The family fund now provide ipads

[ApocalypseCheeseToastie]

Have no idea if this info is useful to anybody but they do.

I'm applying for one for my son who loves the one at school (severe autism)

Anyways, thought i'd spread the word

[LIZS]

What is the criteria for applying ?

[ApocalypseCheeseToastie]

here you are

[LIZS]

ah right , many thanks. ds would n't meet the criteria

[TheNinjaGooseIsOnAMission]

I was just wondering about that, will have to check what's included as income, dd3 would love one, my smart phone screen is way too small for her. Thanks

[silverfrog]

oh, how cool
I would encourage anyone eligible to apply - dd1's iPad is her most reasured possession.

honestly - the possibilities are endless - from AAC apps, to learning apps, to just fun and games.

it has helped her no end with so many things, and has given us a solid link between home and school - easy to bung photos on for dd1 to talk about at school, and use for projects etc.

somethign we have done at the weekend - a day out, a new skill, can be on the ipad in a matter of seconds - photo evidence there for her to talk about, use in various apps, or print out to spell/glue into a project whatever.

really, really handy.

[wendihouse22]

Yes, they've changed the income criteria. I used to qualify, as a single parent but now that I've remarried (and dh works a 15 hour day) we don't. It annoys me really, because we don,t get benefits, we can't apply. We still have a severely disabled child and I don't work because he's hardly in school.

[ApocalypseCheeseToastie]

How do you load photos onto them silverfrog ? I'm ahem not very computer literate

[silverfrog]

via itunes, Cheesy.

if it is the one your ds is using form school, you won't be able to as easily - as an ipad can only sync with one computer/itunes, iyswim? so will be controlled via the school itunes/computer.

if you are reasonably sure you will get one for your ds, then you could buy the camera adaptor kit - a couple of little plug in bits, which let you transfer photos either straight form your camera, or via a memory card which slots into a holder - this would not be a waste of money (costs about £40 iirc) as you owuld get lots of use form it too.

if school are happy for photos to be loaded on - then you could save yuor photos to disk/memory stick, and give to the school to load up via itunes - easily done - drag an drop onto computer, find the relevant folder in itunes and sync away.

[ApocalypseCheeseToastie]

I have famously had an ipod for two years, it still has no music on it. I can't figure out itunes although I managed to get music onto itunes

It took me a year to gigure out the controls weren't dodgy and I had to run my finger gently around the dial, not stab at it blush]

Has ipad 2 got a camera on it ? I would never be cheeky enough to specify that but if it comes in voucher form could put my own money to it ?

Pah, I intend on sending the whole thing into school and let them sort it out

[silverfrog]

what ipod do yuo have?

you could practise putting photos on there too, if it is one with a screen - I have some photos on my ipod classic



I can take you through some stuff step by step, if you want (but not music stuff - I get very confused with some of that - all that how to order/create playlist stuff!)

don't know about camera, sorry - it probably does, though.

if you do get one - don't sned it in to school to sort out - this means you will never be able to sync it without erasing data etc (well, you can do ti, but it's complicated) - much better if you are in control of it.

eg dd1's ipad is a school ipad. each child has one. but the parents are the ones to sync/load up stuff, as that way we can use it in holidays/weekends too - and can put on relevant stuff for home situations etc without relying on school to do ti all.

[happymole]

ApocalypseCheeseToastie

You run your finger around the dial!

[silverfrog]

oh, I just cannot get on with the click wheel at all - classic ipod now relegated to use in plug-in dvd player, wiht loads of our films loaded up on it

I always over-correct, cannot get it to select what I want it to, fling the thing against the wall and then put it away again....

ipads are easier - all touchscreen, just point and touch

[BakeliteBelle]

Very useful. Thanks

[AllieZ]

Devices like iPods and iPads usually have manuals. I tend to sit down and read the manual first, even before assembling the device (to check for things like does the battery need to be fully charged first or not, etc.). I then follow the steps in the manual, make sure I've understood everything - I have never come across a device I could not use after reading the manual...

[silverfrog]

glad that works for you, Allie.

I tend to sit down and read stuff too. to the point o fbeing anal.

but itunes is not an intuitive hting to get to grips with

and reading the booklet that came with my ipod originally - mostly consisting of how to charge it ( - even I can work that out!) and then "plug into itunes, and away you go!" - not very helpful.

I have spent hours googling away, and reading discussion forums, to get toknow how to do what I need to do inorder to help dd1.

her ipad came with even less instructions, tbh - by that point i had already owned an itouch for a while (also came with minimal manuals) so vaguely knew what I was up to.

but there are still differences, like syncing photos in folders - works completely differently form how to sync photos on my itouch - same computer, same itunes, different gadget and different way to go about things.

these things are not always obvious, or intuitive - lots of it is, but other bits aren't.

[AllieZ]

Some devices (like my Kindle, for example) don't come with the full manual, only a short "how to..." thing, but if you go on the internet you can usually download the full version in pdf (there are websites that specialise in manuals for electronic devices), I'm sure iPod/iPad ones are there, too. iTunes is a cr@p program imho, but it also has a help file. Theoretically no programme or device can have any "intuitive" element in it because it's all engineering/programming, i.e. works along the lines of physics.

[silverfrog]

hmm, not ure I would agree with you wrt the intuitive bit.

eg mobile phones - standard phones, not smart phones - the nokia menus and sub menus always seemed a lot better arranged (what Imean by intuitive, I supose) than eg the SOnyEricsson I had, which was a bugger to find my way around.

yes, you can download help files - and they are often anythign but.

I truly spent ages working out how to get music into itunes, and hten onto my ipod.

Ir ead all the help files - they often didn't answer the question I had. and brought up a whole load more which were also unanswered...

but hey, I am there now which is all that matters

[silverfrog]

oh, and don't get me started on the kindle!

for a device that is so simple, it has a LOT of frustrating non-short cuts/obscure ways of doing stuff, etc

[ApocalypseCheeseToastie]

So tell me silverfrog, how the fuck do I sync music onto an ipod ?

[boldbanana]

I thought the eligibility criteria now meant that you can be on OK income and still apply? My friend is single parent on 40k but gets tax credits so is eligible.

[wendihouse22]

It's the Tax Credits that allow her to apply. If you're not receiving any of a number of benefits specified on their list, then you are deemed NOT IN NEED. My son has a lot of time off school and does a short school day, even when well enough. I was a nursing sister on a good salary but, no way could I
make those shifts accommodate my ds. My dh IS on a good salary but.....we manage and can't just go out and buy iPads for ds because he would like one. Will have to save up DLA. I do get Carers Allowance but Family Fund don't count that.

[silverfrog]

Cheesey:

right.

well, I can tell you how I do it - probably not the most efficient or effective way, but there you go

so, you have managed to get some music into itunes, right? and you are (relatively) happy with that process?

now, open up itunes.

wait a while (can sometimes take a while to fully open up, ime). make sure you have the latest version of anything - it may well prompt you to upgrade/download new version etc. do this, and wait until it has finished.

then plug in your ipod.

on the menu on the left, you shoudl get the ipod appearing - eg, the headings on the lefthand menu will be: LIbrary, Store, Devices, Genius, etc. Devices is where your ipod will appear - if it is the first time you have plugge dit in, it will ask you to name it, iirc.

the yellowish/beige bar at the top centre of the window tells you what is happening - eg, it may say "syncing ipod, step 1 of 4" or similar.

wait until you get the Apple symbol back in this bar.

so, on the left, you have your ipod named, a little charging icon, and then an eject symbol - you click on this when you have finished, to eject your ipod - leave it alone for now.

on my itunes, the main window on opening shows me my library - music I have loaded into itunes. you can set this up in various ways, to show you your music how you want - mine is organised alphabetically by artist (I htink dh prefers it htis way).

click on your ipod's name in the left hand menu, and the screen will change. it will show you a nice picture of your ipod, with some technical info, and underneath there are options. mine is set up as follows:

open itunes when this ipod is connected is ticked, as is manually manage music and videos (ther eis an auto sync option, i think, but I wanted to be more in control ; also dh and I share itunes, but have separate ipods, so I don't want all his shit on my ipod )

the bottom of the main window now shows you a nice little bar graph of content on your ipod - colour coded as to content, eg audio is blue, video is purple etc.

across the top of this main window (underneath the Apple yellow/beige bar), you now have a few options. "Summary" shoudl be highlighted, as this is what you are looking at.

click on "music"

the screen changes, and you now have some options:

click "sync music", and then either "entire music library" (if you have space/want allthe music on there), or "selected playlists artists and songs"

I use "selected artists etc", for reasons described earlier!

scroll down a bit, and you can tick various options, according to what you want to put on your ipod.

ignore the playlists box for now - haven't done that yet (I assume)

similarly, I would not necessarily sync via means of "genre" - itunes sometimes has some odd ideas as to what music is what genre and you coudl get soem odd choices

I would choose either via artist (which means you get all the albums by that artist loaded up) or by album - again, the ones you tick are the ones that will be synced.

once you have chosen what you want, click "Apply" in the bottom righthand corner.

then wait.

the top middle bar (the apple/yellow one) will change - and tell you what is happening.

all the while it is syncing DO NOT DISCONNECT.

wait until it says "complete" or similar (sorry, in the middle of a major re-sync, so will be a while before I know what it says - mind like a sieve!)

the eject button next to your ipod name in the lefthand window will be twirling about to let you know you are doing something, too.

twiddle your fingers for a bit, then, once all is complete and happy, click the little eject icon, wait (if you ipod is acouple of years old) until the ipod window (if there is one) or the Apple bar at the top says "ok to disconnect" and then unplug the ipod.

go on your way, happy, and able to listen to music on your ipod

sorry for the length - if there is anything at any point that is not clear, please do ask.

I am no expert, but can mange to work out most things - eventually!

[ApocalypseCheeseToastie]

[silverfrog]

go on - try it

slowly, now. step by step - go on, I'm here. it'll be ok

(honestly - which bit are you stuck at? will try to go through it, if you want?)

[ApocalypseCheeseToastie]