iPad storage - Will there ever be proper external support?

[DeeEss]

I love my iPad and it's really part of my workflow and life now. But the thing is the storage space is so ridiculously limited. Especially now that I have a few subscriptions on Newsstand.

It doesn't take many apps, newsstand subs, music, doc and mail for it to run out space quickly.

It really needs to support some kind of external storage. I know there are pretty good ones that exist from Seagate, G-Tech WD etc but they don't work in the sense that you can store your apps, newsstand, music and work from them using the apple apps (i.e. music, mail, photos, newsstand etc). You can only operate them from the limited drive interface.

I would love to be able to carry entire back catalogues of magazines on my iPad. I need to reference them for work and the iPad would be the perfect solution to hold EVERYTHING.

I've only had the iPad a short while but already I'm feeling its limitations. I do't want to have to upgrade my iPad every year because of storage, but I'm sure Apple does!

Do you think there will external storage support like this ever available?

 

[ssgrif]

like this?

http://www.seagate.com/www/en-gb/products/external/external-hard-drive/goflex-satellite

google is your friend

 

[DeeEss]

like this?

http://www.seagate.com/www/en-gb/products/external/external-hard-drive/goflex-satellite

google is your friend

If you had of actually read my post you will have seen I already mentioned those drives.

 

[Biff...]

I love my iPad and it's really part of my workflow and life now. But the thing is the storage space is so ridiculously limited. Especially now that I have a few subscriptions on Newsstand.

It doesn't take many apps, newsstand subs, music, doc and mail for it to run out space quickly.

It really needs to support some kind of external storage. I know there are pretty good ones that exist from Seagate, G-Tech WD etc but they don't work in the sense that you can store your apps, newsstand, music and work from them using the apple apps (i.e. music, mail, photos, newsstand etc). You can only operate them from the limited drive interface.

I would love to be able to carry entire back catalogues of magazines on my iPad. I need to reference them for work and the iPad would be the perfect solution to hold EVERYTHING.

I've only had the iPad a short while but already I'm feeling its limitations. I do't want to have to upgrade my iPad every year because of storage, but I'm sure Apple does!

Do you think there will external storage support like this ever available?

I'm in the same boat as you. I've already ran out of space on my 64gb iPad. I've resorted to using the free space on the cloud services like : Dropbox, sugar sync, box.net.

 

[DeeEss]

I'm in the same boat as you. I've already ran out of space on my 64gb iPad. I've resorted to the free using space on the cloud services Dropbox, sugar sync, box.net.

Yeah I hear ya. The problem with these services are that you can't for example store your newsstand subs on drop box and them access them via iPad. Those wireless G-Tech, Seagate drives etc are brilliant but you have to use their interface which seems quite clunky. You also can't store newsstand subs on there and them access them as normal.

I'm actually a fan of newsstand but if you can only store one or two issues of a mag at a time then it's pointless to me. Although I know for some this would suit fine.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Do you think there will external storage support like this ever available?

I think it's unlikely. Apple's stance seems to be that as you get more connected, it's less necessary to have all your data physically resident, when you can call it up from "the cloud" as you need it (e.g. iTunes Match with cloud music), and I don't see them ever supporting add-on storage of the type you describe. It's 180-degrees opposed to their philosophy. Frankly I was more than a little surprised when they came out with a 64GB iPhone.

Ultimately this of course they are absolutely right, for most uses. Music, streaming on-demand video, and even back-issues of publications can be brought onto the device in a matter of seconds almost anywhere.

It's the "Almost" that is the sticking point, for example on a cross-country driving trip using one of the GPS apps that downloads maps via data connection it annoyed me that I had limited ability to change my route in the "middle of nowhere" with no data connection to download additional maps (it nicely pre-fetched map data for my intended route well ahead of time, but I couldn't re-route once I was out of data service area). So, I got an app that holds all map data in resident memory.

For what it's worth I bought the 64GB iPad and now the 64GB iPhone because I haven't quite developed a taste for the cloud kool-aid yet.

 

[DeeEss]

I think it's unlikely. Apple's stance seems to be that as you get more connected, it's less necessary to have all your data physically resident, when you can call it up from "the cloud" as you need it (e.g. iTunes Match with cloud music), and I don't see them ever supporting add-on storage of the type you describe. It's 180-degrees opposed to their philosophy. Frankly I was more than a little surprised when they came out with a 64GB iPhone.

Ultimately this of course they are absolutely right, for most uses. Music, streaming on-demand video, and even back-issues of publications can be brought onto the device in a matter of seconds almost anywhere.

It's the "Almost" that is the sticking point, for example on a cross-country driving trip using one of the GPS apps that downloads maps via data connection it annoyed me that I had limited ability to change my route in the "middle of nowhere" with no data connection to download additional maps (it nicely pre-fetched map data for my intended route well ahead of time, but I couldn't re-route once I was out of data service area). So, I got an app that holds all map data in resident memory.

For what it's worth I bought the 64GB iPad and now the 64GB iPhone because I haven't quite developed a taste for the cloud kool-aid yet.

Thanks, this is what I was thinking also. Well I hope they can develop newsstand in the cloud like they have with iTunes in the cloud. And as my iPad is already out of space, times over, I hope it's soon!

 

[Meanee]

This kind of goes back to the need for the file system. I can already hear the usual groans. But I do not think it will happen.

First, Apple needs to push higher priced iPads with more capacity.
Second, connecting a portable hard drive would be awkward in terms of cabling and portability

Seagate's WiFi hard drive is a great idea, but lack of file system kills it for me. I want to load up TV shows on it without converting. AVPlayer HD won't be able to access that drive. Also, from what I read, the battery on the drive won't last as long as the battery on iPad.

 

[Dhelsdon]

I've had a brief experience with the Seagate GoFlex Satellite and I was utterly unimpressed. The idea is good, but the way they set it up is awful. Although I never got to test it WITH my iPad, I used it on a Macbook Pro and transferring files via their utility was brutal. It was clunky and slow.

I don't see any alternative at the moment though, if you're looking for that exact functionality while being on the go.. there's not many to choose from.