Getting a file from a laptop to an iPad or Android phone

[foojin]

This is not exactly marine electronics, but I need to send someone a small PDF. Seems simple, though I am stumped.

I am at anchor. The file is on a laptop, which has WiFi, though I am out of range of any WiFi signal.

I am within cell range and have both an Android phone and an iPad with cell.

How do I get the file from the laptop to either the iPad or phone to send it?

Surely I'm missing something easy.

[Dsanduril]

Do you have iTunes on the laptop? If yes then you can use iTunes to add the PDF to Books on the iPad, then use the send feature on the iPad to send it off.

With the Android you can do the same thing with a USB charging cable connected to the laptop, in most cases, but there are too many flavors and varieties to give specifics.

Or, there are a fair number of apps in both stores to help with file transfer.

[pjShap]

On the Android phone go to Settings, Connections, Mobile Hotspot and Tethering. Enable the Mobile Hotspot. On the Laptop connect the Wi-Fi to the phone's mobile hotspot. This works great on T-Mobile, but when I had Verizon I only got very slow Internet. Still, you could send an email from the laptop, with an attachment.

[Dsanduril]

Originally Posted by pjShap

On the Android phone go to Settings, Connections, Mobile Hotspot and Tethering. Enable the Mobile Hotspot. On the Laptop connect the Wi-Fi to the phone's mobile hotspot. This works great on T-Mobile, but when I had Verizon I only got very slow Internet. Still, you could send an email from the laptop, with an attachment.

I do this every day, day-in and day-out, and somehow it didn't enter my mind in response to the OP's question. Certainly the easiest way if the phone plan allows a hotspot.

[foojin]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

Do you have iTunes on the laptop? If yes then you can use iTunes to add the PDF to Books on the iPad, then use the send feature on the iPad to send it off.

With the Android you can do the same thing with a USB charging cable connected to the laptop, in most cases, but there are too many flavors and varieties to give specifics.

Or, there are a fair number of apps in both stores to help with file transfer.

Don't have iTunes. Deleted it recently. But will look into the apps. Should have thought of that.

[foojin]

Originally Posted by pjShap

On the Android phone go to Settings, Connections, Mobile Hotspot and Tethering. Enable the Mobile Hotspot. On the Laptop connect the Wi-Fi to the phone's mobile hotspot. This works great on T-Mobile, but when I had Verizon I only got very slow Internet. Still, you could send an email from the laptop, with an attachment.

I am in the US. Bought an ATT sim with unlimited data for a month. Thing is it has fast service for the first 8gb, then it slows down. It won't let me use it as a hotspot until I've used the first 8gb.

[Stu Jackson]

Forget the wifi. Simply plug the charging WIRE into the laptop and transfer the file.


I do this all the time with photos from the phone to the laptop. Works the other way, too,

[Lepke]

Several sites on the web that convert your file to pdf and send it back. Some are free.

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Forget the wifi. Simply plug the charging WIRE into the laptop and transfer the file.


I do this all the time with photos from the phone to the laptop. Works the other way, too,

This. Once it’s on the phone you can email, Dropbox, etc.

[foojin]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Forget the wifi. Simply plug the charging WIRE into the laptop and transfer the file.


I do this all the time with photos from the phone to the laptop. Works the other way, too,

Phone is a Pixel 3. Both ends of my charging cable are USB C. Clearly need a new charging cable with one end USB A so it will connect to the laptop.

[Brian.D]

I agree with Stu. Once you have connected the Android to the laptop, the Android is seen as an external hard drive or USB drive. You might have to tell the phone that you are connected for the purpose of file transfer. The phone might not recognize that you are connected.

One other way is OTG (On The Go) adapter. I carry one with me all the time. It allows me to transfer files from phone to phone or phone to any device that accepts Micro USB.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Alloy-Micro...72.m2749.l2649

[john61ct]

Even if no Internet is available, can transfer from Windows to/from Android using any free FTP client like FileZilla, and the free app ES File Explorer.

Or many others, for iFruit stuff as well, not hard just google for a stepwise HowTo.

[mickt243]

Use either the phone or iPad as a wifi hotspot to connect the laptop to the internet.
Send file as usual.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Forget the wifi. Simply plug the charging WIRE into the laptop and transfer the file.

I do this all the time with photos from the phone to the laptop. Works the other way, too,

This.

The Android device may ask you to check what connection option you want to use (transfer media via USB, etc.). Windows Explorer will show the Android device as another drive. Drag and drop, either direction.

No experience with iThings, but I presume similar...

-Chris

[Brian.D]

Connecting the iDevice to a laptop results in the device as being another drive (as mentioned above). However, since Apple does not allow anything to be added to the device without approval may result in the file/photo/whatever being deleted.

I added ringtones to my wife's iPhone and if she connects to iTunes, the ringtones are deleted as not being "official". Apple has complete dominance over their products, unless the product has be jail broken.

I think that only certain directories or folders are available when the iDevice is connected to a laptop (also true with Android). Check which folders are available and transfer to/from them. Once your file is in the iDevice, I don't know how one would move them around in the device.