Apple 30 pin to USB connector: will this work for add'l storage?

Question

Apple 30 pin to USB connector: will this work for add'l storage?

Hello all! I am set to purchase an iPad on Friday, not sure which one.

I have a connector that Apple used to call a "camera connector" that I bought in 2005 but have never used. It has a male 30-pin connector on one side and a female USB connector on the other. It's purpose was to connect a digital camera to an iPod Photo. Here's my question:

Would I be able to plug this into the iPad, then connect a USB thumb drive, and have some add'l storage? Would this work, i.e. would it be recognized?

I only plan to do this for travel, so I can move files on and off w/o a computer.

Thanks for the help, in advance.

MacBook Air 11, question is on iPad

Posted on Mar 8, 2011 12:06 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 8, 2011 12:07 PM in response to keyboardoperator

No, the 30 pin connector doesn't currently support external storage.

glor

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Answer 2

Mar 8, 2011 12:09 PM in response to Glorfindeal

So what you're saying is the 30-pin connector cannot be used to move files to the iPad, period? Even if I connected a cable through the connector and then hooked the USB side to another machine?

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Answer 3

Mar 8, 2011 12:10 PM in response to keyboardoperator

No, unless you plan to jail break. But you have to look elsewhere for help with that.

Glor

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Answer 4

Mar 8, 2011 12:11 PM in response to Glorfindeal

So basically the only way to move data on and off is via iTunes??

Yuck.

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Answer 5

Mar 8, 2011 12:25 PM in response to keyboardoperator

Some applications support moving data via wireless sync with a computer. Bento for one allows you to sync a database between the iPad and the mac. Eye-fi allows auto syncing of photo's...

Glor

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Answer 6

Mar 8, 2011 12:34 PM in response to Glorfindeal

Well in looking at their current Camera Connection Kit, it looks like I have one half of it: the connector with the USB port. So it looks like I can at least get photos on the iPad. But if there are other files on the camera's SD card, will they not transfer?

The Camera connector description does not really explain it very well.

http://store.apple.com/ca/product/MC531ZM/A?mco=MTY3ODQ5OTY

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Answer 7

Mar 8, 2011 12:40 PM in response to keyboardoperator

Ahh, nevermind, I found this:

+"It has nothing to do with Apple "unlocking" the ability to use the USB connection device to use external hard drives. It has to do with developing drivers to use other external devices. I spoke with an Apple Tech person yesterday and he advised that until Apple or third parties develop drivers to allow the iPad to work with peripheral devices such as mice, typewriters, or to allow the ipad to write to SD cards (instead of reading from SD cards), all you can do with the iPad cammera Connection Kit devices is read from USB cameras and read from SD cards. "+

So it appears that I could only read from, not write to, an external device (and not a flash drive, in any case.)

Guess I better buy the 64GB model . . .

Thanks for the replies!

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Answer 8

bukharin

Level 1

10 points

Apr 21, 2011 7:51 AM in response to keyboardoperator

You can also use Dropbox or MobileMe to store stuff at home/work and retrieve it on your iPad wherever you are in the world. This works for me. In addition, my secretary will update files and rather than sending an email will copy the file to Dropbox where I can pretty much instantly retrieve it.

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