Mobile device apps can be very useful in the field while abroad, whether monitoring data usage on foreign SIM cards or navigating your way across a city through a new subway system. Below is a list of device settings and apps for the Fuji summer 2014 overseas program (see also here for a summary of basic location-aware apps, including Evernote, Flickr, PDFMaps, and WordPress). You may also want to familiarize yourself with Apple’s iPad User Manual. Click on any image to enlarge.
Settings
APN settings for SIM card
Use the following procedure to setup your iPad Mini with the proper APN profile. This will allow you to use your SIM card to access online data through the NTT DoCoMo FOMA network in Japan.
- Get an internet connection (wifi).
- Access this webpage: http://www.bmobile.ne.jp/devices/bmobile.mobileconfig.
- Install the APN profile (press “install”).
App Switcher
The App Switcher is Apple’s navigation menu used to easily switch between apps or turn apps off. To get to the App Switcher menu, press the home button twice in a row. Scroll left and right to see which apps are open and press on the app’s screen to open the app. To turn off an app, swipe the app’s screen upwards.
Brightness Settings
You may find that you need to change the brightness of your device’s screen while in the field. To do this, go to Settings > Wallpapers & Brightness. Use the slider to scroll to the appropriate brightness for your situation. Auto-Brightness is another feature you may want to select if you would like the iPad to adjust the settings for you.
Data settings
Foreign SIM cards allow limited data use. It is important to keep track of how much data you have used over time so that you do not exceed your monthly allowance. In Fuji, the data allowance for the SIM cards is 1GB per month. After a month has elapsed, a new SIM card needs to be put into the iPad Mini to receive another month of service (totalling 1 GB). It is important that you track your data usage. Try to limit using the iPad Mini’s data-intensive features like downloading media from the web or live streaming maps. To track your data using the iPad Mini’s internal settings, go to Settings > General > Usage > Cellular Usage, or Settings > Cellular Data. You’ll need to total up both sent and received data to get an accurate picture. For a more user-friendly interface to display your data usage, use the DataWiz app located in your “Japan” folder on your home screen (see more detailed info on the app below).
iPad keyboards
There are two Japanese keyboard setting options for your iPad Mini: 1) Romaji and 2) Kana. These two keyboards have already been installed on all the iPad Minis. To add a keyboard yourself, go to: Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard. To edit the keyboard settings for each language just click on the desired keyboard under the list of keyboards that have been added to the iPad. To switch keyboards, tap the “globe” icon next to the space bar when your keyboard is open. To see a list of keyboards to choose from, tap and hold the globe icon.
Apps
Battery Go! (located under “Utilities” folder): Different apps and functions of your iPad Mini use varying amounts of your battery. Battery Go! is a good way to convert percent battery left into an approximation of how much time you have left while using various apps (i.e. video, camera, web browsing, etc.).
DataWiz (located under “Japan” folder): DataWiz keeps track of your data usage for you. You can set your daily, weekly, or monthly allowances and setup alerts by navigating to the Settings icon on the app home screen. The iPads have already been set to a monthly cap of 1GB (with daily and weekly caps set as a proportion of 1GB). To get accurate alerts, you will need to go to Settings and set the billing date to the date the SIM card was installed and activated on your iPad.
Important note: Please be sure to keep DataWiz running all the time in order for the app to function properly. Don’t switch the app off using the App Switcher (e.g. swiping upwards on the DataWiz app in the App Switcher menu).
DiskAid/FileApp (DiskAid located on external computer, FileApp located under utilities): DiskAid is an intuitive program that allows you to transfer files to and from an iPad Mini without using the iPad Mini’s iTunes account. This is the program you will use to get files on and off of your device while you’re abroad. To get started, download and install DiskAid. Next, connect your iPad Mini via USB and run DiskAid. Your device should now show up on DiskAid. To transfer files, go to the app in question on your device through DiskAid and use the bottom toolbar to manage the files (i.e. “copy to device,” delete, etc.). You can also drag files from your computer onto your device in DiskAid.
If you need a place to store files on your device that isn’t connected to an existing app, or if you simply need more functionality and flexibility with your file management system, use FileApp (located under your “Utilities” folder). You can transfer files to FileApp using DiskAid just like with any other app. FileApp can also be used to view and open Microsoft Office documents and media files.
Imiwa? (located under “Japan” folder): Imiwa? is an all-purpose Japanese dictionary. For a full list of features, visit the Imiwa? website.
Maps with Me (located under “Japan” folder): Maps with Me (Lite) is an offline map app. An offline map of Japan has already been downloaded on this app to help you find your way while in Japan. Note that the map is not totally comprehensive in terms of labelling every street name or number.
iTalk (located on home screen): iTalk is a simple audio recording interface. Choose the recording quality that you desire (the higher the quality, the bigger the file), name your recording, and press the big red record button. To get your recording file off the device, you may use DiskAid (see above for more), or you may email files up to 2MB in size. To email files larger than 2MB, use iTalkSync (download here). Please note, it’s best to use DiskAid to transfer files rather than emailing them to save on limited data usage.
iTranslate (located under “Japan” folder): iTranslate can be used very similarly to Google Translate to help you translate phrases in many different languages (including Japanese).
Tokyo Metro Subway (located under “Japan” folder): Tokyo Metro Subway (labelled “Tokyo” with a picture of a subway as the app icon) provides you with a map of the Tokyo subway, as well as a route calculator and station finder.
trains.jp (located under “Japan” folder): The trains.jp app covers all of Tokyo’s train lines and gives you train route information when you provide the app with your start and end station. Use this app if you need help finding a train route that isn’t on the tokyo metro subway lines. For a map of all Tokyo train lines (not just the subway), please go to the Adobe Reader App and open the Tokyo Train Map.