Ipad Connectivity

[A_Traveller]

All, wonder if someone can help clarify a few points.

I've been asked to look at using an iPad as a presentation device, however all content is created by CAD systems for which Apple is an anathema.

The 32GB 3G version has been purchased here, which I presume means it's been jail broken? Is there a way to confirm this.

If I connect it do I really have to use iTunes? Is there a method which allows me to treat the iPad as a 'hard disk' based device or another connexion manager? I suspect the real issue here is that there doesn't appear to be an accessible file system. Looks like each 'App' stores its data in a walled garden.

I obviously don't want to 'brick' the device so any advice would be most welcome.

Regards & TIA

PS If anyone has a long memory, yes I did test this product close to release, but the device was provided populated with media, video etc. so connectivity wasn't on the list, let alone to 'alien' systems.

Edit Typo

Edited August 31, 2010 by A_Traveller

[TheLaughingMan]

An ipad with 3g is NOT like an iphone that needs to be unlocked and jailbroken. The ipad you bought is most likely not jailbroken and there is no reason to think it is, the only reason to jailbreak an ipad right now is to take control of it (modify it and make it look different) and to load up stolen apps which is wrong and evil and you go to hel_l for doing stuff like that.

There are apps that allow you to transfer files through a web page on a network and you can email files to yourself and then open them with the appropriate app. That is the only way to get files on and off the ipad without using itunes, but if you dont actually have a valid reason for not using itunes you should just use itunes. What presentation app are you using? Iwork one?

You wont brick the ipad.

[A_Traveller]

Thanks for the clarifications. I'd been led to understand that the machine shared a common code base, hence my concerns. Since I'm typing this on a dual CPU [not dual core] system with some 60k US licensed software, let's not question legality however, I don't require need nor want an iTunes account etc. which seems to be a requisite. Again if I'm miss-reading [Heavens I'm trying to RTFM first {though there isn't one per se}] please advise.

Again thanks for the info.

Regards

[A_Traveller]

Just to add to confusion, if I go to the Apps tab, I'm presented with the store front with data [Welecome xxxx! & Account balance displayed] which suggests that it [the store connexion] belongs to someone else. I might not have made it clear that I didn't buy this, but it was supplied to me but had been bought by them here a few days ago.

Are iPads here normally preconfigured, [the individual purchasing it is not by any stretch of the imagination a techie] as opposed to the connect to iTunes requirement. Is this done as a service I was looking to see about installing gooodreader, which looks to provide some external functionality, as opposed to ipdf which is on the iPad presently.

Again advice most welcome.

As an aside, though I understand the commercial imperative behind all this, [the same imperative being behind the so called technical argument about Flash, see iAd] the inability to simply treat this device as such, strikes me as frustrating. Guess if your prime requirement is media consumption then system and the infrastructure supports this well. However, going outside those imposed limits seems to be fraught with pitfalls.

One can only smile at the actions by Citrix et al, to provide Windows 7 functionality on the device, at a price.

Regards

Edited August 31, 2010 by A_Traveller

[Somtamnication]

Can the CAD content be transfered to HTML5 for presentation purposes? That might be an option. Movie?

[Somtamnication]

Conversely, you can wait for this. It will make your life easier and it will have a viewer for CAD files for the IPAD.

http://gizmodo.com/5626272/autocad-coming-back-to-apple-after-18-years

Edited August 31, 2010 by Somtamnication

[A_Traveller]

^^ Thanks for that, however, to be honest, I'm more interested in how to access this device. If this was a Windows, or for that matter a Unix platform things would be, at the least, simpler. I understand the appeal, even one could say the halo effect, but without a manageable infrastructure [iTunes really doesn't count] this looks like a non-starter, or more accurately a negative RoI.

The concept of emailing a 400mb container does strike one as foolish as a going in position.

I have to say it is interesting, or maybe by obeying the 'rules' I'm in the wrong place how no one is here discussing how to link the device effectively in a non Apple host environment. Does no one do this? Does everyone just connect with iTunes to established 'Apps' [by the by, what's wrong with the word program] with their established protocols and delineated spaces.

Have to say it seems odd to me. I suppose I could explore the jailbreak [spirit] option but this may well move into negative RoI again.

Regards

PS Was on the phone between starting to type and posting, so have just seen the link, which I'll follow, thanks.

PPS AutoCad is not the issue here, plus, it's still the same problem how do you use the resource underlying the iPad? The comments make interesting reading, since there's an implicit assumption in some that the device is at least accessible. Would the plan be to have a mini viewer supporting DWG [no use to me for this] and you iTunes a set to this program?

Edited August 31, 2010 by A_Traveller

[A_Traveller]

Just to note here, I'm not being anti-Apple, I could do what I want to do on the Air for example, but as far as I can see without 'breaking-in' the iPad will not work, short I guess of creating a program, submitting it to Apple and endeavouring to place it in their store, which would not be a effective use of my time. To be fair, having typed that I'll briefly take a look at the SDK, but I recall the T&C raised some concerns.

Regards

[TheLaughingMan]

No, ipads are not preconfigured, you need to connect to itunes to get it going, whoever gave you the ipad did that on their computer.

So uh, seriously, what is your issue with just using itunes to transfer files? Seems like you are making a huge problem when there desont need to be one.

[A_Traveller]

In short, the shop at MBK provided the iPad as it is, 'pre-configured'. The owner has not connected it to anything at this stage, apart from using the data plan and WiFi to surf. What he wants to do is not possible without jail breaking or maybe spending on an SDK approach, which given his costs to date will probably be a negative.

Other options may include using Air Sharing HD [though it's still a walled garden] but again I'm loath to commit resources to this without the client approving the increasing spend. The client believing the, shall we say PR, had visions of using the iPad in a particular manner, which if the device was a} accessible, and b} a computing platform, as opposed to being focused as a media device, would have been possible with a reasonable expenditure. Oddly I've run through possible methods for Android and the Mac Air, which are certainly doable close to 'out of the box', but I suspect that will not meet his desires.

I asked here because the device and I are both in Bangkok, and I'd anticipated a more technically challenging user community, give the early adopter profile. Again thanks to those who replied, and those who read and thought about it. In closing I attach a link to part of a item on The Register site, which sums up [and saves me typing], my perspective on the device.

Prisoner of iTunes

Regards

[TheLaughingMan]

How can it come preconfigured from mbk when its sealed in the box?! you mean you bought a used ipad is what you are saying?

[A_Traveller]

Um. I have said repeatedly, I didn't buy anything, the client purchased it at MBK.

Regards

PS Just to add, I've just spoken to the client who confirmed he purchased a 'sealed box', which the shop offered to 'set-up' for him, including the data plan + SIM which suited him fine. So no, it's not second-hand, but to be repetitive he did not set it up, hence the term pre-configured.

Edited September 1, 2010 by A_Traveller

[TheLaughingMan]

He purchased a sealed box which the shop then offered to set up. That makes sense, before it did not. I would just reset it up with a new account as you cannot buy apps as far as I can tell. If you jailbreak it then you dont need to worry.

The ipad is completely NOT a stand alone product, the refusal of you or the client to learn how to connect such a device to a computer is mind boggling. Just get rid of it if you guys are this stubborn lol. I'll buy it at a discounted price if you guys are interested.

[A_Traveller]

Thanks for your input <sigh>. We were perfectly able to connect [once we had budget approval] and indeed access the system within the device, by hook or by crook, [avatar reference] however, unless Apple permits a 'private label' programme [we are asking] the end result is that we'll not be able to provide the service the client envisaged. In short, the iPad remains primarily a mass media consumption device in both the out of the box and even by and large jail-broken states.

That is in and of itself not a criticism of the product, heaven forfend, but an acknowledgement of the commercial [not technical] imperatives driving Apple [Media] Corp. Maybe in version 3 there'll be a move towards some opening of the platform, but the announcements last night, including iTunes 10, plus of course the iAd initiative lead me to suspect that it is unlikely.

Clearly we've come to the end of the road with this discussion.

Regards

[TheLaughingMan]

lol, you took me too seriously, I like to joke around.... and it encourages me when someone talks as stiffly as you do! haha But I didn't mean to be offensive. I truly don't understand the problem though if you can transfer files through itunes to the app that you will use for presentation then what is the problem? I'm thinking along the lines of the iwork presentation app, cant you just create the presentation on the ipad or transfer it to the ipad through itunes and present using iwork?