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Take Control of Your iPad
Optimize your iPad experience!
Whether you're new to the iPad or you're the person your friends and relatives turn to with iPad questions, this ebook is for you.
This ebook describes the special hardware components in the original iPad, iPad 2, and third-generation iPad, plus gives you a tour of the parts and ports on the edge of the iPad, and discusses key accessories. It also provides short (and extended) advice on how to handle questions asked by the Setup Assistant—including Location Services, Wi-Fi and cellular data Internet connections, Apple ID, iCloud, and Voice Dictation—plus assistance with setting up services that the Setup Assistant doesn't handle, including the passcode lock, Bluetooth and tethered connections, notifications, Google Sync, and an effective custom iTunes sync.
A good-sized portion of the ebook helps you master certain core iPad apps—such as Mail, Contacts, Photos, iBooks, Music, and Safari—and has real-world advice on buying and managing third-party apps.
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
Tonya walks you through the entire iPad experience:
Handle the hardware: Learn about the hardware components in your iPad model that make it unique, and get ideas for which accessories you should considering purchasing. Also, see where all the ports and buttons are on your iPad, plus find out how to turn it on and off, and how to reset and restore in case of a problem. For iPad 2 and third-generation iPad users, the ebook also describes how to use the camera for photos and videos, or to place a FaceTime video call.
Get started: Learn how to answer the questions asked by the iPad's Setup Assistant, and get help with important configuration options that the Setup Assistant doesn't cover, including security, Bluetooth, tethering, Picture Frame slideshows, and notifications. You'll also find detailed directions for managing a Wi-Fi or USB-based iTunes sync.
Sync data wirelessly: Find advice for integrating your iPad with iCloud, Google Contacts and Calendars, and Microsoft Exchange. (The ebook has solid iCloud coverage, but for all the details, read Take Control of iCloud.)
Get around: Learn the most important gestures, and find out how to type on the iPad's virtual keyboard, with advice on typing faster, as well as how to copy and paste. For third-generation iPad users, the ebook describes the new Voice Dictation feature.
Make the Home screen feel like home: Find friendly guidance on customizing the Home screen and Dock, making folders, and managing the multitasking bar.
Get organized: Learn how to send email and exchange text messages; run the Calendar and Contacts apps; and use Maps, Find My Friends, and Find My iPad.
Enjoy media: Discover how to find and read ebooks and magazines, enjoy music and movies, listen to podcasts and audiobooks, browse the Web, use iTunes U, and generally become an iPad media maven.
Add apps: Read real-world advice on locating, purchasing, downloading, configuring, organizing, and sharing third-party apps.
But does it cover...? If the list above doesn't mention a topic that you're interested in, check the table of contents (accessed through the Contents & Intro tab above) to see if your topic is listed. Also, although this ebook focuses entirely on the iPad in iOS 5.1, if you have an iPhone or iPod touch running iOS 5.1, a great deal of the information here will apply to your device as well.
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 FirstRead this ebook to stay in control of your original iPad, iPad 2, or third-generation iPad. 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 Agen G.N. Schmitz, 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 trivia or 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, talk about key accessories, explore core aspects of setting up and customizing an iPad, and look at several noteworthy apps from Apple. All the while, I point out helpful tips and habits that will help you work productively and entertain yourself more fully with your iPad.
In the past year, I have repeatedly spoken with friends and family who want to dive into the iPad but are uncertain if they can learn a new electronic gizmo, or who have an iPad but have become frustrated due to missing some key instruction for how to operate it. They typically feel upset, and perhaps that’s because the iPad gets so much good press—they worry that there might be something wrong with them if they don’t love everything about the iPad.
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 away many of the more baffling aspects of iPad use.
I talk about all models of the original iPad, the iPad 2, and the new, “third-generation” iPad released in March 2012. 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 book, I assume that your iPad is running at least version 5.1 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 setup tasks in the Setup Assistant and find expanded advice on how to answer questions asked by the Setup Assistant in Handle More Setup.
- Customize the Home Screen with a “wallpaper” photo and folders.
- Get directions for setting up a wired or wireless iTunes sync in Manage an iTunes Sync.
- Whether you want a case, a camera connector, or a dock, get ideas for Accessories that are available for your iPad.
Learn iPad fundamentals:
- Be sure you know the answer to Which iPad Do You Have?
- Learn how to Turn Your iPad On and Off, and get tips for smart ways to Handle the Battery.
- If you’re not sure what all those buttons and ports around the edge of your iPad are for, read Ports and Buttons.
- Read Learn the Interface to discover simple (and complex) gestures, learn how to type faster, manage the multitasking bar, find a lost app, copy and paste text, and more.
Use apps on 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.
- Employ your iPad as a personal information manager by reading Work with Calendars, Reminders, and Contacts.
- Stay in Touch, whether you want to Send and Receive Email, send short Messages, chat in FaceTime with video, or start using Twitter.
- Use your iPad as an ebook reader extraordinaire! In Read Ebooks, Magazines, and More, you’ll discover the difference between a PDF and an EPUB, plus locate reading material and learn how to put it on your iPad. Also, get tips for how to Read in iBooks.
- Learn to take photos (and videos) with an iPad 2 or third-generation iPad, and how to load and view photos and videos on any iPad in Take and Enjoy Photos and Videos.
- Make your iPad sing (and talk) in Listen to Music, Podcasts, Audiobooks, and More.
- Get advice on how to use some of Apple’s map-related apps in Find Yourself, Your Friends, and Your iPad.
- Fill in forms faster, take advantage of tabs, and use the Read Later list and bookmarks, with the tips in Surf the Web with Safari.
What’s New in Version 1.1
This ebook is effectively the second edition of Take Control of iPad Basics, a book that I wrote (and updated thrice!) during the lifespan of iOS 3 and iOS 4 for the iPad.
Version 1.0 of this second edition was about using an original iPad or an iPad 2 with the iOS 5 operating system, which Apple released in October 2011. In version 1.0, because many readers had already read the first edition—or already had iOS experience—I focused less on the basics to make room for more advanced topics.
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 the second 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. In so doing, she was able to focus more narrowly and she was able to finish writing the ebook before Apple released iOS 6!
What version of iOS does this ebook cover?
iOS 5.1.
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
April 4, 2012 -- Now that we've released version 1.1 of this ebook to add information about the third-generation iPad and iOS 5.1, we have no immediate plans to update the ebook once again.
—Tonya Engst
Notes on iOS 5.1.1
May 10, 2012 --
Apple released iOS 5.1.1 last week. If you haven't already installed this minor update, I suggest that you do so. According to Apple, the new version is more reliable and has fewer bugs. If you aren't sure how to install the update, consult the "iOS Updates" topic in the ebook. (In the PDF, this topic begins on page 75; in the EPUB and MOBI versions, try the Search feature in your ebook reader or look in the table of contents—the topic is near the end of the "Handle More Setup" chapter.)
Keeping in mind that Apple may not have shared a complete change list, let's look at Apple's change list for iOS 5.1.1:
Improved reliability when using the HDR option for photos taken using the Lock Screen shortcut. On an iPhone or iPod touch, you can quickly open the Camera app from the Lock Screen, making it easy to capture a great photo before a special moment fades away. However, this feature does not appear to be present on the iPad, so there's nothing special here for iPad users.
Fixed bugs that could prevent a third-generation iPad from switching between 2G and 3G networks. If you want to connect a third-generation iPad to the cellular data network in an area where service is patchy, this fix should be welcome—in a situation like this, the better your networking gear works, the faster the bits will trickle in.
Repaired bugs that affected AirPlay video playback. If you have the necessary gear to stream video from your iPad through an Apple TV, I urge you to try it—it's quite magical at first and even after the novelty wears off, it can still be useful and fun. (In the ebook, see the topic "Play Media with AirPlay." It's on page 94 of the PDF.) If you're already enjoying this feature, then perhaps it will work a bit better with iOS 5.1.1.
Improved reliability for syncing Safari bookmarks and Reading List. The chapter "Surf the Web with Safari" explains how to bookmark a Web page and how to add a Web page to your Safari Reading List. It also mentions that you can "sync your Read Later list to another device through iCloud, but not through an iTunes sync." When I read that, I thought, "Really? That doesn't sound right." So, I checked again, and found that I could sync Read Later items between Safari on my Mac and my iPad quickly through iCloud, but, indeed, they don't sync through iTunes, even with the Sync Safari Bookmarks checkbox selected on the Info pane in iTunes. The "reliability" that Apple is referring to is a more subtle difficulty with Safari-related syncing.
Fixed an issue where an “Unable to purchase” alert could be displayed after successful purchase. I've not run into this problem, and now I suppose I never will.
That's all folks. The update from iOS 5.1 to iOS 5.1.1 should be easy to bring about, and if you haven't already installed it, I recommend that you add this simple project to your to-do list. Keep in mind that it will probably take 15 minutes or so for the new software to download and install—and it could take longer.
—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
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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