Musings by Grace Chng

Last week, I’ve been testing my iPad to see how useful it would be in a work environment.

As a mobile device with a 9.7-inch screen, it can be used for writing, well at least to take notes during an interview. I didn’t fancy typing on the iPad. It feels odd. I do touch typing and I would have to type with my fingers flat on the screen which is uncomfortable. Typing in URLs and short notes are fine. But not a 60-minute interview.

So to get started, I’d to spend money. The keyboard is the first consideration. Apple’s wireless keyboard (absolutely love the thin, light keyboard) for US$69. You can get one in Singapore for S$78. To type notes, I needed a document software. So I bought Pages, Apple’s word processing software for US$9.90 from the App Store.

Link the iPad and keyboard via Bluetooth and I can start working. I’ve used it to take notes during three interviews and the combo worked beautifully. The two devices together are lighter than the 1.36 kg Macbook Air.  When completed, I email the file as a Word document to my laptop in the office. Two benefits, don’t have to carry a backbreaking laptop and the iPad and l Apple wireless keyboard are great conversation starters, so the interviewees are pretty relaxed - and talkative - when the interview starts!

One problem I encountered while I was carrying the iPad around. It hooked on to a public wifi network and didn’t let go. For 36 hours, the iPad showed one bar of wireless connection to this public wifi network, draining the battery juice quickly too. It wouldn’t recognise any other network, not even the one at home.

After much frustration, I got enough courage to reset the network settings. But I backed-up the iPad first. Then I hit Reset Network Settings. It worked. I got rid of the public wifi network. My geek friends told me that I could also click on Forget Network. Apparently, this fault is a known bug.

Now, that my iPad is proving itself more than an entertainment device, dare I bring my iPad to an overseas assignment? I’m thinking hard. Stay tuned.

Some weeks ago, my friends wanted to see a movie. I agreed to buy them. After all, it’s an easy task. I merely let my fingers do the surfing.

So before I left for a workout on a Saturday morning, I put my iPad in my bag. After the workout, I took it out and surfed over to gv.com.sg. Lo and behold! I saw a black rectangle. I tried again with the same result. I surfed over the shaw.com.sg and experienced similar result.

Then it occured to me. The web pages where I book the seats are in Flash and Apple doesn’t support Flash on the iPad. Do I drive home to get my computer? Call my friend to book?

In the end, the better-than-old-fashioned method worked. I booked over the phone. It’s tedious, but it works.

I told my Apple friends to get this fixed because booking cinema tix is a very basic app. My fellow Apple users told me that now they can book movie tix on the iPad. I tried today and I could. So all is well now.

It’s always nice to be in San Francisco. It has a certain charm that’s very attractive.

I’ve seen the city live through a few recessions. In the late 1980s, a few restaurants closed. I’d frequented this Japanese restaurant along, Geary Street, stone’s throw from Union Square. A set lunch/dinner comprising teriyaki chicken/beef/fish with tempura was only USD6.50 to USD8. It closed.

During the dotcom bust in 1999/2000, there were more beggars in the street. Last year, the beggars came back, but with a new twist. There’s so many of them, so how to differentiate themselves? The beggars are quite innovative.

They came with their dogs. I don’t know if the dogs are really theirs but they sit along the curb in Union Square asking for a loose change or a dollar to buy food for their dogs. I’ve seen a beige Labrador wearing shades and carrying a toy in his mouth. He could do this for hours. The dog is made out to be the beggar, because the owner/real beggar is standing to one side, barking instructions to the dog to do his bidding, like walk in small circles, sit, stay etc. I gave a couple of dollars so did many other people. This time I saw more beggar-dog combination. There’s a guy on a wheelchair with a Rottweiler pup, probably about 6-8 months old. The pup pooped on the curb, his owner stopped and carried on when the business was done! There’re at least 4-5 of these combo pairs in a 10-minute walking radius of Union Square.

I also saw a young girl playing her violin and a soprano singing opera arias and hits from musicals. They looked too well-dressed to be beggars, but they were collecting money.

Wonder what I’ll see next.