I’ve been keeping a secret. And it’s blue ๐
Today is my birthday! A big one… Usually we just go out to a nice steak dinner, but this year was different, probably because it is the big one.
This year my sweet hubby gave me an iPad 2 for my birthday, and the secret is that he gave it to me last month! I’ve spent a good amount of time getting to know it. Okay, truthfully I’ve spent a lot of time playing Moonlight Lite mahjong and reading my blogs. I’ve downloaded lots of interesting apps, but haven’t explored them too much because I’m having too much fun playing mahjong.
Twice now I’ve had the chance to hook it up to my digital projector to show a Powerpoint presentation to other quilters. I really like how that works and, it’s so nice carrying around something this small. Should be great on airplane and road trips.
So far I’ve downloaded BlockFab-HD, QuiltCalc, and Quilt Shops. For the art apps, I’ve downloaded AutoCAD WS (I used to do AutoCAD for my job), Draw, DrawCast, Finger Sketch, FingerPaint, PhotoPad, and PS Express. I probably should try some of those out to see what I like best.
I also got Keynote, Evernote, iBooks and Kindle, and a few others. I’d love to hear what are your favorite apps to use, especially if they’re art or quilt related or would be useful for a traveling teacher.
Comments
12 responses to “I’ve been keeping a secret”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! Don’t You Just Love Secrets!
Happy Birthday and i understand on the game i play that game to much to instead of doing what i am suppose to do
Happy Birthday, Maria! I wonder what the “big one” is? I will be 60 yrs. young in a few months. I guess that could be considered my big one ; )
Happy creating!
Gwen
LOL! If I live to be 100, my life is only half begun ๐
Happy Birthday Maria! I just happened upon your web site about midnight last night while I was surfing, and I ordered your Making Faces DVD before I went to bed. I want to make a portrait quilt from the last photograph taken of my Dad before he died in 2006. The photo has parents looking at each other and laughing because my aunt had just reminded them that it was their 52nd wedding anniversary. I made a memory quilt for my mom last Christmas with photographs of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. The center photograph on the quilt was the last family photo taken with my dad, Christmas day 2005. I have been struggling with what to make next for my mom and when I saw your portrait quilts I knew I had found it. My copy of your Making Faces DVD can’t get here fast enough!! Thank you for sharing your talents with the world.
Patricia
What a nice memory. I just came back from my almost-82-year-old dad who now has Ahlzheimer’s. I’m planning on doing a portrait of him, too. I’d love to see yours when you’re done! Be sure to send me a pic. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.
Happy Birthday Maria! What a wonderful present! Enjoy!
Happy Birthday Maria.
Hi Maria I was so surprised to see that you can hook up a projector to your ipad. Does this work better than using a laptop? I am buying an ipad in the next 2 weeks and I am so interested to hear the responses to your question about apps. I am buying the ipad for my husband’s birthday present and decided we could celebrate better if I got one, too!
Hi Terry! I would say the iPad worked just as well as as a laptop, but it was much easier for me to travel with. A few years back I bought a refurbished Epson PowerLite S5 digital projector. I figured it would be easier to have one that I was familiar with rather than try to figure out each guild’s projector, if they even had one. At the time, I was hooking it up to my laptop. I had no problem at all hooking it up to my new iPad using one of their VGA adapters (http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC552). I bought Keynote ($9.99) and opened my regular PowerPoint presentation without having to do any conversion. It just automatically read it. Very easy! I am amazed and thrilled. I’ve never tried it with any other projector, but I don’t see why it shouldn’t work. The VGA adapter is attached between the regular projector cord and the iPad, so I assume it would be the same in any similar situation.
Thanks so much Maria! I have just started giving presentations and the whole tech side gives me heart palpitations! I use Keynote on my laptop, connected with the VGA adaptor to my projector. I am so excited to know that the ipad will work the same way. My laptop is getting old and I wanted to replace it before I had a bad experience at a Guild! Now I’m heading to the Apple store–very happy! Thank you again for the great information.
Terry
LOL! The whole getting up in front of people gives me heart palpitations!!! ๐