iPad in Penthouse Suites

[gdlamberth]

My question is does anyone have any information about the iPad in the Penthouse suites? I'm a PC guy and can't even spell apple. I assume I can get to the internet with it (wirelessly from room?) but can I load photos from xD and SD cards, edit them and then save back out to a flash drive??

 

Thanks,

Greg

[bamadad]

Greg,

 

The iPad in the room is great for internet access, emails, etc. However, they are not set up for photo downloads, etc.

[gdlamberth]

Oh darn!

[cruiseej]

My question is does anyone have any information about the iPad in the Penthouse suites? I'm a PC guy and can't even spell apple. I assume I can get to the internet with it (wirelessly from room?) but can I load photos from xD and SD cards, edit them and then save back out to a flash drive??

 

Greg, I'm a longtime Mac-head, but I don't have an iPad (yet). The thing to keep in mind is that the iPad isn't designed to be an all-purpose laptop computer, so while it excels at some things, some of what describe isn't its forte. For example, the main method for file transfers with an iPad is iTunes software on a computer, and now iCloud for online storage, rather than a variety of external ports. Of course, if you're looking not to carry a laptop, then using iTunes won't work, and iCloud isn't viable for large file transfers from the ship because of the slow speed of the Internet connection.

 

That said, here's what you might be able to pull off. There's a $29 iPad Camera Connection kit you can buy and bring with you. It will read SD cards and SDHC cards, but not SDXC cards. Once you have the images on the iPad, you can connect a jump drive via the Camera Connection kit's USB port. MAybe. From what I've read, some jump drives will work and some will not, because many of the higher capacity units draw too much power. You might want to get a jump drive and the kit at an Apple store, if you can, to try to insure you'll have jump drive(s) that will actually work. You'll have to format the jump drives in the right format, and put a folder named "DCIM" at the root level of the jump drive, before you leave. And after doing all that, it may or may not work! (definitely works going into the iPad; I don't know if you can pull the files off. Do some Google searching to see what you can find...

 

-- Eric

[OrpingtonT]

That said, here's what you might be able to pull off. There's a $29 iPad Camera Connection kit you can buy and bring with you. It will read SD cards and SDHC cards, but not SDXC cards. Once you have the images on the iPad, you can connect a jump drive via the Camera Connection kit's USB port. MAybe. From what I've read, some jump drives will work and some will not, because many of the higher capacity units draw too much power. You might want to get a jump drive and the kit at an Apple store, if you can, to try to insure you'll have jump drive(s) that will actually work. You'll have to format the jump drives in the right format, and put a folder named "DCIM" at the root level of the jump drive, before you leave. And after doing all that, it may or may not work! (definitely works going into the iPad; I don't know if you can pull the files off. Do some Google searching to see what you can find...

 

-- Eric

 

 

OMG. And here I thought you were going on holiday. :)

[Keith1010]

Yes, as Eric mentioned you can purchase the $29.00 iPad Camera Connection Kit to easily more your photos from the camera over to the iPad.

 

In terms of editing photos, that capability is very limited on the iPad. You can only rotate, do red eye elimination, crop and do an auto enhancement. You cannot do anything else. To me it is not meant for true editing.

 

I think the Mac iPhoto found on the Mac computers such as MacBook Pro is phenomenal but that is not on the iPad.

 

I think the iPad is good for those who want something light to take around with them for basic capabilities via the internet and to read books and even show others their photos.

 

For our photos I still will take a portable computer with me on all our trips even though I'll take the iPad as well for reading with the Kindle app.

 

Keith

[cruiseej]

If you have your own iPad, then it's very viable to travel with that instead of a laptop. You can pretty easily download your photos to it, as well as using it for email, web browsing, reading books or magazines, etc. Moving photos from an SD card from your camera to an iPad is simple -- pop the card in and the iPad software knows what to do with it.

 

The problem Greg posed was whether he could easily use the free iPad in his suite as a temporary platform for transferring photos from his camera's SD memory card to a USB jump drive to hold the photos until he got home to his computer. It's the transfer of photos off the iPad in that way that's tricky. The iPad assumes you will use iTunes and or iCloud for moving your photos, and neither of those software solutions works for Greg.

 

Orpington, I agree! If it becomes too much work, it detracts from the vacation. Here, what sounds painful is just figuring out and lining up the pieces and determining if they will work; once readied, there'd be next to no work while on vacation.

 

Greg, if you're looking to avoid carrying a laptop, why not just get a few more SD cards for storage from your camera, and not worry about transferring data? If you want to be able to look at your photos during the cruise, buy the iPad Camera Connection Kit for $29 and you'll be able to use the iPad as your viewer; at the end, just delete the photos.

 

(I like backing up my photos to insure against unlikely but scary possibilities of losing a memory card or having a card get corrupt with the rigors of travel, so I travel with my laptop. But my laptop is a Mac, so it's slim and light -- about half the size of the Dell laptop my wife has to use for her job -- so I don't consider it an inconvenience to travel with. I also bring a tiny external USB hard drive so I can back up my Mac while traveling, so with the photos on the laptop and backed up on the drive, I travel with confidence my photos are secure.)

 

-- Eric

[OrpingtonT]

Never having used an Ipad, and presumably having one available in our Horizon suite on our Mariner November crossing, is it easy to access the web and cosequently a web-based e-mail on one?

[journeyfan]

Never having used an Ipad, and presumably having one available in our Horizon suite on our Mariner November crossing, is it easy to access the web and cosequently a web-based e-mail on one?

If you do your homework ahead of time so you know how to set up the iPad to access your e-mail, it is doable. I had never used an iPad before our August Mariner cruise, but I visited an Apple store just before leaving on our cruise and got a mini lesson on it's use. I managed to configure the iPad in my suite, but consistently ran into trouble trying to use it. Finally, I saw the techie in the PC room who diagnosed the problem. The iPad was defective.:mad:

[Keith1010]

Never having used an Ipad, and presumably having one available in our Horizon suite on our Mariner November crossing, is it easy to access the web and cosequently a web-based e-mail on one?

 

Yes it is easy to access the web on an iPad.

 

Again, the iPad is basic. If you want to draft e mails in say word that's not going to be on the iPad. And photo editing capabilities are very basic. If someone is going to write lengthly e mails and want to do a lot of editing of what they write or they want to do a lot of photo work then I would bring my own computer or pc.

 

I have an iPad at home and also several Apple computers and also a PC so I am very familiar with the Apple Products.

 

Keith

[OrpingtonT]

Thank you, journeyfan and Keith1010. I am not searching out an Apple store beforehand, I have too much to do. I think I will use the IPad to read my e-mails and comments on this board and go to the computer room to draft in Word and send.

[Travelcat2]

I just Googled "how to use an ipad for email" and found a great utube video (5 minutes in length). It takes you through set-up, etc. VERY easy :).

Edited November 3, 2011 by Travelcat2

[Shipkicker]

As a former IT Manager/Info Security Officer for the FEDS (now retired), I have to add the issue of information security. Just be cognizant if you are going to process sensitive information (medical information, banking information, credit card accounts, etc.).

 

On our Amazon cruise later this month, I understand they will provide an iPad in our Penthouse Suite. I may play with it a bit, but I will use my own netbook for anything that may be sensitive (including email).

[Wendy The Wanderer]

As another retired IT person, I second what ShipKicker says. Be especially sure to make sure that any secure transaction is really being done via https, and that the network is secure (I presume it is.) But also, make sure to clear all personal information off the ipad at the end of the cruise, including cookies, cache, and any files you might have saved.

[Shipkicker]

Good advice from Wendy. I (personally) would NOT use any shared/public device to perform any secure transactions or access any site that requires authentication. I further would not use it for even web-based email. Even following all the advice, if the system has a malicious software (key stroke logger for instance) from a previous user and you access a secure site that requires you to authenticate; your credentials are at extreme risk of being compromised. You should always assume the hardware and access point is NOT SECURE unless it is your equipment and your access point and you know it to be secure. Now, how is that for more information than anyone ever wanted?:D

[newlondon]

Question about the iPad, DW and I will be bringing a Kindle Fire, if we want to read a hometown newspaper which would be better? Will Regent include access to pubs via wifi?

[Keith1010]

I agree with Shpkicker and Wendy and my background includes IT and Telecom.

 

We check our financial accounts daily on the ship as we do at home and this is why I always bring my computer with me just so I have the added security.

 

However for e mails I will use a public computer if I don't have mine with me or if I needed to print something out, however, if that was the case, I would then change my password when I am back on my computer.

 

Keith

[charltonkerry]

OrpingtonT, there's an Apple store in Bluewater if your interested, nice helpful people, but they are technical and use words I never heard off, if your worried I used the old Luddite excuse, but unfortunately I then had to explain what the Luddites where?

[OrpingtonT]

OrpingtonT, there's an Apple store in Bluewater if your interested, nice helpful people, but they are technical and use words I never heard off, if your worried I used the old Luddite excuse, but unfortunately I then had to explain what the Luddites where?

 

 

Thank you. I knew of the Apple store there, but my circumstances prevent me going to Bluewater easily nowadays. As I said in my earlier post, I may use the IPad to read E-mails and CC comments and go to the computer room to send any stuff.

[newlondon]

Charltonkerry, That's one of the best posts I've ever seen on a CC thread. Count me in as one of the Luddites-DW and I have never even touched an iPad.:eek:

[cruiseej]

Question about the iPad, DW and I will be bringing a Kindle Fire, if we want to read a hometown newspaper which would be better? Will Regent include access to pubs via wifi?

 

Yes, there is Wifi throughout most of the ship. But you'll need an Internet account to access anything. As with other cruise lines, it's pretty pricey:

 

Time Plan #1: $0.45 per minute - 100 minutes for $45.00

Time Plan #2: $0.35 per minute - 250 minutes for $87.50

Time Plan #3: $0.25 per minute - 800 minutes for $200.00

Pay As You Go: $0.75 per minute

plus...One-Time Account Activation Fee - $3.95 (Applies to all users on first login only)

 

Keep in mind that on the ship, you can do a lot less in a minute online than you're used to doing at home. So if your paper downloads in a minute at home, it might take 5 or 7 on the ship, which is frustrating to begin with, but especially when you're paying so much per minute. (This is why free Internet is the most prized benefit of Regent's Seven Seas Society silver tier, which you qualify for on the cruise on which you complete your 21st night on Regent.)

 

Which is better for reading the paper, Kindle Fire or iPad? I don't think anyone can say for sure, since no one has had hands on experience with the Kindle Fire yet. Im sure there will be reviews out once they start shipping later this month. On specs, I'd think the iPad would be better because it has a significantly bigger screen. But some may prefer the smaller, lighter Fire for holding in their hands.

 

-- Eric

[Shipkicker]

plus...One-Time Account Activation Fee - $3.95 (Applies to all users on first login only)-- Eric

 

Do you know if the "Activation Fee" applies when one is at the Silver level? Although it's my first Regent cruise, it is more than 21 nights.

[rallydave]

Do you know if the "Activation Fee" applies when one is at the Silver level? Although it's my first Regent cruise, it is more than 21 nights.

 

Free internet for silver and above means free. Not activation fee for you.

[Shipkicker]

Free internet for silver and above means free. Not activation fee for you.

Thanks, thought I would ask as we know how Regent tends in interrupt "FREE", as in free unlimited shore excursions, free airfare, and free luxury hotel, etc...

[EleanorWW]

just some observations. I apologize if I am out of line.

 

we had only a standard suite, so I had to debate whether to bring my own iPad. I didn't and didn't miss it. DH and I read and wrote emails from our iPhones. I also read a guidebook on the kindle app. the kindle we brought along stayed in the safe. the ship's library had masses of volumes we hadn't picked up but were happy to read. of course, DH had to read fast in the last days to finish his fourth novel before the cruise finished.

 

this last cruise in October was the second we didn't bring an iPad along, so I can gauge that the tablet has been out for at least 18 months and isn't a novelty. yet I thought the men (and they were mostly men) carrying their tablets about looked like they were holding onto their new toys. so not cool.

 

aren't you on vacation? the ships have computers to keep in touch. hotels generally have free use of computers and wifi. why haul your own stuff along?

 

if you're on a port-intensive cruise, does it make sense to bring hardware along when you'll likely be touring and exploring and making acquaintances and generally having masses of fun? you are planning to stay holed up in front of a screen?

 

I'm making assumptions based on our own experience. we like to travel light.

we hate overpacking. cruising is a vacation for us. our longest cruise has been 21 days and honestly... most people want you to have a good time and are not going to bug you about whatever issues that wait for your attention when you get home.

 

as I said, I apologize for butting in. if you're on a crossing and have no ports to visit... or have many days at sea and need to get away from the social aspects of a cruise ship... there's comfort in going into seclusion.

 

but generally, the specter of hauling your own laptops and tablets abroad seems to counter the idea of being on a holiday.

 

my five cents.