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I am trying to use the iPad as a travel device instead of my laptop. Currently I have 2 bags - 1 with all the laptop stuff, and 1 with the iPad stuff. I try to keep the laptop in the car and only use the iPad for customer visits. I sell CAD software so I do have a lot of computing to do and I was skeptical of being able to use the iPad. With my short use so far here is what I found
Note Taking
As noted in this thread I have tried a lot of note taking apps.
http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/ipad-hardware-accessories/233026-taking-notes-ipad.html
As my last post says I have settled on Notify
Underscore Notify for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store
as it has both hand writing recognition and free form drawing. This is perfect for my work. I have been using it and it does quite well in meetings. Because I use a stylus with the iPad it does come off as just note taking. Not only that being able to clip the web, a picture or record audio has also been helpful. It has crashed on me a few times and I lost a page or two each time. This has replaced my Pen/Paper solution (which is currently a Mont Blanc and a Moleskine but it used to be a Logitech Smartpen. Switching to Mac the Smart Pen didn't have drivers)
Remote Access
My company supports a Cisco SSL VPN - and there is an anyconnect client available. This works quite well to access internal resources.
Cisco AnyConnect for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store
I also have VNCViewer - which allows me to access my linux workstation while on the VPN. This works OK but there are a lot of graphics and typing so it isn't as good as a proper mouse and keyboard. It is good enough to use for commandline and checking on running programs.
VNC Viewer for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store
There is also Citrix which my client uses. Again this works OK for quick access but a proper laptop would be better for real graphical work.
Citrix Receiver for iPad for iPad on the iTunes App Store
Lastly I have Webex installed and working. That works well for presentations. For demonstrations and taking control - again I'd rather have a full laptop
WebEx for iPad for iPad on the iTunes App Store
Presentations
This was quite frustrating. I wanted to use Keynote to do some presenting. There are plenty of older projectors at my clients so I had to carry around 2 dongles - 1 vga and 1 hdmi - which actually I had to carry around a hdmi to dvi connector for some other projectors. Too many cables/dongles currently. Hopefully everyone moves to hdmi soon so I only have to carry around 1 cable.
The frustrating part was Keynote and webdav. Sugarsync and Dropbox do not directly support webdav (At least I hadn't found any default way). Luckily there is Dropdav for Dropbox.
DropDAV - access your Dropbox via the WebDAV standard
That way I could keep presentations on Dropbox and not just iWork.com. I think having a me.com account may help this as well. Otherwise displaying stuff on a projector worked well.
File Transfer
Another frustration. I had to get some text from a webpage onto machines with no internet access. The best way to do this is a flash drive. No Dice with the Camera connector kit. (I don't have the iPad 2 jailbroken) I had to bring in my MBP and a flash drive at that point. It is a corner case but it happened so I can't be completely without a full laptop yet.
Documents
Haven't had any trouble opening up PDFs, Word, Excel, and Powerpoint docs. PDFs have been working really well in goodreader for me. Excel - is probably where I have the most trouble due to Macros but most basic stuff works OK in numbers. Same with Powerpoint in Keynote - I just don't get that fancy.
GoodReader for iPhone for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store
Pim
Email works quite well.
Calendar works well.
Task management - Work in Progress - there is IMExchange 2 - which is $8 but I can finally sync to my exchange server.
iMExchange 2 for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store
I bought Pocket informant but there is too much rigamarole to get it to sync to any desktop task manger.
I've seen Things and OmniFocus suggested but the cost of desktop plus iOS app is pretty high.
Pocket Informant (Calendar & Tasks) for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store
Things - task management on the Mac
OmniFocus for Mac - Products - The Omni Group
Note Taking
As noted in this thread I have tried a lot of note taking apps.
http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/ipad-hardware-accessories/233026-taking-notes-ipad.html
As my last post says I have settled on Notify
Underscore Notify for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store
as it has both hand writing recognition and free form drawing. This is perfect for my work. I have been using it and it does quite well in meetings. Because I use a stylus with the iPad it does come off as just note taking. Not only that being able to clip the web, a picture or record audio has also been helpful. It has crashed on me a few times and I lost a page or two each time. This has replaced my Pen/Paper solution (which is currently a Mont Blanc and a Moleskine but it used to be a Logitech Smartpen. Switching to Mac the Smart Pen didn't have drivers)
Remote Access
My company supports a Cisco SSL VPN - and there is an anyconnect client available. This works quite well to access internal resources.
Cisco AnyConnect for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store
I also have VNCViewer - which allows me to access my linux workstation while on the VPN. This works OK but there are a lot of graphics and typing so it isn't as good as a proper mouse and keyboard. It is good enough to use for commandline and checking on running programs.
VNC Viewer for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store
There is also Citrix which my client uses. Again this works OK for quick access but a proper laptop would be better for real graphical work.
Citrix Receiver for iPad for iPad on the iTunes App Store
Lastly I have Webex installed and working. That works well for presentations. For demonstrations and taking control - again I'd rather have a full laptop
WebEx for iPad for iPad on the iTunes App Store
Presentations
This was quite frustrating. I wanted to use Keynote to do some presenting. There are plenty of older projectors at my clients so I had to carry around 2 dongles - 1 vga and 1 hdmi - which actually I had to carry around a hdmi to dvi connector for some other projectors. Too many cables/dongles currently. Hopefully everyone moves to hdmi soon so I only have to carry around 1 cable.
The frustrating part was Keynote and webdav. Sugarsync and Dropbox do not directly support webdav (At least I hadn't found any default way). Luckily there is Dropdav for Dropbox.
DropDAV - access your Dropbox via the WebDAV standard
That way I could keep presentations on Dropbox and not just iWork.com. I think having a me.com account may help this as well. Otherwise displaying stuff on a projector worked well.
File Transfer
Another frustration. I had to get some text from a webpage onto machines with no internet access. The best way to do this is a flash drive. No Dice with the Camera connector kit. (I don't have the iPad 2 jailbroken) I had to bring in my MBP and a flash drive at that point. It is a corner case but it happened so I can't be completely without a full laptop yet.
Documents
Haven't had any trouble opening up PDFs, Word, Excel, and Powerpoint docs. PDFs have been working really well in goodreader for me. Excel - is probably where I have the most trouble due to Macros but most basic stuff works OK in numbers. Same with Powerpoint in Keynote - I just don't get that fancy.
GoodReader for iPhone for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store
Pim
Email works quite well.
Calendar works well.
Task management - Work in Progress - there is IMExchange 2 - which is $8 but I can finally sync to my exchange server.
iMExchange 2 for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store
I bought Pocket informant but there is too much rigamarole to get it to sync to any desktop task manger.
I've seen Things and OmniFocus suggested but the cost of desktop plus iOS app is pretty high.
Pocket Informant (Calendar & Tasks) for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store
Things - task management on the Mac
OmniFocus for Mac - Products - The Omni Group