Accessing Content from an iPad while I’m on the road

I know that this is off topic but I wanted to share it…

I love the iPad; I have worked out how to upload, edit and even project my PowerPoint presentations, I can access my Exchange Inbox and Calendar, take notes (I use NotesNMore which rocks) and edit Word documents. In fact, I am close to being able to travel to customer sites without my heavy old laptop. However, here's the rub, my laptop is the machine that I create all of my content on and naturally it is where all of my content resides.

If you want to get a file onto the iPad then you need to either upload it into a specific application using iTunes, email it to yourself and 'Open In’ or use an intermediary service like box.net (which our corporate policy expressly forbids).

I was getting into the habit of uploading the latest and greatest version of the PowerPoint presentations that I expected to use on to the iPad before I headed out the door. Alas, I still lug my laptop along with me because I live in fear that I'll be asked to present on a topic that I was not expecting and hence had not uploaded the right files to the iPad.

I have found a really nice way around this dilemma…

Quick disclaimer - I work for EMC, EMC owns Iomega, Iomega makes the iConnect that I use here. The only relevance that this has in real life is that I would not have bought the iConnect without the staff discount! They didn't give it to me or pay me to write this - that said, after the fact I'd be happy to take delivery of a new ScreenPlay Director HD MediaDirector as a thank you!!

High-level Overview

The bits and pieces

• I use an Iomega iConnect at home. This is a small device that you plug your USB external drives into and it makes the content on them available to any device on your network and also available when you are on the road via a secure web site
• I use Iomega's QuikProtect application (included with the iConnect) which I have configured to synchronize all the files on my Desktop and in My Documents to a folder on one of my iConnect drives. It does this in real time and stores 5 versions of each file.

How it Works

QuikProtect makes copies of the files on my laptop whenever it is docked in the office. Using their secure web site I can access any of those files from a browser. If I connect to the site from the iPad I can download files and then open them in the appropriate application on the iPad.

The Process (without screenshots)

• I start up Safari and browse to the secure MyIomega web site
• I navigate to the folder with my content and touch the file
• The file opens in Safari and the 'Open In…' buttons are highlighted
• I open the file in Keynote (or whichever application is appropriate) where it is converted and I can then edit and project it using the VGA output adaptor.

Known issues

• Using Safari on the iPad the scroll bars do not appear if the list of items is too long. You can use search to find the file if necessary but that’s not ideal.
  • This will be especially painful given that I have QuikProtect configured to save five versions of a document. I've logged this as a bug with Iomega.
• It would be nice if the navigation was in a tree view just to make it easier to find things.

The Process (with Screenshots)

• I start up Safari and browse to the secure MyIomega web site

 

• I search for/navigate to the folder with my content and touch the file

 

• The file opens in Safari and the 'Open In' buttons are highlighted

 

 

• I open the file in Keynote (or whichever application is appropriate) where it is converted and I can then edit and project it using the VGA output adaptor.

 

Comments

[Robert]

Using safari on iPad the scroll bars don't work .... Please advise if you've identified a solution for this.
I've tried other iPad browsers and changed the settings to emulate other browsers ie chrome, ie with no success. Can you get emf to develop an iPad app for myiomega

[Andrew Chapman]

Robert,

A custom iPad app for MyIomega would be nice...I'll put in a request but I have no more sway than you do as a dollar weilding member of the public. You should email them too!

Andrew