“Set for release in November, the biggest changes in iOS 4.2 come for iPad owners, who will finally see their touchscreen tablet upgraded to iOS 4 with new features like multitasking and folders,” AppleInsider reports. “All iOS device owners will also gain printing capabilities via AirPrint.”
MacDailyNews Take: We’re sorely tempted to upgrade our iPads, but alas, we need our MyWi. We’ll have to wait a bit.
AppleInsider continues, “Accessibility to FaceTime will become even greater in iOS 4.2, as a direct video chat link is now included in the iPhone’s built-in text messaging application. When in a conversation in the Messages app, a “FaceTime” button now rests in between the ‘Call’ and ‘Contact Info’ selections.”
Full article, with screenshots, here.
No Facetime for my ancient model iPad. The things almost 4 months old already!!!
Sarasota, there is no reason your and my iPads will not be able to receive video and sent audio in a FaceTime chat. My iPads are as capable as the new iPod touch devices. Maybe they will let us connect a camera to the iPad USB port.
It’s lame to have to scroll to the top for the Call buttons… The photo icon should be a pop-up for call/photo/FaceTime right next to the current message.
Yay MDN for promoting jail breaking!
Do you expect it to magically grow a camera sarasota?
Why can’t Apple focus on a features we need like Bluetooth file transfer with all kinds of devices. I’m sick and tired of having to wait for a feature that should have been standard at launch. I mean you have to email everything from the device and let be honest At&T 3G network is far from the best and a wifi network is not always around when you need one. The fact I can’t ever Bluetooth transfer a file from iPad to my Mac in my own office is crazy, plus other people have to the same app on there iPad to transfer pics and you can’t transfer docs from iPad unless you have some kind of network. Also, make the file transfer work with non-apple devices as well. Apple get it done in this next software update.
Good article, if you have the time.
Too bad there isn’t a hidden camera behind the iPad’s screen… that would be a nice surprise!! Yay!
Rob – Do you expect it to magically grow a camera sarasota?
No, but I think a Bluetooth camera would be better anyway. No stupid up-nostril shots.
in early iphone patent applications, apple showed an iphone sending its camera output to a “slate device”. this is coming.
As an aside, Camera A and Camera B apps can give your pad a camera view from your iphone right now!
D
Apple massively screwed up one thing on the iOS 4.2 update for iPad, which I explain in my blog article here:
http://scottworldblog.wordpress.com/2010/09/16/ios-4-2-on-ipad-dont-fix-it-if-it-aint-broken/
Voice your concern to Apple ASAP, before this ridiculousness ships to the public!
@Producerjames all macs and idevices run on wifi. Why can’t you just use one of the plethora of remote file apps?
Bluetooth is a PAN not a LAN and as such is not really suitable to do files transfers of large size.
Bluetooth has historically been hobbled by the carriers anyhow. The main reason I was so happy to leave those bloodsuckers at VZW.
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@Producerjames,
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Be patient.
@dijonaise
I work in tv and movie production and I’m on location a lot & a good wifi is hard to come by and sometimes 3G is crappy cause we just don’t have a good signal. When on location or in the production office with my mac is just so easy for me to pick up everyones Bluetooth laptops and send files. The files I’m sending are not huge (usually scripts or photos) but with out wifi or a 3G it the jump drive all the way. As I am trying to use my Macbook Pro less on location and use the iPad….. Bluetooth would work much better in those circumstances. Also, the fact not everyones uses Apple devices or has those apps on their phone or on top of the latest software doesn’t help either. To have a native Bluetooth app that works with the iPad and others would be great. In a perfect world, I would have a wifi all the time or an amazing 3G connection…….well we don’t live in a perfect world. If Apple wants to make the iPad a player in the business world then they need to do that. I want a device that can over come that and do a simple task my laptop can do and has done for a while. I don’t think I’m asking for that much.
The most useful upgrade for me would be screen mirroring…
@Jamie
Yes, Rome wasn’t built in a day but Bluetooth file transfer has been around for awhile on all Macs and many cell phones for awhile. If the iPad claims to be the latest & greatest device for business then this features should be there and on the iPhone as well. Yes, you got apps for……but not everyone has those apps. It needs to be native to the device and work with non Apple devices as well. How long should we wait for it then?
Hell folks, I’m just waiting for FaceTime on my MacBook. I mean, duh… integrate the damn thing with iChat.
I have, and will continue to maintain that a camera accessory for the iPad Gen 1 will be introduced with iOS 4.2. Why not get that extra $50 from those 10 million iPad owners?
@producerjames
All the documents etc you create on iPad are created within the specific App being used. The developers of the Apps would have to build in bluetooth file transfer but then compatibility with non App running devices may be an issue.
iOS devices don’t have conventional file systems (like we’re used to accessing on puters)
Well printing is coming to iOS 4.2 so I guess some kind of file system/transfer API will be released soon. I do agree with you that the current implementation of file storage/transfer is far from perfect, but like to implement features only when they are ready for release.
I’d like to wager that there is a small team in Cupertino working on a smoking file system and transfer API right now…