All iPads: Productivity

[HowardSmith]

Originally Posted by WilliamLondon

What are you talking about? iPhone sales have increased steadily since it was launched (see here). They are hardly *leaving* for Android, they're coming to Apple products in greater numbers. As for the iPad, those numbers have also increased since its launch (see here).

I found this interesting article talking about how the main reason people choose Android is because that's what's available on the carrier of their choice (here). And this article (here) says that while 76% of current iPhone users will definitely upgrade to the latest phone, 32% of Android users want it as well. That's not a huge exodus from iOS to Android. The market is growing, and both sides are increasing sales, but I don't see the mass switch away from Apple as you say. Further, Android is locked down by each carrier to the point that you can't even upgrade to the latest Android version sometimes, so this whole "Android equates with openness" concept is a fallacy.

iPhone, who is talking iPhone? iPad sales only equal about 50% of the market, now. Way less than what it used to be so Android IS attractive to some!

[ScottNWDW]

Originally Posted by unagimiyagi

Yes, the lack of a file system is just plain stubborness for the sake of being stubborn on Apple's part. People understand what a file system is if you're less than 60 years old. It's not hard and a not even close to dead metaphor.

And put me in the camp that believes that the iPad, b/c its lack of a keyboard, is highly limited as a true productivity device. I can't do anything productively on an ipad except read a book and surf. Any input-related features, are severely lacking. I write emails faster on my iphone, and longer emails faster on my laptop. There are no input cases where the ipad beats either of these. Never understood the usefulness of tablets. The macbook air 11" is the ultimate mobile productivity tool.

There ARE keyboards available that can be used with the iPad. There are several bluetooth keyboards available, even Apple makes one. Most of the others that I have seen are combined with covers. There is nothing wrong with the virtual keyboard either. To say that the iPad is highly limited as a productivity tool is outright stupidity on your part. I use it just fine without a Keyboard and use it with Numbers, Pages, Bento, Keynote, Day One, OmniFocus, Facebook to name just a few of the productivity apps.

As for the file system, I think the whole idea behind the cloud is NOT to have the files stored on your device taking up precious space. This way the iPad memory can be used for other things such as apps. It also means that with the documents in the cloud the latest version of of each document can be accessed from the iPad, Mac, PC, or iPhone since they area all stored in the same place.

[WilliamLondon]

Originally Posted by HowardSmith

iPhone, who is talking iPhone? iPad sales only equal about 50% of the market, now. Way less than what it used to be so Android IS attractive to some!

You're missing the point entirely. BTW, iPhone runs iOS, which is the competition to Android.

But, it doesn't matter - quantity sales for both iPhone and iPad have steadily been increasing, not decreasing. Market share may decrease and sales may increase when the market is growing, which is what is happening. Your assertion that people are leaving iOS (either iPad or iPhone) for Android is simply not something I could find any evidence to support, in fact, I found the exact opposite.

[HowardSmith]

Originally Posted by WilliamLondon

You're missing the point entirely. BTW, iPhone runs iOS, which is the competition to Android.

But, it doesn't matter - quantity sales for both iPhone and iPad have steadily been increasing, not decreasing. Market share may decrease and sales may increase when the market is growing, which is what is happening. Your assertion that people are leaving iOS (either iPad or iPhone) for Android is simply not something I could find any evidence to support, in fact, I found the exact opposite.

Where did all the Android customers come from?

[jojoba]

For writing, I use Scrivener, Word, Pages and Byword.

Do deal with Microsoft Office docs, I use DocsToGo and QuickOffice.

For outlining, I use Cloud Outliner and MagicalPad.

For a calendar, I use Agenda.

For note taking, I use iThoughtsHD, Evernote, Circus Ponies Notebooks, and Notability.

For marking up pdfs I use iAnnotate.

For pdf management, I use Sente.

For task management, I use OmniFocus and SmallTask.

And DropBox to make sure I have everything everywhere.

I often use an external keyboard as well.

[ob81]

Originally Posted by Thegolem

What app do you use?

I use Photogene. No idea why it isn't Hall Of Fame. It is solid and has been around a while. Edit curves and everything else. Supported high res output since release.

[jsgreen]

Originally Posted by ob81

...
Omnifocus - All of my tasks managed. It is great.

This. Our iPads are largely toys (kids use them for games and Netflix), but when I do my GTD Review, I find the Omnifocus on the iPad to be much nicer than the OF Mac app.

[WilliamLondon]

Originally Posted by HowardSmith

Where did all the Android customers come from?

From nowhere - that's the very definition of a growing market. The whole market is growing. People who never owned a smartphone before are buying smartphones for the first time, and the population is growing too. The market is growing, Apple's sales (in quantity) is steadily increasing. Just because they own less market share than they used to, doesn't mean anything that you keep implying.

[HowardSmith]

Originally Posted by WilliamLondon

From nowhere - that's the very definition of a growing market. The whole market is growing. People who never owned a smartphone before are buying smartphones for the first time, and the population is growing too. The market is growing, Apple's sales (in quantity) is steadily increasing. Just because they own less market share than they used to, doesn't mean anything that you keep implying.

While you think your "reasoning" is substantiated by fact, it is flawed.

[WilliamLondon]

Originally Posted by HowardSmith

While you think your "reasoning" is substantiated by fact, it is flawed.

You can't win this argument by stating my reasoning is flawed and then providing absolutely no proof.

Therefore I win, and I'm tired of this discussion, the fact is (and I've provided proof) there aren't the throngs of people leaving iOS for Android.

[clyde2801]

Originally Posted by jsgreen

This. Our iPads are largely toys (kids use them for games and Netflix), but when I do my GTD Review, I find the Omnifocus on the iPad to be much nicer than the OF Mac app.

Scads and scads better! Is your review available online?

[phoenix78]

iAnnotate for PDF viewing annotating.
Papers for research bibliography management.
Penultimate for notes/scribble book.
Notes+ for writing type notes.
Skydrive and Dropbox. I managed to score 25Gb free on skydrive before it dropped down to 7.
iBooks for all my ebook novels.
Mail and gmail app as I like to keep my gmail physically separate from my normal mail on mail app. Safari and Facebook app and twitter app for web and social etc.
Textastic for source editing. issh for remote.
Keynote

I made the kobausks stylus in youtube. This has enhanced my ability to use penultimate, iAnnotate and notes+ to a far greater degree. I can write and draw like with pen and paper now. Ipad is now limitless in possibility for me. I highly recommend making it. It's effort we'll spent and will give you big returns. Just make a protective cap so it doesn't get bent at the tip.

[Donka]

Originally Posted by ob81

I use Photogene. No idea why it isn't Hall Of Fame. It is solid and has been around a while. Edit curves and everything else. Supported high res output since release.

Great app, one of the best out there. Also recommend Filterstorm, Snapseed & Photoshop Touch. iPhoto is actually quite powerful but still lacking some things and not as intuitive as it should be. As an aside, Snapseed is the quickest and most fun photo editor on IOS imho even with it's limitations.

[RevTEG]

I use my ipad for all of the above:

As for as a word doc app.. I love Pages except for 1 problem. No doc search feature. I have over 300 docs. Can't find them in a hurry because Apple hasn't built in a title or word search.

Most of the other iWork apps have the search feature. Even ibooks has it. Pages? Nope!

Even a few free or .99 cent apps have word search.

So be aware of this before you buy Pages if you need to travel with and edit your docs.

[jsgreen]

Originally Posted by clyde2801

Scads and scads better! Is your review available online?

LOL - not a software review, Getting Things Done review of projects & next actions!

[clyde2801]

Originally Posted by jsgreen

LOL - not a software review, Getting Things Done review of projects & next actions!

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I've been trying to use omni, and catch myself tripping over anything but the most basic features. Would you kindly point me towards a good learning resource for the program?

[ScottNWDW]

Originally Posted by clyde2801

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I've been trying to use omni, and catch myself tripping over anything but the most basic features. Would you kindly point me towards a good learning resource for the program?

Go to Omni's website. there are some really good videos on how to use OmniFocus. There IS a learning curve, but once you find the way that the application works best for you, nothing is better. Most of the videos are based on the Mac Version, but the principles still apply to the iPad and iPhone versions.

[clyde2801]

Originally Posted by ScottNWDW

Go to Omni's website. there are some really good videos on how to use OmniFocus. There IS a learning curve, but once you find the way that the application works best for you, nothing is better. Most of the videos are based on the Mac Version, but the principles still apply to the iPad and iPhone versions.

I'll try that, thanks!

[jsgreen]

Originally Posted by clyde2801

I'll try that, thanks!

David Sparks also recorded a series of screencasts on OF:

http://macpowerusers.com/2011/04/scr...s-part-1-of-3/
http://macpowerusers.com/2011/04/scr...s-part-2-of-3/
http://macpowerusers.com/2011/05/scr...s-part-3-of-3/

If you haven't read Getting Things Done by David Allen, that would probably help too - OF is based on a lot of the GTD principles.

[unagimiyagi]

Originally Posted by ScottNWDW

There ARE keyboards available that can be used with the iPad. There are several bluetooth keyboards available, even Apple makes one. Most of the others that I have seen are combined with covers. There is nothing wrong with the virtual keyboard either. To say that the iPad is highly limited as a productivity tool is outright stupidity on your part. I use it just fine without a Keyboard and use it with Numbers, Pages, Bento, Keynote, Day One, OmniFocus, Facebook to name just a few of the productivity apps.

As for the file system, I think the whole idea behind the cloud is NOT to have the files stored on your device taking up precious space. This way the iPad memory can be used for other things such as apps. It also means that with the documents in the cloud the latest version of of each document can be accessed from the iPad, Mac, PC, or iPhone since they area all stored in the same place.

Yes, you can use the ipad for many things, but part of my definition of productivity is if it's the fastest/most efficient use case. Sort of like you could walk to Mexico from NYC, but it's not going to be very productive to do so.

I know that you can attach a bluetooth keyboard, but add the keyboard and smartcover to an ipad's weight and you are fast approaching the macbook air 11's weight. And again, it's unwieldy to carry the entire contraption around with you. Only argument might be battery life, but that's offset by raw computing power.

I bet that if you used a spreadsheet on a macbook air vs an ipad, you'll be much faster on the macbook air. Or a word processor, etc.

I've got nothing against the ipad. I have one. But it's never been a productive platform for me when I need to get work done, which involves spreadsheets, word processing, photo editing, and general keyboard-related input. Maybe I'm a really fast typer or something, but I doubt it. Over time I end up using what works the most efficiently and for many cases, the ipad is not it.

It's not an issue of familiarity. Laptops aren't going away anytime soon.

And the cloud doesn't work when you're offline, but that's not a big deal these days. What is a big deal is the fact that data is getting more expensive and it's not unlimited, so I would not want to sync media etc in the cloud.

I still remain unchanged about the file system being a relic. It is odd when I want to open a word document. And I have to go to goodreader, or a word processor, or mail first... and remember which app I saved the document in. And then open the document. The mental model is such that your task is that you filed the document somewhere in a central place (your folder) and you choose an app to open it. With the Apple approach, I could well open goodreader, fail, open pages, fail, then remember I stored it in mail, and then open the document. It's odd.

[Mainsail]

When mobile, many folks are willing to sacrifice some typing speed for long battery life, instant on, touch interface and light wieght. It depends on how often and how much one needs to type.

Certainly, folks can find plenty of productive uses for the iPad that don't involve typing large documents:

Email
calendar
Contacts
Downloading and reviewing documents
Accessing corporate data base
Taking notes during meetings and conferences
Annotating and marking up documents
Drafting memos of one or two pages
Developing quick and simple spreadsheets

When I am on business travel, I use the ipad to do all of the above task without a hitch...no problem at all. I keep the iPad in a folio case in my backpack, so it is easy to access. On rare occasions, I might want to write something longer, so sometimes I throw my Apple wireless keyboard into my small roller suitcase along with my clothes and other stuff. Honestly, I don't even know the keyboard is there...no bulk at all.

Look, I hate to use laptops for working on long documents and spreadsheets. If I need to do something detailed and lengthy, I can usually wait until I am back at the office so I can use a full size desktop and monitors for heavy productivity lifting.

For light mobile productive purposes, I find the iPad to be an indispensable tool. Again, long battery life, light wieght, instant on, ease of use, and half the price of a MacBook. Most people just don't need to tote around a full laptop with a desktop OS to be productive. I am not saying everyone can get by with the iPad, but I think most folks can.

It is frustrating when some refer to the iPad as just a toy and many of us are using it daily as a tool to get stuff done.

[jojoba]

When I'm away on conferences or seminars, I prefer to take my iPad with an external keyboard due to the combination of long battery life, stylus input and 3G. I never need to worry about wifi access or sitting next to an electricity socket. In general, if I'm only away for two days, I tend to just take my iPad, if I'm away for longer, my 13" air comes along as well.

As a researcher, my iPad can get me pretty far in terms of productivity, but there is a set of tasks that are easier accomplished on my air. Obviously, YMMV.

[HowardSmith]

Originally Posted by WilliamLondon

You can't win this argument by stating my reasoning is flawed and then providing absolutely no proof.

Therefore I win, and I'm tired of this discussion, the fact is (and I've provided proof) there aren't the throngs of people leaving iOS for Android.

My point was to watch your reaction.

[Breitling65]

Originally Posted by luqtotheman

Hey All,

Looking into an ipad and how do some of you guys use your iPad for productivity? For school? Home? Work? etc.

any apps would help too

thanks in advance guys.

My iPad is connected to my job, so emails/contacts/calendar are synched real time. I could preview attachments as PDFs and Excel spreadsheets. My iPad is connected to my home security video surveillance system via livecamspro and i could see it any place I travel real time. I could go Dropbox and see recordings of this videos as well. I am taking lots of SLR high resolution shots, they are great to preview on retina high resolution iPad screen to see more details of the shots, no any of my large monitors could compare. etc