iPads are Online

The suspense is over. There are two iPads mounted in the kids wing connected to power, WIFI, and the printers with fully functional access to Planning Center’s events.

During completion of the project, the original plan was to run power inside the wall from the TV to the header on the wall, then down to each device, but there are fire blocks in the wall that are too difficult to bore through and who knows what else is below them.

So, in lieu of dropping the power from the ceiling through the wall, which would have provided a completely seamless power source, the next best thing has happened.

There is one power source, on the left-hand side of the shelf which is tacked with cable staples to the bottom of the shelf across to the center. Power is required by two printers and a single USB power hub which feeds the iPads. Everything is mounted underneath the counter.

So, now, the only thing we need to do is keep the labels in the printers and make sure that the printers are always connected to WIFI.

Future Considerations

Apple devices have batteries that only cycle so many times before they end up failing completely. At some point, the iPads will die, and they will not hold a charge and will not be able to power up. At that time, we may be able to have the batteries replaced, but it’s more likely that we would replace the tablets completely.

As with any iDevice, it’s best only to have them plugged in after they fall below 20% to ensure that we run the battery through a normal discharge cycle. Think of it like a bucket of cement. If you don’t use up all of the cement and you mix new cement, eventually the cement in the bottom of the bucket will harden, making the bucket hold less, and less, and less cement. The same thing happens with a battery.

Fortunately, we will be able to automate charging based upon the battery level of the device. Imagine having an electronic WIFI switch that would be able to sense the battery level of the iPad and only supply it with power after it falls below a certain level, then turn off when the battery reaches maximum charge? Science fiction? Nope. It’s real, and it’s here now, and making it happen is cheap and easy. But, for now, we have a functional check-in station.