Wait, this thing can actually maybe replace my computer now?!?
Bout damn time!
What’s up guys?
I’m Trisha Hershberger and in this episode of DIY in 5 we’ll tell you how to turn that
iPad into an actual working notebook.
Whether you are looking for back to school, work travel, or just to condense your daily
load of gadget must-haves, we got you covered.
Don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our upcoming tips and tricks.
Turning an iPad into a truly functional notebook really wasn’t possible until iOS11.
Apple finally added a number of features for the iPad that can make it feel much less like a tablet.
If you haven’t upgraded your OS in a while, go do that.
iOS 11 is definitely worth it.
The biggest update is now you can actually do things with split-screens!
If you’re writing a document and need to drop in a picture, just open up both programs
and drag and drop the picture just like you do with your other notebooks.
This is such a small, but so important thing to make your life easier.
Another biggie Apple updated is the dock at the bottom.
Most of us work with a number of programs like email, Word, picture editors, and whatever.
Now you can add all your favorite updates to that little bar on the bottom.
When you open up a program you’ll notice it disappears, when you need it just swipe up.
You can’t do that on Tinder!
Sorry, Jake!
Swipin’ left.
The last update we’ll mention in iOS 11 is files.
While not the sexiest name for an app, it’s what digitally transforms your tablet into
an actual computer.
Again, let me just say, about damn time Apple!
If you really want to get all Transformers style on your iPad and actually make it a
physical working notebook you’re going to need a keyboard.
For iPads it’s gotta be a Bluetooth keyboard to make it truly mobile.
And as an added bonus, lots of keyboards come with cases that double as a stand
to make it a truly laptop-style experience.
The good news is these things have come down dramatically in price over the last few years.
Not too long ago you would’ve dropped $100 on one of these things, but this one here
cost less than $30 on Amazon, and that’s after tax.
The final thing to keep in mind is battery life.
You don’t want a keyboard that runs out of charge every other day.
Now that we have a device that is starting to look and feel like a notebook from the inside and out
we just need to worry about the apps.
We all know you can read books, watch Netflix, and go down Reddit rabbit holes on these things
but what about actual “work” stuff?
Thankfully Apple has opened up their iWork apps to people for free
and they’re surprisingly useful on the iPad.
So if you need to write a document, make a presentation, or balance a budget they have you covered.
For our Microsoft friends out there there’s always Office 365 which is also available.
While it’s not free, it really is an Office experience you already know and hopefully love.
And of course, there’s always the best option Google Docs - free, easy to collaborate with
others in real-time, and quite functional.
Can you tell which one I use?
If you’re a creative professional and you want to edit photos, videos, work on 3D models
or whatever, make sure you have an iPad Pro.
There’s a ton of really terrific apps that turn the iPad Pro into an almost workstation-type experience.
Next, let’s talk storage.
An iPad, just like every other Apple product today, won’t let you get in and upgrade things yourself.
So, whatever size model you got is what you’re stuck with.
But the good news is we live in the age of cloud storage.
All those word docs, presentations, pictures, movies and whatever, they needs to live somewhere.
Today there are tons of options for online storage like Google Drive, Dropbox, and even iCloud itself.
iCloud has come a long way recently and can actually be used as decent online storage.
For those of you who don’t trust the big storage machines in the sky for your pictures
of… well, you know…
I don’t know what they'v got in there!
I’m trying to look out for everyone, ya know?
For those special photos, there’s always good ol’ USB storage.
This Bolt drive here backs up your camera roll and videos, and for most people that’s
usually what takes up the most space.
So what kind of tablet does everyone at home have?
For this video, I’m rocking an iPad Air 2.
But usually, Android is the way to go for max productivity.
Although, kudos to Apple for implementing some more multi-tasking options and hence this video!
Let us know which is your favorite and why in the comments below.
And since we’re talking Apple products, if you want to see how to
extend the life of your old iPhone, check out this video here.
Thank you all so much for watching and I’ll see ya next time with more DIYin5!