Research using a Tablet pc

[AlanC]

Does anyone use Ancestry for research using an iPad or Tablet?
If so, how difficult or easy is it?

[Gill D]

Hi. I use my iPad for research using ancestry and it does not cause me any problems. My issues arise because my FTP is in my laptop and I am forever moving from the iPad to the laptop to record info and then if I want to save anything I then have to go back to the laptop to save any documents to my tree although they can be saved on ancestry..

[Tatanna]

Telgen have a great program callies Families that will let you transfer files from computer to tablet and back again. Reasonably priced.

[AlanC]

Gill and Tatanna.......................thanks for your responses, very helpful.

[margaretmarch]

I use my tablet for research but am using ancestry where I have a tree uploaded. I save records and amend that and then when I open FTM on my main PC/Laptop I simply synchronise it and it's all there.

Margaret

[kylejustin]

i use the ipad sometimes, mostly for the family tree: adding people or events. have to use the laptop if i want to save something.

[susan h]

I don't find it at all easy, Alan. Everything seems to take so much longer, however I haven't persevered as haven't needed to. I know some who use it all the time for look ups on Ancestry or other subscription sites. Practice makes perfect, so I really ought to keep trying.

[AlanC]

Well I'm still using my Spectrum 64!..............I still have it.....state of the art 64mb. I struggled to use my neighbour's iPad. I got to Ancestry but lost the plot along the way so I assume it depends on what one is comfortable with.

[Darksecretz]

I can't remember how easy it is on the ipad, but, from what I can see about it on my tablet, I think it's pretty straight forward, just the same to me using Ancestry on my PC, ancestry looks identical on my tablet as it does on the PC and searching is the same. my tablet is Android based [so not an apple] and like Margaret, it is very easy to save to the ancestry tree and then sync with FTM when I get back home.

[margaretmarch]

I can't remember how easy it is on the ipad, but, from what I can see about it on my tablet, I think it's pretty straight forward, just the same to me using Ancestry on my PC, ancestry looks identical on my tablet as it does on the PC and searching is the same. my tablet is Android based [so not an apple] and like Margaret, it is very easy to save to the ancestry tree and then sync with FTM when I get back home.

I agree - Ancestry looks the same on the tablet as on the PC/laptop so don't notice any difference except I have to enlarge the buttons sometimes for clicking. My tablet is a Blackberry Playbook so uses different software to the generality of tablets but that doesn't seem to make any difference to web browsing and use of websites.
Margaret

[Darksecretz]

I agree - Ancestry looks the same on the tablet as on the PC/laptop so don't notice any difference except I have to enlarge the buttons sometimes for clicking. My tablet is a Blackberry Playbook so uses different software to the generality of tablets but that doesn't seem to make any difference to web browsing and use of websites.
Margaret

I think that most tablets tend to be the same browser wise when you go to your favourite sites, I will try it on OH's ipad, but, I imagine it is just the same, I do have the Ancestry App on my phone, and that is very different to the version I have on my Nexus, [though it may be because I have the app on my phone and access Ancestry through a browser on my tablet]?

[Janet]

I use my ipad for browsing and research on the internet and can use both FMP and Ancestry on it without any trouble. Where I might take issue with an ipad over a computer is that the charge does not last very long, but then the charge on a laptop is not brilliant either, altough you can use a laptop from the mains. Also the storage on the ipad is not very good, so would transfer work to mainly laptop now as my stoage on laptop is better than my desktop. However, I have written about 5 Family History Projects which I have turned into PDF files and store all those on the ipad in my libary, and that is an extra safety for my Family History storage as I understand it is all stored in Cloud?

I do use the ipad as a teaching aid during Family History sessions as I can look up things instantly and pass round a group instead of trying to get about 12 people around a desk top or a laptop. This aspect of the ipad works really well, as I can explain how things like Family Search and Free BMD work, as well as showing visually how to build up a tree on Ancestry or FMP and how to google. I can really recommend it as a brilliant visual teaching aid.

However, I do find the keyboard on the ipad a slight inconvenience as I seem to make more mistakes than I do with the computer keyboards, that could be my eyesight! I do find I have to enlarge the screen at times, especially if I am trying to work on it but that is so easy to do. My Kindle is on the ipad and all the bboks I have are also stored in Cloud so would not lose those either.

All in all I would not now be without a tablet of some sort and I did wonder at the beginning whether I should bother!

Janet

[AlanC]

Think I'll take some lessons from Janet

[Janet]

[Janet]

Think I'll take some lessons from Janet

Janet