HerringLaw: Civil Rights & Discrimination Law in Iowa

Fascinating Video

  from Mashable = 3 iPods and Magic - Magician Separates Lies and Truth with 3 iPods = fantastic video and I just can't figure out how he does it....and probably don't want to know and destroy the mystery.

Interesting website: BagNewsNotes

http://www.bagnewsnotes.com/

 

If you're interested in progressive politics, the media, photo journalism, meanings behind and use of photographs in the news, this is an interesting site to check out.

Interesting iPad discovery - GPS without 3G or WiFi.

I read about this and then was able to test it.  Was in the car on I-80 [not the driver!] and was using my iPad's 3G connection to check news, mail etc.  I had purchased the $15-30 day data plan and had used about half of it and still have some days to go.  I also went to Maps and looked up the route to where we were going, found it and then turned off the 3G to conserve the data use.  Then, lo and behold, I saw the little blue dot [where we were located on the map] move.  That's because the GPS capability [evidently only available with a WiFi-3G iPad] is independent of both the WiFi and 3G.  The GPS works whether or not you're connected to the internet.  Which makes sense because it's based on a separate technology and system.  

OverDrive: Library-oriented app for the iPad & iPhone

I’m a card-carrying member of my public library and recently found that using Adobe’s OverDrive on my iPad allows me to download both audio files and pubs to read or listen to on the iPad [and iPhone].  Ironically, no Flash is required!  OverDrive is a media console which you can download free at the iTunes App Store.  

You then go to to ‘Get Libraries’ and search for the library you want by name, city or zipcode.  You need to have a library card/membership (and have your number with you since it’s not saved & needs to be entered each time].  Once you do login with your library number, you are sent to the online link where you can download books to read/listen to over a set span of days [7 days in the case of something I selected].  You can add a book to a wish list, or place a hold on it and you’ll get an email alerting you to its availability with a window of two days to download.  But, the app also gives you access [as do many others] to free ebooks [most of which are through the Gutenberg Library project].  

OverDrive provides a way to view the epub or listen to it.  There certainly are a number of reading/listening apps out there, but this one is specifically linked into the downloadable content of the nation’s public libraries.

 

Using the 3G in the iPad WiFi + 3G

This is on my 'old' original iPad, but probably holds true for the iPad2 [which I don't have].

I finally had a chance to use my iPad's 3G! I have a 3G & WiFi iPad but haven't had the need for 3G since I tend to go places where there is WiFi...until we were driving across the country [I-80] from Des Moines to Boulder and, mainly on a whim [I did have my iPhone with me but wanted the screen real estate of the iPad and it was a good test of the usefulness of the 3G] I opened the iPad and turned on 3G [which you do in settings - turn on 3G and sign up and confirm the payment in the account]

I got the$15/250mb/30 day plan and started to do all the things one does online with the iPad= mail, Twitter, news feeds etc. I noticed that it was just like the iPhone in terms of connection = when there was no 3G the Edge network came on and I was able to do what it was I wanted to do.

It's a 10 hr drive [having the iPad helps with the flatness of Nebraska] but I didn't use it all the way thru the drive, just occasionally to check things.  I used up 49mb but have 200 left for the rest of the month.

 
I usually don't need 3G but it certainly is easy to get it and it works [almost] anywhere because of the Edge option.  Between all those McDonalds Restaurants [and Starbucks and a whole gob of other places with free wifi] and my 3G I'm certainly connected.

Legally-oriented apps for the iPad

There are quite a few apps specifically for the lawyer or litigator.  If you search online you'll find quite a few blogs or websites on the topic of apps for lawyers, office practice and in litigation or on appeal.  And some provide text of materials that are useful.  Many apps are for the iPhone/iPodTouch, but either also apply to the iPad or can be made to do so:

 

Constitution, Declaration [of Independence], Your Rights, Wierd Laws

Law Stack, LawBox, Law Dictionary

FastCase [for access to caselaw on the iPhone or iPad.

Media Consuming Apps on the iPad

There are many apps that are specifically directed to allowing people to consume media on their iPad. Television, radio and news media applications.  Most of these do require an ongoing connection to the Internet [hopefully via WiFi, as the 3G data plan might be exhausted quickly].  

CNN, MSNBC, BBCNews, HBO, ABCPlayer, CBSNews are excellent for known television channels.

LiveTV, Hulu and HuluPlus, iTV, YouTube, and others, are more generally useful for video watching.  Netflix is great for movies.

NPR, AOLRadio, Public Radio and many others provide radio access or access to the website of the station.

Cool - on the iPad you can take a picture of your screen

without a camera...the original iPad [which I have] works like the iPhone.  If you want to take a picture of your screen, just hit the power and the home buttons simultaneously and you'll hear what sounds like a camera shutter - you'll find the picture in the Photos app on the iPad.

It's helpful if you've opened a message or warning or dialog and want to remember what was in that note.

Reading Apps

I like to have my iPhone or iPad with me so that when there is downtime, I can enjoy some business or personal reading.  There are a bunch of apps that use visual media in addition to reading material, which are extremely enjoyable [Al Gore's new book, books by Vook, etc.]

Apps to download and read books and magazines:  Kindle, Zinio, Barnes and Noble eReader, Borders, iBooks [Apple's application which will hold both books and pdfs], Instapaper [save online reading for later].

Apps which are themselves to present paper or online magazines:  AARP Bulletin, HuffPost, The Economist

Apps which contain reference or classic materials for reading:  Holy Bible, Shakespeare, Homer.

[These are mostly apps that contain content on the device rather than always needing to go online to access the data]

Financial Applications for the iPad

 [Remember that there are apps specific to the iPhone/iPod Touch and also those which can be used on the iPad as well]

There are a plethora of applications to help keep track of and manage your finances:

Square - allows [with a little 'square' reader plugged into the iPHone or iPad] taking creditcards and keeping track of cash payments;  apparently Intuit also has a reader and app]

Dwolla - an application for making and receiving payments

Stock managers and Financial recordkeeping:  TDAmericade, iStockMngr, Mint.com, SmartyPig, among others