Ipad2 - An amazing travel and every day tool.

Yes, I said the iPad is a tool... Not a toy. My wife has had a first generation iPad for almost a year and I have an iPhone (and a whole bunch of iPods) so I am no stranger to the iOS. I don't want to go so far as to say the iPad has changed my life but... I must say once I got my own iPad (version 2)it changed the way I travel and work every day.

Before I bought the iPad I really had to think about/ rationalize the purchase... At first I kept thinking "it's just a big iPhone... An iPhone for people that need glasses...". Also I was thinking of buying a MacBook pro instead. So how did I end up with an iPad? Well it was really about how I wanted to use it. As mentioned below in the Volendam post, I have a bunch of exciting and long trips coming up; I have a work laptop but it's locked so I can't use it for personal purposes (including Lightroom). Therefore I knew I wanted to bring a personal device that would allow me to store and modify photos while I traveled (and blog here of course). In addition to working on photos I really wanted a better way to bring books and magazines with me. I like to travel light (I bring only carry on luggage even for trips of multiple weeks in duration), and I wanted to be able to carry the Leica kit, work laptop, and the new personal device every day in one bag... After researching some apps and accessories I realized the iPad was perfect for how I wanted to use it. However, what I didn't realize is how much more th iPad would impact the way I live day to day.

Note - I purchased a black, 64gb, 3G ipad2, camera connect kit, Pogo stylus, and black leather smart cover.

My uses for the iPad include:

- Photo work while traveling. I use the ipad as a photo viewer, basic editor, and hard drive storage. Every day I download my photos from the Leica M8 to the iPad via the photo connect kit. In addition to the default photo viwer I use the Photogene app to modify the jpegs. I looked at and purchase other photo apps but I like Photogene because it has a histogram. Not sure why but a lot of apps don't have histograms... I really wish Apple would create Aperture for the IPad but until then Photogene works. Note - I set the M8 to shoot raw and jpeg. When you load raw files to the ipad it Will create jpeg files but they were so low in resolution that they were pixelated so much that I really couldn't use them. Therefore I shoot in both and use a 4gb and 8gb card and that is enough space for more than 1 day with the M8.

Other apps and uses:
- Penultimate - this app alone may be worth the price of the IPad... I used to use the large size Moleskin notebooks to keep work notes and bring them when traveling. With Penultimate and a stylus. I no longer need the paper books. Awesome app! Seriously great for taking notes. It doesn't convert to typed text, and having used other apps that do, I like this better because it's faster and you are not looking to see if the app converted your writing correctly. Also, you can draw diagrams, etc which I use a lot. Finally, you can email yourself the notebooks as PDF files so you can back up your books or send them to someone else. Awesome!

- To Do - I use it for my daily todo list.

- Zine - creates your own magazine based on your own presences including photos and impeded video. Great app

- wsj - I have been reading the Wall Street Journal digitally on my laptop since they first offered it over 10 years ago. This app finally makes it like reading the journal electonically just like reading the paper.

- Zinio - I read a lot of magazines and used to bring a ton with me when I traveled... No need to do that anymore... I have all my subscriptions electronically. Great app

- iBooks & Kindle - I default to books via iBooks but if they aren't available there I use the Kindle. On my last trip I read three books... I never would have brought all of them with me.

- Movies and TV - this is amazing too! I brought 3 movies, the first season of Rome, band of Brothers, and my workout and Tai Chi videos all on the IPad. Note - I used handbrake to get the DVD's into iTunes.

- Drop Box and Files to Go - this is an essential set of apps if you want to bring work files with you. Drop the files into drop box, save them via do sd to go, and then work offline in the plane or if you are in meetings taking notes with Penultimate you van view files without having to bring the paper with you.

- camera - the camera on the iPad is pretty crappy but I do use it for taking scams of documents... For instance you take notes in a paper file and don't want to keep the paper... No worries just tkar a photo with the iPad and view it later if you wish. No need to travel with big paper files!

- other - games, the bible, work email and calendar, the Internet via safari, etc. It's all there on the iPad. I read my daily devotions and write this blog all with the iPad.

One other point to make is the battery life is really great. I read books, reviewed photos, watched several tv show, a movie, and played games on a trip to Sydney and didn't need to charge the iPad. It definitely lives up to the 10 hour battery life claim.

The iPad is not just fun and elegant to use but as you can see from above it is not a toy but a tool to use every day. I could have purchased a MacBook Pro or MacBook air but having to carry two laptops plus the Leica every day just seemed too much to me. For me the iPad is perfect.

March Trip to Volendam, NL

Volendam Map, a photo by KJDreese on Flickr.

March trip to the Netherlands. After a year without international trips for work; in March I found myself scheduled on several trips over the next six months including the Netherlands, Tokyo, Shanghai, Sydney, Delhi and Dubai. I love to travel so I can't wait. It's been way too long.

Anyway, first up was my trip to Volendam in the Netherlands. Volendam is a historic fishing village about 40 mins. drive North of Amsterdam. Several years ago I spent about six months there (not all at once but spread over several trips) so I know there area well enough and was really looking forward to a chance to use th M8 without snow and hopefully without rain!