Tag Archives: iPad

A Lesson in Paperless Documents: Electronic Boarding Passes

Posted on May 27, 2010 by in General

Going paperless doesn’t always guarantee success. I almost learned this the hard way when I nearly missed my return flight from Denver last Sunday.

As I checked in for my flight from Denver to DFW, I thought I would be environmentally conscious and use an electronic boarding pass on my iPad. I checked in online with my carrier and easily saved the boarding pass image to my iPad.

When I arrived at the airport, I waited in the security line for about 20 minutes only to find out that TSA was having no success reading electronic boarding passes from my carrier. TSA said I had to get a paper boarding pass and go back through security. Only at 6:30pm on a Sunday evening, the check in counter was closed and the kiosk wouldn’t reprint paper passes for flights departing in 45 minutes or less!

I ended up running down to baggage claim, found an employee, and received a paper boarding pass. I ran back to security, ran to my gate, all the while hearing my name over the airport paging system with the dreaded words “final boarding call…” I made my flight with just 2 minutes to spare.

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Document Editing on the iPad Remains Convoluted Despite SugarSync’s Update

Posted on April 19, 2010 by in Technology

Two weeks ago I posted a review of the ways I see advisers using iPads in their practices. One of the drawbacks I highlighted was the lack of a native file explorer to easily locate, edit, and save files stored on the device.

I mentioned three apps that can be used to circumvent this drawback (GoodReader, Dropbox, and SugarSync), each with its own pros and cons.

Today, the folks at SugarSync released an update to its iPad app to enable users to perform basic file editing and synchronization with its SugarSync cloud document storage service.

Unfortunately, I still find document synchronization on the iPad, even with the SugarSync update, to be a convoluted process.

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The iPad for Financial Advisers and Wealth Managers

Posted on April 6, 2010 by in Technology

Apple iPadI’ve had my Apple iPad for about 72 hours and am ready to post my overall reaction to the product and specifically address how I believe financial advisers and wealth managers can use the device in their practice.

The Executive Summary

  • What: Apple iPad Wifi 16GB
  • Pros: Elegant design, sleek & attractive, easy touch interface with nearly no learning curve, 10+ hour battery life
  • Cons: (Besides the 13 referenced below) No native file explorer, editing existing documents is a convoluted process.
  • Takeaway: The iPad can compliment a paperless office, enhance meetings with clients, and provide a single source to access print and online media if you’re willing to work within the limitations of existing apps.

The Review for Financial Advisers & Wealth Managers

What you won’t find in this review are the general statements about the iPad’s cool features (like iBooks, pinch-zooming, etc.)  and the drawbacks (no multitasking, no USB ports, etc.) of the device. Instead, you’ll find my take on how I believe advisers and wealth managers can use the new tablet computer to enhance their daily lives.

If you still feel like you need the basic pros and cons overview of the device, here are two links, one in favor of the iPad’s potential to change computing, and one painstakingly detailed on the drawbacks of the device.

With that out of the way, let’s explore the ways I see advisers using the iPad.

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