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Take Control of iPad Basics
Learn to use your iPad or iPad 2 with this friendly how-to guide!
Don't miss out on this opportunity to fill in the blank spots in your basic iPad know-how with Take Control editor-in-chief Tonya Engst. For those of you who haven't yet made the leap, she gives a practical guide for deciding which iPad and accessories to buy, after which she helps you understand the iPad's buttons and ports, learn multi-touch gestures, organize your Home screen, get online, download apps, sync data and media, find and back up your stuff, and stay secure.
You'll also learn how to impress your friends with a great iPad demo (you know they want it!).
iOS 5? This ebook does not cover iOS 5. We are working on a new edition that will—see the Blog tab below for our plans and progress.
Shopping on your iPad? Read Device Advice to get help with reading your ebook on your iPad.
- More Info
- Contents & Intro
- What’s New
- FAQ
- Blog
Questions that you'll find answers to include:
- How much stuff can I put on my iPad?
- Why do I need to connect my iPad to a computer?
- How do I keep my iPad battery in top shape?
- How do I connect a keyboard to my iPad?
- What’s the best way to keep track of and organize my iPad apps?
- How can I move files between my iPad and my computer?
- How can I sync data (like contacts and calendars) to my iPad with an Internet connection?
- How can I secure my iPad in case it’s lost or stolen?
- How can I quickly move to an app that I had open recently?
- What is iOS, and why should I care?
- What changed in iOS 4.2 and 4.3?
Book Info
iPad & KindleAn EPUB is available to purchasers of this ebook; log in to your account to download it. More info... A Mobipocket file is available to purchasers of this ebook; 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 FirstThis ebook guides you through the basics of using an iPad, helping you gain confidence and master important fundamental features. This ebook also serves as a general introduction for other iPad-related ebooks in the Take Control series. It was written by Tonya Engst, edited by Adam Engst, and published by TidBITS Publishing Inc. |
Introduction
This ebook is for you if you’re on the cusp of buying an iPad, if you’ve just bought an iPad and aren’t sure what to do with it, if you’ve had an iPad for a while but want to become more comfortable with it, or if you want to get your head around the new features introduced in iOS 4.
My mission is to provide helpful guidance regarding the most essential things you need to know about the iPad. When you finish reading, you will be more confident in your use of the iPad and you’ll be ready for the more advanced content in other Take Control ebooks about the iPad, which build on this basic information. By collecting the basics here in one ebook, my goal is to make learning about the iPad easy and to avoid repeating information in those other ebooks.
I’m excited about the iPad. The touchscreen is big fun, and the operating system behind the iPad is fairly new, so Apple has been able to rethink many last-century decisions about how a computer should work.
All this new technology, however, can cause bumps in the road for people who want to use the iPad comfortably without spending hours researching arcane details. For example, although this may seem reasonable for those who have been using iPods for years, a rational newcomer might find it odd to use iTunes—software that was originally designed for listening to music—to move photos from a computer to an iPad (but not vice-versa).
In this ebook I hope to share my enthusiasm for the iPad, and to help you navigate any basic rough spots that interfere with your enjoyment of your iPad.
Let’s begin!
iPad Basics Quick Start
This ebook first looks at how to buy an iPad and related accessories. After that, I’ve organized it so if you read from start to finish with a new iPad in hand, by the end of the ebook, your iPad will be set up, you’ll be comfortable with its basic features, and you’ll be ready to give a whiz-bang demo of it to anyone who asks. However, you should feel free to jump in and start reading anywhere—just click a link below to get started.
However, if you’d prefer to start with a visual introduction to the buttons and ports on your iPad, see Find Buttons and Ports.
And, if you want to learn about the iPad through the lens of what’s new in iOS 4, read What’s New in iOS 4.
Decide what to buy:
- Whether you’ve not yet bought an iPad or you’re thinking of buying one for someone else, see Which iPad Is Right for You?.
- Learn about AppleCare and Accessories for your iPad.
iPad fundamentals:
- To set up a new iPad, you must Connect Your iPad to a Computer.
- Learn how to Turn Your iPad Off and On
- If you’ve never used one of Apple’s touchscreen devices before, read Learn the Interface.
- To locate data and apps on your iPad, consult Find Your Stuff.
Handle the hardware:
- If you’re not sure what all those buttons and ports around the edge of your iPad are for, read Find Buttons and Ports.
- Read important advice on how to Handle the Battery properly.
- If you’re using a Bluetooth device, such as a wireless keyboard or headset, learn how to connect it to your iPad in Connect with Bluetooth.
Get online:
- Depending on your iPad model, you can Get Online with a Wi-Fi connection or a cellular connection.
Set up the software:
- Make sure your iPad has the latest version of its operating system in Update iOS.
- Is your Home screen looking cluttered or ugly? Read Set Up the Home Screen to learn how to change the background image, move icons, customize the Dock, and group icons in folders.
- What would happen if your iPad were damaged, lost, or stolen? Make sure you Know Backup Basics and how to Secure Your iPad.
- Learn how to Find Great Apps and to Shop for Apps.
- Find out how to Start Using a New App, and learn how to Update Apps, Share Apps, and Delete Apps.
- Devise a Strategy for how you’ll transfer files and data between your iPad and other devices.
Show off your iPad:
- Having a new iPad is a lot like having a new puppy. It’s cute, and you’re likely to want to show it off to friends and relatives. Read Demo Your iPad for advice on giving a good demo and for a few tips on setting up and using some of the iPad’s most important core apps.
What’s New in Version 1.3
My goals for this new version were threefold:
- Make the book fully up-to-date for iOS 4.3: Information about iOS 4.3 is sprinkled liberally all over the book, but you can find a list of the most important changes in iOS 4.3 in What’s New in iOS 4. That topic also lists changes that were new in an earlier version of iOS 4, just in case you are still getting your head around all the new options in your iPad.
- Bring the iPad 2 into the book: Although the iPad 2 looks different from the original iPad, nearly all its features are identical. Changes in the book relating to the iPad 2 occur mostly in these topics:
- iPad or iPad 2 describes the differences between the two models while helping you figure out which iPad or iPad accessories to buy.
- Where Are the Cameras? explains where the camera lenses are physically located on the iPad 2.
- Figure Out FaceTime and Camera help you use these apps on the iPad 2.
- Provide a few look-ahead tips about iOS 5: iOS 5 will run on both the original iPad and the iPad 2; Apple has announced that they plan to release iOS 5 in fall 2011 (for readers in the southern hemisphere, that’s spring 2011).
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 or post on our GetSatisfaction site if you have a question about this book!
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
December 2, 2011—I don't plan to update this ebook, "Take Control of iPad Basics" again with its present title. It has been replaced with an "update" in the form of a new edition, "Take Control of Your iPad." This new edition is more advanced (hence the new title), longer, and squarely focused on iOS 5.
—Tonya Engst
Running a Mail Spam Filter on an iPad or iPhone
May 2, 2012 --
Spam clogging the arteries of your iPad or iPhone? Joe Kissell and Adam Engst suggest routing your mail through a server that filters out the digital trans-fats.
—Michael E. Cohen
What Was New in iOS 4 for the iPad
September 30, 2011 --
Once again, I'm updating my Take Control ebook about the iPad. The first thing to be cut is the roundup of what was new in iOS 4. However, I feel unhappy about consigning it to the digital dustbin. Instead, I'm posting it here (with a few edits for this context) so that any iPad historians out there can have access to the detailed information.
—Tonya Engst
Watch the iTunes Music Festival Streaming Live on Your iPad
July 2, 2011 --
Sixty-one artists are performing at the iTunes Music Festival in London through the rest of July, and Apple is streaming those performances live all month. You can watch the performances either in the iTunes Store via iTunes on your computer, or via the free iTunes Festival London 2011 app, which is designed for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. If you watch it on an iOS device, you can use AirPlay to stream it to an Apple TV 2 to see it on the big screen.
—Michael E. Cohen
MobileMe Will Be Replaced by iCloud
June 8, 2011 --
On June 6, 2011, Apple announced a new service called iCloud that will appear at some point later in 2011 ("fall" in the northern hemisphere), and will replace MobileMe from Apple's perspective. Until then, MobileMe continues unchanged, except that Apple is no longer selling subscriptions or charging for renewals; all current members automatically have their accounts extended through the end of June 2012.
When iCloud becomes available, existing MobileMe members will be able to migrate to the new service, which will be free (albeit with optional paid features, such as iTunes Match and additional storage). So far, Apple hasn't released details about the fate of iDisk (including file sharing and iWeb publishing); MobileMe Gallery; Back to My Mac; the Backup application; Web-based access to Mail, Contacts, and Calendars; or Mac-to-Mac syncing of things like preferences and keychains.
In the meantime, you can learn more about iCloud and what it might mean for MobileMe users in the following places:
- iCloud Rolls In, Extended Forecast Calls for Disruption by Jeff Carlson (TidBITS)
- WWDC: Apple Introduces iCloud by Jonathan Seff (Macworld)
- iCloud: What You Need to Know (Macworld)
- What Does iCloud Mean for MobileMe Subscribers? by Jonathan Seff (Macworld)
—Tonya Engst
iOS 4.3.3 and iOS 4.2.8 Address Location Tracking Bugs
May 5, 2011 --
The "discovery" by two researchers in April 2011 that iOS devices were storing far more location-related information than necessary, and that the information could be accessed relatively easily, incited a firestorm of criticism. Apple has now addressed those criticisms with two iOS updates.
—Michael E. Cohen
Tip for Syncing Photos from Windows to iOS
January 6, 2011 --
Reader F.D.M. wrote in to share this tip:
I've had numerous questions from Window users (the ones that do not own Photoshop (Elements)) that are confused about the way iTunes syncs (root) folders and (sub) folders, filled with photos. For instance, if you have a rootfolder called c:\photos with subfolders c:\photos\holiday and c:\photos\work and you sync, selecting "Choose folder" and then "All folders", which is a logical choice, all your photos are dumped into one big 'album' on the iPad, causing great confusion. Instead, in order to create different albums on the iPad, you must select "Selected folders" and then choose the folders that you want to sync.
I've posted this tip in relation to all of the ebooks about iOS, since I assume it works the same regardless of the device.
—Tonya Engst
YouTube Debuts New Mobile Site as an Alternative to the iPad App
July 8, 2010 --
YouTube has introduced a mobile version of its site at m.youtube.com. According to YouTube, the mobile version's features are more in alignment with the full Web site's features and the mobile site does not use Flash, so all the videos should play on the iPad. If you decide to try the site, note that once a video is playing, you can access the playback controls by tapping the playing video. Once you've done this, the video plays in an iPad-like interface, complete with playback controls. Rotate the iPad to the landscape (horizontal) position to view the largest image.
The mobile version may have more to do clashing titans of the tech industry (YouTube's parent company is Google) than with user's needs, but it certainly offers iPad users another option for viewing YouTube videos.
If you like the mobile site and want to view it quickly from your Home screen, you can make a "Web clip" of the site: Go to the site in Safari, tap the plus (+) button on the toolbar, and then Tap Add to Home Screen. Then, name the clip and tap the Add button. The iPad will respond by switching to the Home screen and showing an icon for the clip you created. Tap the icon to quickly return to the mobile YouTube site.
If you'd like to read more about the mobile YouTube site, here are two good resources:
Google Makes the iPhone YouTube App Obsolete (New York Times Bits blog)
The site is currently in English only, but localized versions are expected.
—Tonya Engst
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