Problem: Most of the time I'm traveling light with my iPad in places where there is no WIFI. I'm carry a camera, light tripod, and basic essentials. Purpose of buying the iPad was to eliminate the bulk, weight, short battery life of the computer. I use the iPad to write, preview and sort photographs, watch movies, and listen to audio books. But I've come across a severe limitation of the iPad and I can imagine Apples purpose in handicapping the iPad in such a fundamental way. Without a computer or a wifi site the iPad can not move large files e.g. Movies or large numbers of photographs on and off the iPad. The ability to carry a small shirt-pocket size portable HD or better still, a half a dozen mini sandisk (same as I use in my camera) for storage. This should be simple - take the photos on the sandisk from the camera and up load them to the iPad ( which you can now do with Apples camera kit) and then after reviewing, editing, and sorting download them from the iPad to the sandisk ( which I can't do) so that you can clear space on the iPad for the next batch photos - Simple! The same simple procedure should apply to movies swapping back and forth between iPad and sandisks as storage. Apple gave the iPad a great screen, light weight, and long battery life perfect for photography and watching movies but it has only a small amount of memory available what's the point of this great portable device if you have to be tethered to a computer or a WIFI site?

QUESTION ?: Is there a work-around for this problem? Has someone created a device, electronic gadget, or method to allow the iPad to function independently/ untethered? To enable the iPad to download/upload to an external portable storage device without being tethered to a computer or at a WIFI site?
If the iPad is not capable of this - Is it time to move on to another brand of tablet?
- Frustrated- need your help!

There are many solutions, here is just one that I use CloudFTP you can check out plenty of others in this section of the forums http://www.ipadforums.net/ipad-connect/

The Archangel

Originally Posted by oldsailer

QUESTION ?: Is there a work-around for this problem? Has someone created a device, electronic gadget, or method to allow the iPad to function independently/ untethered? To enable the iPad to download/upload to an external portable storage device without being tethered to a computer or at a WIFI site?
If the iPad is not capable of this - Is it time to move on to another brand of tablet?
- Frustrated- need your help!

I think you need to review the link I gave you again, the CloudFTP, AirStash, et al are all pocket sized devices which use their own local wifi network. What this means is that you don't need to be near an external wifi source, so you could be in the middle of the Sahara desert and you can still use these. They do exactly what you are asking for, they use wifi rather than a cable for data transmission but you are definitely not tethered to anything.

The Archangel

Hi, just clarifying.. I asked the salesperson at an apple retail store in my area and he did direct me to the cloudFTP. However, he mentioned that it's always a one-way transfer for the iPad. Meaning you can always upload stuff to it but transferring out from the iPad is the problem. So now I'm confused cos I'm wanna do the same.
-*Planning to get iPad4 but confused over the accessories needed*

Originally Posted by berniechee

Hi, just clarifying.. I asked the salesperson at an apple retail store in my area and he did direct me to the cloudFTP. However, he mentioned that it's always a one-way transfer for the iPad. Meaning you can always upload stuff to it but transferring out from the iPad is the problem. So now I'm confused cos I'm wanna do the same.
-*Planning to get iPad4 but confused over the accessories needed*

Check out this thread CloudFTP it shows that it two way transfer can be done.

The Archangel