How to copy an iPad….

No, I’m not referring to how to make a cheap iPad tablet knock-off. If you’re interested in cheap, low-quality iPads you can buy those in the computer centres all over Hong Kong.

I’m referring how to copy an iPad – with a copier…“WTF??!!!” might be the first words entering your brain .

I had similar thoughts when I  heard about this idea. From my mum.

Imagine the weekly Sunday call to your parents and the following conversation:

MUM: I made the IT guy at work freak out…
ME: What did you do?
MUM: I read an interesting article in the newspaper on the iPad. So I decided to share it.
ME: Yeah, so what?
MUM: I put the iPad on the copy machine and copied it. I then shared the copied paper with my colleague….
ME: YOU DID WWWWWHHHHHAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTT?????!!!!

I was first dumbfounded. Flabbergasted. Speechless. What on earth…..?

Then I burst out laughing.

What a stupid idea…

But is it really stupid? Or brilliant?

After I stopped laughing I explained my mum how to do a screenshot on the iPad. Press the home button and the sleep/power button at the same time. Retrieve the image from your camera roll and upload it to ownCloud or just send it via email.

But then I realized that she was at work. Her iPad isn’t connected to the WiFi at work (I doubt there is even a WiFi) and she doesn’t have a 3G connection on the iPad. So actually, she can’t share the article electronically.

If she really just wants to pass it to a colleague, she will have to hand over her iPad. Or type it. Or just copy it with a copier.

“But”, you might say, “you can’t copy from a screen, that’s impossible”.

That’s what I thought as well. But I was proven wrong. It worked. And as it was only printed text, the quality was good enough to read it.

So looking back I have to admit: Good job mum! Brilliant idea! I’m proud of you!