How friendly is apple?

[Dbarnesh]

Here is something I have observed trying to over come my trouble with my new iPad. I'm not the only one and I'm not a minority when it comes to dealing with these problems. The very basic Internet functions are not available because Apple has decided to be your big brother and has decided you are not capable of making decisions about opening websites or sharing information and/or files you want to share.

My wife bought me this IPad so I could process my pictures, upload them to my website and share them with people who would enjoy them and eventually might purchase them.

So far this iPad has done everything to keep me from sharing my photos and keep me from doing everything that Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak created apple to do.

Still waiting for someone to explain why this is such a great purchase?

Thanks again,

Dan

 

[Electaguitar]

Looks like somebody didn't do research before buying it.

Would you buy a Christmas tree on valentines day? Then why would she buy it for those aforementioned reasons?

 

[SBHOKC]

What site are you using? I have had no problems uploading pictures to a number of sites.

 

[peled]

You must remember all the time
The iPAD is not a Computer !!
It is more like a game machine, a Book/Magazine reader. a limited Email and Internet browser and some nice playful application.

Do not expect it to have the full blown up features of a regular computer.
It is more like a nice entertaining machine.
Enjoy it , or return it.

 

[xune]

I read your post twice just to make sure I understood what your concern was.

It sounds like you would like to use your iPad to process photos, upload them to your website, and share them with potential purchasers.

It also sounds like you're also having trouble opening websites and sharing information, and that you believe that you are not in the minority experiencing this. Am I correct so far?

I would be happy to share with you how easy it is to accomplish some of the things you've mentioned. My first recommendation, however, is to visit an Apple store near you, for a personal setup, if you haven't done so already. I noticed that your location is the same as mine, so I could even show you in person how easy it is to upload photos, edit them, share, and post to your website.. all within the iPad itself. Using Apple's MobileMe makes it easy to accomplish even more, however, you can still do this without using a cloud-based sync/share service. For more advanced photo processing, you may want to utilize your computer in conjunction with your iPad.

There are many applications that will allow the things you have mentioned, found in the app store. From there, a MobileMe account can empower you do accomplish wireless sharing of photos on the go, in near real time with internet connectivity. If the camera you are using takes an SD card, you can insert an eyefi card to wirelessly sync your photos directly to your iPad's MobileMe Gallery, viewable and publishible for others to see within moments the photo was taken. It really can be that easy. You can even use apps to watermark your photos on the iPad before publishing, and even assign passwords upon payment to access/view/download photos you've taken on the web. I'd recommend making a reservation for a free workshop at an Apple store to learn more about how you can use your iPad and MobileMe to accomplish these things easily and without frustration. That's where I've learned to get the most out of Apple's products and services. And yes, I do find Apple to be friendly. Give 'em a visit with your iPad, the next chance you get.

In the mean time, let me know how I can help.

 

[SBHOKC]

I'd have to second that. Everything is cool but you could get banned before you get the help you require.

Where are you trying to upload photos to? 99% of us would like to try and help you so you enjoybyour iPad.

 

[col.bris]

Ok guys any more out burst or personal attacks I will close this thread. The OP has a problem already as stated in my post some one has the answers that is why he came and posted in this forum in the first place. Let's keep the posts clean and help the user so he is happy.

 

[Superbike81]

col.bris .....

Agree to disagree I guess.

In my opinion the iPad isn't any more of a "computer" than a smartphone. While it does fall into some definition of computer, it's not what most people think of as a traditional computer. I find myself using my MacBook Pro much more often than I use my iPad.

Everyone is going to have different uses for the iPad. I tried it as a laptop replacement for school and it failed miserably. Read my review in the reviews section, I tried so hard, I forced myself to adapt to the iPad and it just wasn't efficient enough for my needs. Obviously it meets your needs, but to say "millions of users have replaced their laptops or desktops" it's an assumption that you have no empirical evidence to back it up with.

Yes, I understand that you can buy things like a bluetooth keyboard, specific apps to do many different things, and jailbreak if you need access to the file system. But none of that still works as efficiently or easily as a laptop. People say the instant on of the iPad is a great feature, my MBP with a self-upgraded SSD hard drive cold-boots faster than the iPad, awakes from sleep just as fast, and opens most apps even faster than the iPad. Some say the iPad is more portable than a laptop due to it's smaller form factor and lighter weight, well, it still needs to be kept in some form of case or bag, just like a laptop. So you can pull a MacBook Air out of your backpack and be up and running just as quickly as the iPad, and have infinitely more functionality.

The bottom line is, for many users, the iPad is all they need, but for many other people, the iPad works as nothing more than a supplementary entertainment device. Understand that just because it's meets your every computing need is not evidence enough to assume that it meets MILLIONS of users primary computing needs. Assuming by MILLIONS you are saying 2 million+ that's 33% or more of iPad owners that you are saying have completely abandoned their desktop/laptop for anything more than syncing duties with their iPad.

Unless every iPad owner is willing to yield all of their computing and media needs to iTunes and the AppStore, an iPad will never fully meet everyone's needs.

 

[col.bris]

I understand your needs as you have both on line gaming on the Mac as well as I assume business requirements and yes you need a laptop for that. The average consumer does not need that performance that is where I am coming from. If I was still running my Apple business other than support I too would require to have a laptop or desktop to run the programs for that type of business however in saying that when mobile I would just use the iPad

Have a great happy new year we are less than 2 hours away in aust.

 

[Superbike81]

As a lifelong motorcycle rider, this reminds me of the same argument I always hear from people who don't own a car. Sure a motorcycle (iPad) can function as your everyday transportation if you are willing to give up certain things that you would normally get from a car (laptop). But to say that most people would be willing to give up those amenities is making a big assumption. Even with iPad sales being so good, they still pale in comparison to the sales of traditional laptops and desktops.

For most people the motorcycle will supplement their car and act as a source of entertainment.

 

[MattIM]

I Understand What You Mean Now Dan! I Did Not

Here is something I have observed trying to over come my trouble with my new iPad. I'm not the only one and I'm not a minority when it comes to dealing with these problems. The very basic Internet functions are not available because Apple has decided to be your big brother and has decided you are not capable of making decisions about opening websites or sharing information and/or files you want to share.

My wife bought me this IPad so I could process my pictures, upload them to my website and share them with people who would enjoy them and eventually might purchase them.

So far this iPad has done everything to keep me from sharing my photos and keep me from doing everything that Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak created apple to do.

Still waiting for someone to explain why this is such a great purchase?

Thanks again,

Dan

...realize what the problem was when you asked this same question in our Help Section! I was thinking (along with other folks) that you were wanting to display photos in a thread. Now I understand you. You want to display your photos on a photo hosting website so clients can see your work and purchase or hire you to take photos. (The light dawns!) Talk about having a one track mind--my bad.

Thanks for reposting in this section. I actually do this activity in my other hobby--being a photographer. Originally I bought the iPad to do what you are wanting to do: take a photo, import it from camera to the iPad, do your post processing work, and then upload to Flickr, Smugmug or Zenfolio (what I use), and then send links to customers letting them know their album was ready for review.

I did this process one time and it was a disaster! Despite what everyone says about the iPad's ability to do many things, post processing work on a small 10 inch display is very frustrating. I shoot RAW, so processing those big RAW files was awful. Then when I did get a finished photo, the file I created and uploaded to Zenfolio was further diminished when it got to Zenfolio--a couple of pixels were somehow edited out--primarily information contained in the exif data.

Not desiring to figure out why (or as some folks here would be quick to blame Steve Jobs) I changed my photo process. I download my files onto a desktop, with Photoshop, I do my post processing work, then I upload the finished photos to Zenfolio. I get on my iPad, sign into Zenfolio and I have all my photos displayed in my albums. While in Zenfolio, I can pull up a subject album, run the site's slide show on the iPad and the photos come out beautifully. I can down load several of these photos onto my iPad and show them to clients, take an order, and close the sale. Or I can send email to clients giving them samples of my work with a link to their specific albums (with a sample or two of each series--don't want to give away the store!)

In essence the iPad is only for displaying the finished product, not creating it or having any part of the processing. Because photos require detailed work, the iPad is not the tool to use to do this work. But it is a great tool for closing the sale. Not only have I sold photos using the iPad, I've also sold the iPad. Unfortunately some of my clients focused on the iPad and not what the iPad was showing them.

I assist a very popular wedding photographer here in Fort Wayne when he has a big shoot, such as a wedding. He was hired to photograph this very large wedding, from rehearsal dinner, to pre-dressing, to driving to the church, to in church photos, to staged shots, to reception shots. The bride hired my friend to take the 'still' shots and hired a videographer too. I came along to do some of the casual shots, etc.

Between the two of us we must have taken over 5000 photos. Anyway, not only did the bride order a hard copy printed album of a 1000 photos, she wanted all the other photos plus the video, put on an iPad so she can have it to show--which we sold her the 16gig Wifi iPad. She came in the other day and wanted us to help her download her honeymoon shots too. When we returned her iPad to her, she mentioned that she wished she could hire us for things like baby shots. Do we have a customer for life?

 

[peled]

...... she wanted all the other photos plus the video, put on an iPad so she can have it to show--which we sold her the 16gig Wifi iPad. She came in the other day and wanted us to help her download her honeymoon shots too. When we returned her iPad to her, she mentioned that she wished she could hire us for things like baby shots. Do we have a customer for life?

Love your story.
Well Done , and well described.

 

[SweetPoison]

I read your post twice just to make sure I understood what your concern was.

It sounds like you would like to use your iPad to process photos, upload them to your website, and share them with potential purchasers.

It also sounds like you're also having trouble opening websites and sharing information, and that you believe that you are not in the minority experiencing this. Am I correct so far?

I would be happy to share with you how easy it is to accomplish some of the things you've mentioned. My first recommendation, however, is to visit an Apple store near you, for a personal setup, if you haven't done so already. I noticed that your location is the same as mine, so I could even show you in person how easy it is to upload photos, edit them, share, and post to your website.. all within the iPad itself. Using Apple's MobileMe makes it easy to accomplish even more, however, you can still do this without using a cloud-based sync/share service. For more advanced photo processing, you may want to utilize your computer in conjunction with your iPad.

There are many applications that will allow the things you have mentioned, found in the app store. From there, a MobileMe account can empower you do accomplish wireless sharing of photos on the go, in near real time with internet connectivity. If the camera you are using takes an SD card, you can insert an eyefi card to wirelessly sync your photos directly to your iPad's MobileMe Gallery, viewable and publishible for others to see within moments the photo was taken. It really can be that easy. You can even use apps to watermark your photos on the iPad before publishing, and even assign passwords upon payment to access/view/download photos you've taken on the web. I'd recommend making a reservation for a free workshop at an Apple store to learn more about how you can use your iPad and MobileMe to accomplish these things easily and without frustration. That's where I've learned to get the most out of Apple's products and services. And yes, I do find Apple to be friendly. Give 'em a visit with your iPad, the next chance you get.

In the mean time, let me know how I can help.

Nice post! Always willing to help in a respectful, non-condescending manner. Your A Good Man Charlie Brown.


Wish you could solve my problem.

 

[TJK]

Hey Xune - good post.
My wife is also a photographer. The iPad does do some cool things but simply can't replace her iMac / PS CS5 for serious photo editing and uploading to her SmugMug account. It is a great tool to display her portfolio, however, and she does use it to update her WordPress blog or access MobileMe, etc. One thing that is useful is she uses the camera kit and USB cable to look at RAW images shot on her Nikon D200 which uses CF cards. It is much easier to get a sense of her shots on the larger screen. I kind of regret not buying her the 64GB iPad as that would also provide for archive, veiwing and storage while we travel. But we have an 80GB Wolverine for that.

There are some decent photo editing apps such as PhotoShop Express and Photogene available for the iPad that are great for quick crops and editing for upload of vacation photos, etc. A few are here:
6 Awesome Photo Editing Apps for iPad | Apps Reviewed AppCraver

All of Xune's application ideas are good. The iPad can certainly be another tool in your bag that can enhance the experience for you and your client.

 

[TJK]

I meant to add that onOne software has an interesting control app for DSLRs that may also include LiveView depending on your camera:
DSLR Camera Remote - onOne Software

This looks super cool to me....