Hmmm

 

I pad in the workshop???

 

A younger member of my family is 3 screens down (one from when a dog thought it was a doggy chew), he is also an active sportsman. One little slip and a very expensive repair. the glass is about a mm thick.

 

So in the workshop a no no for me.

 

Cheers

John

 

Hi Bob,

 

I don’t use an iPad but I do use an iPod Touch which is a bit like an iPhone but without the phone!

 

What do I use it for? Well not for games that’s sure but I like the calculator, I have many useful conversion tables and data tables, and best of all an App (application) – here – which basically turns the iPod Touch into an accurate level – 0.1degree – which operates as both a clinometer and a bubble level, and at 49 pence is much cheaper than an equivalent digital level (as mentioned in a recent article) with similar accuracy, but the App has more functions and better graphics and can be used on the iPad or iPhone. There is also an iSetsquare app which is also quite useful.

 

Before the moaning minnies get all hot and bothered about the cost of the iPod I’d just like to point out that I can also keep an enormous amount of my favourite music to listen to when I get fed up with radio 4 and 5 live. The device was bought 2nd hand about 4 years ago for approx the cost of the aforementioned digital level and I have a lot of other uses for it.

 

I keep it in my overall top pocket so no problem with iron filings – yet! And of course, when bored I can also play a game or two .

Update, the clinometer app is now free for a limited time from the link above.

 

 

Best regards

 

Terry

I want to write an App but need inspiration!!! What would people find useful and I will give it a go.

 

There are already some engineering calculators but always room for new ones.

 

sorry for the thread hijack

Hi Anthony,

Some time ago I wondered if it would be possible to use one of the cheaper tablets a the user interface for a DRO. At the time I was thinking of a way to make something like the Shumatech DRO350 or DRO550 but with a four line display. I was thinking that an external PIC or Atmel micro could convert the scale outputs to serial data. (The same way as the Yadro DRO works.) I do not think any of the tablets have a serial interface but they may have usb or bluetooth interfaces which could be used to communicate with the scale interface micro. Another method I thought about later was to have the scale micro present the data as a web page (The way routers etc do.) but I do not have the skills to write that sort of code. I started thinking along these lines after modifying the DRO350 code to run on a PIC18 processor which gives room for expansion. (The existing PIC16F876 was at its limit.) This did not come to anything as Scott Shumate asked me not to distribute any modified code for the DRO350. I wonder what your thoughts are on these possibilities ? Maybe we should start a new thread on this subject.

 

Les.

Ian

I agree the iPAD needs a cover. I bought the one called “SNUGG” (via Amazon) – not cheap but then neither is the iPad! I think it is worth the money – it provides a fair degree of protection, has magnets in the cover which switch the pad on and off when the flap is opened and has a facility to fold the cover back to make a stand . In addition there is a strap to put your hand in if you wish to use the pad whilst you are carrying it around.

Would I use it in the workshop ( if I could prise it away from my wife!) ? Probably not. I have my old XP windows pc out there which has lots of spreadsheets for various calculating and stock / tool etc “finding” functions. It has wireless connection to my router which enables me to order “stuff” and access all those words of wisdom from you guys.

The real beauty of the iPad is it’s instant “ON” which enables me to sit in my armchair ( watching TV, reading a book – even supping the occasional beer! ) and in a moment access pretty much any information I want from the internet. The downside is that it ‘aint cheap – hence the combined xmas gift for the boss and me.

 

Terry

 

Thanks for the “heads -up” on the clinometer app – very impressive. ( Although I do have a precision level already)

 

Regards

 

Norman

Wots an Ipad?

Posted by Ian Hewson on 19/12/2011 16:54:14:

 

 

I’m very happy with Windows too. It does everything I need, from music, video, photography, internet, DTP and CAD/CAM – you name and there’s a huge range of programs to choose from including thousands of free ones.

 

No cost updates and bug fixes for the life of the product as well, so for around about £70 for the operating system, it seems like a pretty good deal to me.

 

What can Apple give me that is better?

 

 

Martin.

 

Edit: I also use it to control CNC lathes and milling machines etc.

OK then Ian, I’ll bite – what doesn’t work in Windows?

 

 

Martin.

Posted by Ian Hewson on 19/12/2011 18:16:11:
Hi Martin
Sorry, but I don’t have the time to reply to that one, but try reading the thread on poor Windows problems.
Ian

 

There’s no point in me doing that Ian, because Windows works well for me.
I was just hoping you could substantiate your remarks.

 

 

Martin.

Hi

Sorry you have had problems, I started using Apple in 1995 and have never looked back.

I use imacs, ipod s, I phone and an ipad, paid for with my hard earned cash.

I can honestly say that I would not go back Windoze again.

People know I like computers and I am often asked for my advice on PC problems, never on Mac ones.

I did not start this line of correspondence, but it doe’s make me mad when people who have not used Mac’s denigrate them.

Regards

Ian