Padacs Camera Connection Kit
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Apple's camera connection kit was a very popular accessory upon release, and many retail stores were completely sold out of them for several months. It's no surprise that other companies starting releasing their own version of the camera connection kit, and today we take a look at Padacs' offering. Unlike Apple's two piece set, the Padacs kit is simply one unit, with both a USB port and SD card slot built into the simple connection kit.
There's not too much to be said here about this device. It has the same functionality as the Apple one, so function wise, it is all the same. It still opens up photos when you plug it in with a camera, and you can import them to the iPad in just a few taps. There's also the unadvertised feature of being able to import photos and videos off a USB (provided that these photos and videos are in a file named 'DCIM'), and I assume that a wired keyboard also works the same. There's a little switch on one side of the connector, which you must flip to switch between connecting a USB and connecting an SD card. The first time I tried it, I didn't notice the switch of the back, and it took me several moments to realise why it wasn't working. This however, is more convenient then having to unplug a connector and plug in a seperate one.
The only real difference comes down to personal choice. Would you prefer having two small seperated kits, or a single, larger kit? If you often find yourself losing things all the time, having one unit to look after would be easier than remembering about two. But if you prefer to only carry around either the USB or SD card half, then you're better off with Apple's kit. It should be noted that both these kits will not work with most cases on (the exceptions are shells for the Padacs kit and the Macally Metrolpad for the Apple kit). Price wise, it is a fraction cheaper than the Apple kit, at $38.95AUD. This is an outstanding product and a great alternative to the Apple Camera Connection Kit, and is perfect to keep handy in a pocket of your bag or sleeve.
