Many people have audio CDs that they can transfer to iTunes on their computer, and then they can transfer these music files to their iPad. It's also easy to download music files from other online services, such as Amazon.com, and transfer them to iTunes.
However, one of the simplest ways to add new content to your iPad is through Apple's online stores. If you want to buy music, movies, TV shows, or audiobooks, you can use the iTunes Store. If you want to buy new ebooks or digital magazines, you can visit the iBookstore or Newsstand. With so many ways to get the latest movies, TV shows, hit songs, magazines, and best-selling books, you'll never run out of ways to keep yourself entertained with your iPad.
Note
To purchase anything from one of Apple's online stores, you'll have to set up a free iTunes account.
To browse and shop online, you need to use the following:
Shopping online can feel like getting lost in a huge shopping mall. With so many options available, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices. You can shop for music, movies, TV shows, and audiobooks in iTunes; ebooks in iBooks; and digital magazines in Newsstand.
To see how you can shop for music, movies, TV shows, and audiobooks using the iTunes app, follow these steps:
From the Home screen, tap iTunes. The iTunes screen appears.
Tap Music at the bottom of the iTunes screen. The iTunes screen displays available songs.
Tap the Featured tab at the top of the iTunes screen, as shown in Figure 17-1. The Featured screen displays new and noteworthy selections.
Tap Movies at the bottom of the iTunes screen to see some of the currently available movies you can rent or buy.
Tap TV Shows at the bottom of the iTunes screen to see some of the currently available TV show episodes you can buy.
Tap Audiobooks at the bottom of the iTunes screen to see some of the currently available audiobooks you can buy.
Tap the Top Charts tab at the top of the iTunes screen. The iTunes screen lists the top sellers in your chosen category (music, movies, TV shows, or audiobooks), as shown in Figure 17-2.
Tap Music, Movies, or TV Shows at the bottom of the iTunes screen.
Tap the Genius tab at the top of the iTunes screen. Apple's Genius examines the music, movies, or TV shows currently stored on your iPad and tries to suggest similar items that you might also enjoy, as shown in Figure 17-3.
Tap Genres in the upper-left corner of the screen. A menu appears, as shown in Figure 17-4. Tap a genre to see other items you might also enjoy.
Tap the Search field in the upper-right corner of the iTunes screen. A virtual keyboard appears.
Type a name. As you type, a list of possible options appears, as shown in Figure 17-5.
Tap a suggested option, or finish typing and tap the Search key on the virtual keyboard. The iTunes Store displays products that match your search criteria.
If you want to find the latest best sellers, you could rush to your nearest bookstore and carry around a handful of bulky books that weigh more than your iPad. A better alternative is to download the ebook version of those books directly on your iPad through the iBooks app.
Note
You must download and install the free iBooks app before you can browse the iBookstore. See Chapter 16 for instructions on installing it.
To browse the iBookstore, follow these steps:
From the Home screen, tap iBooks. The iBooks screen appears with all your currently stored books on a shelf. (If you were reading an ebook, the iBooks screen will show you the last page you read. To view the iBooks main screen, just tap the Library button in the upper-left corner of the screen.)
Tap Store in the upper-left corner of the screen. The iBooks screen flips around to reveal the iBookstore.
Tap Featured at the bottom of the iBookstore screen to see the latest ebooks available, as shown in Figure 17-6.
Tap NYTimes at the bottom of the screen to see the latest New York Times best sellers in the fiction and nonfiction categories.
Tap Top Charts at the bottom of the iBookstore screen to see the most popular free and paid ebooks.
Tap Categories at the bottom of the iBookstore screen to see a list of book categories, such as History, Humor, Parenting, and Reference.
Tap Browse at the bottom of the iBookstore screen to see a list of authors and their books available on the iBookstore, as shown in Figure 17-7.
Tap Purchased at the bottom of the iBookstore screen to see all the ebooks you've downloaded and purchased.
Tap Library in the upper-left corner of the screen to return to your bookshelf on the iBooks screen.
Many magazines now offer digital editions that you can download and read within the Newsstand app. To shop for digital magazines in Newsstand, follow these steps:
From the Home screen, tap Newsstand. The Newsstand screen appears with any magazines you've already selected, as shown in Figure 17-8.
Tap Store in the upper-right corner of the screen. The Newsstand store screen appears, as shown in Figure 17-9.
Tap the Featured tab at the top of the screen to browse magazines currently recommended by Apple.
Tap the Release Date tab at the top of the screen to browse the most recent magazine issues.
Tap the Newsstand button in the upper-left corner of the screen to return to your list of magazines that you've selected.
Press the Home button.
Buying audio, video, and ebooks through one of Apple's online stores represents the most convenient way to load new content onto your iPad. Although most people naturally seem to gravitate toward the latest releases, don't overlook the huge library of older products that you might find interesting as well.
Browse through iTunes using the Genius feature, and iTunes can analyze your current music library to determine which songs by other artists you might be interested in hearing. By exploring similar but different artists who you may never have heard before, you can expand your audio and video library without wasting your money randomly guessing which artists you might like next.
For ebooks, just remember that for every recent best seller, there are probably dozens of similar books that have been written, and those older books are probably much less expensive than the latest best seller. Many classics are now in the public domain and are totally free.