposes of later use offline? It's also not entirely economical to be streaming the same thing multiple times when you can just download it once.

To take it to the next level we have to stop thinking about files. Data should live in the cloud and be available for however I want to use it, whenever I want to use it.

USD Dropbox

I use the Dropbox App to download PDFs onto the iPad.
When downloaded, you have the option to add them to iBooks.
Maybe when it is an MP3, you'll get the option to add it to iTunes. I've never tried that yet.
Somehow you need to get the files first to you on-line Dropbox account. I don't know how to do that without a PC, though ...

I use drop box but would still love to be able to have the ability to download files in a decent file system on my iPad. For this reason the iPad will always have limited practicality.

Try an app called Filer. It used to be called Downloader. The downloaded files can be opened in multiple apps. It solved the download problem for me.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/filer-formerly-downloader/id318884764?mt=8#

I agree that the lack of a real file system is a pain in the ass. The odd file-copy "open-in app" ability of OS 4 just feels weird to me--it goes against every traditional OS file management concept that I've used.

However, your problem can be solved as long as you have OS 4.x: some 3rd party browser interfaces like iCab have a real download manager (you can "save as"), they can then be used to open media in another application. Works for MPEG4 .avi files, should work for mp3s.

Jobs doesn't need to grant access to the file system. All he needs to do, is to include a sandboxed, native 'Files' app to the OS, that would solve all the up/download needs for all apps.
When you choose to upload, the picker for files and images pops up.
The same could happen for downloads, depending on wether it's an image or other file type.

I find it funny how iPad is becoming less and less that "middle device". It's my primary device. With a camera and a stable iPad Skyfire browser, it will be my only device.

Oh yea an option to download software updates directly to the device is greatly preferred. iTunes, schmitunes.

Almost forgot...more ram.

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7E18 Safari/528.16)

Bad example to use: it states on the page that due to copyright restrictions (Creative Commons, etc) not available in iTunesU...

According to their website, Yale decided to make some courses Desktop/laptop only due to the various plugins and features that many mobile devices can't handle.

They have some of their classes on iTunesU (iTunes) and some on YouTube.

Send Yale a nice email about possibility of making materials available for iPad...

Edit: tried using Filer: Those files are large 4.3gb for med bandwidth intro lecture!

Good lord, you guys all do things the hard way. I download and play .mp3's and movies all the time with iCab browser on my iPad, you don't need to be jailbroken or install Goodreader. If you want to save it to your main computer you have that option when you sync