iPad User Magazine - UK (2019-09)

i

PadOS allows you to connect an

external drive to your iPad, whether

it’s an iPad Pro with USB-C or a

Lightning iPad (with an adaptor). We

tested it using an iPad Pro and a powered

USB-C hub. We were able to connect USB

sticks, memory cards and USB hard

drives. They appear in the Files app

under Locations. Tap on a file and you

can drag it to another location, even

to a different external drive. Tap and hold

a file, and a contextual menu appears,

allowing you to Quick Look, tag and

rename files, among other options. Sadly,

Apple’s apps can’t see the external

storage, so you can’t add a thumb drive

full of MP3 files to Music, for example.

T

he main new accessibility feature

in iPadOS, like iOS, is Voice

Control, but there is another that

Apple hasn’t highlighted – the ability

to connect a USB or Bluetooth mouse.

You need to switch it on, and to do that

you’ll need to dig deep into the Touch

section of Accessibility in Settings. But

once it’s activated, and you’ve chosen the

device you want to use (and paired it if

it’s a Bluetooth mouse) you’ll see a cursor

on the screen that you’ll be able to move

using the mouse. It’s currently set up to

be used with the Assistive Touch menu,

which allows you to do things you’d

normally do with gestures, like go to

the Home screen or see Control Centre.

In short, not a mainstream feature, but

it works pretty well.

T

he beefed up Files app is another

improvement that makes even

more sense on the iPad than it does

on iPhone. iPad Pro users especially

will benefit from what is evolving into

a desktop-like file system. In addition

to connecting to external drives and

servers, you can scan documents directly

into Files and put them where you want

them. Column view allows you to easily

dig into nested folders, just like on

macOS. Also like macOS, Column view

displays metadata below the preview of

the file. And Quick Actions enable you to

rotate, markup, or create a PDF in Files.

Search suggestions, keyboard shortcuts,

and the ability to zip and unzip archives

round out a feature set in an app

that’s sure to become crucial to the

development of the iPad as a work tool.

Connect drives to your iPad

Additional accessibility

View files and folders easily

Photos

The Photos app in

iPadOS gets a range of

new editing features. It

also gets a new curated view of

what it thinks are the highlights

of your day, month and year. It

hides receipts, screenshots and

other clutter from this, which is

perhaps the most useful aspect of

the feature. This view, along with

the rest of the app, really pops

on the larger screen of the iPad.

Editing adjustments are applied

with dials, which show you changes

as you fine-tune them. Most of us

edit photos in landscape mode

on an iPad and the new interface

makes full use of that, and is much

easier to use than previously. The

Photos app also feels much faster

to browse and use.

Video editing in the Photos

app on iPad makes much more

sense than it does on the smaller

screen of the iPhone. And again,

it’s very easy to use in landscape

mode on the larger screen.

Ramp up your picture

editing on iPad

External drives

External mouse

Files

The new editing tools in Photos enable

you to modify automatic adjustments.

When you move the slider, you’ll see each

of the dials used in the adjustment move.

Once your drive, card or USB stick is connected,

view its contents in Files and move them around.

Head to Settings > Assistive Touch to see just

what you can do with a connected mouse.

The new Files app is much more desktop-like in its

abilities, including column view and Quick Actions.

Guide to iPadOS iOS

i

PadOSallowsyoutoconnectan

externaldrivetoyouriPad,whether

it’saniPadProwithUSB-Cora

LightningiPad(withanadaptor).We

testedit usinganiPadProanda powered

USB-Chub.WewereabletoconnectUSB

sticks,memorycardsandUSBhard

drives.Theyappearin theFilesapp

underLocations.Tapona fileandyou

candragit toanotherlocation,even

toa differentexternaldrive.Tapandhold

a file,anda contextualmenuappears,

allowingyoutoQuickLook,tagand

renamefiles,amongotheroptions.Sadly,

Apple’sappscan’tseetheexternal

storage,soyoucan’tadda thumbdrive

fullofMP3filestoMusic,forexample.

T

hemainnewaccessibilityfeature

in iPadOS,likeiOS,is Voice

Control,butthereis anotherthat

Applehasn’thighlighted– theability

toconnecta USBorBluetoothmouse.

Youneedtoswitchit on,andtodothat

you’llneedtodigdeepintotheTouch

sectionofAccessibilityin Settings.But

onceit’sactivated,andyou’vechosenthe

deviceyouwanttouse(andpairedit if

it’sa Bluetoothmouse)you’llseea cursor

onthescreenthatyou’llbeabletomove

usingthemouse.It’scurrentlysetupto

beusedwiththeAssistiveTouchmenu,

whichallowsyoutodothingsyou’d

normallydowithgestures,likegoto

theHomescreenorseeControlCentre.

In short,nota mainstreamfeature,but

it worksprettywell.

T

hebeefedupFilesappis another

improvementthatmakeseven

moresenseontheiPadthanit does

oniPhone.iPadProusersespecially

willbenefitfromwhatis evolvinginto

a desktop-likefilesystem.In addition

toconnectingtoexternaldrivesand

servers,youcanscandocumentsdirectly

intoFilesandputthemwhereyouwant

them.Columnviewallowsyoutoeasily

digintonestedfolders,justlikeon

macOS.AlsolikemacOS,Columnview

displaysmetadatabelowthepreviewof

thefile.AndQuickActionsenableyouto

rotate,markup,orcreatea PDFin Files.

Search suggestions, keyboard shortcuts,

and the ability to zip and unzip archives

round out a feature set in an app

that’s sure to become crucial to the

development of the iPad as a work tool.

ConnectdrivestoyouriPad

Additionalaccessibility

Viewfilesandfolderseasily

Photos

ThePhotosappin

iPadOSgetsa rangeof

neweditingfeatures.It

alsogetsa newcuratedviewof

whatit thinksarethehighlights

ofyourday,monthandyear.It

hidesreceipts,screenshotsand

otherclutterfromthis,whichis

perhapsthemostusefulaspectof

thefeature.Thisview,alongwith

therestoftheapp,reallypops

onthelargerscreenoftheiPad.

Editingadjustmentsareapplied

withdials,whichshowyouchanges

asyoufine-tunethem.Mostofus

editphotosin landscapemode

onaniPadandthenewinterface

makesfulluseofthat,andis much

easiertousethanpreviously.The

Photosappalsofeelsmuchfaster

tobrowseanduse.

Videoeditingin thePhotos

apponiPadmakesmuchmore

sensethanit doesonthesmaller

screenoftheiPhone.Andagain,

it’sveryeasytousein landscape

modeonthelargerscreen.

Rampupyourpicture

editingoniPad

External drives

External mouse

Files

The new editing tools in Photos enable

you to modify automatic adjustments.

When you move the slider, you’ll see each

of the dials used in the adjustment move.

Once your drive, card or USB stick is connected,

view its contents in Files and move them around.

Head to Settings > Assistive Touch to see just

what you can do with a connected mouse.

The new Files app is much more desktop-like in its

abilities, including column view and Quick Actions.

Guide to iPadOS iOS