Category Archives: iOS

An iPad as your only computer

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Note: This article was originally written on March 31, 2010 before the original iPad was released. It has since been updated with new information following the announcement of iOS 5 and iCloud.

Is it possible for someone to use an iPad as their only computer? The short answer is “yes.” The longer answer is that all of the information we have about the iPad right now is still preliminary. Based on my current analysis I cannot see any reason that someone couldn’t use an iPad as their only computer.

But would you want to? Like any computer, it depends on what you’re going to do with it. Are you the type of person that mainly checks email and browses the web? The iPad is probably the best computer for you – I can’t imagine a better browsing experience on any other computer that is currently available. And, of course, you can download music, TV shows, movies, books, apps, and more directly from the iPad.

Likewise, people that are roadwarriors would also be well suited with the iPad. They get great browsing and email plus a very nice way to manage their contacts and what looks like the best user experience ever for keeping a calendar on a PC. Roadwarriors will also benefit from great prices on 3G cellular data service for the iPad and a computer that is always connected.

Of course there are people that can’t use an iPad as their only computer – for now. Some tasks people use their computers for are currently too complex for the iPad. For instance, graphic designers that use applications like Photoshop need to also have a Mac. Software developers need to stick with a PC that runs their developer tools. People with large music or photo libraries need more storage than the iPad currently allows. And people that edit photos or videos on their computer can’t make the switch. But, a lot of people don’t use their computers for any of that. And for those people, the iPad may be the perfect computer.

You’re probably thinking to yourself “why would anyone want to use an iPad as their only PC?” Because it’s better for them. It’s easier to use. They’re directly manipulating the interfaces instead of through two layers of abstraction – the mouse and the pointer. The screen is filled with the activity they want to focus on. They don’t need to bother with where to store files or how to install or remove applications. As easy as that is on a Mac, it’s easier on the iPhone and iPad. And they absolutely do not need to worry about any sort of system maintenance for the iPad like they do with their PC regardless of whether it is a Mac or runs Windows.

That said, there are a few questions that I have about the iPad when it comes to trying to use it as your only computer. I’m going to leave them in this article as open questions about the iPad and as I gather the answers I will write them up here.

Can it print?

Yes. Apple introduced AirPrint as part of the iOS 4 update.

No. According to Andy Ihnatko during his appearance on a special edition of MacBreak Weekly, the iPad does not support printing at a system level. So, you cannot print directly from Pages or any of the iWork apps. He did mention that there are apps for the iPhone that will allow you to print wirelessly and he expects to see updated versions of those for the iPad.

I’m surprised that it can’t. Hopefully this is something that Apple is working on for iPhone OS 4.0. The new printing features that Apple added to the latest version of Mac OS X, Snow Leopard, seem like they were created for the iPhone OS and the iPad. Snow Leopard will download and install printer drivers as needed. So, you can install Snow Leopard on your Mac without any printer drivers. The first time you try to print, the Mac will look for nearby printers and will download & install the appropriate drivers for you. It’s a seamless process and would work very well on the iPad.

Can it update its own OS without being connected to another computer?

When iOS 5 comes out in the autumn, it will be able to download iOS updates directlywithout connecting to another computer.

No. See the answer to the next question.

Is there a way to backup the iPad other than syncing with iTunes? Will a Time Capsule work?

Yes, iOS 5 will support backup to iCloud for free up to the first 5 Gigabytes. Additional capacity will be available for a currently unannounced fee.

No. Andy Ihnatko comments in his article Sure, the iPad is cool – but is it a real computer? on the Chicago Sun-Times that syncing with iTunes is “the only way to backup the device and the only way to apply a system update.”

How well does the photos app work at cataloging photos imported directly into the iPad from a camera or SD card using the Camera Connection Kit? Can you touch-up your photos?

The iPad and the Photos app do a good job of importing directly from a camera or SD card. And retouching photos is something that can be easily added by a third party app since they all have access to the photo library.

Plus, iOS 5 will build some basic photo editing tools into the Photos app and will enable organizing photos into albums directly on the iPad.

Can you initially setup an iPad based with content and settings from your previous computer as you can with a Mac?

You’ll be able to do this from an iCloud backup once iOS 5 arrives.

At this point the only way you can do this is by using iTunes on your previous computer to sync everything to the iPad.

Can it sync with an iPhone or iPod?

The release of iOS 5 and iCloud will keep iPads and iPhones in sync without a computer as an intermediary.

No. Only information that syncs over the air using MobileMe would sync between an iPad and an iPhone or iPod touch.

As you can see, Apple has addressed everyone of the issues I identified when the iPad first came out with features added in iOS 4 and to be added soon in iOS 5. The answer this autumn to the question “Can I use an iPad as my only computer?” will be a resounding “Yes!”

What the iPad's Finder should be

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When I first got the iPad, one of the things that seemed to be missing was a way to view all (or most) of the files that were on it. I believed at the time that would surely be one of the holes Apple would plug in the next major revision of iOS. Since we may get a peak at that this Wednesday, now is a good time to share my ideas and see how far off I am.

People need to be able to see all of the files they have on their iPad so that they can easily open, share, and print them. Currently, the only way someone can see a file on their iPad is through the application that owns it. Files that are attached to messages in Mail can be opened with any app that has announced itself as capable of opening that type of file. But there is no way to just see all your files.

So, obviously, Apple should expose the file hierarchy to the user to solve this problem. Right? Well, no, Apple is building a new kind of computing platform with the iPad and iOS. One that doesn’t require the arcane knowledge that PCs and even Macs require. One that is almost as maintenance free as a toaster.

What Apple should do is to use the rich metadata they have on each file to give people a variety of views into their files. iOS already knows what apps can handle file attachments, so one of the views could be stacks of files that can be opened by each app. Want to see if you have any other files you can add to your iBooks library? Just reverse pinch the iBooks stack of files the same way you could peak into a stack of images in the Photos app. Another obvious view is by file type. Apple could stack all of the documents, movies, images, sounds, etc. up into their own little piles. Tapping on the actual file would either display it via Quick Look or provide a list of apps that can open it. Dates and other information the iPad has about different file types could come into play as either different ways to view files or just a way to break up large stacks. What kind of file, when it was worked on, and where they intend to open it are just three views Apple could provide. I’m sure there are more.

The Photos app

This approach combines the familiarity of the Photos app interface with the power of viewing files based on metadata that iPad already has for each file. It makes it easy for people to grasp, they don’t have to worry about hierarchies, and they can look through their files in a way that matches their current mindset regardless of what they’re looking for.

Wireless printing coming to iOS 4

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Apple has invited members of the press to an event tomorrow showcasing iPhone OS 4. One of the things I expect to hear about is system-wide support for printing. There are already a few apps that provide printing capability for the iPhone, iPod touch, and now the iPad. But, Apple hasn’t provided the a common printing capability that all apps could use.

When I was watching Steve Jobs’ announcement of the iPad, I thought it would be a neat device but wasn’t convinced that I needed one. That is, until the end of his presentation when he announced iWork for the iPad. On seeing those apps demoed, I was immediately struck with the idea that the iPad represents the future of personal computing. But I also assumed that I’d be able to print from those apps — so that I could still share with people living in the past.

It isn’t just iWork that made me think we would be able to print from our iPads. It’s also taking a look back at Snow Leopard through the lens of the iPad. The improvements to printing in that update to Mac OS X now seem as though they were driven by the need to bring printing to the iPad (iOS and Mac OS share a foundation). They solve the problem of identifying and installing the appropriate printer driver for the printer you want to use on a device that has no slot for a disc containing printer drivers. It’s a very slick and seamless process on the Mac that makes finding and setting up printers so much easier. But these improvements are an absolute requirement to print from the iPad. I have to think this was part of Apple’s long term plan for the iPad and the new user interface for printing simply didn’t make the cut for the iPad’s April 3 release — even though the foundation was already laid.

Lending further support to my speculation that we’ll see printing as part of Apple’s announcement about iPhone OS 4 tomorrow are some iPad support documents that were discovered. Those documents state that “printing directly from iPad is not currently available.” The wording is the key here and it’s Apple’s use of currently that implies that this problem is only temporary.

I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s announcement. If I am right about this, it is one more step towards the iPad being able to function as someone’s only computer.

Update: Wireless printing is coming in iOS 4.2 which is the first version of iOS 4 to run on the iPad. According to Apple, iOS 4.2 will be available in November 2010 for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.

Sync your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad!

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You probably connected your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad to your computer when you first bought it to get your music. Have you connected it since then to synchronize it with your computer? If you haven’t, you should.

Syncing your iPhone with your computer will do three key things. It’ll update the apps, music, videos, podcasts, photos, etc. on your iPhone based on whatever you have on your computer. This may be all that you expected would happen. But, it will also backup your iPhone so that if you lose your iPhone (or replace it for any other reason) you can load the new one with a backup and get everything back as it was. It’s really seamless and will appear magical the first time you setup a new device from a backup. The other benefit syncing will give you is that iTunes will periodically check to make sure the system software on your phone is the latest and greatest version. iTunes will prompt you to download and install the newest version of the OS if your phone isn’t up-to-date. You’ll get new features and/or fixes for issues when your OS is updated.

These are three great benefits to regularly syncing your device with iTunes. Do it at least monthly. You’ll want that backup one day in the future!

How to do an ad hoc install of an iOS app

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You can run iOS applications that weren’t downloaded from the iTunes App Store. This is referred to as ad hoc installation and is usually something you would do at the request of a developer for testing purposes of the app.

You’ll need to supply the developer of the app with an identifier for your device so that they can give it permission to run the application. The developer will then send you two files that are required to run the app: a provisioning profile and the application itself. You can either use the Ad Hoc Helper app to send your Unique Device Identifier (UDID) to the developer or follow these steps:

  1. Connect your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad to your computer.
  2. Open iTunes if it isn’t already.
  3. Select your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad from the Devices section of the list on the left side of the iTunes window.
  4. Select the Summary tab.
  5. Click on the Serial Number field to the right of the large icon of your device. It will change to an Identifier field.
  6. Press Command-C (Macintosh) or Control-C (Windows) to copy the identifier to your clipboard.
  7. Paste the identifier into a message to the developer by using Command-V (Macintosh) or Control-V (Windows).

Once you’ve received both files from the developer, follow these steps to install an app that is distributed in an ad hoc fashion instead of via the App Store.

  1. Connect your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad to your computer.
  2. Drag the provisioning profile file to iTunes (it has a .mobileprovision extension). You won’t receive any feedback from iTunes that this was successful.
  3. Decompress (or unzip) the Zip file containing the app. You’ll use the app file contained inside the Zip for the next step.
  4. Drag the application file (it has a .app extension) to iTunes.
  5. Sync your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. If the app does not appear on your device, make sure it is one of the checked apps on your device’s Applications tab in iTunes before syncing.

How to take screenshots with iOS

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Did you know you can take screenshots with iOS? Taking a screenshot is pretty easy to do. All that you have to do is simultaneously press the Lock button (on the top-right, sometimes referred to as the Sleep/Wake button) and the Home button. You’ll see the entire screen flash white and hear a camera shutter sound indicating that you’ve successfully taken a shot.

The iPhone's Photos application

But where is it? There isn’t a desktop or a clipboard for the shot to be placed on. Instead, press the Home button and select the Photos application. You’ll find your screenshots in the Camera Roll photo album.

The Camera Roll album

So, what can you do with it? They are synchronized to your PC just like you can with normal photos you’ve taken while out and about. But, you can also use it from within some of your apps like Twitterrific so you can your upload images to Twitter.