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  • Misty
    Participant

    Ok so I got the iPad for Christmas.  Now what do I do with it?  LOL  I am so out of the loop.

    What apps (preferrably FREE) would be great to have for me and the kids (2yrs-14yrs)?

    What about books that are free?

    What are things I want to have on it that don’t come with it?

    What are things on it that I need to make sure I use that sometimes get overlooked?

    All I have been able to do is, set it up, and use the camera.  I am not even using it to write this?  That’s how out of it I am.

    Thanks for the help. Misty

    sheraz
    Participant
    Lesley Letson
    Participant

    My must have for the iPad isn’t an app but it is the case:

    http://store.griffintechnology.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=survivor

    We have these cases on our iPhone as well as iPad – they are the best – better than the Otterbox in my opinion. It kept my husband’s iPhone safe after being dropped to the bottom of a creek. And it makes me feel perfectly safe having the kids use or be around the iPad. AND they have the best customer service – next to the SCM team of course Wink

    missceegee
    Participant

    I like this case, probably not quite as safe, but all 4 of my kids (ages 3-11) use the iPad with never any issue. I paid less at Best Buy. I like that it props it in either horizontal or vertical position, holds my stylus, and more. 

    http://www.amazon.com/Targus-THZ045US-Versavu-Rotating-Interior/dp/B004N62HZI

     

    Misty
    Participant

    Thanks for the suggestions.  I feel like I don’t even know what to do with my iPad.  It’s just sitting above my laptop and I am looking at it going?? Hmm what do I do with you?

    csmamma
    Participant

    Misty, do you have an Apple store near you? You can take free workshops there. This might be very helpful for you. I don’t know if you’re like me, but I need to have someone sit down with me to show me all the features and how to use it. Do you have a friend or family member that has an ipad? Maybe they could help you too. There should also be a free “how to use” book that you can download to your ipad. The techy of my house (17yo ds) is out right now, but when he gets back I can ask him how to direct you to find it. I’m sure he’d be more than happy to assist you in anyway he can – he’s very knowledgeable when it comes to ipads… and anything Apple Wink. Just let me know or PM me. Don’t worry- once you get the hang of it, its easy peasy.

    my3boys
    Participant

    I don’t have any advice, either, except like csmamma mentioned, once you get the hang of it you’re gonna love it. I love all my techy stuff and some I didn’t even realize I needed/wanted!

    I’ll be purchasing some new gadgets soon and will probably wonder why I hadn’t bought them sooner.

    LDIMom
    Participant

    Do you have a kindle? Or any e-books already through a kindle acct. that you read on your computer? If so, definitely download the kindle app. It is free.

    The Teach Me apps. are great. We have Preschool, K and 1st Grade.

    DD2’s favorite app on my iPhone is this one: Shape Builder (LITE if free, but we have the 99 cent version so no ads)

    My boys, ages 13 and 10, love the Oregon Trail app. on their new iPods. It is $1.99 I think.

    Other apps. you might like are frametastic (fun photo editing), netflix (if you have a netflix acct), youtube (if you watch educational videos from youtube), your story hour (if you listen to their free stories on-line; this is great for doctor’s appts., waiting, in the car, etc.), YouVersion Bible app., and our all-time favorite educational games are Stack the States and Stack the Countries (warning: very addictive!).

    HTH

    Misty
    Participant

    Thanks for the apps ideas.  Also about Kindle free app.  That’s great!  Keep them coming. (esp. the free ones)

    missceegee
    Participant

    Misty, there have been several previous threads about favorite apps. Search those out.

    Here are a few –

    Evernote

    Rocket math

    Monkey math

    Alien buddies

    Doodle buddy

    Weet woo

    Netflix

    Google play

    Sky safari

    IBird

    Shake the states

    Stack the states and countries

    Montessori crosswords

    Montessori approach to geography

    Tap quiz maps

    Bugs and Bubbles

    Shape builder

    Toddler teasers

    Connect the dots

    Fizzbrain cursive (print is available too)

    Misty
    Participant

    Thanks for the list of apps.  Kindle’s free has a lot of bad reviews, do you still feel it’s a good one?

    Also, I posted about my internet service in another thread, but thought I would mention it here.  I can’t afford to up my GB’s and I max out every month the way it is.

    Wont using the apps and such just use more minutes?  So maybe the iPad is not a good fit for my family right now?  What good is it to me if I can’t use it at home cause of my little amount of minutes?  I don’t want to keep such a spendy item that I can’t use.  (BTW my little knowledge of these devices is showing cause I didn’t know it needed to be connected all the time to the internet to really use it.)  Do you think it is still worth keeping?  Thoughts? Misty

    Doug Smith
    Keymaster

    Before adding too many apps, I would reccommend getting used to some of what is there already. Try using it for web browsing with the built-in Safari browser. Set up your e-mail on it and see how you like that. Play with Calendar and Reminders. Add some music to or audiobooks to iTunes.

    If you don’t already have it you’ll want to get the free iBooks app. The iBooks app is a much nicer reading experience than the Kindle app, so look for books there first and fall back to Kindle if you can’t find it otherwise or already own Kindle books. You can find free books by going to the store within iBooks, select the Top Charts icon at the bottom of the screen, then browse through the free books or filter them by category by touching the All Categories button.

    Once you have iBooks loaded go download some of our free sample books to see how you like those on the iPad. Just touch on the link within Safari and you’ll be prompted for how you want to use it, with iBooks being one of the choices.

    missceegee
    Participant

    It does NOT need to be connected to be of use. Most apps are downloaded and used offline. Take Doug’s suggestion and play with it. Re. Kindle, I use it when I have a free kindle book. It’s fine, but iBooks is better.

    Let your older kids have a go. They will have it figured out in no time. They are digital natives after all. 🙂

    Misty
    Participant

    Does it use my GB’s when I download these free apps?  Thanks for letting me know there is more to it I will keep playing with it.  I will look into the iBooks and I don’t have Kindle aready anyway.

    missceegee
    Participant

    Yes, Misty, you would use GB’s in the downloading of any apps, free or otherwise. You can download anytime you might be in a place with free wi-fi, too – the library, Starbucks, McDonalds, etc. All of the apps I suggested are not free, they are simply apps that we enjoy. 

    I cannot adequately advise you as to an iPad’s use with very limited bandwidth (GB’s), I am not in that position. All I can tell you is that the iPad is supremely useful to our homeschool and suggest apps that we enjoy. You will have to try it for yourself to see if it’s as useful for your family.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)
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