March 19, 2011 at 8:02 pm
I'm playing around with my son's iPad, and am wondering how you use your iPad? Is it just for play? Work? How? What "things" do you download and use?
I'm really intrigued, but I don't want this to be just a toy.
Wayne
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes
March 20, 2011 at 9:47 am
I use mine extensively for work. I find myself in one of several apps throughout the day (aside from safari, mail, etc.).
iTAP RDP - remote desktop client. Best one I've found so far, but I'm open to others comments.
iThought - mind mapping. I actually set up one may as my daily todo, one node for each day of the week. I can easily report my progress in our all staff daily meeting, and I can quickly reprioritize and bump slipped tasks to another appropriate day.
AnalyticsPro/Analytics HD - shows web site hit details from googles free analytics.
iBooks/Kindle app - tech books, with their diagrams are PERFECT with the large screen! Bookmarks, searching. Dreamland! I sometimes go to the local physical bookstore to browse content (ebook content flipping is quite terrible with usually only the 1st (useless) chapter offered for your purchasing judgement. Once I decide on a book or two, I buy it on my pad instead! Sucka! Uh, yes, I do recognize the end of this method in the future. But I just can't tolerate buying a huge bulky book anymore. The best part of iBooks is the easy incoorporation of PDFs in the reader. There are TONS of FREE ebooks in PDF format, even though the proper ebook format costs money. Although PDFs had limitations, so does my pocketbook.
Get started with free PDF ebooks here: http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Books/. A number of them are fantastic. I especially like SQL Server Execution Plans from Grant Fritchey. Others are also wonderful. Drag n drop PDFs into the iBooks section of iTunes and sync.
Jim
Jim Murphy
http://www.sqlwatchmen.com
@SQLMurph
March 20, 2011 at 10:55 am
Other than games? 😀
Writing. I've probably done more blogging from the iPad than from my computer since I bought it. It's far more convenient if I want to go and sit at a coffee shop and write, or write in bed, or in front of the TV, etc. The PC will still be needed, since there's no SQL Server for iPad, but far less than before. Many people I've spoken with (Steve and Grant included) can't handle the iPad's keyboard, but I found I can type near full speed on it.
Reading. I hate ebooks on a PC. I cannot sit and read for long periods from a PC screen (I get distracted by all the other things, and the form is just not conducive to easy reading). The iPad on the other hand is fine and I can sit for hours reading from it.
I use it for other things too. Currently following a recipe from it. Far easier than walking back into my study every time I want to check on a quantity.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
March 21, 2011 at 6:22 am
Let's see, movies, games, surfing the web...
For work?
Not much. I've done some writing on it because I have the ZaggMate keyboard. I take notes on it. I use it to keep an eye on SQL Monitor and I use it to demo SQL Monitor, but that's still largely about web surfing. I can run SQL Monitor on my Droid X too. I''m going to try using the WordPress app again soon. There have been a couple of updates since my last horrific experience. So far, I've found more productivity apps for the Droid. I'm really hoping for an excuse to get one of the new Droid slates that are coming out soon. (price on them is still an issue).
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
March 21, 2011 at 6:34 am
Grant Fritchey (3/21/2011)
I''m going to try using the WordPress app again soon. There have been a couple of updates since my last horrific experience.
Download BlogPress. Works very well. Some minor formatting issues when combined with code blocks, but nothing drastic. Works online, offline, let's you comment and manage comments, works with multiple blogs.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
March 21, 2011 at 7:36 am
GilaMonster (3/21/2011)
Download BlogPress
Thank you! I've never blogged before and am looking to setup my own real soon. I know that safari is not perfect when it comes to some HTML. The code blocks on this site get chopped, for example.
I'll check that app out.
Thanks again!
Jim
Jim Murphy
http://www.sqlwatchmen.com
@SQLMurph
March 21, 2011 at 8:58 pm
Kids do streaming and games
I downloaded the MCM prep videos and watched them. I read a decent amount on it but still read more on my phone. I also use evernote to take notes at conferences or on the road because of the battery life. My laptop dies during any log event. I use recipes on it, usually from the web but I can see tem while cooking. We also track my son's merit badge Scout progress on it
It's still mostly a toy. Useful but nit necessarily a great tool for me. If I were doing more RDP at an office I might find more uses. I have a Windows admin buddy that uses his everyday at work
March 24, 2011 at 8:12 am
just got the ipad 2 and use it for work email, kindle/ibooks/nook reader and listening to music.
a lot easier to check my SSRS emails on the ipad than to boot up my laptop, log in, VPN, open RDP to a work computer, etc
use it as an ipod after selling my old iphone
read on the train to from work. there is a fatwallet thread on free kindle books http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/1076568/m15815512/#m15815512
also have a lot of children's apps. there are lots of educational apps for it to teach kids to read. same price as buying the plastic junk from toys r us
my 3 year old loves youtube on it. my 5 month old likes the baby first TV app
i tried reading the free SQL ebooks on my iphone and it wasn't worth the effort. on the ipad the pdf's look very good and readable
apps like Zite and Pulse are awesome for reading RSS feeds and blogs
March 24, 2011 at 10:24 am
iPad 2? I'm jealous! A friend of mine just got the iPad 2 after selling their iPad 1. Loves it. New case sucks though - the whole device still feels like a fragile piece of glass. I like the 'old' apple case personally.
Thanks for the app tips! I'll check some of those out. Especially the learning to read apps. I'm hoping they will help me read better. My goal is to read as well as a 2nd grader by the time summer starts.
Jim
Jim Murphy
http://www.sqlwatchmen.com
@SQLMurph
March 24, 2011 at 11:26 am
few weeks ago i sold my wife's old iphone 3G and my old 3GS for $400. i'm on the HTC Inspire now. cost me $20 at costco.
found a Target in a not so good neighborhood and scored an ipad on the 11th. wanted a 16GB or 32GB wifi but ended up with a 64GB. like it a lot and it's the next evolution in personal computing. the ability to take comping power and data with you everywhere you go.
bought an ipad 1 case for mine, don't like the new smart covers. wanted something to cover the entire device
January 9, 2012 at 1:22 pm
I would say for games !!! my 4 and half son uses it all the time,sometimes I check my e-mail and that's it!!
useless device, only a fancy toy to show off or to reward yourself!!
January 9, 2012 at 1:26 pm
forgot about this
almost a year and i'm on my second ipad 2. first one i dropped, screen cracked and apple gave me a free replacement.
i use mine mostly for reading kindle and ibooks. some games, usually depending on if i get a seat on the train. and educational apps for kids. most days i never take my laptop out of the bag when i come home and use my iphone and ipad
January 9, 2012 at 1:36 pm
I have an Android tablet instead, so I don't use an iPad for anything at all.
If Android tablets count for this (resurrected) discussion, I use mine for work, play, reading (educational and entertainment), and even as a paperweight.
Play:
Games
Surfing
Movies
Pictures
Reading (Kindle app)
Education:
Reading
Surfing (research)
News
Work:
Server monitoring
Server alerts
Social (personal and professional):
et al
- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
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