The iPad Downloads Blog

I’m quite fond of text-expansion utilities that automatically replace  short abbreviations with boilerplate text, such as your name or address, or even multiple paragraphs. I’ve purchased two such apps for my iPad, and I like them both a lot, for different reasons:

• TextExpander (SmileOnMyMac, $4.99)
  TextExpander is a customizable typing shortcut tool that saves time and keystrokes. With TextExpander, you can define abbreviations for frequently-used text strings and images, also known as snippets. When an abbreviation is typed, it expands automatically to the full snippet.You can use your TextExpander touch snippets directly in over 100 apps that support it, including Twittelator, TwitBird Pro, Elements, Simplenote, WriteRoom, Circus Ponies NoteBook, DEVONthink To Go, BusyToDo, Things, and Zendesk.
• TapIt4Me (Ettore Software, $4.99)
  TapIt4Me can use TextExpander and TypeIt4Me snippet files. While TypeIt4Me will insert snippets directly into any desktop application, TapIt4Me makes you compose your messages entirely within special “notes” pages. Once your note is completed, though, a simple tap of an icon will send the entire text block to the Mail app.Armed with TapIt4Me, you’ll no longer have to wrestle with Apple’s quirky baked-in Auto-Complete suggestions to turn your thoughts into notes on the screen, one word at a time.

As I write this, both of them has been updated already to take advantage of the iPad’s larger screen. They work well, I presume they’ll both appear new features in iPad-friendly versions soon, and I recommend keeping your eye out for them. They’re sure to be must-have tools.

You may be wondering, as many other people are, whether having an iPad means you can leave your laptop at home — at least some of the time. That depends, of course, on a lot of variables. But instead of trying to answer that question abstractly, you can gather experimental evidence to figure it out for real.

Try this.

For the next two weeks, take your iPad with you everywhere you possibly can. It’ll fit in any backpack or briefcase and many purses. It’s so light that if you’re already planning to carry pretty much anything else, you’ll barely notice having your iPad along as well.

If you think you might need your laptop too, no problem. Do as I do: slip your iPad into a spare pocket in your laptop case! But also make a point of carrying it when you go out without your laptop. One way or another, have it with you wherever you go. (Naturally, make exceptions when going to the pool, riding a rollercoaster, or running a marathon—common sense applies as usual!)

The point of this experiment is to make your iPad available to yourself in as many situations as possible. You can’t use it if it’s not there, but if it is there and you try to get some work done, you may find that your creativity kicks in, and novel uses or techniques occur to you. You may think to yourself, “If only there were an app that did such-and-such,” and then find that there is indeed such an app.

And, if you have your laptop too, try using the iPad first. See for yourself what’s possible, what’s awkward, and what’s out of the question. With a couple weeks’ experience, you should have a good feel for when and to what extent the iPad can be the only device you need—perhaps with the addition of some software and an accessory or two.

Best of all, you may discover that you can now get “real” work done in places you never could before—on the subway, while waiting in line, or even (you know you’re thinking it) in the bathroom.

Do be careful not to get your iPad wet, though!

The iPad is Apple’s first mobile device with 802.11n built in and with support for two different frequency bands: 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) and 5 GHz. The two bands allow greater flexibility: the 2.4 GHz range  works over longer distances, but suffers from interference from nearby networks, baby monitors, microwave ovens, and Bluetooth devices.  The 5 GHz range is more effective over shorter distances, offering twice  the speed or greater on the same device used in 2.4 GHz.

The 2.4 GHz band was the original Wi-Fi spectrum range, and older 802.11b and 802.11g devices (including original AirPort base stations and 2003–2006 AirPort Extreme base stations) can work only with that networking option. The 5 GHz band is used primarily by 802.11n, but it is also used by an old, still-in-use standard called 802.11a, which is on very few devices.

While you can’t configure networks you use out in public to make the iPad work better, you can fix you home network, and you can either change or suggest changes to an office network, depending on who runs it.

Having the choice of these two bands makes it easier for the iPad to  move data back and forth at high speeds, such as for streaming media  or downloading files directly from the Internet. Your best bet for high performance is to have a 5 GHz network operating. The iPad, like Macs sold since October 2006, will preferentially pick the best network for its location. If an iPad is close to a wireless router, it will choose 5 GHz for speed; if it is farther away, and it can’t get a clean 5 GHz connection, it drops to 2.4 GHz to keep the connection active.

You can create a Wi-Fi network that offers simultaneous use of both bands in one of two ways, either of which may require hardware you don’t already own:

• Use a simultaneous dual-band router, such as the 2009 or later models of the AirPort Extreme Base Station or Time Capsule. Such routers have two separate radio systems, and can push out signals over 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz at the same time at full speed on each.
• Use two separate base stations, at least one each for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Attach them with Ethernet to form one network. The 2007 and 2008 models of the AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule, and all 2008 and later AirPort Express base stations, offer 802.11n but work on only one band at a time.

Rather than carry a separate device (no matter how small) along with  your iPad and mobile phone, wouldn’t it be nice if the phone could act  as the router? We’re starting to see more of that. With the right software, a phone can activate its 3G and WiFi radios at the same time, and, like a laptop using Internet sharing, route cellular data to and from devices connected over WiFi.

The only such commercially available, carrier-supported phones in the United States at the moment are offered by Verizon: the Palm Pixi Pro and Palm Pre Pro. These two, with a downloadable free, separate application, can be activated to share a 3G data connection. For competitive reasons, Verizon recently eliminated a separate fee for use of the phone as a hotspot. Now, with a minimum $39.99 voice plan and $29.99 mobile broadband plan (a truly unlimited plan), you’re set to go. (AT&T has plans at this writing to offer Palm Pre phones, but hadn’t announced hotspot pricing, or if it will even be available.)

Two other options recently became available:

• Version 2.2 (“Froyo”) of the Google-backed Android operating system for smartphones was released in May 2010. The new version has tethering and mobile hotspot features, but the pricing and any limitations have yet to be announced. Verizon and T-Mobile heavily promote Android phones.
• Sprint introduced the HTC Evo 4G in June 2010, a hybrid 3G/4G  phone that works on Sprint’s 3G and on Clearwire’s 4G network. It features a hotspot offering, which requires a separate $29.99 per month fee on top of any data plan to use on a 3G network and is subject to the same 5 GB limits and overage fees that apply to other Sprint plans. When the phone was launched, it enabled the mobile hotspot feature only when a 4G network was present; Sprint said it will turn on 3G mobile hotspot use and add the fee in July 2010.

When you’re looking for something specific within a book — or you’re  trying to settle a bar bet — take advantage of the speedy search feature in iBooks.

Tap a result to jump to that page, where the term is highlighted.  To expand your search, tap the Search Google or Search Wikipedia button. The iPad opens Safari and performs the search via the Web (provided you have an active Internet connection, of course).

Notice that just previously, the options above the  selected text include a Copy button. If you select text in a title you  bought from the iBookstore (including Winnie-the-Pooh), the Copy button is not available. Thank a paranoid and no doubt expensive lawyer for the trouble. Books bought from Apple may be encumbered by digital rights management (DRM) that prohibits copying text—including short fair-use snippets. The restriction does not  apply to free books from the Project Gutenberg library, which are also available from the iBookstore.

If you’re not sure which category a particular file falls under, iTunes (on your computer) can help:

1. In the iTunes sidebar, under Library, select Books.
2. Select a book title and then choose File > Get Info.
3. Click the Summary button (if the pane is not already active).
4. Below the book’s cover image, note the Kind description, which indicates the type of DRM applied:
   • Book: A book you added to the library, with no DRM applied.
   • Purchased Book: A DRM-free book downloaded from the iBookstore.
   • Protected Book: A book bought from the iBookstore that has Apple’s FairPlay copy-protection scheme applied.

Many magazines are available on the iPad. Wired has caught my eye with its experimental tablet version.It’s mostly a replica of the print edition(including ads),but it has novel navigation features and interactive diagrams(and ads). At$3.99 for each issue,WIRED Magazine isn’t cheap; I’m hoping the experiment gets less expensive over time. Another example in this vein is the free TIME Magazine app,which offers issues as in-app purchases at$4.99 per issue. Again, that’s pretty steep,especially for a weekly newsmagazine, so we’ll see how the business model shakes out.

If you’re more comfortable with the magazine rates for printed subscriptions,and don’t demand interactivity,look to the free Zinio Magazine Newsstand&Reader. Zinio is essentially a container that lets you subscribe to digital editions of many magazines.In most cases you’re viewing what amounts to a PDF reproduction of the magazine,but some articles are also available in a text-only view, which can be more readable.

RSS,or Really Simple Syndication,is a Web protocol for subscribing to the latest news from a variety of sources.In ye olden days,I’d visit a couple dozen Web sites—each in their own window—to catch up on the latest articles.RSS provides the same service,but without all the clutter.Now,I use an RSS reader app that presents the latest news in easily-skimmed portions.I can get the gist of what’s going on quickly, or visit a Web site to get more detail.

My current favorite RSS newsreader is Reeder for iPad(Silvio Rizzi, $4.99).Also worth checking out are NewsRack (omz:software,$4.99)and NetNewsWire for iPad(NewsGator Technologies,$9.99).

For a while,I was confined to reading the comics on my computer,and even with a laptop, that wasn’t ideal. One of the great things about comic is their portability. Comics and other media outlets benefit by making their content available for the iPad,because the screen is large enough that someone can read it like comics or magazines,riding a bus or train or reclined in a favorite chair. Many publishers have created their own iPad apps to exert greater control over the reading experience and,in some cases,experiment with interactive possibilities.

If you’re a fan of comic books,you’ll love the iPad and one of the many available comic readers.The heavy hitters, Marvel Comics and DC Comics offer free readers that can be used to buy issues(sadly,not many current ones yet).These two apps are created by Comixology, so you get the same features:full-page viewing as well as an interactive,panel-by-panel mode that moves you through the story. Many independent publishers are also making their wares available, such as Panelfly Comics and iVerse Comics.

I haven’t seriously read comics since I was a kid,but the iPad makes me want to get back into them. The iPad’s large screen is ideal for full-color comics. For a great survey of comic-book reading options on the iPad,see Jason Snell’s Macworld article“The iPad as a comic-book reader,”at http://www.macworld.com/article/151291/.

Numbers,Sheet2 HD,Office2 HD,and Documents To Go are excellent tools for creating and editing spreadsheets,each for different reasons.However,they aren’t the only options,and if none of them scratches your itch,you might prefer one of these:

• Discount Spreadsheet:This universal app is a simple spreadsheet app with only a tiny subset of the features in most com- peting products,but then,if your needs are modest,you’ll appreciate the low cost and simplicity.Note that it can import and export.csv(comma-separated value)files but not Excel files.(Luminant Software,$1.99)
• Documents 2:Although this universal app’s list of features suggests that it’s in the same league as Office2 HD or Documents To Go,it’s actually much more limited.It can create and edit simple spreadsheets,saving them as.csv files—and can view(but not edit)Excel files.It can also connect to Google Docs,FTP servers,and computers on your local Wi-Fi network, and supports a variety of file types.However,I found that the app crashed frequently and that some of its features didn’t work at all on my iPad;caveat emptor.(SavySoda,$1.99)
• Mariner Calc:This full-featured iPad spreadsheet app has two key features that Numbers lacks:the capability of saving Excel spreadsheets in their native format,and a built-in Web server that lets you transfer spreadsheets to and from your computer wirelessly.Of course,it doesn’t have some of the flashier Numbers features(such as charts and forms),but depending on your needs,it may be a more effective way to get your work done.(Mariner Software,$5.99)

If you have a Gmail account,you also have access to the free Google Docs suite of Web-based office applications,including the Google Documents word processor(http://docs.google.com/).Google Documents doesn’t have all the features of Microsoft Word,but it has the basics and even a few advanced capabilities—and it provides a familiar editing environment right in your Web browser’s window. Plus, it can import and export files in Word format.

Alas,if you visit your Google Docs account in Safari on the iPad, Google shows you the Mobile version of its Documents app—which, unfortunately,is read-only.It’s fine for viewing your documents,but useless for editing them.

To edit Google Documents on the iPad,you have two choices:

• Use Pages:Since Google Documents can export files in Word format and Pages can import Word files,you can use Pages if you have it—although not as easily as you might like.There are two ways:
  1. Email a document to yourself.In Google Documents on a Mac or PC,open a document,choose Share>Email as Attachment, and choose Microsoft Word as the file format.Then,when you receive the message in Mail on your iPad,touch and hold on the attachment and tap Open in“Pages.”
  2. Use GoodReader to connect to your Google Docs account and download the document.Then tap the Manage Files button, select the document,tap Open In,and tap Pages.
• Use a third-party app:At present,a handful of native iPad apps can connect directly to your Google Docs account and let you edit your documents or create new ones.Because these apps are less cumbersome than Pages,and can save documents directly in Google Docs account without any complicated transfer,import,or export procedures,I find them much better for simple,day-to-day word processing tasks,especially when documents must be shared with other collaborators.The apps I’m aware of in this category are:
  1. Doc2 HD:This word processing iPad app has most of the major features found in Google Documents.(Byte2 ,$5.99)
  2. Documents To Go Premium:This app from DataViz,which I discuss in more detail two pages ahead,lets you edit Word documents stored on Google Docs or elsewhere,and preserves formatting in the process,even for features Documents To Go does not itself support.(DataViz,$14.99)
  3. KyTekHTMLeditor:This universal app connects to Google Docs and lets you create or edit styled text,but it reads and saves documents only in HTML format.(KyTek,$9.99)
  4. Office2 HD:From the same developer as Doc2 HD,Office2 HD includes all the capabilities of the former plus an editor for Google Spreadsheets.(Byte2 ,$7.99)

One way you can export and share documents—but only in Apple’s iWork applications(Pages,Numbers,and Keynote)—is to use iWork.com.This service,which is still in public beta testing, lets you upload iWork documents from a Mac or iPad to a Web site where others can view and download them.

To share an iWork document from an iPad through iWork.com, tap the Share button in the Document Manager and tap Share via iWork.com.(The first time you attempt to share a document this way,you must sign in and then verify your email address by clicking the Verify Now button in a message Apple sends you.)You can tap Sharing Options to adjust which format(s)you share and whether the document is password-protected.Optionally enter one or more email addresses and a message to alert specific people to the location of the shared document.Tap Share,and wait for the document to upload.Apple sends you(and,if you requested it,other recipients)a confirmation email message with the URL where the document can be found.

When visitors connect to iWork.com,they can view the file online, download a copy in its original format and/or PDF(according to your preferences),print it,leave general notes about it,or comment on particular sections using virtual sticky notes.However, they can’t edit the document online or upload any changes,so iWork.com is not suitable for collaboration when more than one person must make changes to a document.

By the way,if you visit iWork.com in Safari on your iPad and download a document in Pages,Numbers,or Keynote format,two buttons appear at the top:Open In,which lets you open the document in any suitable app using Document Support,and Open in App Name,which opens the document in its native iWork app.