Members with iPads...

[mando.player]

Apple recently released "iBooks Author" which is a free Mac app that allows you to create multimedia ebooks for use on the iPad. I think there's a lot of potential for instructional materials (both professional and amateur) on devices like the iPad.

With that said, I've included a poll with this thread. I'm curious how many members own an iPad or soon will. I've left out other tablet platforms because they simply don't yet have the tools and/or market place to distribute this next generation of ebooks.

[Mando Tristan]

I have an iPad. I think there is lots of potential in iBooks based instructional material, plus songbooks. I have a whole album in my photos devoted to mandolin sheet music and tabs.
However, I don't see much potential on the Luthiery side. The only thing I use my iPad for in my workshop is for music, I don't think it's worth the risk there. Plus there is no way to include things like full scale drawings, like in Roger Siminoff's Ultimate Blugrass Mandolin Construction Manual. The Kindle version of it seems like a waste of time and money to me.

[flashfolly]

I've been thinking for a while about getting an iPad, but I want to have good reasons for spending that amount of money. I don't play games or watch films (or edit my own video any more) so good multimedia programs would be what drags me in, and a good instruction manual would one of them. Actually my main learning interest is the piano, but a program that offers bar by bar instruction of a range of tunes, plus the music, and other possible elements of interactivity would be good. I could be tempted by similar on the mandolin.

[nickster60]

I am not sure I could live without it. I dont turn on the TV in the morning anymore I just read the news that interest me. It is also the first thing I grab when I need to search for something. If you sell items on ebay or craigslist you can take your pictures and list straight for the ipad with various apps. Great metronome, music and just about everything else apps. I just have the very basic model and use it on wifi only and it works great.

[Mo Soar]

I bought one thinking it would be a good netbook/small laptop replacement while traveling - it's definitely not. It is great for reading magazines, minimal web surfing (although the lack of flash, which I thought would be a minor thing, turns out to be a major irritation). I have a couple mando apps, most of which are cute but not hugely useful. I've downloaded but not really used the Tabledit viewer.

As far as books on the Kindle, the regular Kindles (haven't used a Fire, so I don't know about those) do have a weakness when it comes to graphic-heavy texts/books. The eink isn't really a dynamic display and you can't resize on the fly. The ipad does allow you to scale images, which is sort of helpful, depending on how the images have been formatted. I've seen several books where scaling up a low res image just gets you fuzzy dots instead of clarity. Love my Kindle, though, it allows me to carry a small, light, paperback sized device with access to thousands of books. The ipad is big and heavy by comparison.

[Markus]

I might get one in 12 months, but no definite plans.

It seems like much of what I would want would require further purchases, and until I'm set on this format being one I'll have in another decade I'm hesitant to buy much instructional material.

I tend to be a later adopter, despite having grown up with computers. I've bought the White Album on enough formats now that I'm wary.

[Bill Clements]

I use my iPad daily.
There are Aps for learning the fretboard, as well as metronome and keyboard Aps.
I also have recently added Garage Band to my iPad, and have purchased a USB mic for use when I'm on the road for business.
The iPad is an essential tool for me when demonstrating musical instruments to students in my sales job. I've downloaded several YouTube videos on the iPad for this purpose.
The camera is pretty awful, but I understand this will be upgraded in the next generation iPad. I agree the lack of of flash is sometimes a nuisance. However, overall it's a handy device for web surfing, reading USA today, and of course reading/posting on the Cafe!
It's a convenient device for times you don't want to sit in your family room with a laptop and also for reading Ebooks. I'm not a huge fan of iBooks, because they tend to be more expensive than the Kindle versions. There is a Kindle Ap for the iPad that works fine. The iBooks Author Ap sounds interesting though.
It won't replace your laptop, but I must say I like mine a lot.

Bill

[farmerjones]

i've got a little ipod but recently decided on an Android based Xoom.

Went to the iBooks Author page @ apple.com. It's very impressive. As mentioned, it looks like it would be great for building training books, with all the widgets and potential interaction. i hope the catch isn't in the distributorship. Good Luck!

[Mark Marino]

I bought one for my wife and daughter for Christmas and can't pry it away from them.

More interestingly, my fortune-500 employer is now doing a pilot test of iPads for certain functions (sales, marketing) and I received one that way. That tells me that iPads will continue to gain momentum and any problems like lack of flash will decrease as more sites adapt to it. Although typing is cumbersome, a bluetooth keypad takes care of that.

[foldedpath]

I recently got an iPad as a Hanukkah present. I'm now using it on every gig for set lists and chord/arrangement charts, with an iPad holder on a mic stand. It replaced a notebook-and-paper system I used before (and still carry along to gigs as a backup).

When not using it for charts at rehearsals or gigs, I use it for the usual stuff... web browsing, Netflix, a few games. There is new PA gear starting to arrive on the scene that uses the iPad as a remote mixer controller, or as part of the mixer's control scheme. That's a very interesting development I'm keeping my eye on. For example, check out this new Mackie DL1608 mixer (warning, awful web site design and terrible promo video, but potentially cool product).

As for books, instructional materials, etc., I would only be interested in open formats like PDF files. The sheet music and charts I'm using on the iPad at gigs are all PDF's that are backed up on my home network server. Most of them are scanned from music books I or my S.O. have bought over the years. A few were found online.

My S.O. likes buying e-books on her Kindle, and some of those are transferred over on the iPad for her to read (using the Kindle app). I haven't bought into that concept yet, at least for commercial e-books using proprietary, DRM'd formats. I still buy real, physical books and music instruction materials and store them in my cluttered library at home, where I know I can still read them whenever I want to. I don't mind dealing with open format PDF's. But you'd have to drag me kicking and screaming into the world of proprietary e-books that are tied to one hardware platform.

[Paul Busman]

My wife and I were going to buy one, then we heard about the Kindle Fire. It's smaller than the iPad and doesn't do everything that the Apple one does, but for less than the cost of one iPad, we each have our own Fire and like them a lot.

[tkdboyd]

Have an iPad 1 and 2, "meh" for both. Very expensive tool that is perfect for the narrow job that it fills.

What has gotten to be a bother is people's expectations for it: "It is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail."

Lot of iPad purchasers trying to make it into something it most certainly is not.

[foldedpath]

It's a narrow-purpose tool for sure. The lack of windowed multitasking is one problem, which is another reason why I think it has limited use for music instruction. With the current task-switching design, you can't play an MP3 file and show a PDF of sheet music or Tab at the same time.*

*At least not that I know of. If someone knows of an app that does this without using a proprietary file format, please post a link.

[tkdboyd]

The audio issue is taken care of via iTunes U, iBooks and their capability for interactive books. The lack of owner controlled "windowed multitasking" is an issue for those of us who are trying to use it like we want to versus how Apple intends for us to use it. And there rests both the beauty and ugliness of Apple...

[Bob Borzelleri]

I have one. I also have a very cool iPad2 accessory.



My guess it that seeing this will change a few of those "No" votes.

[Rob Fowler]

I have one. I also have a very cool iPad2 accessory.



My guess it that seeing this will change a few of those "No" votes.

Ok, I'll buy one NOW that I've seen this picture.

[tcapps]

My wife and I both own and use iPads daily. We use the FORSCORE app for music. For practice it is really helpful to play a looped version of the tune while looking at tab or music notation in FORSCORE. The included Metronome is also useful in the FORSCORE app. With the latest version you can attach a music file to the FORSCORE PDF (tab or notation) file which now makes it even easier to play along with a recording for practice. The converted midi files from Tabledit played on the iPad are especially helpful for me while trying to learn new mando tunes. Since timing is my big problem, this lets me add notes to fill in the hold notes, change tempo, etc.using Tabledit and then create a MIDI file to play along with using the iPad. We do have to scan the Tabledit files to get them to PDF then into Forscore, but any existing PDF can easily be loaded directly into FORSCORE (which BTW is only a $4.99 APP).

We use the iKlip on a cheap mic stand during jams. Apple Airprint really is useful for sharing music files with others from the iPad. Also an emailed PDF can be opened directly by FORSCORE. Several of the music ebook publishers are getting smarter and making their PDF files as individual files (rather than one file of multiple pages). This makes it really nice to get into the iPad.

[tcapps]

It's a narrow-purpose tool for sure. The lack of windowed multitasking is one problem, which is another reason why I think it has limited use for music instruction. With the current task-switching design, you can't play an MP3 file and show a PDF of sheet music or Tab at the same time.*



*At least not that I know of. If someone knows of an app that does this without using a proprietary file format, please post a link.

See my post on FORSCORE app. It does what you want (playing a music file while looking at the PDF.

[tashook]

I use my IPad daily, but mostly for things I could do on my laptop. I would interested in what mando / music related apps forum members are finding useful.

[bones12]

I use my daily for work and play and enjoy the lightweight size. I probably use it for only a fraction of its capabilities; I am always interested in hearing about new ideas for it. It is like my large I- phone but I am unable to call with it. However, it is costly. Doug in Vermont

[Big Joe]

I bought the Ipad 2 last year when it first came out. I wanted it for writing a children's book. It worked wonderful for that because I could use it anywhere and not have to drag around my laptop. I could write at places I could go where I would not have the normal interruptions I get at home or work. It was very easy to use. I call it the Iphone large print edition .

It will not replace my laptop, but it will do a good share of what the laptop does with instant start up. The good thing is that it just works. It is very intuitive. I have tons of apps... most free... and it is more than a narrow niche tool for me. I continue to find things it is good for. It has been a very good purchase for me.

[lukmanohnz]

I have one. I also have a very cool iPad2 accessory.

My guess it that seeing this will change a few of those "No" votes.

THAT IS £¥€&ing AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

[tburcham]

Mandolin Cafe on my iPad and a great cup of Joe. Does it get any better?

[Pete Braccio]

I've actually stopped traveling with a laptop and just take my iPad with me now. It's great for music and video playback. (BTW, you can play music while viewing other apps.) Email and web surfing are also just the start of its usefulness.

I have thousands of tunes that I can see the music for in both the Tunebook and TEFView apps. Both of these will play the tune in MIDI format while you can look at the score. The Ultimateguitar.com app allows me to store songs with chord changes that are in their tab index for viewing when offline. iReal b lets you see the RealBook changes for Jazz tunes. I use the iStrobesoft from Peterson for tuning. Metronome functionality is provided by both iTick and by Steinway's Metronome app. I've got a boatload of PDF tune books on it that I read with the Goodreader app. I can even find the name of a Trad tune (as long as I have a network connection) using the Tunepal app.

On the productivity side, I have Pages (word processor), Numbers (spreadsheet), and Keynote (presentation) apps loaded. I also have both a VNC app (Desktop) so that I can log into my remote home or work machines. There is also the iSSH app that allows you to make a command line connection.

All of these programs also run on the iPhone

I kinda think that it's not a "narrow-purpose tool".

Pete

[Rob Meldrum]

We justified the purchase because of our boat. It has a 16 year old gps system with no zoom-in capability. The iPad with max memory and gps (you need cellular capability because the hardware that supports cellular also has the gps receiver, but you don't need to have a cellular data plan) and Navionics is way less than a replacement stand-alone marine gps system. And when not boating I can read and post here, download apps and music as others have noted, play games, watch vids, etc. my next pc will be a Mac, using this makes me realize how poor Microsoft's software really is. The folks at msft have no imagination... Never really have. But I digress. Love my iPad. Rob