Wednesday, January 11, 2012

My iFamily had an iChristmas!

iPad2, photographed using my iPhone
Yes, it's late to be posting about holiday gifts. But I've been busy. And distracted. Specifically, I've been setting up and playing with my new iPad2 and new iPhone. And setting up two older iPads for other family members who happily got them as hand-me-downs. As if that weren't enough, I've been installing and playing with my new versions of Photoshop (for photo editing) and Dreamweaver (for creating web pages).

It's exhausting, I tell you.

Okay, it's mostly fun. Yes, I'm the person who thought the iPad was a ridiculous idea, who was heard to say, "Who needs a lesser version of a laptop?"

That was before I knew about apps, and before I realized that an iPad can slip into my large purse, whereas my laptop needed its own case and about broke my shoulder. The iPad 2 is lighter and faster, and it has built-in cameras for Skyping or FaceTiming.

iPhone, taken using iPad

Which brings me to my new iPhone. Again, I never thought I'd want one, but now that I have it I love it. In the past, I didn't use my mobile phone much, and frankly I've barely learned how to make or accept a call because the rest of it is so much fun. I've loaded lots of apps, and I've tried out the camera, which is far superior to that in the iPad. I will love carrying this around, using some of the same apps I use on iPad and finding lots of new ways to use it, too.

iPod, taken using iPhone
I also have an iPod Touch, the first of the iDevices I acquired. Frankly, I used it as an mp3 player and never explored all the ways it could serve me using the internet. One reason: it didn't have a phone. If you have to carry a phone, you're perhaps not going to bother also carrying an iPod. Now that I can load applications to one, two, or all three of these gadgets, I might find that I use the iPod more as well. But mostly it has taken the place of our old 100-disc CD changer, which bit the dust sometime during the last year. Since Peter loaded all the music to electronic files, we don't need to replace the bulky changer. Ain't life grand?

One of these days I might talk about a few of my favorite applications. But before I do, let me ask: Do you have an iDevice or something similar? If so, what are your favorite apps?

--Nancy



31 comments:

MissDazey said...

I got an iPad2, can't figure it out. I need you or a 6 year old kid to help me.

I love new gadget. Sounds like you do too.

Teresa Evangeline said...

I feel like Nellie on the Prairie. I don't know what Face Time is. I can feel, hear your excitement, and darn you, Nancy, now you're getting even me excited.


If I succumb to the dark side, I'll just tell them it was all Nancy's fault.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Good for you! I like the weather channel app that I have on my Kindle Fire..does that count? I don't like phones of any sort..but the iPod music player might be in my future..never can tell..I have an Mp3 player. All the new gadgets should come with owners manuals:)

Rubye Jack said...

They sound great but I have neither. Just a poor girl from Oklahoma here.

Jeanie said...

I have an Android phone which I have had for a while and am still learning to use. I would love to hear about the apps that you like.
My older grandkids all go iPod Touch for Christmas, but they have limits to how they can use them. I am going to have to have them teach me what they know.

Anita said...

First of all, I must thank Teresa Evangeline for her "Nellie on the Prairie" remark. A goog LOL for me.

I understand how she feels, although I'm a few steps above her since everyone in my house has an i-something.

I'm impressed with your management of all these gadgets! I feel busy enough maintaining all the regular computers and printers in my house, and my blog of course, let alone trying to add other stuff.

Great that you're loving it! When I get on board, I'll be contacting you for tips.

Happy New Year!

DJan said...

I had my iPad stolen and it's the thing I miss the most. I have a new one on the way, because I still miss it every day. I'm told all I have to do is plug it into my iMac and it will download all my apps onto the new one.

I also have an iPod Touch and am using it to fill in the gaps until my new iPad comes. I don't use it much now that I have a tablet I carry with me everywhere.

Still using a phone like a phone. But I'm way behind my siblings, who are all using iPhones already...

Red said...

What a lot of fun things to learn. If we look to the past and how things have changed so quickly, I wonder what will be down the road.

Sharla Greenway said...

I have an iPhone, which I love. The blogger app has been useful away from home. My hubby and mother have both got iPads, so they have become nerdy iPals. The best thing we did was when we were on holiday we facetimed my mum and showed her where we were staying. I also love tuneinradio app. It's amazing to be able to listen to music/ radio from anywhere in the world.

Abby said...

My favorite is my hand-me-down iPad!!!! :) :) (Although I need to figure out how to have better posture when I use it; my neck has been sore lately.) And it just cracks me up to picture Dad using an iPhone. ;)

Daughter Number Three said...

I am so dependent on my iPhone, I am basically cybernetic. I have maintained a distance from the iPads in my household for the most part, though. Longterm lent a first gen iPad to my mom, who is 79, and she uses it every day for email (via webmail) and playing the Scrabble app. I use the Quordy (Boggle) game on my phone, aside from Facebook and Twitter apps. The MPR streaming app and a weather app called My-Cast round out the (non-standard) apps I actually use. But I am not very app-oriented. Mostly use maps, camera, text, Safari, iPod and email.

laurie said...

i don't! doug has an ipad and he's constantly looking at it but i have no idea what he's looking at. sheesh, when he could be looking at ME.

Linda Myers said...

I have an iPad I bought for use while traveling out of range of hotspots. And an iPod which I carry with me but rarely use. Plus, we're an all-Apple household, with a Mac Mini, a 24-inch Mac desktop and a MacBook.

I don't have an iPhone, though. I don't think my eyes are good enough to see anything on it. Maybe after I have cataract surgery!

Sally Wessely said...

I'm glad you have really gotten into all your devices. I have not tried Photoshop for Apple. What do you think of it? I'm sort of interested in Dreamweaver also.

We have all kinds of devices around here. I prefer my MacBookPro, but my husband loves his iPad. I'm not as crazy about it because I hate typing on it.

I'm like you on the iPhone. I didn't want one at first, but I can't imagine not having one now. We use an iTouch hooked up to our Bose radio to listen to music. I gave my old iPod to my grandson.

I hope you tell us all about your apps. I always like to learn about new ones.

Ms Sparrow said...

I don't even have a cell phone! As much as I enjoy email, Google, Facebook and blogging, I really don't like being on the telephone. I attribute that to all the years I spent in a business office as a slave to a phone. I hope it's not just that I'm a fuddy-duddy!

Allyson said...

I also received an iPad for Christmas and just like you, when they first came out, I thought "well that's just a waste of money." But it has helped me tremendously in keeping up with business expenses and I am able to read the NY Times every morning in bed. Plus, it is much lighter and now that my laptop battery has completely crapped out, it's nice to not have to be plugged in all the time. A word of caution about plugging any iDevice into a speaker for extended periods of time: if you leave it plugged into a speaker and the speaker is charging while it's docked, it will absolutely ruin your battery. As in KAPUT. This has happened to me with my iPod Touch and a friend of mine with her iPhone. And the crappy part about a dead battery with any iDevice? You have to send it back to get it replaced, you can't do it yourself. Oh and NY Times did a story last week on the best apps of 2011!

Ellen said...

I have an IPhone that I've had for years, one of the earliest models. I hate breaking in new phones, but alas, I have to. Getting a new IPhone next month, but I think I'll need the classes they offer at Apple to work my way through all the new things to do with it. I used to be tech savvy, but now I'm just old and not too willing to learn.

betty-NZ said...

I can't say that our family has been bitten by the i-bug yet, but you never know!

Indigo Roth said...

Hey Nancy, I'm rarely far away from a fully functional computer, but on the occasions I've used an iPod, I've been pleasantly surprised how much I've enjoyed it; more usable than a phone screen, and less bulky than a laptop. I doubt I could use one for writing, as onscreen keyboards are too slow to use, but still... Indigo

Marie Loerzel said...

I do not own such technology. However, my kids are dying for an ipod touch. But, I won't buy it for them. Because then it would be meaningless. So they are saving up their birthday/allowance money so they can buy their own. And then they will surpass my computer skills. Ok who am I kidding? They already do!

Anonymous said...

Closest I got to i anything was a Gobii. (A cheaper version of a kindle ereader

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Nope, I have none of these devices. Heck, I don't even own a cell phone. I know!!!

God bless and have a fab time with your goodies!!!

Have a great week sweetie!!! :o)

Lisa @ Grandma's Briefs said...

What an awesome visit from Santa for you! I have an iPhone but that's it, as far as iThingees. Love my iPhone and hope to one day get an iPad.

Enjoy all the high-tech goodies!

Jeanie said...

I thought I could resist wanting one of those but you're making me a tad green!

Gia said...

Stop making me jealous!! I want an iPad and an iPhone. Badly. Thank goodness I have a macbook, at least.

injaynesworld said...

Wow! I'm so impressed with your knowledge and ease with all these high-tech gadgets. I have no iGadgets, but I do have a Nook Color and it's sort of a mini iPad. I can read books and e-mail, and blog, and surf the net. It's kind of cool. I haven't gotten a hankering for an iPhone yet. Mostly, because the monthly bills are so high and I'm not a big phone user anyway.

Your fun with these things makes me smile. :)

Retired Knitter said...

Hi, I am new to your blog. I found you through Tossing It Out - and his 7 historical people or fictional characters you would like to meet post.

I clicked over and found another "like soul".

Glad you are enjoying your iPad. I have an iPad - the first version because I couldn't live without it the moment I saw it - and an iPod which I also cannot live without out.

Anyway, glad to have found your blog. Look forward to reading more.

Red Shoes said...

Wow... you are "i'd" out... an iPad, an iPod, and an iPhone...

Do you like the iPhone?

Technology is making amazing quantum leaps it seems...

Happy New Year...

~shoes~

Deb Shucka said...

I love my iPad, even though I swore they were a stupid idea when they first came out. Wishing I'd gotten an iPhone, but couldn't see the need for both. I love the map feature, plus the Kindle access, and of course Angry Birds.

Arlee Bird said...

I don't have any I-things but I do have a post that you might enjoy. Nearly two years ago you posted a Tag meme: (http://blissedoutgrandma.blogspot.com/2010/05/tag-im-it.html ). I made note of it and kept it in my reserve file to be finally used in my most recent post at Tossing It Out. It's gotten a wonderful response. I linked to your blog in the post.
Thanks for the inspiration even though it took nearly two years to put it to use.


Lee
Wrote By Rote

Miss Bea said...

When I read your blog about apps, I knew that I wanted to check back and see what everyone wrote back. I jsut read the posts and am so disappointed! Only one person answered with apps. I'm sure that you have come up with some by now. Are you going to write another post on the subject? Otherwise, can you recommend some to me. I am waiting for the ipad 3 to come out and am ready to buy either a refurbished ipad 2 or a new ipad 3, have not decided. i have an older macbook and after doing some researching, have decided to buy an ipad instead of buying a new operating system for the macbook. I also liked your "eat dessert first motto.
Bea Skeens http://filledwithretirement.blogspot.com/

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