using iPad without any internet whatsoever

[ct95]

I have an unusual situation. I want to possibly get an iPad as a gift for somebody overseas. Internet is very spotty and involves a USB dongle with prepaid SIM. My question is what content can be synced to iPad from an iMac, with all content downloaded to the iMac. I am thinking that videos, music and apps can sync, but e-books via ibooks cannot, since there is no ibooks for Mac (gross oversight by Apple IMHO). Can anybody confirm this is the case?

Not being able to use as an e-reader would be a deal breaker.

I note that there is Kindle for Mac and for iPad. Can one sync Kindle e-books via the usb cable?

Wish iOS was more open.

 

[MrCheeto]

I believe you can download books right in iTunes on your mac. Once you add books to the Book section of iTunes, just sync.

Treat books just like movies and music you get from iTunes.

 

[Hammie]

Can you not use wifi with a home Internet connection?

You cannot buy books through iTunes only the Bookstore within the app. I agree this is an oversight on Apple's part.

 

[ct95]

Unfortunately, no. It is too remote, so can't just get DSL and a wireless router. MiFi may be possible, but cost is higher than prepaid. A 2 yr contract is required with no guarantee that connection is any good.

If I can get e-reader, movies, music working, then it is a useful gift. e-reader is the most important feature, but i see no workaround yet.

I will have to try Kindle on my iPod touch with antenna off and see if books can transfer by cable. I expect iTouch to be same as iPad for Kindle. I am doubtful this will work.

 

[MrCheeto]

Um, if you download stuff in e-pub format, then you can just drag it in iTunes and it will then sync to your iPad, methinks.

 

[pondie84]

Can't you wirelessly share your internet from your iMac using 'Internet sharing'?

 

[MrCheeto]

Oh yeah. If your iMac is wired, you can create a wireless network through-which your iPad can get online.

 

[ct95]

Unfortunately, no. It is too remote, so can't just get DSL and a wireless router. MiFi may be possible, but cost is higher than prepaid. A 2 yr contract is required with no guarantee that connection is any good.

If I can get e-reader, movies, music working, then it is a useful gift. e-reader is the most important feature, but i see no workaround yet.

I will have to try Kindle on my iPod touch with antenna off and see if books can transfer by cable. I expect iTouch to be same as iPad for Kindle. I am doubtful this will work.

 

[pondie84]

You should be able to wirelessly share any Internet your iMac is receiving. Just go to 'Sharing' in system preferences and turn 'Internet sharing' on.

 

[Capt T]

Is there a cafe with Internet that they could go to once in a while? Then they could pick out and download the books they wanted there.


As others have said If they have any Internet at all they can share it if there is a wifi card in the computer. But also if it is a sim card kind of thing would you consider getting them a 3G model? They could get a sim for it, and depending on the carrier most likely it is prepaid as well.

 

[Crosbie]

You won't be able to buy books through the iBooks store, but you can certainly download (DRM free) epubs from elsewhere and drop them into iTunes for use with iBooks. I've done this.

iBooks will shortly be able to display PDFs too.

 

[James L]

Unfortunately, no. It is too remote, so can't just get DSL and a wireless router. MiFi may be possible, but cost is higher than prepaid. A 2 yr contract is required with no guarantee that connection is any good.

If I can get e-reader, movies, music working, then it is a useful gift. e-reader is the most important feature, but i see no workaround yet.

I will have to try Kindle on my iPod touch with antenna off and see if books can transfer by cable. I expect iTouch to be same as iPad for Kindle. I am doubtful this will work.

People have already said it in this thread. Download books in epub format. Add them to your iTunes library. Connect iPad to computer via USB cable. Sync books to iPad.

It really isn't that difficult.

 

[matticus008]

Unfortunately, no. It is too remote, so can't just get DSL and a wireless router.

How is the content getting to the iMac if there's no Internet connection?

As other posters have said, if the iMac has an Internet connection (and it must if it will be used for buying apps), the iPad can use it by setting up a device-to-device network.

 

[ct95]

The iMac gets internet via USB dongle. iPad has no USB, so no internet for iPad that way.

The sharing internet option looks promising. It works sharing an ethernet based connection on my mbp with my iPod touch via wifi. I just have to check if USB dongle connection can be also shared. Thanks all for the help.

 

[DenniZ]

The iMac gets internet via USB dongle. iPad has no USB, so no internet for iPad that way.

The sharing internet option looks promising. It works sharing an ethernet based connection on my mbp with my iPod touch via wifi. I just have to check if USB dongle connection can be also shared. Thanks all for the help.

It can be shared, i used to tether my phone with my mbp and then share the internet through wifi.

System preferences > sharing > internet sharing > share connection from 'USB dongle name' to > wifi. Make sure you change the airport settings or other people will be able to rob your internet.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

As for Books, you can buy books from, say the Sony eBookstore, which uses ePub, and then strip the DRM. Google is your friend there. Lots of step by step instructions on how to do that. It's pretty easy. Then just drag and drop into iTunes.

 

[henneth]

My internet went down the other day, and the ipad suddenly seemed very crippled for it. I use it to surf the net, get emails, look at apps/books. Without any of that, it wouldnt be worth the price tag for me.

 

[gtsipad]

You should be able to wirelessly share any Internet your iMac is receiving. Just go to 'Sharing' in system preferences and turn 'Internet sharing' on.

In know in Internet Sharing you can select to share from Ethernet, Firewire and Bluetooth. It has no option for USB Internet sharing though...not certain how that would work in his situation.

EDIT: sorry Denniz...just read your post. I guess USB dongle appears only if that's the type of connection you have set up.

 

[ditzy]

Is there a reason why you can't get the 3G iPad? However as others have said you can share your Internet access from you're iMac.