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Take Control of Your iPad, Second Edition
Learn how to take delight in your iPad use!
Many people can use the iPad well enough, but they aren't having the amazing experience that they should be. They sell themselves short. They can't find their stuff. They scroll when they could tap. They put up with a cacophony of noisy notifications. They miss important email messages. They watch video on the iPad when they could stream it to an Apple TV. They turn on the wrong settings for the wrong reasons. They need help... even if they don't realize that they do.
My friend/mother/son-in-law/boss needs this ebook more than I do!
No problem... what you should do is buy this ebook. Download it and read as much of it as you like. And, make a copy. Send the copy to that person in your life who really needs it. Yes, you read that right... please buy a copy and then make a copy and send it along. Spread iPad delight. Thanks!
With 226 detail-packed pages, Take Control of Your iPad is on an unstoppable quest to make your iPad experience delightful. It answers the pesky questions, explains how things work, and explores the intertwingled nature of Apple's apps.
- More Info
- Contents & Intro
- What’s New
- FAQ
- Blog
Tonya walks you through the entire iPad experience:
Understand your iPad: Figure out which iPad you're working on (in case you're helping your neighbor with his iPad and he isn't sure). Learn about the hardware components in each iPad model that make it unique.
Power up and down: Beyond finding out how to operate the power switch, learn about turning your iPad off and on when it doesn't work the way it should and get advice about making the most of its battery life.
Setup, setup, setup: Learn how to answer the questions asked by iOS's Setup Assistant, and get help with important options that the Setup Assistant doesn't cover, including security, Bluetooth, tethering, backups, and notifications. Find detailed directions for syncing in iTunes 11, as well as advice about integrating an iPad with services such as iCloud, Google Contacts and Calendars, and Microsoft Exchange. (This ebook has solid iCloud coverage, but for full details read Take Control of iCloud.) Also, get help with making folders and handling a big Home screen cleanup.
Learn the interface: Read about how to let your fingers do the walking when controlling your iPad, type effectively on the iPad's virtual keyboard, tell your iPad what to do with Siri, and dictate instead of type. Get help with the many ways to adjust, mute, or otherwise block sound from your iPad. Learn how to copy and paste, mirror with AirPlay, print, wrangle the multitasking bar, and more. (Sorry, Siri and voice dictation don't work with the iPad 2.)
Use Apple's apps: Take control of your iPad with 90 pages of setup directions and usage tips for Clock, Notes, Reminders, Contacts, Calendar, Mail, Messages, FaceTime, iBooks, Newsstand, Music, iTunes U, Camera, Photos, Videos, Maps, Find My Friends, and Safari. Phew! (And read why you shouldn't use Apple's Podcasts app for now, plus find out about Find My iPad and iOS's Twitter and Facebook integration.) (Although the ebook focuses on Apple's apps, it does mention areas where independent apps are worth considering.)
There's an app for that! Find real-world advice on locating, purchasing, downloading, configuring, organizing, sharing, and deleting third-party apps.
Book Info
iPad & KindleAn EPUB is available to purchasers of this title; log in to your account to download it. More info... A Mobipocket file is available to purchasers of this title; log in to your account to download it. More info... |
About the Author
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Book Reviews
Author Interviews
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Tonya Engst co-founded the TidBITS online publication in 1990 with her husband Adam Engst. Tonya is Editor in Chief of the Take Control series, which is published by TidBITS Publishing Inc. She has edited over half of the Take Control titles.
Table of Contents
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Read Me FirstRead this ebook to stay in control of your iPad in iOS 6. You’ll find many real-world tips that will help you optimize your iPad experience and avoid problems. It was written by Tonya Engst, edited by Michael Cohen, and published by TidBITS Publishing Inc. |
Introduction
This ebook is for you if you’ve just bought an iPad and aren’t sure what to do with it, or if you’ve had an iPad for a while but want to become more expert with its features and possibilities.
I don’t want to waste your time with loads of obscure facts, so I have done considerable legwork to present you with the most important information about using an iPad. I look at the hardware itself, explore core aspects of setting up and customizing an iPad, and discuss several noteworthy apps from Apple. All the while, I point out tips and habits that will make your iPad experience more delightful.
I have repeatedly spoken with people who have become frustrated with their iPads due to missing some key instruction for how to operate it. They can’t find their stuff. They scroll when they could tap. They put up with noisy notifications. They miss important email messages. They turn on the wrong settings for the wrong reasons.
I tell them not to worry, and I’ll say that to you, too. The iPad is a fabulous device, but anything that has batteries and an operating system is bound to be frustrating some of the time. In this ebook, I aim to help you feel more confident and comfortable when using your iPad, and to explain many of the more baffling aspects of iPad use.
I talk about the models of the iPad that operate with Apple’s iOS 6: the iPad 2 and the mini, and the 3rd- and 4th-generation iPads. (If you aren’t sure which iPad you have, skip ahead a few pages to Which iPad Do You Have?)
Because you may wish to connect your iPad to a computer in order to sync it with iTunes, I discuss Macintosh and Windows PC connections in iTunes.
Let’s begin!
Note: In this ebook, I assume that your iPad is running at least version 6 of Apple’s iOS operating system. If that’s not the case, or if you aren’t sure, please see iOS Updates.
iPad Quick Start
If you follow the advice in this book from start to finish with a new iPad in hand, by the end, your iPad will be fully operational, your Home screen will be customized, you’ll know how to get around, and you’ll be using lots of apps. You’ll also know how to handle an iTunes sync.
You can jump in and start reading anywhere—just tap a link below.
Set up your iPad:
- For help with the Set Up Assistant that runs when you turn on a new iPad, read Run the Setup Assistant.
- Go beyond the tasks in the Setup Assistant and find expanded advice on questions asked by the Setup Assistant in Handle More Setup.
- Customize the Home Screen with a “wallpaper” photo and folders.
- Get directions for how to Manage an iTunes Sync.
Learn iPad fundamentals:
- Be sure you know the answer to Which iPad Do You Have?
- Learn how to Turn Your iPad On & Off, and get tips for smart ways to Charge the Battery.
- If you’re not sure what all those controls and slots around the edge of your iPad are for, read Ports & Buttons.
- Read Learn the Interface to get going with gestures, start speaking to Siri, learn typing tricks, manage the multitasking bar, find a lost app, copy and paste text, adjust the volume, and more.
Use apps on your iPad:
- Learn how to Shop for Apps.
- Find out how to Start Using a New App, and learn how to Update Apps, Share Apps, and Delete Apps.
- Employ your iPad as a personal information manager by reading Be On Time and Get Organized.
- Stay in Touch, whether you want to send email with Apple’s Mail app, send short Messages, chat in FaceTime with video, or start using Twitter & Facebook.
- Use your iPad as an ebook reader extraordinaire! In Read Ebooks & Magazines, you’ll discover the difference between a PDF and an EPUB, plus locate reading material and put it on your iPad. Also, get tips for how to read in iBooks and use Apple’s Newsstand app.
- Make your iPad sing (and talk) in Listen to Music & More.
- Learn to take photos (and videos) with your iPad in Camera.
- Find out how to view, edit, and manage your photos in Take & View Photos & Videos.
- Interested in watching a movie? Read Videos.
- Get advice on how to use some of Apple’s map-related apps in Find Yourself, Your Friends & Your iPad.
- Fill in forms faster, take advantage of Tabs & iCloud Tabs, use the Bookmarks & Reading List, and more with the tips in Surf the Web with Safari.
What’s New in the Second Edition
This second edition is about taking control of an iPad that’s running Apple’s iOS 6 operating system. The first edition talked about iPads with iOS 5, and before that this ebook had a different name—Take Control of iPad Basics—that discussed the iPad with iOS 3 and iOS 4.
To talk about iOS 6, I kept the same basic outline, but I rewrote huge swaths of text due to the many changes that Apple has introduced with iOS 6.
You can quickly jump to the most important of the modified topics by clicking a link in the list below:
- In Understand Your iPad, I’ve removed most of the content about the original iPad, since it can’t be upgraded to iOS 6. The chapter now focuses on the iPads that can run iOS 6: the mini, iPad 2, and 3rd- and 4th-generation iPads. (If you have an original iPad, visit Ebook Extras to access this ebook’s blog, where you can download the previous edition—it covers the original iPad with iOS 5.)
- I’ve revised all discussion of iTunes to cover iTunes 11, which Apple released in late 2012. If you are using iTunes 10, broadly speaking, this ebook will work for you, but some details may not match.
- In Storage Capacity, I added a more complete explanation of why your iPad’s self-reported capacity in the Settings app is lower than its advertised capacity.
- In Notifications, I now explain how send a quick tweet or Facebook posting directly from the Notification Center.
- Speak Commands with Siri now discusses how to tell your iPad what to do, or ask it questions, using your voice. The Dictate topic is slightly expanded, since I now find it to be less of a novelty and more of a useful feature. Blue tip boxes scattered throughout the text alert you to commands you can issue with Siri.
- In Type on the Virtual Keyboard, I added information about including an Emoji keyboard in the onscreen keyboard’s repertoire, so that you can spice up your iMessages and other writing with amusing icons.
- Apple has finally added the Clock app to the iPad. I explain the basics and show you how to set an alarm for every day of the week in a new chapter, Be On Time.
- In the chapter that’s now called Get Organized, I added a Notes topic and expanded the Reminders topic. An important update is an explanation of how Google Sync has changed.
- The Stay in Touch chapter has a new bullet item about attaching a photo or video to a message from within the Mail app.
- The topics about the various apps are longer than they used to be, with more depth and tips, plus an overall update for iOS 6.
What Was New in Version 1.1
With version 1.1, which I wrote in March 2012 in response to Apple’s introduction of the third-generation iPad and iOS 5.1, the structure of the ebook remains the same, but I’ve made quite a number of changes, both large and small. The more noteworthy changes are these:
- The ebook now talks less about deciding what to buy and more about understanding which iPad you have and what special hardware features it offers—see Understand Your iPad.
- The Run the Setup Assistant chapter is revised (and renamed) to offer a faster, smoother path through the procedure.
- The Handle More Setup chapter is expanded (and renamed) to include content that was formerly in the Setup Assistant chapter, and to add advice about how to Create a Personal Hotspot.
- The ebook now discusses voice dictation in Dictate.
- The chapter about email and other forms of communication is now called Stay in Touch. The sections about Messages, FaceTime, and Twitter are updated and (slightly) expanded.
- The chapter Read Ebooks, Magazines, and More is generally improved, with better organization and more tips. It also discusses the new .ibooks ebook format and has updated instructions.
- The chapter Listen to Music, Podcasts, Audiobooks, and More experienced a bit of upheaval to describe the new iTunes U app, detail the new feature that lets you make your own playlist, and to describe the new audio playback controls for voice.
What Was New in the 1.0 Version
This ebook is effectively a new edition of Take Control of iPad Basics, a book that I wrote (and updated thrice!) during the lifespan of iOS 3 and iOS 4.
This ebook is all about iOS 5, the version of the iPad’s operating system that Apple released in October 2011. iOS 5 has nifty changes that are worth learning about—more gestures, the Notification Center, Find My Friends, a split keyboard, and the wireless iTunes sync. Also in this ebook, since many readers will have read the first edition—or already have iOS experience, I focus less on the basics to make room for more advanced topics.
Does this ebook talk about the iPhone or iPod touch?
Good question! This ebook is nearly entirely about the iPad. Quite a lot of it applies to the iPhone and iPod touch, but Tonya didn't try to check all the details in the ebook to see if they are the same on those smaller devices, or include screenshots from those devices.
What version of iOS does this ebook cover?
iOS 6.
Can I read this ebook on an iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, or Kindle?
There are lots of great ways to read our ebooks on these devices. For more details, please read our latest Device Advice.
Ask a Question
Feel free to ask us if you have a question about this title!
Send Us Your Comments!
How could we not publish such kind words? If you'd like to send us your comments (good or bad, though we hope they're all good), just click the Feedback link on the cover of your copy of the ebook. Be sure to let us know if we can publish your comment. Thanks!
Update Plans
April 2, 2013 -- Now that we've published version 2.0.1 of this ebook, we have no immediate plans to update it.
—Tonya Engst
How to Read Comics on an iPad
April 9, 2013 --
Former versions of this ebook linked to an article by comic-enthusiast Jason Snell at Macworld. Jason's article was a great guide to getting started (and going beyond) with enjoying comics on the iPad. When I created this second edition of Take Control of Your iPad, however, Jason's article had aged so much that you could almost see the mildew eating away at it. I wrote Jason a note, asking him to consider refreshing it. And, I replaced that old link with a new link to an article at Ars Technica. Jason has now updated his article— see The iPad as a comic-book reader—and it's a gem!
—Tonya Engst
Tonya Tells All about the Second Edition
April 2, 2013 --
Watch or hear Tonya and Chuck Joiner talk about the second edition of Take Control of Your iPad: Tonya’s goal in writing it, what it covers, and some of the exciting, interesting, and, yes, annoying things Tonya learned on the way. The interview is available in audio form at MacNotables and MacVoices, and in video form at MacVoicesTV.
—Michael E. Cohen
Running a Mail Spam Filter on an iPad or iPhone
May 2, 2012 --
Take Control reader Genevieve S. wrote in with an interesting question a few days ago:
Genevieve: Do you know any third-party app that can filter mail on iPad and iPhone—i.e., apply rules?
Tonya’s reply: I don’t know of any apps that can filter mail locally on the iPad, but I’ve cc’d Adam and Joe here to see if either of them has a suggestion. Personally, I use my gmail account on the iPad, and Google handles the filtering on the server.
Joe’s reply: There is an app called ibisMail, which comes in both iPad and iPhone versions, that does filtering on the device. However, I do what Tonya does—let a server-based filter do all the work before messages appear on any of my devices.
Genevieve: Thank you for responding. I use the Gmail filter too, but the AT&T/Yahoo filter is lousy. This is not a problem when receiving mail on the Mac—the rules in Mail handle the leakage—but if I read the mail on the iPhone, a local filter would help.
Adam jumps in: You could forward the other account to Gmail to get the benefit of its filter. Lots of people do that. 
Genevieve: Great idea!!
In the third edition of Take Control of Mail on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, Joe touches on email forwarding in “Decide Which Account(s) to Use,” and he references a Macworld article that he wrote—Streamline e-mail with Gmail. The Macworld article discusses how to forward a non-Gmail email account through Gmail.
—Michael E. Cohen
Tonya Gives the Low-down on Three Generations of iPad
April 12, 2012 --
The Take Control Series' favorite editor-in-chief, Tonya Engst, and interviewer Chuck Joiner talk about the latest iPad along with its predecessors and how Tonya covers their similarities and differences in her latest version of Take Control of Your iPad. Hear it on MacNotables or watch it on MacVoicesTV.
—Michael E. Cohen
Hear Tonya Discuss Take Control of Your iPad
December 21, 2011 --
Taking time off from producing and editing other Take Control books, Tonya Engst went on an instant virtual world-wide book tour (from her own desk) to discuss her own iOS-5-covering edition of Take Control of Your iPad. You can hear the interview at MacNotables, or see it at MacVoicesTV.
—Michael E. Cohen
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