iPad- what do I do with it?

[gooddecisions]

I got an iPad Air  for Christmas. I've never had a smartphone and have done minimal with my iTouch from 2007. I downloaded a white noise app on the iTouch 2 years ago and it's stayed on a docking station in my daughter's room for naps and night time since then. Before that, I really didn't use it. I guess I'm old fashion and use my laptop for browsing, facebook and emails. But, I'm ready to change if I can get a better experience on the iPad. I don't plan on getting a service plan, so we'll use it at home on my wireless.

Who uses one? How do I realize its full potential? So far, I've opened the box, taken it out of its plastic, plugged it in, turned it on and entered passwords. I went to the app store and download 4 free educational toddler apps. We looked at each for about 5 minutes. Now what? All tips, recommended apps and accessories appreciated!

[Deleted]

Where's doxie when you need her??!?! 

[swamp]

We've downloaded movies and games for the kids when we travel. It's the main source of web surfing for me, and to have internet access when we travel. Facetime with DH when he's away. Takes pictures.  Plays tunes for parties via iTunes library and Pandora.   

[Tennesseer]

Dec 30, 2013 12:02:50 GMT -5 @beerwench said:

Where's doxie when you need her??!?! 

DAMN!  You barely beat me to ìt.

[gooddecisions]

I know, I wanted to post directly on her thread but then got scared the mods would come after me for taking the thread off-topic. I need her expert advice.

[Deleted]

great minds!  

[JustLurkin]

I listen to my favorite radio stations on iHeartRadio while I cook. I work an earlier shift than I used to, so miss most of my favorite morning shows.

I also check www.freeappalert.com/ (been down for about 2 days, but always returns), www.freeappreport.com/, and appsaga.com/category/apps-gone-free/ daily for anything that may interest me. 

[milee]

I'm not an expert and don't have an IPad...

That being said, our family uses and finds incredibly helpful the electronic calendar functions.  We use google calendar and I also have an app (CalenMob) that I find makes reading and inputting to the calendar easier on the iPhone.

Anyway, as your family grows, it is nice to have a single electronic calendar that you all use.  Would be easy to get started on your iPad.

PS - There's a lot of controversy on whether any screen time at all is good for smaller kids.  I'm not at all saying that your daughter will be irreparably harmed if she plays on the iPad, just that you may want to do some research and possibly reconsider specifically introducing it to her as something to do.  If she's OK playing without it, that might be something you decide to avoid.  There is no good data that I'm aware of that finds even the "educational" apps helpful for smaller kids. 

[gooddecisions]

Where do you download movies? Do I need a monthly plan on netflex or amazon for that?

[justme]

A FB friend just got one for her 6yo - apparently it let her sleep in til 10 the next day and was worth the price!

If you read you could get the Kindle/Nook app. I just found an awesome recipe app - HP Recipe Box. It'll take recipes from online and store them and you can add your own. Only bummer is I think only the grocery list syncs between devices (meaning I only see the recipes on my tablet - where I saved them, but not on my smartphone even though I'm logged in on both). I like the FB app because at least on Android/Windows it doesn't automatically start playing those darn videos.

[swamp]

Dec 30, 2013 12:09:11 GMT -5 gooddecisions said:

Where do you download movies? Do I need a monthly plan on netflex or amazon for that?

when we buy a DVD, we get the Blue Ray with the digital copy.

I guess you could buy it at amazon too.

[gooddecisions]

Dec 30, 2013 12:07:46 GMT -5 milee said:

I'm not an expert and don't have an IPad...

That being said, our family uses and finds incredibly helpful the electronic calendar functions.  We use google calendar and I also have an app (CalenMob) that I find makes reading and inputting to the calendar easier on the iPhone.

Anyway, as your family grows, it is nice to have a single electronic calendar that you all use.  Would be easy to get started on your iPad.

PS - There's a lot of controversy on whether any screen time at all is good for smaller kids.  I'm not at all saying that your daughter will be irreparably harmed if she plays on the iPad, just that you may want to do some research and possibly reconsider specifically introducing it to her as something to do.  If she's OK playing without it, that might be something you decide to avoid.  There is no good data that I'm aware of that finds even the "educational" apps helpful for smaller kids. 

I'm not a gamer and don't want to have technology addicted kids. I'm aware of the 0 recommended screen time by the AAP for children under 2 and followed it. I will not be handing it over to her, but rather sit down with her to learn together and it will be limited. She's over 2 now and the apps were PBS games for memory/matching, drawing, colors and numbers. We explored them for a total of 10 minutes and that concludes screen time for today.

[hoops902]

The best thing about it is that there a billions of free, mindless, simple games to download and play.

[milee]

Dec 30, 2013 12:15:40 GMT -5 gooddecisions said:

Dec 30, 2013 12:07:46 GMT -5 milee said:

I'm not an expert and don't have an IPad...

That being said, our family uses and finds incredibly helpful the electronic calendar functions.  We use google calendar and I also have an app (CalenMob) that I find makes reading and inputting to the calendar easier on the iPhone.

Anyway, as your family grows, it is nice to have a single electronic calendar that you all use.  Would be easy to get started on your iPad.

PS - There's a lot of controversy on whether any screen time at all is good for smaller kids.  I'm not at all saying that your daughter will be irreparably harmed if she plays on the iPad, just that you may want to do some research and possibly reconsider specifically introducing it to her as something to do.  If she's OK playing without it, that might be something you decide to avoid.  There is no good data that I'm aware of that finds even the "educational" apps helpful for smaller kids. 

I'm not a gamer and don't want to have technology addicted kids. I'm aware of the 0 recommended screen time by the AAP for children under 2 and followed it. I will not be handing it over to her, but rather sit down with her to learn together and it will be limited. She's over 2 now and the apps were PBS games for memory/matching, drawing, colors and numbers. We explored them for a total of 10 minutes and that concludes screen time for today.

Oh, I'm totally not judging you or anyone else who lets their kid play on the iPad.  I've got two boys myself and totally understand there's theory and there's reality and what we all need to do to survive. 

Simply putting it out there that if your kid does it not to worry, but maybe that it's not something you'd seek to deliberately introduce just to have something to do with the iPad.  I'm sure whatever you choose will work out fine.

[sarcasticgirl]

Clearly you would download the proboards app and post more! DUH! 

[Sunnyday]

browse the apps store.

I've got apps for keeping track of my menstrual cycle, which helps if you're in your procreating years.

You can get one of those things to prop it up, and use it when you look up recipes for meal times.

Radio and or streaming tv in the kitchen while you work

exercise apps

drawing apps. my toddler draws using an app. I don't see that as screen time. don't have source, but the "experts" think there is a difference between active and passive screen time.

l

[Gardening Grandma]

I have an ipad - have had if for a couple of years. I use it more than my desktop computer.
Internet surfing (from anywhere in the house)
Download books and read them ( I have the Kindle app and download books from my library and Amazon)
Email
Enter data on YNAB budget software
Games - Solitare and Sudoko
Facetime with my sister (free communication)
When I travel I rent movies and watch them on the flight. I also load photos I've taken daily to evaluate whether to keep them or delete them.
Facebook
Scan the news

[swasat]

I enjoy our iPad. A lot 

I am an avid chef. I book mark recipes on the iPad and its a breeze to look up a recipe with the iPad on the kitchen counter.
We have downloaded a few games that the kids play when we go on long drives.
FaceTime and Skype 
Tons of eBooks
We got a Chromecast. Its super duper simple to connect youTube on iPad to your tv. You can watch anything, and I mean absolutely anything on your home tv by using chromecast in association with your iPad.
News apps
Quick net surfing

[gooddecisions]

I want to be able to rent movies and read books from the library. I do not like buying movies or books, but would love to either pay a small fee to rent or watch for free since I only like to watch or read once.  How do I do that? The kindle app? I haven't heard of chromecast, so I'm going to google it.

[JustLurkin]

I get Kindle books from the Amazon store and check daily--almost listed it with the other links I put up.

www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Kindle-Store-eBooks/zgbs/digital-text/154606011/ref=zg_bs_fvp_p_f_154606011?_encoding=UTF8&tf=1

This link will *hopefully* show you the top 100 free books downloaded.

[Deleted]

Amazon Instant Video is what I generally use to rent newer movies. We also stream with prime and netflix.

im not sure you can download all rented content? You'd have to look at that. Generally I download purchased content. 

As others have said.. I do email, facebook, proboards, internet searches, banking, track investments, pay bills, read books, watch tv/movies, read news, listen to music, take and store photos,...

I'm learning Pages and Numbers and when I do I might just give up the computer all together... We'll see. 

Oh, also use it as a calculator, alarm clock, flashlight, level, scanner... 

The kids have games on theirs ( Dragonbox is a cool Algebra game)... And they use theirs to Skype, etc. 

[Gardening Grandma]

Gooddecisions
You can rent movies from the itunes store

[jitterbug]

I had a Nook Color for a year and now an iPad and I have only bought ONE BOOK in all that time!  And I read ALL THE TIME.  Go to your local library's webpage and see what app they use.  Mine uses "Overdrive."  Overdrive requires you to sign up for Adobe.  Then simply surf your library's website and pick what books and/or audio tapes you want!  Click "Borrow" - and your book is there!   There's usually a waiting list...but you get an email when your item becomes available.

I also use Pinterest a lot...especially for recipes.  Trip Advisor when planning a trip.  Weather.com.  Realtor.com when I want to be nosy and see how much a house is selling for.  ABC app for when I miss a show I like.  Yelp to look up restaurants.  Red Cross' Tornado App - which alerts me when there's bad weather coming.  AND has a built in flashlight and siren!  I use the camera function to send pictures to a friend when I re-arrange the living room or something!  (Ha ha).

Because I now ONLY read books on my iPad now, it goes with me EVERYWHERE.  To work to read at lunch.  To the doctor's office.  On vacation (which is also why I put my vacation checklist on the notepad).  I LOVE mine!

[Phoenix84]

I'm not really sure.  Honestly, I was thinking about starting a thread similar to this one.  Tablet computers seem to be popular items, but I fail to see the point of it.  I can do anything an IPAD does on my desktop.  I have computers at home and at work to do whatever I need to.  When I travel I don't feel the burning need to surf the web or anything.  If I do anything on the go to entertain myself, I listen to books on tape on my MP3 player.  Even though I'm a gamer, I am skeptical that touchscreen is a good control mechanism.

The only distinguishing features of tablet PC's that I can see are the touchscreen mechanism and the portability.  The touchscreen seems more like a novelty.  However, I can see the portability aspect being appealing to some people, not as much to me though.

[Phoenix84]

Dec 30, 2013 12:09:22 GMT -5 justme said:

A FB friend just got one for her 6yo - apparently it let her sleep in til 10 the next day and was worth the price!

If you read you could get the Kindle/Nook app. I just found an awesome recipe app - HP Recipe Box. It'll take recipes from online and store them and you can add your own. Only bummer is I think only the grocery list syncs between devices (meaning I only see the recipes on my tablet - where I saved them, but not on my smartphone even though I'm logged in on both). I like the FB app because at least on Android/Windows it doesn't automatically start playing those darn videos.

There's no way I'd get something as expensive as a Ipad for a 6 year old.  I know for damn sure I wasn't ready for something that expensive at that age.  That's just asking to have it lost or broken.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

I have seen many tablet (IPad, android, etc.) users use the video camera feature on a regular basis.  With a young DD, you can record her adorable doings and easily forward them to extended family.  

[MN-Investor]

It's easy to post photos or movies taken on a tablet computer (iPod or Android based) to Facebook.

Besides using the camera to take spur-of-the-moment pictures, you can use it as a scanner for magazine articles you find, or receipts you want to keep a copy of. Check out the scanner apps.

If you live in an area prone to thunderstorms, there are great weather radar apps.

I do crossword puzzles on my tablet all the time.

I have an app called Pocket - it works on PCs, iPads, Android devices, etc. It allows me to save off articles I find on the internet and read them when I'm offline. You sign in into Pocket on any one device, and any saved articles will be downloaded to all your devices running Pocket. (Just remember to open the App to download new material before you leave your house!) You can save recipes, retirement how-to articles, financial advice articles, a movie review, etc. It isn't just for reading offline. It's for articles you want to save. There was a nice newspaper writeup about a project my high school niece spearheaded. I have that saved.

Explore the apps store. There are apps for things you never even thought of. My sister found an app which, when using the camera, shows you what a red/green colorblind person would see. That's common in our family. There are apps to keep track of your weight or your exercise. Need a metronome? There's an app for that. When my nieces were younger, I had a couple of coloring book apps on my iPod Touch.

[Peace77]

You can use an IPad to save paper --instead of printing a map and directions from a desktop, use the Ipad and bring it with you.

Traveling and need to get gas? --you can use Gas Buddy to fund the cheapest nearby station.

If you are bored-- you can read a book, newspaper, Facebook, this forum or play games.