Wow! Ipad and iPod work together

[Luckynp]

For once I am really impressed with Apple software.

I recently acquired an iPod Touch to use alongside my iPad. I tend to use the iPod as a miniature iPad when I am out of the house so I have iBooks and my entire collection of books on both devices.

I recently had occasion to read my current book on the iPod, reading on a couple of hundred pages beyond where I had reached in the same book on the iPad.

When I came to open the book on the iPad, after a moment or two the book updated and went to the place I had reached on the iPod.

I have since discovered that the two devices keep pace with each other in both directions, presumably using my wireless network to communicate with each other and keep books in sync on both devices.

I find this really impressive.

[HarryT]

Is this using the Kindle App? The iPod and iPad aren't directly communicating with each other; they're communicating via Amazon's server. When you finish reading on one device it tells the server how far you're got in the book, and then, when you open the same book on another device, it retrieves that reading position from the server.

As you say, it works very well.

[Luckynp]

No, this is in iBooks and it's all books. If you have both devices, try it for yourself. I don't know how they communicate, but they do.

[Maggie Leung]

I don't think synching is a big tech accomplishment, but it's sure a nice feature.

I like that all my iDevices work together seamlessly for my needs. I'm interested in switching to Android down the road, but I won't till I can buy an Android phone and tablet that work seamlessly together as well. With so many Android hardware and software makers (and limited coordination among them), that's a tougher challenge than with iDevices and software coordinated by one company.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by Maggie Leung

I don't think synching is a big tech accomplishment, but it's sure a nice feature.

I like that all my iDevices work together seamlessly for my needs. I'm interested in switching to Android down the road, but I won't till I can buy an Android phone and tablet that work seamlessly together as well. With so many Android hardware and software makers (and limited coordination among them), that's a tougher challenge than with iDevices and software coordinated by one company.

What areas are you looking at to be in sync? You may find that it's all there already, particularly if you're happy to use Google's calendar, contacts, tasks and docs, and use Kindle. And for syncing files there's Dropbox. For mail you can use Google, or set up your email accounts using iMap rather than POP3.

Graham

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by Graham

What areas are you looking at to be in sync? You may find that it's all there already, particularly if you're happy to use Google's calendar, contacts, tasks and docs, and use Kindle. And for syncing files there's Dropbox.

Graham

Mostly with apps. I use many for travel, reference and search info. I'm waiting for the Android marketplace to strengthen and weed out further. I expect that to happen; just needs time. It seems too Wild West for me, a tech 'tard, right now.

I need hardware and software techies to coordinate and I need quick access to help when I run into trouble. I don't want to jailbreak, root and figure out why things don't work. I just want 'em to work, because I use tech as a tool, not as a hobby. I read Android reviews and forum posts and see too many people struggling to make things work or complaining about app stability and quality.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Luckynp

No, this is in iBooks and it's all books. If you have both devices, try it for yourself. I don't know how they communicate, but they do.

OK, yes. iBooks sync works via your iTunes account, so again it's a case of each device talking to the central server, rather than the devices talking directly to one another. It does work very well, though, doesn't it! I find it a great feature, too.

[swt]

Originally Posted by HarryT

OK, yes. iBooks sync works via your iTunes account, so again it's a case of each device talking to the central server, rather than the devices talking directly to one another. It does work very well, though, doesn't it! I find it a great feature, too.

Harry,

iBooks actually does communicate with each other across iDevices on the same subnet network without using iTunes. I do this by doing:
1. Open iBook on Device #1 (don't think ebook itself has to be opened)
2. Open iBook on Device #2

They automatically sync up the last read pages.

very brief blurb on this @
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBooks#iBookstore

[mjhudston]

yes iBooks keeps it's self in sync.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by swt

Harry,

iBooks actually does communicate with each other across iDevices on the same subnet network without using iTunes. I do this by doing:
1. Open iBook on Device #1 (don't think ebook itself has to be opened)
2. Open iBook on Device #2

They automatically sync up the last read pages.

very brief blurb on this @
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBooks#iBookstore

Not for me it doesn't, because I have my iPad and iPhone purely using 3G, not WiFi, so in that case it must do it via the iTunes server, right?

[swt]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Not for me it doesn't, because I have my iPad and iPhone purely using 3G, not WiFi, so in that case it must do it via the iTunes server, right?

Harry,

Yep. Both being 3G is unlikely to put them on same subnet network. I don't want to dive in too techincal details that most readers may not understand, so lets say best way to get on same subnet network is by having the devices on the same wifi base.

[jbjb]

Originally Posted by swt

Harry,

iBooks actually does communicate with each other across iDevices on the same subnet network without using iTunes. I do this by doing:
1. Open iBook on Device #1 (don't think ebook itself has to be opened)
2. Open iBook on Device #2

They automatically sync up the last read pages.

very brief blurb on this @
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBooks#iBookstore

My understanding is that in this case both iDevices are still communicating with the central iTunes server, not directly with each other.

/JB

[toronado]

Originally Posted by jbjb

My understanding is that in this case both iDevices are still communicating with the central iTunes server, not directly with each other.

/JB

Yes. My guess is this is not an actual sync between the two devices, but rather a cloud-based "sync". Last read page, etc. info is stored on Apple's servers, and all your devices are linked to that.

[aceflor]

True, but in the end, they do sync the last read position without having to go through the USB cable, so I think it is a great improvement indeed. I love sideloading an epub in ibooks per calibre server, and being able to read it either on my ipad or on my iphone without having to look for my page, and most of all without having to get my netbook and open itunes (which takes a while on my poor old thing)

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by toronado

Yes. My guess is this is not an actual sync between the two devices, but rather a cloud-based "sync". Last read page, etc. info is stored on Apple's servers, and all your devices are linked to that.

This can easily be shown be to the case. If you read a book on one device, switch it off, and then switch on the other device, the sync still works. It cannot, therefore, be a direct sync between the two devices, but must operate via a central server.