Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories?
No, thank you Accept
X
iOS 17 Won't Support These iPhonesCNET CouponsWatchOS 10 Fitness PerksBest Solar CompaniesRemote Working in ParadiseBest Satellite Internet ProvidersMortgage RatesMeal Subscription vs. Takeout
CNET logo Why You Can Trust CNET

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement

3-in-1 iPad Connection Kit: SD, microSD, and USB

For the same price as Apple's two-dongle kit, you can get this three-in-one solution that adds a microSD reader to the mix. It's available now for preorder.

rickbroida
rickbroida
Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
See full bio
Rick Broida
Why juggle two Apple dongles when the 3-in-1 iPad Camera Connection Kit provides three connectivity options in a single dongle?
Why juggle two Apple dongles when the 3-in-1 iPad Camera Connection Kit provides three connectivity options in a single dongle? M.I.C Store
Advertiser Disclosure
Advertiser Disclosure
This advertising widget is powered by Navi and contains advertisements that Navi may be paid for in different ways. You will not be charged for engaging with this advertisement. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, this advertising widget does not include information about every product or service that may be available to you. We make reasonable efforts to ensure that information in the featured advertisements is up to date, each advertiser featured in this widget is responsible for the accuracy and availability of its offer details. It is possible that your actual offer terms from an advertiser may be different than the offer terms in this advertising widget and the advertised offers may be subject to additional terms and conditions of the advertiser which will be presented to you prior to making a purchase. All information is presented without any warranty or guarantee to you.

Viewing photos on your iPad is a beautiful thing. Getting photos onto your iPad: not so much.

The traditional method requires copying snapshots from your camera to your PC, then from your PC to your iPad. That's one irksome extra step, and not exactly practical if you're traveling.

Hence Apple's iPad Camera Connection Kit, which for $29 gives you two dongles: one for reading SD media, another for connecting your camera directly via USB.

It's bad enough you have to pack a dongle at all, but two of them? Bleh. That's why I'm jazzed about the 3-in-1 iPad Camera Connection Kit, which for $29 combines three connectivity options in one dongle: SD, microSD, and USB.

Granted, not many cameras use microSD cards, but every Android phone does--so if you've ever wanted an easy way to copy photos from, say, your Droid to your iPad, here's your answer.

The 3-in-1 kit comes in either black or white. It's available now for preorder from the M.I.C Store, with delivery expected "after Christmas." (Sorry if you had this in mind as a stocking stuffer.) Shipping will run you $6.60.

While this could be a killer accessory for current-gen iPad owners, I fully expect we'll see a USB connector built into the iPad 2--and maybe even a card reader as well. (It's just my hunch; I have no real-world data to back that up.)