iPad and USB

Bob-Dubery

I have to bite the tablet bullet at some point. What I'm trying to avoid is too many devices. Mrs X-rate has a Kindle, an MP3 player, a notebook PC and is now lusting after an android tablet. That's a lot of hardware to lug around and have. I'm trying to figure out what my priorities are and fine ONE device that will deliver what I want.

The iPad 3 seems to do nearly everything I think I need, but there's one drol in die drinkwater: USB.

Now, it looks to me like actually iPad has at least rudimentary USB support because they provide that camera kit accessory that allows you download photos from another camera via the camera's USB connector. Some reviews I have read (of the iPad 2) say that with that kit you can connect up a USB keyboard. This usually works but Apple, when approached are non committal and say, basically, "if it works then it works but we didn't promise you it would work."

So... anybody got any info on this? Can I, for example, get the camera kit, hook up a USB hub and write to a memory stick whilst using a USB keyboard?

AlanRatcliffe

My wife looked into this recently specifically she wanted to be able to copy/move stuff from her camera to an external USB drive. Good info on http://connect.dpreview.com/post/8241012583/tablets-for-photographers . The main concern was for a full-size USB port for external devices.

She rejected the iPad quite quickly for extremely limited features and as overpriced. The Toshiba Thrive looked the best bet with a full size USB, SD card reader and other stuff, but then a Groupon deal popped up on an inexpensive Acer with two USB ports (IIRC), so she rushed into that (only to find it had a microSD reader).

The simple solution (and one we used in KZN, where she took a few hundred GB of photos) was a USB hub with a card reader and a 2.5" external drive. Sidesteps the issues of limited storage and the fact that tablets are more than a little iffy at reading directly from cameras. Of course, with a decent connection, cloud storage removes the need for the USB drive, but you can't always rely on a good connection when travelling.

Also - most of the docking stations remove the need for a USB keyboard and have USB ports/hubs built in - a definite option.

---mario---

I recently acquired a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, it's my first tablet, but I did my research properly and it beats the iPads hands down in versatility IMHO. It depends on what you want to be able to do with it and what you are willing to spend, I choose the Note for the following reasons:
SD card slot
Preinstalled document, spreadsheet and presentation creator (look carefully which devices has editor programs installed, most only have readers, but you can download editor's) which does both '98 to 2003 and 2007 formats and can export to pdf.
Stylus, makes note taking, artistic programs and surfing the web much easier (picks up the stylus remotely, so you can actually use dropdown menus as you would with hovering a mouse)
Amount of attachments available(hard to find, but they're there) car docking stations, keyboards, usb and card docks, etc
GPS, HD, battery life, makes a nifty paperweight as well
And I could get it on credit from FNB for a total repayment price a couple of hundred bucks less than the cheapest retail cash price I could find.

Ray

get an IPAD. you get what they call the camera adapter which plugs into the IPAD's lightning adapter and has a USB female on the other end. then you attach anything. I did a bit of reading and I was planning on doing some recording (still yet to get to that) and the talk is that the latency on Android is just too terrible for words.

Bob-Dubery

Thanks guys.

I've discounted Android already. Yes, I know that rules a lot of devices out, but c'est la vie and all that. I drew up a little check list of features that I needed, and the iPad ticked all the boxes (on my list) EXCEPT USB. Now maybe that's not such an issue (though the solution is not aesthetically attractive). I might hold back a bit and see if the Windows offerings start catching up - they seem to be lacking when it comes to actual hardware firepower.

I also need to start thinking more about bluetooth.

---mario---

There's plenty of windows8 devices out now, some have usb hubs built in and there's a couple that run i3 and i5 processors, problem is the closer your tablet's functions gets to a laptop the bulkier they get, but have a look here
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Windows_8_and_RT_tablet_devices
It's a pretty good summary, also keep an eye out for the new smaller tablets coming out in the Windows Surface series.
I was seriously considering a W8 tablet but the lack of SIM ports and the insane prices compared to a similar spec laptop put me off.

sharonzaz

iPad 3 works perfectly with most USB keyboards, even if you connect
the camera kit, you will usually get the ''device not supported'' msg, but it will still work fine.

keyboard wise, get one of the covers that has a BT keyboard, usually supporting extra keys to lock/unlock your iPad etc.

DX.com has many of those for really stupid cheap deals, i buy from them almost on a monthly basis.

I own almost every device out there, without a doubt apple takes the cake hands down, there is no competition.

the samsung has only one feature up on the ipad and that is built in IR for remote controlling your TV etc, not useful to me as i got a PC hooked up to my tv and i can control it with my iphone/ipad and almost any app.

as far as most apps, browsing, mail, games etc, ipad just superior to all others.
US apple id (easy to setup) will get you access to real cool extra games and apps, and the paid ones you can just get vouchers and redeem them.

other things like rumours that samsung and android are gonna split.
basically that was supposed to happen before the S4 launch and i think the new platform was not ready therefore samsung launched it with android.
this is reason to stay away for now from samsung products as should they
will not continue with android you are stuck without updates and upgrades for your unit.
in comparison, apple updates all devices equally all the way down to iPhone 3GS and ipod touch 4gen.

=
here you go

Highway-Chile

Go with the iPad......and the Retina display is superb.

My 12yr old daughter has one of the BT keyboard covers for her school IPad and it works great, although it is a bit harder on the battery life. Going to get another one for my 7yr old's school iPad also.

Another solution is obviously just to drop the images in your iTunes and set it to sync the images into your iPad. (didn't really read your requirements so forgive me if I am off the mark. ) The adaptor is a good choice also.

Lot's of KILLER app's for music....amp sims, control surfaces etc.