Nailed down a date/time for my Master’s defense among my committee members!
Nailed down a date/time for my…
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Converting a Word .docx file to a PDF on the iPad
In case anyone else has the need to do this, I’ll explain how I converted a .docx file to a PDF on my iPad 2. The fact that I feel the need to write a tutorial on how to do this should be a big hint to the folks at Apple that their file management system, or lack thereof, needs work. :/
So my mom sent me a Word file and wanted it as a PDF. I got the email on my iPad and figured that, hey, I have GoodReader, I should be able to do this no problem. Pff, not so simple, actually.
First, tap the attachment in Mail to open a preview of it. In the upper right corner, hit the little arrow-export button and choose Open in GoodReader.
In GoodReader, connect to Google Docs via the Connect to Servers tab. Upload your Word file to your Google Docs account.
Pop over to Safari and browse to Google Docs. You’ll be in the dumbed-down mobile version, but navigate to your uploaded Word file and open it in Google Docs. In the top right, there is a little down-arrow button next to the Edit button. Hit the down-arrow and choose Use Desktop Version. You may be taken to a page saying “The browser you’re using may not support all features of the desktop version of Google Docs”, but just hit the “Continue to desktop version” link.
When the full desktop version of Google Docs loads, go to File > Download As > PDF and a new tab will open with your document as a PDF. In the top right corner, there should be an Open in GoodReader button–hit it.
You’ll be popped back over to GoodReader with the PDF of your document open. Now you can’t attach files from within Mail on an iPad (?!), so you’re going to have to start the email from GoodReader, to let it attach the file for you. So if you were wanting to send the file as an attachment in a reply to the original email, too bad, you’re going to have to send it as a new message. In the bottom right corner of GoodReader, hit the little arrow-export button and choose E-mail File. Bam, a new message window opens with your PDF file already attached, ready to send.
For iOS 5, you know what would be bad-ass? Some file management support so I don’t have to rely on apps like GoodReader and Dropbox to find/organize my files, and also the ability to attach files myself to a message in Mail. Oh, and the ability to convert between common file types, like Word and PDF. ಠ_ಠ
GoodReader for iPad
Developer: Yuri Selukoff
Rated: 4+ Price: $4.99 Download
That’s one way to stop a girl-…
That’s one way to stop a girl-fight. Hope that teacher didn’t get sued. Also, lol at the bully’s peace-sign hoody. http://bit.ly/i8KeT6
Program done and face sufficie…
Program done and face sufficiently un-numbed after dentist. Lovely dinner of oatmeal mush, now sleeeeeep.
Favorite iPad apps thus far
I feel like I gave the impression that I’m not enjoying my iPad, or that I regret its purchase. I don’t, and have been having a lot of fun with it. My big grief in the last post deals with stupid corporations, not limitations of the iPad. Anyway, from my few days of using this thing (I’m typing this blog post on it now), here are some of my favorite apps:
Alien Blue HD - Reddit Client
Developer: Morrissey Exchange Pty Ltd
Rated: 17+Price: $3.99 Download
I surf Reddit a lot, and the only way I do so on my iPhone is via the free version of Alien Blue. Conde Nast’s own client is terrible, and even the Reddit admins tell people to skip it in favor of Alien Blue. The iPad version of Alien Blue is just as convenient as the iPhone version, making it easier to reply to threads and browse subreddits than in the web browser.
Carcassonne
Developer: TheCodingMonkeys
Rated: 4+Price: $9.99 Download
This is one of my favorite board games and it’s lovely on the iPad. My aging iPhone is a bit slow when playing it, with lag in many places. It’s much smoother on the iPad, with the board loading almost instantly and turns going faster because the computer players take less time to decide on moves. It’s nice playing with Jon, too, because of the bigger screen.
UPAD
Developer: kim genie
Rated: 4+Price: $4.99 Download
This is my favorite app for handwriting and taking notes because of the zoom feature it offers. It can zoom in on a section, let you write, then your actual writing is much smaller on the paper and fits in the lines. It also allows typed text, so I switch between drawing and typing for drawing figures, writing out formulas and symbols, and typing plain-text notes. It’s been great in class. On my MacBook, I use a combination of Curio and OmniOutliner for drawing and taking notes, and it’s nice to have a single program for both.
ARTREE for iPad
Developer: Hansol Huh
Rated: 4+Price: $1.99 Download- This is a simple little app for generating pretty tree images. That’s it, but it’s been very relaxing just to watch the different random trees grow, and then use the resulting image as wallpaper. I’d like to use one of the images I make in a layout here, too.
Doodle Fit
Developer: Gamelion Studios Sp. z o.o. (LLC)
Rated: 4+Price: free Download- This is a game where you try to fit Tetris-like pieces into a shape, like tangrams but the number of pieces changes with each puzzle, and you can’t rotate the pieces. You can either drag and drop pieces into the boundary shape, or you can draw them in. Everything has a scribbled look to it, and the sound effects are like someone drawing on paper.
AppShopper
Developer: AppShopper.com, LLC
Rated: 4+Price: free Download- This has been the way I’ve found several sales in the App Store, and how I got Procreate today for free instead of the usual $8. It keeps track of sales, updates, and new apps in the App Store, and displays them like an RSS reader. I like checking it daily to find nifty little apps that I’m interested in when they’re free, but that I wouldn’t buy otherwise.
Zite Personalized Magazine
Developer: Zite, Inc.
Rated: 4+Price: free Download
Flipboard
Developer: Flipboard, Inc.
Rated: 4+Price: free Download- I honestly get these two confused because I use them for such similar purposes. They both display news from different sources, displayed in magazine format. It’s really a lovely layout and both apps are pleasant to use. They can connect to your Google Reader, Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr accounts to display your friends’ stuff.
procreate
Developer: Savage Interactive Pty Ltd
Rated: 4+Price: $4.99 Download- This is a nice painting program with layers and custom brushes. I haven’t managed to do much that’s impressive with it myself because I’m not an artist, but I love that I can make my own brushes with shapes and textures from other images. I’ve had fun fiddling about in the app, and I caught it on sale for free.
