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Thumb drive data transfer to iPad

post #1 of 12
3/9/12 at 10:09am
Thread Starter 
I'm about to purchase an iPad HD.

The sole issue standing in the way has to do with data transfer.

At a business meeting last week, a pdf presentation was passed around on a thumb drive (full size USB of course). The sole person not having access to the data had a WiFi-only iPad. The onsite WiFi service was inaccessible to this person due to security/proprietary access issues.

Is there a portable hardware (not a laptop, please) one may bring along that allows to bridge this gap of file transfer from a thumb drive wirelessly (WiFi or Bluetooth) to an iPad?

This exact same issue resurfaced again this week to my surprise.

I greatly appreciate your help.
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post #2 of 12
3/9/12 at 12:50pm
You're about to purchase a third-gen iPad. Let's not start calling it "iPad HD" the way 12 year olds say "iTouch".

Quote:
The onsite WiFi service was inaccessible to this person due to security/proprietary access issues.

Sounds like a problem with their tech room knowing nothing about modern devices. Was the iPad approved by the corporation, or was it a personal device? If the former, there's no excuse for it not being allowed access. Same with the latter, though I can understand completely a demand for it to follow the same security rules as if it were a corporate device.
PhilBoogie
That's Google alright. For a stupid company they sure do dumb things.
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PhilBoogie
That's Google alright. For a stupid company they sure do dumb things.
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post #3 of 12
3/9/12 at 1:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhuzzyToes View Post

I'm about to purchase an iPad HD.

The sole issue standing in the way has to do with data transfer.

At a business meeting last week, a pdf presentation was passed around on a thumb drive (full size USB of course). The sole person not having access to the data had a WiFi-only iPad. The onsite WiFi service was inaccessible to this person due to security/proprietary access issues.

Is there a portable hardware (not a laptop, please) one may bring along that allows to bridge this gap of file transfer from a thumb drive wirelessly (WiFi or Bluetooth) to an iPad?

This exact same issue resurfaced again this week to my surprise.

I greatly appreciate your help.

Sorry, Apple hates business users. I'm a Mac fan and work in the enterprise. I can tell you, you are out of luck. On an Android tablet with a USB port you could just plug it in using an On the Go USB to mini USB adapter. Apple bringing USB Host to iPad? Never. I bet the profit margin on stupid Apple dongles is like 99%, for one thing. Plus they just hate business users.

Apple just doesn't "get" business. One major thing I'm still baffled about is how there is no profile on iOS. I have an iPad for my business. But it's tricky handing it to other people as it has my email on it. Of course you can't create new users on iPad, that would make too much sense. (You can on Android). I have to entirely wipe the thing sometimes just to lend it out.

If you are willing to consider jailbreaking, however, there are a few potential ways to do what you are asking in the first page of Google hits on "USB drive iPad"...
"Overpopulation and climate change are serious shit." Gilsch
"I was really curious how they had managed such fine granularity of alienation." addabox
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"Overpopulation and climate change are serious shit." Gilsch
"I was really curious how they had managed such fine granularity of alienation." addabox
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post #4 of 12
3/9/12 at 1:44pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquatic View Post

Sorry, Apple hates business users. I'm a Mac fan and work in the enterprise. I can tell you, you are out of luck. On an Android tablet with a USB port you could just plug it in using an On the Go USB to mini USB adapter. Apple bringing USB Host to iPad? Never. I bet the profit margin on stupid Apple dongles is like 99%, for one thing. Plus they just hate business users.

Apple just doesn't "get" business. One major thing I'm still baffled about is how there is no profile on iOS. I have an iPad for my business. But it's tricky handing it to other people as it has my email on it. Of course you can't create new users on iPad, that would make too much sense. (You can on Android). I have to entirely wipe the thing sometimes just to lend it out.

If you are willing to consider jailbreaking, however, there are a few potential ways to do what you are asking in the first page of Google hits on "USB drive iPad"...

I do appreciate the information. I'm afraid I can't possibly imagine WiFi access everywhere I go \ That's just my awkward reality.

As you say, I may be out of luck indeed. This is so unfortunate as my issue is the only roadblock for me to acquire, use and enjoy a third-gen iPad. Sadly I'll have to let go of this prospect. I'll look for an alternative device then.

Hint: If there anybody out there builds a third-party interface of some sort for (full size) USB flash drives, I presume there may be a market for it. Just a thought.

Thanks Aquatic and Tallest Skil for your help -- appreciated
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post #5 of 12
3/9/12 at 2:28pm
It certainly is an issue and Android devices don't always have full USB-host support either. You can get the functionality with a jailbreak, an adaptor and a filebrowser app:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-CSPTSmUes

If you don't want to jailbreak, the only other option is to use a device like the following:

http://www.airstash.com/#home
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-gb/pro...flex-satellite
http://www.pocket-lint.com/review/57...e-drive-review
http://www.t3.com/news/panasonic-dy-...erver-unveiled

The Airstash is probably the best option as it uses SD cards but what you'd have to do is get someone with a computer to copy the PDF onto the SD card and then you'd be able to read the SD card on your iPad as it serves it via local webdav and you just read PDFs through your browser:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7n5xftJersM

The problem Apple has is they want to get rid of the filesystem and you can't mount a pen drive or SD card without having a filesystem manager.

I don't see what the big deal with a file manager is. It can use the camera connection kit and just plug a pen drive into it and it can simply list all the files in a flat list or by type. No hierarchy. Then you just get simple actions like copy a file to an application or you can request a copy of files from an application. Then you have to eject the pen or card before continuing to use the iPad.
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post #6 of 12
3/9/12 at 3:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhuzzyToes View Post

I'm about to purchase an iPad HD.

The sole issue standing in the way has to do with data transfer.

At a business meeting last week, a pdf presentation was passed around on a thumb drive (full size USB of course). The sole person not having access to the data had a WiFi-only iPad. The onsite WiFi service was inaccessible to this person due to security/proprietary access issues.

Is there a portable hardware (not a laptop, please) one may bring along that allows to bridge this gap of file transfer from a thumb drive wirelessly (WiFi or Bluetooth) to an iPad?

This exact same issue resurfaced again this week to my surprise.

I greatly appreciate your help.

I am not sure if this will work and this is an AWFUL workaround, but I did the following in order to store movies on a SD card that was readable (via camera connection kit) by the ipad
1) create a DCIM folder on the sd card
2) drop your movies in here
3) make sure the movies only have 8 characters and is in a format supported by ipad
4) plug sd card in
5) movies show up in "photo" (since ipad thinks the sd card has pics)
6) import movies to ipad

Unfortunately, Photo will not show you the file name, only the length of the movie.. sucks
The only way i could figure out how to transport movies to watch on the ipad without storing the movies on the ipad.
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post #7 of 12
3/9/12 at 7:07pm
Actually, PhuzzyToes and maxim730...i found something that might do the trick. 3-in-1 Connection Kit w/ TF / SD / USB for iPad / iPod / iPhone 4/4S - at DealExtreme (great store).

https://www.dealextreme.com/p/3-in-1...s-black-118024
"Overpopulation and climate change are serious shit." Gilsch
"I was really curious how they had managed such fine granularity of alienation." addabox
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"Overpopulation and climate change are serious shit." Gilsch
"I was really curious how they had managed such fine granularity of alienation." addabox
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post #8 of 12
3/9/12 at 7:39pm
All you need to do is by this. No jailbreaking or anything else needed.
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post #9 of 12
3/9/12 at 7:58pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquatic View Post

Actually, PhuzzyToes and maxim730...i found something that might do the trick. 3-in-1 Connection Kit w/ TF / SD / USB for iPad / iPod / iPhone 4/4S - at DealExtreme (great store).

https://www.dealextreme.com/p/3-in-1...s-black-118024

I just can't believe this. It may be exactly what I'm looking for..

From the description, it says "Ideal to read / write files on USB flash disk or SD / TF card with it"

I'm going to research that one..

Thanks Aquatic for such a precise find


/edit: Thanks everyone for all your help.
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post #10 of 12
3/9/12 at 9:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhuzzyToes View Post

I just can't believe this. It may be exactly what I'm looking for..

From the description, it says "Ideal to read / write files on USB flash disk or SD / TF card with it"

I'm going to research that one..

Let us know what you find. I'd be very interested in this one too as my company restricts private device connectivity.

It looks like it would work, but you have to remember that an iPad is not a PC with all the usual built in drivers and protocols.
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post #11 of 12
3/10/12 at 3:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhuzzyToes View Post

I just can't believe this. It may be exactly what I'm looking for.

That's a USB connector for a Samsung Galaxy Tab - says it in the picture. To use it fully on the iPad, you would need to jailbreak your iPad.
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post #12 of 12
3/10/12 at 4:44am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marvin View Post

That's a USB connector for a Samsung Galaxy Tab - says it in the picture. To use it fully on the iPad, you would need to jailbreak your iPad.

hmmmmm


Please share with us what you know of this product. Here's what I know (here I snapped the screen of the link above):




/edit: added some precision about the figure.


//edit (again): Oh... I see... There is indeed a precision on the box. Thanks for pointing it out to me.




///edit (again): Not interested in jailbreak. I assumed it was implied, but now I'm spelling it out.
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