One Way to Add USB and SD slot to iPad

[RAC]

Hopefully this post won't be relegated to the Accessories discussion because I think that it is relevant in the General Discussion area.

I have always been disappointed by the inability of the iPad to be used for simple tasks such as copying photos from an SD card to a portable HDD and will admit to have become obsessed about finding a solution.

Well I think that I have found one, a "plug computer".

These are minimalist, portable, low power consumption Linux boxes typically with WiFi, USB ports and even an SD card slot. Mine also has an eSATA port.

For those who don't want to tinker with Linux, FileBrowser can be used to view and copy files on/between USB drives and SD cards. These devices seem to automatically create SMB shares thus making USB drives and SD cards available in FileBrowser.

Copying files through the iPad (via WiFi) can be a bit slow and FileBrowser has limited file filtering and wild card options.

A more techie solution is to connect to the box using iSSH and make use of Linux file commands or Perl scripts. Scripts have the obvious advantage of being able automtically take care of a complete file copying and housekeeping routine. The advantages of this over FikeBroswer include speed (I would guess 5 times faster) and automation of routine tasks.

Of course I would much prefer this to be available on the iPad itself.

 

[AQ_OC]

How does this relate to the iPad?

 

[RAC]

How does this relate to the iPad?

Perhaps I didn't make the entirely clear.

On the iPad you can use the iSSH app to control the Linux box. This allows you to copy files between say an SD card and a USB (e.g. back up photos from a camera card) HDD using Linux commands or Perl scripts. The iPad alone lacks the hardware and access to the file system to do this.

All the action (file copying etc) happens within the Linux box, not over WiFi (as is the case with FileBrowser), which is much faster.

FileBrowser is an iPad app that allows you to do similar things in a graphical environment but it is slower and less flexible. With FileBrowser you can also view photos and movies stored on a USB HDD connected to the device.

 

[AQ_OC]

Perhaps I didn't make the entirely clear.

On the iPad you can use the iSSH app to control the Linux box. This allows you to copy files between say an SD card and a USB (e.g. back up photos from a camera card) HDD using Linux commands or Perl scripts. The iPad alone lacks the hardware and access to the file system to do this.

All the action (file copying etc) happens within the Linux box, not over WiFi (as is the case with FileBrowser), which is much faster.

FileBrowser is an iPad app that allows you to do similar things in a graphical environment but it is slower and less flexible. With FileBrowser you can also view photos and movies stored on a USB HDD connected to the device.

I see. It's like a RDP app.

 

[RAC]

I see. It's like a RDP app.

That's it, except that it is a text interface. You use the iPad as a remote console for the Linux box and gain access SD cards, portable USB drives etc.

The iSSH app includes support for VNC and XWindows but I don't know enough to get them working.

I think that the most popular remote desktop iPad app (for Windows) is SplashTop by the way. On the rare occasions that I use my laptop these days it is usually via SplashTop.

 

[AQ_OC]

That's it, except that it is a text interface. You use the iPad as a remote console for the Linux box and gain access SD cards, portable USB drives etc.

The iSSH app includes support for VNC and XWindows but I don't know enough to get them working.

I think that the most popular remote desktop iPad app (for Windows) is SplashTop by the way. On the rare occasions that I use my laptop these days it is usually via SplashTop.

I may try some of these out.....I've heard others mention using them for remote work.

 

[blucente]

^+1 on SplashTop, works rather well.

 

[bulletbilly]

If you have a jail broken iPad then you can also use the camera connection kit that is sold by Apple and iFile to move files and access pictures and movies. It's a convenient way to add storage. You can use a 16 or 32 GB USB flash drive to double or triple your capacity.

 

[doubleR]

If you have a jail broken iPad then you can also use the camera connection kit that is sold by Apple and iFile to move files and access pictures and movies. It's a convenient way to add storage. You can use a 16 or 32 GB USB flash drive to double or triple your capacity.

Thanks for the heads up about that. Respect!

 

[ipad.subu]

Thanks for the heads up about that. Respect!

After reading the whole thread...

Is there a less technical way

folks... There are millions out there * like me * who do not know perl scripts and,Linux boxes ..... And have ventured into an iPad now knowing the depth of what we are jumping into !!!!!....so is there a simpler plug and play way to get extra sto rage on iPad...like plugging a USB drive somewhere ??

Thanks
Subu

 

[RAC]

Thanks for the heads up about that. Respect!

After reading the whole thread...

Is there a less technical way

folks... There are millions out there * like me * who do not know perl scripts and,Linux boxes ..... And have ventured into an iPad now knowing the depth of what we are jumping into !!!!!....so is there a simpler plug and play way to get extra sto rage on iPad...like plugging a USB drive somewhere ??

Thanks
Subu

Unfortunately the "Walled Garden" that is iOS restricts access to USB and there is no SD slot. Jail breaking opens up the iPad but is a bit techie, though less so than Lunux boxes and Perl scripts.

As I said, I would much prefer the iPad to have the necessary ports, slots and access to the file system.

 

[jcherepy]

These are minimalist, portable, low power consumption Linux boxes typically with WiFi, USB ports and even an SD card slot. Mine also has an eSATA port.
.

Would you share which plug computer you use?

Thanks.

 

[info]

Would you share which plug computer you use?

Thanks.

Let me take a guess first.

http://www.newit.co.uk/shop/proddetail.php?prod=DreamPlug

 

[graywolf]

Jailbreak and you can use the Camera Connection Kit with most USB Flash drives and get some extra storege. Quite easy to do actually.
No Linux.
Even though iOS is essentially a very fancy Linux build.

 

[RAC]

These are minimalist, portable, low power consumption Linux boxes typically with WiFi, USB ports and even an SD card slot. Mine also has an eSATA port.
.

Would you share which plug computer you use?

Thanks.

As Info correctly guessed it is a DreamPlug, see GlobalScale Technologies - Electronic Manufacturing Service.

I get what I want out of it running a Perl script but I am looking at running VNC so that I can have a generic file manager, such as Commander hosted on the Linux box, via a GUI client on the iPad (such as iSSH or VNC Pro).