What free apps do you find useful on *your* iPad, in general?

[Liam O'Connor]

What free apps do you find useful on the iPad, in general?

I realize everyone is different (vive la différence) and I've
only been on iPad for a short while, so, I would like to find
some useful apps to test out and use.

So far, everything I've needed done either didn't exist (e.g.,
many WiFi tools and anonymity browsers), or, it just didn't
exist in iOS freeware (e.g., offline maps that speak road names),
or I found a perfectly good free app that performed the desired task.

To that end, here's my list of the free useful apps on my iPad,
but what's important is what your suggestions are for your list!

Note: I keep all my app shortcuts organized on one screen, whether
I'm on Android or iOS (and in one menu on Windows & Linux); but
I do realize personal organization styles differ widely, so, the
point of this thread is to concentrate only on FREE USEFUL APPS.

DRIVING:
CoPilot crippleware (does great offline searches, 1 map only)
Google Maps (works great online, offline is barely functional)
Apple Maps (works online great, I think offline doesn't exist)
MapsWithMe (good for offline detailed maps, anywhere in the world)
iExit (useful to find "stuff" at local exits)
GasBuddy (useful to find inexpensive gas nearby)
DASHCAM (am testing iSymDVR Lite, Mera DVR, Drive HD, MultiCam & myDVR Free)

MAIL:
Gmail (useful for your gmail account)
Mail (not useful to me, but useful for your Apple account for most)
Messages (not useful to me, but useful for Apple texting for most)
FaceTime (not useful to me, but useful for Apple videoconferencing)
Contacts (only ties to the Apple tools, so it's only 1 contact db)

VOIP:
Hangouts (useful for free USA bidirectional phone calls)
Google Voice (useful for free USA bidirectional SMS texting)
Skype (useful for compatibility with many around the world)

BROWSER:
Safari (useful mainly because all Apple links go to Safari)
Chrome (just another web browser)
Dolphin (just another web browser)
Opera Mini (just another web browser)
Mercury (just another web browser)
OperaCoast (just another web browser)

OFFICE:
Keynote (basically Apple Powerpoint-like presentation creator)
Numbers (basically Apple Excel-like spreadsheet creator)
Pages (basically Apple Word-like documents creator)
PowerPoint (Microsoft presentation reader/printer)
Excel (Microsoft spreadsheet reader/printer)
Word (Microsoft document reader/printer)

CALENDAR:
Calendar (an iPad calendar program)
Reminders (an iPad todo list program0
Notes (an iPad note taker)
Clock (a world clock program & alarm & stopwatch/timer)

PHOTO:
Camera (this is one of three apps in the task bar for quick use)
Photos (to view your photo and video rolls)
iPhoto (to edit photos on the iPad, although Linux/PC is easier)
Photo Booth (the kids like this because it makes funny photos)
WiFi photo (may delete this now that USB photo transfer works)
Skitch (it's just OK for annotating photos - need better tools!)

AUDIO:
Voice Record (this is one of three apps in the task bar for quick use)
GarageBand (the kids like this one for composing their own scores)
Pandora (useful to listen to radio station channels of your choosing)
Music (useful for the kids to listen to their music radio channels)
Free MP3 (the kids put this on - I think it replaces iTunes?)
Google Translate (wasn't sure where to put this one)

VIDEO:
VLC (all around great video player of many formats)
YouTube (the kids use this all the time to play youtube videos)
iMovie (probably useful if you want to edit video on the iPad)
Voddio (just ok video creator)
Videos (I haven't yet found a use for this built-in program)
Podcasts (I haven't yet found a use for this built-in program)

SCANNER: (I'm having trouble finding a good free scanner app)
Mobile OCR (still under test for scanning documents to PDF/OCR)
LEADTOOLS OCR (still under test for scanning documents to PDF/OCR)
JJ Scan HD (still under test for scanning documents to PDF/OCR)
CamScanner (still under test for scanning documents to PDF/OCR)

SHOPPING
Calculator (this can go anywhere but useful here for price comparisons)
ScanLife (unfortunately just ok app for scanning products)
ShopSavvy (unfortunately, just ok app for finding alternative products)

FILES:
Still testing (Top Files, Documents, FileManager, & FileBrowser Lite)
SEettings (one of three apps in the task bar for quick access)

INSTALL:
App Store (very useful for downloading free apps)
ITunes Store (useless for my purpose; may be useful to others)

TEST:
(this contains the current set of apps under test, of which there
are too many to note and which may or may not turn out to be useful)

GAME: (the kids control GAME - a rule is it all goes in 1 folder!)
Candy Crush (the kids downloaded this into the GAME folder)
FN HD Free (the kids downloaded this into the GAME folder)
Temple Run 2 (the kids downloaded this into the GAME folder)
Hungry Shark (the kids downloaded this into the GAME folder)
Clash of Titans (the kids downloaded this into the GAME folder)
Skyrim (the kids downloaded this into the GAME folder)
Make it Rain (the kids downloaded this into the GAME folder)
DH 2014 (the kids downloaded this into the GAME folder)
Piano Tiles (the kids downloaded this into the GAME folder)
Dumb Ways (the kids downloaded this into the GAME folder)

Given those are the apps I find useful on my iPad Mini, I ask:
Q: What free apps do you find useful on the iPad, in general?

[Savageduck]

On 2014-06-06 03:43:01 +0000, Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> said:

> What free apps do you find useful on the iPad, in general?
>

> I realize everyone is different (vive la diff�rence) and I've

Here you can add Tunein Radio available from the iPad App Store *Free*.
< https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tunein-radio/id418987775?mt=8 >

> VIDEO:
> VLC (all around great video player of many formats)
> YouTube (the kids use this all the time to play youtube videos)
> iMovie (probably useful if you want to edit video on the iPad)
> Voddio (just ok video creator)
> Videos (I haven't yet found a use for this built-in program)
> Podcasts (I haven't yet found a use for this built-in program)

Podcasts can be video or audio and can be quite enlightening, most are
free. Just open Podcasts App and tap on "Search" on the bottom right.
Enter some subject, for you perhaps something like *Linux* might prove
to be interesting. Try it you never know what you will find. I
subscribe (free) to spme Photoshop and photography related stuff, along
with some other stuff such as the *Hubblecast HD* all good stuff for
the inquiring mind.

> SCANNER: (I'm having trouble finding a good free scanner app)
> Mobile OCR (still under test for scanning documents to PDF/OCR)
> LEADTOOLS OCR (still under test for scanning documents to PDF/OCR)
> JJ Scan HD (still under test for scanning documents to PDF/OCR)
> CamScanner (still under test for scanning documents to PDF/OCR)

Not free there is Genius Scan+, but it is the best of the class.
< https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/genius-scan+-pdf-scanner/id401818935?mt=8 >

--
Regards,

Savageduck

[Patty Winter]

In article <4dfcd$539138c5$43da7656$28...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>,

Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:
>
>DRIVING:
>CoPilot crippleware (does great offline searches, 1 map only)

I think it's unfair to call the free version of CoPilot GPS
"crippleware." It works great. And that "1 map" can cover
entire continents! (I have the North America map.) I recently
paid the one-time fee for spoken driving directions, but that
was mostly on a whim; I was getting by fine without them. Note
that I don't have the cellular reception in my iPad activated,
so I'm using CoPilot just with the GPS and the free map and POIs.

>GasBuddy (useful to find inexpensive gas nearby)

I thought I had downloaded this recently, but maybe I discovered
that it only works with a cell connection and decided not to use it.

>Q: What free apps do you find useful on the iPad, in general?

I installed the Southwest Airlines app before a recent trip and
had fun with it on the plane. Although there were a number of
live TV stations and prerecorded TV shows available, I spent
most of my time watching the flight track, speed, etc. :-)
Of course, you can also use it to book travel, check in, etc.

Server Auditor provides SSH capability. Since I do most of my
email and newsgroup reading on a shell account, this is a handy
capability when I'm traveling.

News: I have the apps for BBC News, Al Jazeera English, and the
L.A. Times.

California Road Report requires me to check it before I leave
the house (or when I'm connected to some other Wi-Fi hotspot),
but it's a handy tool for finding traffic problems:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/california-road-report/id366746980?mt=8

Speaking of other Wi-Fi hotspots, I also have the Xfinity app
from Comcast, which tells me where I can get free Wi-Fi from
other Comcast users (mostly businesses) who've agreed to let
Comcast run a hotspot through their cable modems. I've tried
this a few times, and it's handy. I don't do any personal stuff
(email, banking, etc.) when I'm on one of these hotspots.


Patty

[nospam]

In article
<4dfcd$539138c5$43da7656$28...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>, Liam
O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

> Mail (not useful to me, but useful for your Apple account for most)

it supports any email account (and more than one), not just apple.

> Messages (not useful to me, but useful for Apple texting for most)

it's not just apple. it's standard texting, although in some cases, it
can skip the carrier and avoid texting fees.

> Contacts (only ties to the Apple tools, so it's only 1 contact db)

it's systemwide and any app can access contacts if it wants to.

> Given those are the apps I find useful on my iPad Mini, I ask:
> Q: What free apps do you find useful on the iPad, in general?

fing - network scanner.

2048 - very simple yet highly addictive game. there are quite a few
versions of it, some with the normal 4x4 grid and some with bigger
boards or other variations.

quiz up - very good trivia game in a wide variety of topics, play
against random people elsewhere in the world.

word lens - translates whatever text you aim the camera at, on the fly.
the language packs are an in-app purchase and became free when google
bought the company and it looks like they still are.

[nospam]

In article <2014060521414695627-savageduck1@REMOVESPAMmecom>,

Savageduck <savageduck1@{REMOVESPAM}me.com> wrote:

> > Podcasts (I haven't yet found a use for this built-in program)
>
> Podcasts can be video or audio and can be quite enlightening, most are
> free. Just open Podcasts App and tap on "Search" on the bottom right.
> Enter some subject, for you perhaps something like *Linux* might prove
> to be interesting. Try it you never know what you will find. I
> subscribe (free) to spme Photoshop and photography related stuff, along
> with some other stuff such as the *Hubblecast HD* all good stuff for
> the inquiring mind.

apple's podcast app is horrible.

choose a different app to listen to podcasts.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Thu, 05 Jun 2014 21:41:46 -0700, Savageduck wrote:

> Here you can add Tunein Radio available from the iPad App Store *Free*.
> < https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tunein-radio/id418987775?mt=8 >

This seems like a very nice addition to a typical set of free
software for the iPad. thanks!

Tunein-Radio:
TuneIn is real radio. Discover, follow and listen to what’s most important
to you from the world’s largest collection of sports, news, music and talk
stations. TuneIn has over 100,000 real radio stations and more than four
million podcasts from all over the world on your iPhone, iPad and iPod.

[Savageduck]

It has improve and I now prefer it over Downcast, which was by go-to
Podcast app, due to better memory and cloud management. Downcast had
become a memory hog.

> choose a different app to listen to podcasts.

I did, and now I have returned.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

[Ben Ritchey]

Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

VLC Streamer (uses desktop server and iPad client)
WebMD medical info
Epocrates medicine info
Amazon shopping
eBay shopping
Newstap usenet forums
PicsArt graphics cropping & editing
Ups, Usps & Fedex mobile
Facebook social
Skype calling
Etc.

--
Ben aka cMech http://cmech.dynip.com

[Liam O'Connor]

On Fri, 06 Jun 2014 06:10:06 +0000, Patty Winter wrote:

> I think it's unfair to call the free version of CoPilot GPS
> "crippleware." It works great. And that "1 map" can cover
> entire continents! (I have the North America map.)

Hi Patty,

I understand.

I wasn't sure *what* to call CoPilot, since it's not trialware,
nor is is freeware. It's something else. What would you call
it?

As for functionaly, I think, for free, it's *great* stuff.

a) The maps are *accurate* (as good as google, better than OSM)
b) The POIs are *fantastic* (as good as google and they're offline!)
c) The routing is *great* (you even get multiple routes!)

My only beefs with the CoPilot non-paid-for-trialware (other
than the fact it stops talking to you) is that it seems to
force me to constantly "recalculate" the next turn distance.

To be clear, the total distance does not need recalculating,
nor does your blue dot gps position on the map, but, on my
not-paid-for-copilot-trialware, everything updates automatically
except for the next-turn distance.

I have to constantly hit the RECALCULATE button in order to
get the next-turn distance to update.

Is that because I didn't pay for it?
Or does the paid version also do that?

[Liam O'Connor]

On Fri, 06 Jun 2014 06:10:06 +0000, Patty Winter wrote:

>>GasBuddy (useful to find inexpensive gas nearby)
>
> I thought I had downloaded this recently, but maybe I discovered
> that it only works with a cell connection and decided not to use it.

Hi Patty,

If you have a tablet that has a SIM card slot, you can get,
for free, 200MB/month from T-Mobile (at least in the USA).

If you don't have a SIM card slot, then forget about it.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Fri, 06 Jun 2014 06:10:06 +0000, Patty Winter wrote:

> News: I have the apps for BBC News, Al Jazeera English, and the
> L.A. Times.

Hi Patty,

I should have noted that every large web site seems to have
their own app (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Craigslist,
Pinterest, etc.) so I purposefully omitted those from the list
as it would have been huge (and very much subject to whim).

[Liam O'Connor]

On Fri, 06 Jun 2014 06:10:06 +0000, Patty Winter wrote:

> California Road Report requires me to check it before I leave
> the house (or when I'm connected to some other Wi-Fi hotspot),
> but it's a handy tool for finding traffic problems:

Traffic is one of those rare things that requires a cellular
connection, and can't really be done well offline.

Your paid-for-copilot has traffic, but, in reality, once you
have cellular data, it's hard to beat Google Maps traffic for
accuracy, so, I don't see how *any* other traffic solution
will work better than Google Maps does.

[Jolly Roger]

How so? I've used it several times now, and it was just fine.

> choose a different app to listen to podcasts.

What do you use?

--
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

[D.F. Manno]

In article
<4dfcd$539138c5$43da7656$28...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>,

Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

> What free apps do you find useful on the iPad, in general?

<list snipped>

> Given those are the apps I find useful on my iPad Mini, I ask:
> Q: What free apps do you find useful on the iPad, in general?

No cloud storage app (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.)?

--
D.F. Manno | dfm...@mail.com
GOP delenda est!

[Patty Winter]

In article <6e377$5391cabb$43da7656$30...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>,

Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:
>

>Traffic is one of those rare things that requires a cellular
>connection, and can't really be done well offline.
>
>Your paid-for-copilot has traffic

No, it doesn't. That requires a monthly or annual fee.


Patty

[Patty Winter]

In article <43880$5391c9c4$43da7656$30...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>,

Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:
>

>If you have a tablet that has a SIM card slot, you can get,
>for free, 200MB/month from T-Mobile (at least in the USA).
>
>If you don't have a SIM card slot, then forget about it.

I do have a SIM card slot, else my iPad wouldn't have a GPS receiver, too.
Those two features come together.

However, I chose the AT&T model, so T-Mobile's data plans wouldn't
help me. Besides, I can't imagine that I could just walk into a
T-Mobile store and get free cellular data! I'll be activating my
iPad's data temporarily later this year when I go on vacation for
a week or so. I can purchase data from AT&T by the month.


Patty

[nospam]

In article <5391e508$0$52740$742e...@news.sonic.net>, Patty Winter

<pat...@wintertime.com> wrote:

> >If you have a tablet that has a SIM card slot, you can get,
> >for free, 200MB/month from T-Mobile (at least in the USA).
> >
> >If you don't have a SIM card slot, then forget about it.
>
> I do have a SIM card slot, else my iPad wouldn't have a GPS receiver, too.
> Those two features come together.
>
> However, I chose the AT&T model, so T-Mobile's data plans wouldn't
> help me.

it most certainly will. all ipads are unlocked and all you need is a
t-mobile sim (or a sim for whatever carrier you want).

> Besides, I can't imagine that I could just walk into a
> T-Mobile store and get free cellular data!

actually you can, although most stores will try to sell you the sim.

however, at t-mobile.com, the sims go on sale for a buck or two and
sometimes free every so often.

> I'll be activating my
> iPad's data temporarily later this year when I go on vacation for
> a week or so. I can purchase data from AT&T by the month.

if you anticipate using under 200 meg for the vacation (or in general),
then there's no need to bother with at&t. if not, then you will need a
paid plan.

however, what really matters is who has the best coverage where you are
going to be. the only downside of t-mobile is that their coverage is
not as good, but where they do have coverage, it's *very* fast.

[Savageduck]

That is the same as MotionX GPSDrive $0.99, turn-by-turn voice is free
for the first 30 days, then $2.99/30 days, or $9.99/year.
< https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/motionx-gps-drive/id328095974?mt=8 >

--
Regards,

Savageduck

[Patty Winter]

In article <2014060609482751020-savageduck1@REMOVESPAMmecom>,

Savageduck <savageduck1@{REMOVESPAM}me.com> wrote:

>On 2014-06-06 15:50:41 +0000, Patty Winter <pat...@wintertime.com> said:
>
>> In article <6e377$5391cabb$43da7656$30...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>,
>> Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Your paid-for-copilot has traffic
>>
>> No, it doesn't. That requires a monthly or annual fee.
>
>That is the same as MotionX GPSDrive $0.99, turn-by-turn voice is free
>for the first 30 days, then $2.99/30 days, or $9.99/year.

Not quite the same, because with CoPilot, it's a *one-time* fee
of $9.99 for turn-by-turn voice. The ongoing fee is for real-time
traffic updates (and maybe some other features; I don't recall).


Patty

[Savageduck]

For your trip the least complicated way would be to buy a batch of AT&T
pay as you go broadband. Then you might not need that at all if your
travel destination has WiFi available.

I have a SIMless 64GB iPad 2 WiFi+Verizon which I got because of the
GPS receiver. In all the time I have owned my iPad and travelled with
it I have been able to get on line ether with hotel/motel provided
WiFi, or by using my iPhone as a Personal Hotspot (Verizon).


--
Regards,

Savageduck

[Patty Winter]

In article <2c7b8$5391c982$43da7656$30...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>,

Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:
>

>I wasn't sure *what* to call CoPilot, since it's not trialware,
>nor is is freeware. It's something else. What would you call
>it?

"The free version"?

>My only beefs with the CoPilot non-paid-for-trialware (other
>than the fact it stops talking to you) is that it seems to
>force me to constantly "recalculate" the next turn distance.
>

>Is that because I didn't pay for it?
>Or does the paid version also do that?

I'm not in the habit of watching my iPad when I'm driving,
so I don't know whether my version of CoPilot was having
trouble calculating turn distances before I upgraded to
the voice-directions version. However, it doesn't seem to
me that the two features would be related.

I just ran some errands, so I set a destination and glanced
at the iPad occasionally and it was giving me correct distances
to the next turn. Do you have the latest version of the software?
Maybe there's something weird with the maps in your area.


Patty

[Davoud]

Liam O'Connor:

> What free apps do you find useful on the iPad, in general?

> ...

What in the world makes you think that the way I use my iPad would help
you in any way? Firstly, I seek the best software for the task at hand,
not the cheapest.

Are you an astronomer? A nature photographer who does stills and short
videos to illustrate particular arthropod behaviors? Do you need
Arabic, French, and Hebrew dictionaries?

If you can answer yes to any or all of those questions, I can recommend
a variety of software that ranges in quality from adequate to superb.
But most of it isn't free.

--
I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that
you will say in your entire life.

usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm

[dorayme]

In article <070620140017335206%st...@sky.net>, Davoud <st...@sky.net>
wrote:

> Liam O'Connor:
>
> > What free apps do you find useful on the iPad, in general?
>
> > ...
>
> What in the world makes you think that the way I use my iPad would help
> you in any way? Firstly, I seek the best software for the task at hand,
> not the cheapest.
>
> Are you an astronomer? A nature photographer who does stills and short
> videos to illustrate particular arthropod behaviors? Do you need
> Arabic, French, and Hebrew dictionaries?
>
> If you can answer yes to any or all of those questions, I can recommend
> a variety of software that ranges in quality from adequate to superb.
> But most of it isn't free.

It is quite remarkable that you are unaware you are letting the whole
world know what a pretentious stuck up little shit you are.

--
dorayme

[Liam O'Connor]

On Fri, 06 Jun 2014 14:11:01 +0000, Jolly Roger wrote:

>> choose a different app to listen to podcasts.
> What do you use?

I have a more general question about these things called
"podcasts".

I presume they are audio files, or maybe even video files.

If so, how are they *any* different than just going to
YouTube, downloading the video, and watching it offline?

Of, if they're just audio, how are they any different
than downloading an MP3 file, and listening to it offline?

For example, I have the entire history of China, in MP3,
which takes very many hours to listen to, which I have on
my iPod which I play in my car.

How is a "podcast" any different than a downloaded MP3
or video file?

[Liam O'Connor]

On Fri, 06 Jun 2014 22:21:34 +0000, Patty Winter wrote:

>>I wasn't sure *what* to call CoPilot, since it's not trialware,
>>nor is is freeware. It's something else. What would you call
>>it?
>
> "The free version"?

OK. I get your point.

With CoPilot "freeware", you get everything that is in
CoPilot payware, with the exception of speaking, and,
I think, fewer maps.

As you noted, the freeware CoPilot allows a single
map download; but it can be an entire continent, so,
it's not much of a restriction.

My CoPilot freeeware version requires me to hit the
recalculate button in order for the next turn distance
to update; but other than that, the freeware seems
nicely functional.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Fri, 06 Jun 2014 15:58:00 +0000, Patty Winter wrote:

> However, I chose the AT&T model, so T-Mobile's data plans wouldn't
> help me. Besides, I can't imagine that I could just walk into a
> T-Mobile store and get free cellular data!

I have turned quite a few people on to the T-Mobile free
data plan for tablets. It's real.

Some got the SIM card for free (they were already T-Mobile
customers for their phones); others paid 99 cents (T-Mobile
runs a sale every few months); while most paid $10 for the
SIM card.

But, it "is" that easy.

Just waltz into any T-Mobile store or call them up at
1-800-T-Mobile, and you'll be thanking us in the
morning.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Fri, 06 Jun 2014 15:50:41 +0000, Patty Winter wrote:

>>Your paid-for-copilot has traffic
> No, it doesn't. That requires a monthly or annual fee.

Hi Patty,
Thanks for clarifying.
I must admit, if it's not already apparently, that the CoPilot
pricing and functionality model confuses me to no end.

For example, on multiple Android phones, I can't get the
first 14-day trialware to speak road names (it speaks
directions only); yet, on multiple iPads, it speaks both
roadnames and directions in the 2-week trial period.

In all cases, I can't get it to recalculate automatically
the next-turn distance, but, everything else recalculates
just fine. So I don't know if an automatic recalculation
as you drive closer to your next turn is part of the
paid-for CoPilot or not.

As for maps, the trialware clearly says you get one chance
for one map, but, at least on iPad, I've deleted my one
map (West Coast) and replaced it with another one map
(North America) without any problems. So, I'm unsure of
why the dire warning in the first place.

As for traffic, I see they charge for a few features, and,
that must be one where there's an additional fee.

Luckily, as I had said, once you've got free cellular
from TMobile, traffic is no longer a problem. What I do,
to limit bandwidth, is use the Google "ok maps" download
feature, which (as of the latest Google Maps update) will
allow you to update every 29/30 days (depending on your
platform).

So, all you need after that, for data, is the traffic overlay.

So, in the end, you get:
a) CoPilot for free
b) Offline Google Maps for free
c) T-Mobile 200MB/month data for free (+$10 for the SIM card)
d) Realtime Google Traffic for free

[Liam O'Connor]

On Fri, 06 Jun 2014 16:56:19 +0000, Patty Winter wrote:

> Not quite the same, because with CoPilot, it's a *one-time* fee
> of $9.99 for turn-by-turn voice. The ongoing fee is for real-time
> traffic updates (and maybe some other features; I don't recall).

I agree with Patty,

CoPilot is no slouch on maps nor navigation nor POIs and Address
Searches, so, for the *one-time* fee of $10, you get voice forever.

I don't pay the $10 because, at least on my Android phone, MapFactor
Navigator provides voice turn directions for free, so, I use
my Android phone for most of my GPS mapping. Unfortunately, the
map apps on iOS are limited, as compared to what's available on
Android.

Having said that, while ZNavi freeware on Android provides
both free road names and free turn-by-turn directions, ZNavi
stinks so badly otherwise, that I have to say the following,
which I hope someone refutes! :)

FACT?
There is no free road map app on either Android or iOS
which speaks both roadnames and turn directions. :(

[Liam O'Connor]

On Fri, 06 Jun 2014 12:44:32 +0000, Ben Ritchey wrote:

> VLC Streamer (uses desktop server and iPad client)

Is this different from the VLC app already listed
under VIDEO?

> Skype calling
This was listed under VOIP, but I do agree we could have
added many VOIP solutions (e.g., talkatone, viber, etc.,
but most of them recently were burned by the Google May
15 shutdown of third-part Google Voice APIs).

> WebMD medical info
> Epocrates medicine info
> Amazon shopping
> eBay shopping

> Ups, Usps & Fedex mobile
> Facebook social

Yeah. I should have mentioned in the OP that every large
web site has their own personalized app, so we would have
been listing web-site portals by the scores. To avoid
that, I omitted them (I have some on my iPad, but, they
really don't do much more than the web page does, although
they're a bit more convenient than a web page).

> Newstap usenet forums

IMHO, for free, there really is no decent NNTP news
client on iOS. This one is limited to a single newsgroup,
so, it's not really something I'd consider functional.

> PicsArt graphics cropping & editing

That's an interesting proposition. I don't edit photos on
the iPad, but we already have iPhoto freeware available, so,
I wonder how this PicsArt beats iPhoto?

I've installed it, and I put it with my test "art" programs
which, at the moment, are all untested, but which include:
SketchPad
Sketch (multiple programs with the same name)
Sketch Painter
My Sketch Pad
SketchUP lite
DrawingPad
Chalk Pad
MyBrushes Lite
DrawPad
tinker Paint
Paint Pad
CreativityStudio
Pen & Ink
Zoodle Pad
FS Paint
Geometry Pad
etc.

I had not listed these "drawing" freeware apps because I
haven't tested them all and chosen the best yet.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Fri, 06 Jun 2014 11:15:08 -0400, D.F. Manno wrote:

> No cloud storage app (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.)?

You caught an important omission.

It's probably a good idea for everyone to have at least
one single site for the best free cloud storage app.

For me, I don't trust cloud storage, so, I have no experience
with it; but perhaps someone here can list the best single
free cloud storage app for the iPad, as I would be glad to
test that one best freeware out.

It would then go into the "File Manager" folder, along with
the other file managers.

[Alan Browne]

On 2014.06.07, 09:27 , Liam O'Connor wrote:
> On Fri, 06 Jun 2014 14:11:01 +0000, Jolly Roger wrote:
>
>>> choose a different app to listen to podcasts.
>> What do you use?
>
> I have a more general question about these things called
> "podcasts".
>
> I presume they are audio files, or maybe even video files.
>
> If so, how are they *any* different than just going to
> YouTube, downloading the video, and watching it offline?
>
> Of, if they're just audio, how are they any different
> than downloading an MP3 file, and listening to it offline?
>
> For example, I have the entire history of China, in MP3,
> which takes very many hours to listen to, which I have on
> my iPod which I play in my car.

"The entire history of China" takes many hours to listen to?

Perhaps the unit should be years.


--
I was born a 1%er - I'm just more equal than the rest.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 00:17:33 -0400, Davoud wrote:

> What in the world makes you think that the way I use my iPad would help
> you in any way? Firstly, I seek the best software for the task at hand,
> not the cheapest.

There are two ways to answer that question.

One is that you *can* add value to us. Just as I have value to you.
Our value is in the EFFORT we have already expended to find the best
programs and in our willingness to DISCUSS how to improve that list.

The other way to answer it could be to say that, if you don't use
general-purpose freeware, then you can't add any value to the
discussion; but you'd be the rare person who doesn't use *any*
general-purpose freeware apps.

> Are you an astronomer? A nature photographer who does stills and short
> videos to illustrate particular arthropod behaviors? Do you need
> Arabic, French, and Hebrew dictionaries?

Notice the expression "in general" in the title?
We *all* know that there are specialized apps for specialized tasks
for a rare set of people.

That isn't what this thread is about.

I actually have a few more apps than I listed, but since they
were specialized, I hadn't listed them, e.g., MyFitness Pal for
losing weight, and Geometry iPad for math descriptions, etc.

So, this thread is about 'generally useful' free stuff for iOS.

> If you can answer yes to any or all of those questions, I can recommend
> a variety of software that ranges in quality from adequate to superb.
> But most of it isn't free.

Heh heh ... see one of my two responses in the first paragraph!
:)

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 05:13:11 +0000, Lewis wrote:

> I would go a bit further, I try to *avoid* free apps if possible unless
> they are well known, well reviewed, and well recommended.

I'm glad people like you exist!

I hope you also pay as much taxes as you can.

And, that you pay the highest price available for any product out
there.

The world *needs* people like you!

thank you very much!

[Alan Browne]

On 2014.06.07, 10:11 , Liam O'Connor wrote:
> On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 05:13:11 +0000, Lewis wrote:
>
>> I would go a bit further, I try to *avoid* free apps if possible unless
>> they are well known, well reviewed, and well recommended.
>
> I'm glad people like you exist!
>
> I hope you also pay as much taxes as you can.

Funny how you take one statement and drive it to an extreme out of context.

>
> And, that you pay the highest price available for any product out
> there.

More of the same hyperbole.

> The world *needs* people like you!

Indeed it does. While I have free apps on my iPhone I also have a lot
of paid for apps (on my desk/laptops too). They get used a lot, they
serve me and what I paid to get them incentivizes the app developer to
maintain and improve the app and to come out with more useful stuff.

[Ben Ritchey]

Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

Yes Vlc Streamer is different than Vlc viewer, it lets you browse desktop
movies from your iPad and watch them, too!

--
Ben aka cMech http://cmech.dynip.com

[Patty Winter]

In article <d6e46$53931732$43da7656$60...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>,

Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:
>

>I must admit, if it's not already apparently, that the CoPilot
>pricing and functionality model confuses me to no end.

I have relatively few apps on my iPod touch and iPad mini, so I've
never quite figured out all the purchasing options available for
iOS apps, either. But for CoPilot GPS, the basics seem to be a one-
time fee to add voice directions, a one-time fee to add each additional
map, and an ongoing fee for real-time traffic. BTW, updates to POIs
are free. I'm pretty sure my North America map got updated recently, too.


Patty

[Patty Winter]

In article <53b58$53931507$43da7656$60...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>,

Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

>On Fri, 06 Jun 2014 15:58:00 +0000, Patty Winter wrote:
>
>> However, I chose the AT&T model, so T-Mobile's data plans wouldn't
>> help me. Besides, I can't imagine that I could just walk into a
>> T-Mobile store and get free cellular data!
>
>I have turned quite a few people on to the T-Mobile free
>data plan for tablets. It's real.
>
>Some got the SIM card for free (they were already T-Mobile
>customers for their phones); others paid 99 cents (T-Mobile
>runs a sale every few months); while most paid $10 for the
>SIM card.

But doesn't the fact that I chose the AT&T model of iPad mean
that I can't use a T-Mobile SIM card? If not, then what did
my choice refer to?


Patty

[Savageduck]

Podcasts are different in the way the subject matter is offered, and
can be either video or audio. The subject matter is diverse ranging
from topical, to informative, tutorials, and entertainment, and usually
is added to on a weekly or monthly basis.
I might play an audio Podcast in my car, I only have few of those, the
majority of those I subscribe to are video.

I suggest you open the Podcasts App and look at what is offered, or
search for a subject which might interest you. If there is nothing
which interests you, then don't bother.

I subscribe to to several free Photoshop & photography related podcasts
where there are some tutorials and genre news. I also subscribe to
several NASA Podcasts, including the Hubblecast HD.
I checked they even have some Linux Podcasts.
< https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/FileChute/screenshot_736.jpg >
< https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/FileChute/screenshot_735.jpg >

For this type of thing there is also TED, a free App with plenty of
interesting content.
< https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ted/id376183339?mt=8 >

--
Regards,

Savageduck

[~BD~]

FYI, Liam

http://www.howtopodcasttutorial.com/what-is-a-podcast.htm

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 14:44:50 +0100, ~BD~ wrote:

> http://www.howtopodcasttutorial.com/what-is-a-podcast.htm

OK. I read that.

So a podcast is an MP3 file that is easier for the
broadcaster to disseminate than most other methods, is
that right?

Apparently, the user "subscribes" to the RSS feeds, and,
lo and behold, the MP3 files just show up on their iPad
like a radio broadcast would on a radio.

The only time I listen to a radio is in my car, which
is the same place that I listen to huge audio files,
so, I still don't exactly see the allure of podcasts
over simple MP3 files.

The allure seems to be more that it's easier for
the guy *distributing* the MP3 file, and, that it's
easier for the guy *passively* receiving the MP3 file
(as in radio broadcasts).

But, for a guy like me, I don't see the allure, since,
if I want an MP3 file, I just get it.

I guess if there is MP3 content available by this RSS
feed that is not available by any other method, then,
I guess, there is value.

But, in the end, a podcast still seems to be a simple
MP3 file; it's simply the distribution that appears to
be different. At least that's what I got out of that
article.

In summary, I guess, if I had wanted to listen to a
radio station whenever I wanted, then the podcast
concept would make more sense to me.

But, to me, it's just two basic things:
1. An MP3 file, which is easy to transmit,
2, And, an MP3 file, which is easy to download.

That's just an MP3 file, to me.

[Michelle Steiner]

In article
<21c30$53931d7a$43da7656$60...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>, Liam

You completely missed what he wrote and come up with some very
illogical responses.

Like him, I avoid free apps unless they are well known, well reviewed,
and well recommended. I also avoid not-free apps unless they are well

[Erilar]

Patty Winter <pat...@wintertime.com> wrote:
> In article <43880$5391c9c4$43da7656$30...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>,

> Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:
>>

>> If you have a tablet that has a SIM card slot, you can get,
>> for free, 200MB/month from T-Mobile (at least in the USA).
>>
>> If you don't have a SIM card slot, then forget about it.
>
> I do have a SIM card slot, else my iPad wouldn't have a GPS receiver, too.
> Those two features come together.
>

> However, I chose the AT&T model, so T-Mobile's data plans wouldn't
> help me. Besides, I can't imagine that I could just walk into a

> T-Mobile store and get free cellular data! I'll be activating my
> iPad's data temporarily later this year when I go on vacation for
> a week or so. I can purchase data from AT&T by the month.
>

I finally discovered how the T-mobil "free" data really works. It's "free"
only if you have a T-Mobile phone. With no phone account it's $10 a month.
I couldn't get cellular to work at ALL in Europe-- some miscommunication
initially about the type of account*, but because I have the SIM,
apparently, I've had GPS on my offline maps apps right along.

* I finally got the mess sorted out when I got back home and found a bill
for a ridiculous amount for the unusable account! It took a lot of normal
landline time and multiple people at T-mobile!

--
Erilar, biblioholic medievalist with iPad

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 15:43:55 +0000, Patty Winter wrote:

> But doesn't the fact that I chose the AT&T model of iPad mean
> that I can't use a T-Mobile SIM card? If not, then what did
> my choice refer to?

There are two answers to that question.
The first is marketing. The second is marketing.

All you got, when you chose AT&T over T-Mobile, as far as
I can tell, is an AT&T SIM card. Had you chosen T-Mobile,
the only change would have been a T-Mobile SIM card.

We've already established that a T-Mobile SIM card
ranges from a cost of free, to as high as $10, so,
that's the value of the card itself.

Others such as nospam might know more.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 13:57:46 +0000, Erilar wrote:

> It's "free"
> only if you have a T-Mobile phone. With no phone account it's $10 a month.

We should mention that the free T-mobile 200MB/month that nospam
and I are experienced with is only for the USA and only for
tablets.

Specifically, it's not for cell phones (although it does turn a tablet
into a cellphone, in a way, because you can use Google Hangouts to
make and receive free USA calls and you can use Google Voice to make
and receive free USA SMS texts).

Also, it does not work in Europe. I tried it myself with my iPad.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 15:42:18 +0000, Patty Winter wrote:

> for CoPilot GPS, the basics seem to be a one-
> time fee to add voice directions, a one-time fee to add each additional
> map, and an ongoing fee for real-time traffic.

Thanks.
That helps to clarify some of my confusion.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 09:11:06 -0500, Liam O'Connor wrote:

> I hope you also pay as much taxes as you can.

Actually, I apologize. I was too extreme in my response.
I should have just let it go. I'm sorry.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 10:17:04 -0400, Alan Browne wrote:

> Funny how you take one statement and drive it to an extreme out of context.

I am sorry. I shouldn't even have responded to the guy who said
he never used freeware.

Somehow, despite my stricture against negative comments about
people on the net, I had responded. I apologize.

I hope to not do it again!

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 10:17:04 -0400, Alan Browne wrote:

> Indeed it does. While I have free apps on my iPhone I also have a lot
> of paid for apps (on my desk/laptops too). They get used a lot, they
> serve me and what I paid to get them incentivizes the app developer to
> maintain and improve the app and to come out with more useful stuff.

Again, I apologize for saying anything negative about the guy who
wanted payware. Somehow, I let my guard down.

There's nothing wrong with payware. I pay for Microsoft Office, for
example. And I pay for TurboTax. And Adobe Acrobat Writer, and, even
that, I haven't bought since version 7 (I bought version 5, 6, and 7
but then I learned there are easy ways to create PDFs for free without
it - but it's still the only app that turns a web site into a
hierarchically clickable PDF).

To be clear, I don't pay for much else, as it's easy to get almost
all desired functionality that "I" need, from legitimate freeware.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 08:03:13 -0700, Michelle Steiner wrote:

> Like him, I avoid free apps unless they are well known, well reviewed,
> and well recommended. I also avoid not-free apps unless they are well
> known, well reviewed, and well recommended.

The cost, for freeware, is in the diligence to get good products!

[Savageduck]

Saying that a Podcast is "just an MP3" is an over simplification. At
this stage just open the Podcasts App and take a look at what is
offered.

...and please don't start another thread on getting Podcast files from
your iPad to your Linux desktop file system.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 12:13:31 -0500, Liam O'Connor wrote:

> But, for a guy like me, I don't see the allure, since,
> if I want an MP3 file, I just get it.

I'm starting to see the advantages as I read more about it.
The advantage isn't 'technical', as in a better MP3.

While there are advantages in transmission and reception,
it seems the advantage is the content.

Is that right?

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 13:30:00 -0400, nospam wrote:

> new podcasts arrive automatically so when you grab the phone or ipad in
> the morning (or whenever), the new content is already there. it's like
> having the newspaper delivered every day, rather than needing to stop
> at a newstand on the way.
>
> and a podcast is more than just an mp3 file (or video, as there are
> also video podcasts). it's the content that determines it, not the
> format.

Hi Nospam,
I see now what I was missing.

At first, I ignored podcasts (like I ignore a lot of stuff, since
a man only has so many hours in a day to learn new things).

Then I read up on it, and I said to myself, hmmm... it's just another
audio/video file.

But, then I read more, and it seems that a podcast has two
technical advantages over a simple file, namely:
1. It's easier to broadcast, and,
2. It's easier to receive.

Due to that, apparently, podcasts have some good "content", which,
after all, is what we're after.

So, I now belatedly see the advantages of podcasts.

What I'll do is download the aforementioned podcast app, and check
out that content!

It's a wonderful suggestion since I wouldn't myself have the time
and energy to find the best podcast app.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 12:00:01 -0700, Savageduck wrote:

> ...and please don't start another thread on getting Podcast files from
> your iPad to your Linux desktop file system.

:)

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 21:13:09 +0000, Lewis wrote:

>> And, that you pay the highest price available for any product out
>> there.

> You are an idiot. I will pay more for a quality product.

I think we misunderstood each other.

I apologize for saying what I had said about your payments.

My point is that quality products exist as legitimate freeware.

It is our right and privilege to use freeware, just as it is
yours to disparage freeware in favor of payware.

The cost of freeware is the not insignificant effort in
locating the good apps. I suspect many people head straight
to the payware because they are unwilling or unable to
expend that energy to find the best freeware apps.

All the power to them.

However, just as I shouldn't disparage you for your feelings
that all freeware is garbage, you shouldn't disparage my
feelings that the best freeware is worth asking about.

Which is what I'm doing here, in this thread.

And, together, which is what everyone is pitching in to
help everyone who reads this thread ind the best free apps.

If this is not clear, then please ask for clarification.

[Jolly Roger]

*deny*, *deny*, *deny*...

--
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

[Jolly Roger]

On 2014-06-07, Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

...nor the open-mindedness to get a clue and realize what you were
missing, which is also the case with that wasted-potential iPad you have
next to you, or that Mac you will probably never own. Good for you this
time; and your loss for the rest. The rest of us will enjoy them while
you toil with your "freeware or bust" chores.

[Rod Speed]

Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote

> Jolly Roger wrote

>>> choose a different app to listen to podcasts.

>> What do you use?

> I have a more general question about these things called "podcasts".

> I presume they are audio files, or maybe even video files.

Yes.

> If so, how are they *any* different than just going to
> YouTube, downloading the video, and watching it offline?

The better sources of podcasts automatically move
the podcasts to the igadget so you can select from
what is available when you say want to listen to
something when you are walking for exercise.

That way it gets loaded into your igadget using your
home wifi instead of using the cellphone system etc.

> Of, if they're just audio, how are they any different than
> downloading an MP3 file, and listening to it offline?

They get downloaded automatically with no action by the user.

> For example, I have the entire history of China,
> in MP3, which takes very many hours to listen
> to, which I have on my iPod which I play in my car.

> How is a "podcast" any different than
> a downloaded MP3 or video file?

Its usually coming from a broadcast system which
has new stuff show up on a scheduled basis.

And is usually in 30 minute, 1 hour etc chunks so
you don’t have very many hours of the one thing
like with the audio books you are talking about.

[nospam]

In article <070620140805452181%mich...@michelle.org>, Michelle Steiner
<mich...@michelle.org> wrote:

> > podcasts are basically pre-recorded talk shows, and some of them are
> > even posted to youtube.
>
> Not necessarily pre-recorded; many are live, but are also recorded for
> later streaming, y'know, just like the keynote at the WWDC this past
> Monday. (True, that wasn't a podcast, but the analogy holds.)

they're all live at some point.

some are streamed live, but if you download it, such as from youtube
(which is what he was asking about) or itunes or the podcast site, it's
pre-recorded.

[nospam]

In article <5393333b$0$52755$742e...@news.sonic.net>, Patty Winter

<pat...@wintertime.com> wrote:

> But doesn't the fact that I chose the AT&T model of iPad mean
> that I can't use a T-Mobile SIM card?

nope.

all ipads are unlocked and you can use whatever carrier you want and
switch among them often as you want. you can even have multiple
accounts, such as t-mobile's free 200 meg account and then activate
at&t for when you need more data, such as on a trip.

> If not, then what did
> my choice refer to?

which sim is included with the ipad, so you can connect without needing
to do anything else.

you are not tied to any carrier.

older ipads may not have all bands so you might not get the optimum
speeds, but that's no longer an issue with the ipad air and retina
mini. those have all lte bands, gsm and cdma so they'll work pretty
much anywhere on any carrier.

[Michelle Steiner]

In article <070620141013163791%nos...@nospam.invalid>, nospam

[nospam]

In article
<c1d0b$5393483b$43da7656$60...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>, Liam

O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

> But, for a guy like me, I don't see the allure, since,
> if I want an MP3 file, I just get it.

the allure is that it can be automatic so you don't have to do
anything. let the computer do the work *for* you.

[nospam]

In article
<53b58$53931507$43da7656$60...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>, Liam

O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

> > However, I chose the AT&T model, so T-Mobile's data plans wouldn't
> > help me. Besides, I can't imagine that I could just walk into a
> > T-Mobile store and get free cellular data!
>

> I have turned quite a few people on to the T-Mobile free
> data plan for tablets. It's real.
>
> Some got the SIM card for free (they were already T-Mobile
> customers for their phones); others paid 99 cents (T-Mobile
> runs a sale every few months); while most paid $10 for the
> SIM card.
>

> But, it "is" that easy.
>
> Just waltz into any T-Mobile store or call them up at
> 1-800-T-Mobile, and you'll be thanking us in the
> morning.

or even later on the same day.

[nospam]

In article
<9abc7$53931328$43da7656$60...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>, Liam

O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

> I have a more general question about these things called
> "podcasts".
>
> I presume they are audio files, or maybe even video files.

they can be either.

> If so, how are they *any* different than just going to
> YouTube, downloading the video, and watching it offline?
>

> Of, if they're just audio, how are they any different
> than downloading an MP3 file, and listening to it offline?
>

> For example, I have the entire history of China, in MP3,
> which takes very many hours to listen to, which I have on
> my iPod which I play in my car.
>
> How is a "podcast" any different than a downloaded MP3
> or video file?

technically none.

it's the *content* that defines it.

podcasts are basically pre-recorded talk shows, and some of them are
even posted to youtube.

what you're describing about china sounds like a documentary which is
not the same thing.

and then there are the zillions of cat videos on youtube. they're still
a video file.

[nospam]

In article <lmv5oq$76g$1...@dont-email.me>, Erilar

<dra...@chibardun.netinvalid> wrote:

> I finally discovered how the T-mobil "free" data really works. It's "free"
> only if you have a T-Mobile phone.

nope. it's free to anyone with a tablet. phones are not eligible for
the free data plan.

> With no phone account it's $10 a month.

nope.

some t-mobile reps might say that, but they're wrong.

> I couldn't get cellular to work at ALL in Europe-- some miscommunication
> initially about the type of account*, but because I have the SIM,
> apparently, I've had GPS on my offline maps apps right along.
>
> * I finally got the mess sorted out when I got back home and found a bill
> for a ridiculous amount for the unusable account! It took a lot of normal
> landline time and multiple people at T-mobile!

that's a different issue.

[Michelle Steiner]

In article
<e9465$53936022$43da7656$60...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>, Liam

O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

> > Funny how you take one statement and drive it to an extreme out of context.
>
> I am sorry. I shouldn't even have responded to the guy who said
> he never used freeware.

He didn't say that he never used freeware.

[Michelle Steiner]

In article
<810f8$539360af$43da7656$60...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>, Liam

O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

> There's nothing wrong with payware. I pay for Microsoft Office, for
> example. And I pay for TurboTax.

I haven't paid for TurboTax in years; I use the free version on line
that is available through the FreeFile program. About 70% of all
taxpayers in the USA are eligible to use FreeFile.

[nospam]

In article
<d137d$5393591b$43da7656$60...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>, Liam

O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

> > But doesn't the fact that I chose the AT&T model of iPad mean

> > that I can't use a T-Mobile SIM card? If not, then what did
> > my choice refer to?
>
> There are two answers to that question.
> The first is marketing. The second is marketing.
>
> All you got, when you chose AT&T over T-Mobile, as far as
> I can tell, is an AT&T SIM card. Had you chosen T-Mobile,
> the only change would have been a T-Mobile SIM card.
>
> We've already established that a T-Mobile SIM card
> ranges from a cost of free, to as high as $10, so,
> that's the value of the card itself.
>
> Others such as nospam might know more.

there is one ipad air and retina mini, regardless of carrier. the
hardware supports all gsm, hspa, cdma and lte bands. the only
difference is which sim is included.

for older ipads, there were differences in which lte bands were
supported, so although a different carrier's sim would still work, it
might drop back to 3g (and even 2g in some cases) if the proper lte
band was not there.

for even older ipads, such as the first verizon ipad which was
cdma-only and had no sim slot at all, it was pretty much stuck on
verizon unless you can find another cdma carrier that would activate
it.

[Patty Winter]

In article <080620140115030150%nos...@nospam.invalid>,

nospam <nos...@nospam.invalid> wrote:
>
>there is one ipad air and retina mini, regardless of carrier. the
>hardware supports all gsm, hspa, cdma and lte bands. the only
>difference is which sim is included.

"All bands" may be true of the iPad Air and the Retina mini,
but it isn't true of other models. Apple's iPad mini tech specs
page shows differences in which bands are supported:

Model A1454*
GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz)
LTE (Bands 4 and 17)

Model A1455*
CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1900, 2100 MHz)
GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz)
LTE (Bands 1, 3, 5, 13, 25)

Also, that page says:

Carriers
Wi-Fi + Cellular
AT&T, Sprint, Verizon

However, I'll take mine in to a T-Mobile store and see what they say.
I looked at their coverage map and most of Ontario was marked as
"Service Partner," so that may mean there's a surcharge...


Patty

[Patty Winter]

In article <070620141015130757%nos...@nospam.invalid>,

nospam <nos...@nospam.invalid> wrote:
>In article <lmv5oq$76g$1...@dont-email.me>, Erilar
><dra...@chibardun.netinvalid> wrote:
>
>> I finally discovered how the T-mobil "free" data really works. It's "free"
>> only if you have a T-Mobile phone.
>
>nope. it's free to anyone with a tablet. phones are not eligible for
>the free data plan.
>
>> With no phone account it's $10 a month.
>
>nope.
>
>some t-mobile reps might say that, but they're wrong.

The T-Mobile website says:

Plans start at FREE with a voice plan or $10 without through 2014.

And yes, that's the "bring your own tablet" page; nothing to do with phones.

$10 a month would be fine; I don't see anything that says it's free
unless you already have a voice plan with T-Mobile.


Patty

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 23:21:14 +0000, Jolly Roger wrote:

> ...nor the open-mindedness to get a clue and realize what you were
> missing, which is also the case with that wasted-potential iPad you have
> next to you, or that Mac you will probably never own. Good for you this
> time; and your loss for the rest. The rest of us will enjoy them while
> you toil with your "freeware or bust" chores.

You just might have some aggression issues, but, I do understand
your point which is that, I might be missing out on some good
software practices if I don't wholeheartedly accept the Apple model.

Since I was born before Apple even existed, and since my first
dozen computers (maybe even two dozen) weren't from Apple, I
think I *do* have an idea of how a computer *should* behave.

While I did use the MAC way back in the mid 80's and up to
about the mid 90's, I have been on Windows, Linux, and most
recently Android for most of my time since the late 1990s.

I had the honor of making the Mac work with Windows and then
work with Linux, way before web servers were common, so I do
realize there is value (and complexity) to the way Apple
does things (does "CAP" ring a bell? How about "resource fork"?).

Anyway, while there is much merit to the Apple model, there
are also absolutely stupendous restrictions, so, I'm perfectly
happy having *both* an iOS and Android device.

What I can't do on iOS I can do on Android, and what I can't
do on either, I can do on Linux. There are even a few things
on iOS that aren't already on Android or Linux (or Windows).

So, I'm happy with having one of each.

But, we do need to work on your aggression issues! :)

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sun, 08 Jun 2014 11:58:51 +1000, Rod Speed wrote:

> They get downloaded automatically with no action by the user.

I belatedly see now the advantage of the "podcast" distribution
system.

It's not about the format, per se (since we already deal with
the audio & video format all day every day, with other tools).

The advantage seems to be threefold:
1. It makes it easy for the broadcaster to broadcast,
2. It makes it just as easy for the recipient to receive,
3. And, because of that, apparently, there is good content.

Thanks for edifying me.

I was unaware of the value of podcasts prior to this thread.
I have downloaded the requisite software, but have yet to
find something I'm interested in - but it will only take
a day or two to see what's out there.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sun, 08 Jun 2014 16:35:27 +0000, Patty Winter wrote:

> $10 a month would be fine; I don't see anything that says it's free
> unless you already have a voice plan with T-Mobile.

I just googled for "free t-mobile 200MB for life tablet" and found
what you found as the first hit.

This is clearly a *different* plan than what nospam and I
are using (it is what you found):
http://www.t-mobile.com/landing/bring-your-own-tablet.html

So, maybe the original plan that we're on has been
discontinued for new customers?

I do see an explanation here, where it says:
"You get 200MB of free 4G LTE data each month for as long as
you own the eligible tablet or HP mobile internet device."
http://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-9700

And, the description of the plan I'm on is here, for example:
http://bgr.com/2013/10/23/t-mobile-tablets-200-mb-data/
"T-Mobile’s latest Uncarrier move: 200MB of free data per
month for life on tablets"

But, maybe they discontinued that promotion?

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sun, 08 Jun 2014 14:02:18 +0000, Lewis wrote:

> Which is not at *all* what I said.

I am sorry I paraphrased wrongly.

Going back, you disparaged freeware, but not all freeware.

I admit my mistake.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 21:48:48 -0700, Michelle Steiner wrote:

> I haven't paid for TurboTax in years; I use the free version on line
> that is available through the FreeFile program. About 70% of all
> taxpayers in the USA are eligible to use FreeFile.

I need schedule c and e so I'm not sure if I'm eligible.

[Patty Winter]

In article <63f81$53949505$43da7656$23...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>,

Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:
>

>And, the description of the plan I'm on is here, for example:
> http://bgr.com/2013/10/23/t-mobile-tablets-200-mb-data/
> "T-Mobile’s latest Uncarrier move: 200MB of free data per
> month for life on tablets"
>
>But, maybe they discontinued that promotion?

Okay, I see what happened. Once I realized that you and "nospam"
were talking about a 200MB plan, I went back to the BYOT page and
found some Q&As at the bottom of the page that talk about it. They
don't make it easy to find! It is free, but it includes no domestic
or international roaming. Still, I'll stop by and ask them about it;
it won't hurt to play around with an activated iPad and see how much
I can do with 200MB of data.


Patty

[nospam]

In article
<dd8e$5394932a$43da7656$23...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>, Liam

O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

> On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 23:21:14 +0000, Jolly Roger wrote:
>
> > ...nor the open-mindedness to get a clue and realize what you were
> > missing, which is also the case with that wasted-potential iPad you have
> > next to you, or that Mac you will probably never own. Good for you this
> > time; and your loss for the rest. The rest of us will enjoy them while
> > you toil with your "freeware or bust" chores.
>
> You just might have some aggression issues, but, I do understand
> your point which is that, I might be missing out on some good
> software practices if I don't wholeheartedly accept the Apple model.
>
> Since I was born before Apple even existed, and since my first
> dozen computers (maybe even two dozen) weren't from Apple, I
> think I *do* have an idea of how a computer *should* behave.

no you don't. what you think is how they *did* behave in the past.

they only worked the way they worked because the technology wasn't
there for anything better.

now there is.

> While I did use the MAC way back in the mid 80's and up to
> about the mid 90's, I have been on Windows, Linux, and most
> recently Android for most of my time since the late 1990s.

mac has changed a *lot* since then.

for one, it has unix under the hood. that's both good and bad, but it's
a huge difference from macs in the 80s & 90s.

> I had the honor of making the Mac work with Windows and then
> work with Linux, way before web servers were common, so I do
> realize there is value (and complexity) to the way Apple
> does things (does "CAP" ring a bell? How about "resource fork"?).

things are much different now.

[nospam]

In article <53949002$0$52803$742e...@news.sonic.net>, Patty Winter

<pat...@wintertime.com> wrote:

> >there is one ipad air and retina mini, regardless of carrier. the
> >hardware supports all gsm, hspa, cdma and lte bands. the only
> >difference is which sim is included.
>
> "All bands" may be true of the iPad Air and the Retina mini,
> but it isn't true of other models.

and i said that in other posts.

> Apple's iPad mini tech specs
> page shows differences in which bands are supported:
>
> Model A1454*
> GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
> UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz)
> LTE (Bands 4 and 17)
>
> Model A1455*
> CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1900, 2100 MHz)
> GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
> UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz)
> LTE (Bands 1, 3, 5, 13, 25)

the difference are the lte bands, plus cdma for sprint/verizon.

> Also, that page says:
>
> Carriers
> Wi-Fi + Cellular
> AT&T, Sprint, Verizon

t-mobile was not a partner when those ipads were originally released so
therefore it's not mentioned. however, it will work just fine because
all ipads are unlocked.

the *only* issue is you won't get t-mobile lte because it lacks the
proper bands for lte. it will still work quite well on 3g, which for
t-mobile is *very* good, comparable in speed to lte on some carriers,
depending on system load. in other words, it doesn't actually matter in
actual use.

> However, I'll take mine in to a T-Mobile store and see what they say.

whether what they say has any bearing on reality is a crapshoot. i'm
going to bet it's wrong. chances are they'll try to sell you something,
since that's what stores like to do.

all that's needed is a t-mobile sim.

order the sim online and through the end of today, they are a whopping
one penny:
<http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/sim-card>
Through 6/8� Use promo code SIMDEAL to get any SIM card for a penny!

put the sim in the ipad, go to settings and then activate the 200 meg
plan.

done.

> I looked at their coverage map and most of Ontario was marked as
> "Service Partner," so that may mean there's a surcharge...

there *can't* be a surcharge because at no point is payment information
given when activating the plan.

i don't know what you checked but ontario, california has very strong
coverage for data.

if you mean ontario, canada, then there isn't any t-mobile coverage
because t-mobile doesn't cover canada. the free plan will simply not
work.

[nospam]

In article <539490cf$0$52803$742e...@news.sonic.net>, Patty Winter

<pat...@wintertime.com> wrote:

> >> I finally discovered how the T-mobil "free" data really works. It's "free"
> >> only if you have a T-Mobile phone.
> >
> >nope. it's free to anyone with a tablet. phones are not eligible for
> >the free data plan.
> >
> >> With no phone account it's $10 a month.
> >
> >nope.
> >
> >some t-mobile reps might say that, but they're wrong.
>
> The T-Mobile website says:
>
> Plans start at FREE with a voice plan or $10 without through 2014.
>
> And yes, that's the "bring your own tablet" page; nothing to do with phones.
>
> $10 a month would be fine; I don't see anything that says it's free
> unless you already have a voice plan with T-Mobile.

that's a different plan. you're looking at the wrong page.

<http://how-to.t-mobile.com/tabletsunleashed/>
Enjoy the power and versatility of a 4G LTE tablet just about
anywhere life takes you�and get 200 MB of free data for life.

<http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/23/t-mobile-200mb-free-data-for-tablets
/>
T-Mobile offers 200MB free monthly data for all tablets, will carry
Nexus 7 in-store on November 20th

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sun, 08 Jun 2014 17:55:07 +0000, Patty Winter wrote:

> I'll stop by and ask them about it;
> it won't hurt to play around with an activated iPad and see how much
> I can do with 200MB of data.

I've been using it on my iPad for a few months, and, well,
it works for me.

Of course, I use offline maps all the time, and WiFi a lot
of the time, so, "my" data requirements are (by design), low.

The good news is that nothing 'bad' happens when you hit
the 200MB/month limit. It just slows down but it won't
charge you anything.

[nospam]

In article
<2f4cd$5394aae0$43da7656$23...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>, Liam

O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

> The good news is that nothing 'bad' happens when you hit
> the 200MB/month limit. It just slows down but it won't
> charge you anything.

it slows down to zero.

they can't charge you anything because no payment information is given,
so it just stops until the next cycle.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sun, 08 Jun 2014 13:57:04 -0400, nospam wrote:

> whether what they say has any bearing on reality is a crapshoot. i'm
> going to bet it's wrong. chances are they'll try to sell you something,
> since that's what stores like to do.

I agree with nospam,
I have sent quite a few folks to the T-mobile store, and most
of them got a runaround.

One, in Atlanta, I even had to email a screenshot of the advertisement;
but hte ones in NY and Connecticut had less of a problem. Nobody in
California had a problem.

So, your best bet is to print the ad first, and save the URL so that
they can go to it themselves.

Whether you insist on the free or 99cent sim card is up to you, as
that promo comes and goes periodically.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sun, 08 Jun 2014 13:57:00 -0400, nospam wrote:

> no you don't. what you think is how they *did* behave in the past.

Hi Nospam,

I respect you. And I respect your opinion, even when we both have
different datapoints (e.g., the evil of iTunes vs the beauty of it),
and I think it was even you who had turned me on to the free 200Mb/month
t-mobile SIM card.

Certainly you've exposed me to software on the iPad which I wasn't
aware of, which you've vetted well (which is the hard part with
freeware).

But, on how a computer *should* work, I'm pretty good at knowing
a good use model from a lousy one. I used to work in QA, and am
fully aware that marketing plays a huge role in deceiving the
customers, and, more importantly, in the propaganda that gets
the customers to think that a lack of features is, in actuality,
a benefit.

I am familiar with all common operating systems except the
current Mac-based ones, and I am becoming familiar with iOS
day by day.

What I find shocking are the excuses people make for the absolutely
huge limitations of iOS, which I attribute more to marketing slant
than to actual personal opinions.

By way of contrast, Linux has very little marketing slant,
and, yet, Linux users are unabashed at seeing the bugs inherent
with the beauties of Linux overall.

Android users, for the most part, are similar to the Linux
users, even as there is more marketing effort expended to sway
opinion on Android than on Linux.

Adding to the marketing spin is what Microsoft offers for Windows,
but, well, it's hard to put in words, but, Microsoft Marketing
looks so foolish lately (touch screen OS anyone?) that it goes
without saying too much that nobody really believes that stuff.

However, if you fast forward to iOS, it's shocking how many flaws
are believed to be virtues of the iOS environment. Take, for
example, the now-known-to-be-horrid app "QuickVoice Recorder",
which we discussed in another thread. There is NOTHING of value
to that app. Absolutely nothing of virtue to be had. Yet, it's
said (by their marketing) to be the most used voice recorder in
the iOS environment! Can *that many* users be that stupid?

In a nutshell, the answer, must be, by way of explanation,
yes. By way of more exact explanation, those users must not
have any inkling of what a proper app *should* do with its
files (which, by the way, are *your* files, not the apps's files!).

Yes, I know, you'll say the answer is 'iTunes', but, even you
must realize that iTunes alone won't get your data out. It
requires an additional 'bonus' app, and an idiotic use model
to boot.

However, it's the most widely used Apple voice recorder app,
I am told (by their marketing). So, if I believe that, and,
since I clearly understand the use model that I want, and the
horrid use model that it provides, what am I supposed to
conclude about the acceptance of flawed use models by a
huge majority of iOS users?

This question, while it appears condescending to iOS users,
must actually be the key question of why people put up with
hugely flawed models. Of course, to *them*, the model isn't
flawed at all. (Well, to be more precise, many iOS users
did complain about the horrid use model - but many more do
not).

So, it actually scares and confuses me that people can just
*accept* such restrictive use models, when there is no
value to be had (to the user) by these restrictions.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sun, 08 Jun 2014 14:28:26 -0400, nospam wrote:

> it slows down to zero.
>
> they can't charge you anything because no payment information is given,
> so it just stops until the next cycle.

Actually, I've never hit the 200MB/month limit yet.
On my phone, T-Mobile warns me by SMS when I'm at 80% of my 1MB
(which also has never occurred yet).

But, they *told* my very own ears (by phone) that they don't shut off
the data. They said, to me, that you only lose "high speed" data.

Of course, what speed "low speed" data is could be considered close
to zero - but - they clearly didn't say it goes to zero.

Of course, I must admit, I've never gotten there, so, I must ask
others to explain what happens when you get in their "low speed"
range at 201MB.

[nospam]

In article
<a0505$5394ab59$43da7656$23...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>, Liam

O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

> > whether what they say has any bearing on reality is a crapshoot. i'm
> > going to bet it's wrong. chances are they'll try to sell you something,
> > since that's what stores like to do.
>
> I agree with nospam,
> I have sent quite a few folks to the T-mobile store, and most
> of them got a runaround.

it's not just the stores.

when i activated mine, there was a glitch, so i had to call. that's
when the fun began.

after about 30 minutes and about 8 or 9 idiots, i finally got someone
who knew what i was talking about and resolved the problem in about 30
seconds, most of which was reading out the very long iccid number on
the sim so she could look it up in the system.

all that's needed is a t-mobile sim, and normally it activates without
any problem at all on the ipad itself. there is almost never a need to
deal with the idiots at a store or on the phone.

[nospam]

In article
<a8096$5394b025$43da7656$23...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>, Liam

O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

> > it slows down to zero.
> >
> > they can't charge you anything because no payment information is given,
> > so it just stops until the next cycle.
>
> Actually, I've never hit the 200MB/month limit yet.
> On my phone, T-Mobile warns me by SMS when I'm at 80% of my 1MB
> (which also has never occurred yet).
>
> But, they *told* my very own ears (by phone) that they don't shut off
> the data. They said, to me, that you only lose "high speed" data.

that's wrong.

> Of course, what speed "low speed" data is could be considered close
> to zero - but - they clearly didn't say it goes to zero.

it does.

> Of course, I must admit, I've never gotten there, so, I must ask
> others to explain what happens when you get in their "low speed"
> range at 201MB.

without payment information, they aren't going to be giving you
anything additional, slow or not. it stops.

they do have plans which offer 200 meg at 3g/4g speeds and then drop to
2g speeds after that, but the free 200 meg plan isn't one of them.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sun, 08 Jun 2014 15:23:37 -0400, nospam wrote:

> all that's needed is a t-mobile sim, and normally it activates without
> any problem at all on the ipad itself. there is almost never a need to
> deal with the idiots at a store or on the phone.

This was true for me, since my iPad came with a T-Mobile SIM card.
All I did was call them up, and they activated it.
The only "problem" I had was when I switched sim cards with
another iPad, and it worked fine for months, and then just
stopped working.

I called them up, and it was working again by the end of the call.
(I'm not sure what they did but it worked fine since.)

[nospam]

In article
<5e5b0$5394ba6f$43da7656$24...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>, Liam

O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

> > all that's needed is a t-mobile sim, and normally it activates without
> > any problem at all on the ipad itself. there is almost never a need to
> > deal with the idiots at a store or on the phone.
>
> This was true for me, since my iPad came with a T-Mobile SIM card.
> All I did was call them up, and they activated it.

you didn't even need to do that.

go to settings and activate it. no phone call required.

[Jolly Roger]

On 2014-06-08, Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 23:21:14 +0000, Jolly Roger wrote:
>
>> ...nor the open-mindedness to get a clue and realize what you were
>> missing, which is also the case with that wasted-potential iPad you have
>> next to you, or that Mac you will probably never own. Good for you this
>> time; and your loss for the rest. The rest of us will enjoy them while
>> you toil with your "freeware or bust" chores.
>
> You just might have some aggression issues,

Well at least I'm not closed-minded.

> but, I do understand
> your point which is that, I might be missing out on some good
> software practices if I don't wholeheartedly accept the Apple model.

That's nope, that's not my point at all. FAIL.

--
E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my ravenous SPAM filter.
I often ignore posts from Google. Use a real news client instead.

JR

[Jolly Roger]

On 2014-06-08, Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

> On Sat, 07 Jun 2014 23:21:14 +0000, Jolly Roger wrote:
>
>> ...nor the open-mindedness to get a clue and realize what you were
>> missing, which is also the case with that wasted-potential iPad you have
>> next to you, or that Mac you will probably never own. Good for you this
>> time; and your loss for the rest. The rest of us will enjoy them while
>> you toil with your "freeware or bust" chores.
>
> You just might have some aggression issues, but, I do understand
> your point which is that, I might be missing out on some good
> software practices if I don't wholeheartedly accept the Apple model.

Being open-minded doesn't *require* acceptance of the Apple model. Being
open-minded requires being willing to look at something in a different
way than you are used to looking at it, and being willing to accept that
your notions might be wrong about something. It is then that you will
allow yourself to see the wisdom of the design and accept it. The
acceptance is a *result* of being open-minded. I predict you'll skim
over this and miss the opportunity to learn. If so, your loss.

> Since I was born before Apple even existed, and since my first
> dozen computers (maybe even two dozen) weren't from Apple, I
> think I *do* have an idea of how a computer *should* behave.

You are anything but special in that regard. Lots of us were born before
Apple and lots of us had computers other than Apple computers before we
had Macs. I am one such person, and there are many, many others - and
many of them are using Apple products today in addition to products
running Android, various flavors of Unix and Linux, and Windows. It's as
if you believe all of those people are wrong somehow for using Apple
products the way they were intended by Apple to be used, which is
ludicrous.

> While I did use the MAC way back in the mid 80's and up to
> about the mid 90's, I have been on Windows, Linux, and most
> recently Android for most of my time since the late 1990s.

So your Apple Mac knowledge stops in the mid 90s. You have no idea how
much has changed since then. It's a completely different ball park now.
You'd probably know that if you weren't so closed minded and jaded by
your little "free software" crusade. Your loss.

> I had the honor of making the Mac work with Windows and then
> work with Linux, way before web servers were common, so I do
> realize there is value (and complexity) to the way Apple
> does things (does "CAP" ring a bell? How about "resource fork"?).

Both are antiquated these days in Mac OS X. None of your knowledge there
applies today since most everything has changed for the better.

> Anyway, while there is much merit to the Apple model, there
> are also absolutely stupendous restrictions, so, I'm perfectly
> happy having *both* an iOS and Android device.
>
> What I can't do on iOS I can do on Android, and what I can't
> do on either, I can do on Linux. There are even a few things
> on iOS that aren't already on Android or Linux (or Windows).
>
> So, I'm happy with having one of each.

*deny*, *deny*, *deny*

[Rod Speed]

Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote

Since you said that you have a history of china in audio book
format, you might find what is on Radio National in Australia
is of interest. Not sure if that shows up in the podcast search
with the built in podcast app when you aren't in the country,
but you can see what's available at
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/podcasts/program/

[nospam]

In article
<819c4$5394ae9e$43da7656$23...@nntpswitch.blueworldhosting.com>, Liam

O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote:

> > no you don't. what you think is how they *did* behave in the past.
>
> Hi Nospam,
>
> I respect you. And I respect your opinion, even when we both have
> different datapoints (e.g., the evil of iTunes vs the beauty of it),
> and I think it was even you who had turned me on to the free 200Mb/month
> t-mobile SIM card.

thanks.

> Certainly you've exposed me to software on the iPad which I wasn't
> aware of, which you've vetted well (which is the hard part with
> freeware).

actually i didn't try the recording app i mentioned last week. it just
came up in a search and its description looked interesting and relevant
to what you wanted to do.

> But, on how a computer *should* work, I'm pretty good at knowing
> a good use model from a lousy one.

yet you insist on using linux. :)

> I used to work in QA, and am
> fully aware that marketing plays a huge role in deceiving the
> customers, and, more importantly, in the propaganda that gets
> the customers to think that a lack of features is, in actuality,
> a benefit.

this isn't about marketing.

> I am familiar with all common operating systems except the
> current Mac-based ones, and I am becoming familiar with iOS
> day by day.

that's part of the problem.

> What I find shocking are the excuses people make for the absolutely
> huge limitations of iOS, which I attribute more to marketing slant
> than to actual personal opinions.

again, it's not marketing.

you're using the ipad in a way where you don't see any of its
advantages.

ios users do not have anything even close to the problems you've had.
that's not to say everything is perfect (nothing is) but on the whole,
things just work, with little to no effort from the user.

> By way of contrast, Linux has very little marketing slant,
> and, yet, Linux users are unabashed at seeing the bugs inherent
> with the beauties of Linux overall.

what beauty?

> Android users, for the most part, are similar to the Linux
> users, even as there is more marketing effort expended to sway
> opinion on Android than on Linux.
>
> Adding to the marketing spin is what Microsoft offers for Windows,
> but, well, it's hard to put in words, but, Microsoft Marketing
> looks so foolish lately (touch screen OS anyone?) that it goes
> without saying too much that nobody really believes that stuff.
>
> However, if you fast forward to iOS, it's shocking how many flaws
> are believed to be virtues of the iOS environment. Take, for
> example, the now-known-to-be-horrid app "QuickVoice Recorder",
> which we discussed in another thread. There is NOTHING of value
> to that app. Absolutely nothing of virtue to be had. Yet, it's
> said (by their marketing) to be the most used voice recorder in
> the iOS environment! Can *that many* users be that stupid?

that app turned out to be crap. it happens.

what a third party app does or doesn't do is not in any way flaw in the
operating system.

it's *only* about the app and the developers who released such crap.

> In a nutshell, the answer, must be, by way of explanation,
> yes. By way of more exact explanation, those users must not
> have any inkling of what a proper app *should* do with its
> files (which, by the way, are *your* files, not the apps's files!).

the app manages them so you don't have to. it's a feature.

> Yes, I know, you'll say the answer is 'iTunes', but, even you
> must realize that iTunes alone won't get your data out.

actually it will in most cases.

some apps make it more difficult than it should be, but again, that's
because such apps are not well designed.

> It requires an additional 'bonus' app, and an idiotic use model
> to boot.

quickvoice might require another app, but that's because it was
designed by idiots who didn't give a shit about the user experience.

that's not how all apps work. with other apps, the recordings can
automatically be synced to the computer, with *no* additional effort on
the part of the user.

> However, it's the most widely used Apple voice recorder app,
> I am told (by their marketing).

what did you think they were going to say? of course they're going to
hype it up and there's no real way for them to even know anyway.

> So, if I believe that,

don't. it's marketing bullshit.

> and,
> since I clearly understand the use model that I want, and the
> horrid use model that it provides, what am I supposed to
> conclude about the acceptance of flawed use models by a
> huge majority of iOS users?

you are assuming that one app sucks because of ios. that's a bad
assumption.

you are also assuming that all apps must be limited in the same manner
that one app is, which is also a bad assumption.

> This question, while it appears condescending to iOS users,
> must actually be the key question of why people put up with
> hugely flawed models. Of course, to *them*, the model isn't
> flawed at all. (Well, to be more precise, many iOS users
> did complain about the horrid use model - but many more do
> not).

what's flawed about having content move without any effort on the
user's part?

that's *not* a limitation and is actually a *huge* advantage.

you're trying to do it the old-fashioned way, which is more work.

> So, it actually scares and confuses me that people can just
> *accept* such restrictive use models, when there is no
> value to be had (to the user) by these restrictions.

the only restrictions are because you refuse to see what it can really
do.

[Rod Speed]

Liam O'Connor <liamo...@example.com> wrote

> nospam wrote

> However, if you fast forward to iOS, it's shocking how many
> flaws are believed to be virtues of the iOS environment. Take, for
> example, the now-known-to-be-horrid app "QuickVoice Recorder",
> which we discussed in another thread. There is NOTHING of value
> to that app. Absolutely nothing of virtue to be had.

That is radically overstated. Its not a bad little app.

> Yet, it's said (by their marketing) to be the most used voice recorder
> in the iOS environment! Can *that many* users be that stupid?

> In a nutshell, the answer, must be, by way of explanation, yes.

They may not be aware of the alternatives.

What do you claim is a better app for that particular task ?

> By way of more exact explanation, those users must not
> have any inkling of what a proper app *should* do with its
> files (which, by the way, are *your* files, not the apps's files!).

iOS does it that way for a reason. Yes, that has some very
real downsides, but it has some very real advantages too.

> Yes, I know, you'll say the answer is 'iTunes', but, even you
> must realize that iTunes alone won't get your data out. It
> requires an additional 'bonus' app, and an idiotic use model
> to boot.

Sure, no argument there.

> However, it's the most widely used Apple voice recorder
> app, I am told (by their marketing). So, if I believe that, and,
> since I clearly understand the use model that I want, and the
> horrid use model that it provides, what am I supposed to
> conclude about the acceptance of flawed use models by a
> huge majority of iOS users?

> This question, while it appears condescending to iOS users,
> must actually be the key question of why people put up with
> hugely flawed models. Of course, to *them*, the model isn't
> flawed at all. (Well, to be more precise, many iOS users did
> complain about the horrid use model - but many more do not).

> So, it actually scares and confuses me that people can
> just *accept* such restrictive use models, when there is
> no value to be had (to the user) by these restrictions.

There is a value to the user of that approach where the
apps own the files that they produce, and some real
downsides too.

Same with the physical devices like the mic too. There
are some real advantages with the approach iOS takes
of having a particular app own a particular device for
a while. It stops malicious apps from snooping on
what the user had not allowed them to snoop on.

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sun, 08 Jun 2014 17:27:36 -0400, nospam wrote:

> some apps make it more difficult than it should be, but again, that's
> because such apps are not well designed.

This is, indeed, the net of that effort.

The good news is that the suggested replacement voice recorder
works as it should!

Thanks!

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sun, 08 Jun 2014 20:58:12 +0000, Jolly Roger wrote:

> Well at least I'm not closed-minded.

:)

[Liam O'Connor]

On Sun, 08 Jun 2014 15:50:11 -0400, nospam wrote:

> go to settings and activate it. no phone call required.

I hadn't realized that!

Is it *that* simple if you happen to have an old
tablet DATA SIM card also?

Or, if you buy a tablet SIM card from T-mobile and they
ship it to you?