Using external keyboards and card readers

One of the biggest setbacks to using an iPad is the lack of a physical keyboard. The on-screen keyboard is larger than most and is fairly easy to use, but it also lacks any sort of tactile feedback so it's also easy to make mistakes. A good idea, then, would be to get a physical keyboard that you can use with your iPad.

Apple has two such offerings. First is the Apple iPad Keyboard Dock, which is like the iPad charging stand but also includes a full keyboard which has dedicated keys for iPad functions. You can also use a USB sync cable to sync your iPad with another computer. Unfortunately the dock stand is a little bit bulky and it isn't possible to stand your iPad on it while your iPad is in a protective casing.

The other Apple keyboard option is the Apple Wireless Keyboard. This connects to your iPad via Bluetooth and is a more compact offering. Unfortunately it doesn't offer the iPad-specific keys as it can be used with other products. It also doesn't keep your iPad upright so you may need a stand. Both of these Apple keyboard products are about $69.

If you're in the market for a stand then you might consider the Griffin A-Frame. This foldable stand can be positioned upright at various angles or it can lie down flat.

Now, if you're looking for a way to port photos to your iPad then Apple has several solutions including the iPad Camera Connection Kit. This comes with two dongles that connect to your iPad, one of which acts as an SD reader, the other one can be used to plug cameras into via USB. As a nice bonus the USB adapter can also be used to connect various other accessories like the Blue Mic Yeti Pro.