Purchasing your first iPad should be a fun and exciting experience for you. Compared to buying a full-fledged desktop or laptop computer, there aren't as many options to complicate matters. The price tag on an iPad isn't as daunting as that for an Apple MacBook Pro, so the impact to your wallet won't be outrageous even if you don't happen to make the perfect choice. In this chapter, you'll discover what decisions you should make before either heading to your local Apple retailer or ordering an iPad online. You'll learn what you need in addition to an iPad, what you can do if you're not pleased with your purchase or get a faulty unit, and how to get your iPad ready for everyday use. Here are all the basic facts you need to select, buy, and set up your iPad.
Especially at this early stage of the life cycle of the iPad, you have a relatively easy decision to make regarding which model of the device to purchase. There are never that many iPad models available at any particular time, since Apple does a good job of keeping its product lines small and up-to-date. The big questions you'll have to ask yourself are whether you need 3G wireless capabilities, whether your 3G iPad should run on a GSM or CDMA network, how much storage you want in your iPad, and whether or not to purchase a used iPad. Let's look into these four questions in more detail.
The iPad is an Internet-connected device. Sure, it can work as an electronic book reader or a gaming device without an Internet connection, but an iPad without Internet is like a Porsche with a flat tire. Apple gives you two choices: Wi-Fi (wireless network connectivity) models and Wi-Fi + 3G (wireless network plus 3G mobile data connectivity) models. If you ever want an Internet connection away from a Wi-Fi hotspot, you'll need to buy the Wi-Fi + 3G version of the iPad, because you cannot add the functionality to an iPad later.
The Wi-Fi + 3G models are slightly more expensive than the models with Wi-Fi only, to the tune of US$130 more than their Wi-Fi counterparts. What you're paying for is built-in 3G circuitry, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, and an antenna, which is a fancy way of saying that your iPad (with an optional subscription to a data plan with your local wireless carrier) can surf the Web, send and receive e-mail, and connect to the iBookstore from any location with 3G wireless service. Do you need 3G capabilities? Here are some questions you need to ask yourself:
Will you be using your iPad in places where there are no Wi-Fi hotspots? If you plan on using your iPad around your Wi-Fi equipped home and office and if most of the locations that you visit (stores, libraries, coffee shops, airports, and hotels) provide free Wi-Fi, then you might not need the Wi-Fi + 3G model. However, if you often find yourself in need of an Internet connection when you're in your car, on a soccer field, or at some other location without Wi-Fi, then the Wi-Fi + 3G iPad may be the correct choice for you.
Do you have another way to connect to a 3G network? You may already have a different method of accessing a wide-area wireless network. If you have a 3G router such as the Sierra Wireless Overdrive 3G/4G or Novatel MiFi for use with a laptop, then you can use it and your existing wireless data plan to connect to the Internet. If you have an iPhone 4 running iOS 4.3 or later, you might wish to consider using the Personal Hotspot feature on the phone as your gateway to the Internet (a separate data plan is required).
Are you willing to pay extra for both your iPad and the 3G data plan? To begin with, a Wi-Fi + 3G iPad costs $130 more than the corresponding model without 3G. That's not the only additional cost you'll incur, since your wireless carrier is going to charge you for a data plan. In the United States, AT&T provides 3G data service without a contract for $14.99 per month for 250MB of data, or $25 monthly for 2GB of data. The other U.S. carrier, Verizon Wireless, has rates beginning at 1GB of data for $20 per month and up to 10GB for $80 per month. International carriers offer similar plans, so check with your carrier for details about the cost and capacity of data plans in your country.
Do you need to use apps that are aware of the location of the iPad? The Wi-Fi iPad has the ability to determine its location through something called the Wi-Fi Positioning System. This service, provided in North America by Skyhook Wireless, uses the known location of Wi-Fi access points to approximate the location of an iPad. Although this can provide location data to within 20 to 30 meters in crowded population centers in the United States and Canada, it doesn't work at all when the iPad is away from Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi + 3G iPad contains a full Assisted GPS (A-GPS) receiver for pinpointing the location of the device using GPS. As a result, accurate location can be determined almost anywhere on the planet provided that the Wi-Fi + 3G iPad can "see" the sky.
If you decide to purchase the Wi-Fi + 3G iPad, you'll also have to make a decision about what mobile wireless network to run on. In the United States, there are two choices: GSM, the standard used by AT&T Wireless, and CDMA, which is the technology behind Verizon's mobile network. The majority of wireless networks throughout the world use GSM, so frequent international travelers may wish to consider that fact when making a purchase decision.
For all practical purposes, the speeds and capabilities of the two 3G networks are similar. The main differentiator for most U.S. iPad buyers is the coverage provided by the two carriers in the area where you live and work. Verizon Wireless customers who are happy with the voice signal quality that they currently get with their mobile phones can stay with their existing carrier for iPad data. Likewise, AT&T Wireless customers with five bars of signal strength and good service may wish to stay with their current carrier.
Once you've decided whether to purchase the Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + 3G iPad, your next thought should be about the quantity of built-in storage you want in your iPad. Although the amount of working memory, or RAM, in the iPad is identical across the different models (256MB for the original iPad, 512MB for the iPad 2), the flash drives used for storing applications and data come in three different sizes: 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. You cannot upgrade the flash drive in the iPad, so you're stuck with whatever you buy. Like any electronic device, the iPad will evolve over time, so larger storage capacities are likely in the future.
At the launch of the iPad, the difference between the 16GB and 32GB models was only $100, while maxing out the iPad's storage at 64GB was only $200 more than buying the base model. Before deciding how much storage you want to buy, consider these questions:
How big is your music library? If your library is small and you want to listen to music on your iPad, no problem. If it's large, the extra space on the larger iPad models helps you store additional music and podcasts. Of course, if you already own a music device such as an iPod, you may want to continue using it for listening. iPods come in a variety of capacities and are much more portable than your iPad.
How many videos do you want to carry around? A single two-hour movie may occupy more than a gigabyte of storage. If you travel a lot, especially on airplanes, you may want to pay more to store additional movies and TV shows with those extra gigabytes. In Chapter 7 of this book, we'll talk about using Handbrake to transfer video from DVDs to a format that your iPad can use. Although Handbrake does a great job of compressing video, movies can still be as large as 500MB to 1GB in size. If you also own a second-generation Apple TV, you might consider using Apple's AirPlay and Home Sharing to stream video to your iPad, reducing the need for more storage.
Do you plan to carry lots of pictures? Although many digital pictures are pretty small (a typical photo is 300KB to 1.2MB in size), if you carry a few thousand of them around, they do add up to some serious storage. Do you laugh at the idea of carrying that many pictures around on your iPad? Apple's built-in support for the Mac iPhoto application makes it simple to put years of photo archives onto your iPad with a single synchronization option. Moving photos directly from a digital camera to your iPad is easy using the iPad Camera Connection Kit, so the idea of backing up a trip's worth of memories on your iPad while on vacation isn't entirely out of the question.
Do you need to carry lots of data? You might not think of your iPad as a data storage device, but there are ways to use it (mostly involving e-mailing documents to yourself or using a third-party application) to bring data along with you on the road. If you think you might need to do this, maybe those extra gigabytes could be put to good use.
How long do you plan to use this iPad? If you're an early adopter who plans to trade up at the earliest possible opportunity whenever Apple offers a new unit, you may want to save your pennies now in the hope that a better unit with more memory quickly debuts. If, instead, you want to get the most use out of the iPad for the longest period of time, paying more up front means you won't outgrow the memory quite as fast.
Now that the iPad has been on the market for a while, some owners are moving up to newer or more capable iPads, and used devices are often available for less money than new ones. If you don't need the latest and greatest iPad, a used one can be your gateway into the iPad world without impacting your wallet as much.
Believe it or not, Apple is the best vendor for used iPads. The company often makes refurbished iPads available for sale at less than the suggested retail price of new equipment, and the iPad will come with the original factory warranty. You can find the refurbished equipment in the Apple Online Store at http://store.apple.com or on Amazon.com.
eBay is often a good place to purchase used computer equipment, as sellers are given ratings by buyers so that it's possible to see at a glance how others have fared in their transactions with a particular seller. As with any online auction, however, the buyer should beware. Make sure that the seller has pictures of the exact unit you are bidding on, has a return policy, and has a flawless approval rating.
If you're buying an iPad from someone locally, you might want to consider having an Apple Authorized Service Provider (www.apple.com/buy/locator/service/) check the unit over before you make a commitment. While it's easy for you to make a visual inspection of the screen and case for scratches or dents, it's not so easy to see if there is hidden damage caused by water, or connectors that have been broken.
Finally, you might be able to afford a new iPad when the next generation is announced (usually in March or April). Retailers need to make room for the incoming iPads and discount their existing stock. Your patience can be rewarded!
iPads aren't like most other computers. At heart, they're similar to a large iPod touch. And, like an iPod touch, in order to effectively use one, you will need a computer with a USB 2.0 port and an Internet connection running the most recent version of iTunes. Although your iPad can receive app updates and synchronize data through a Wi-Fi or 3G connection, it still needs to be directly connected to your computer in order to receive system software updates. It's also much faster to transfer large amounts of music, movies, or photos through a direct USB 2.0 cable connection.
You won't be able to purchase apps, books, or music from your iPad until you successfully connect it to iTunes. That means you need either a Mac running OS X 10.5.8 or newer or a Windows computer running Windows XP (Home or Professional with Service Pack 3 or newer), Windows Vista, or Windows 7. This also means you need an iTunes Store account.
Before you decide to purchase an iPad, ask yourself whether you have a computer available that has all these features. If not, you might not be able to set up and use your iPad.
Note
If you haven't yet put iTunes on your computer, you can get a free copy from www.apple.com/itunes. It's available for both Mac OS X and Windows systems and is quick and easy to install.
After deciding among the available iPad models, you're probably ready to pull out your credit card and go buy that iPad (see Figure 1-1). Where should you go? To an Apple Store? To an authorized Apple retailer or Best Buy store? Or should you buy online? You might be surprised to learn that there are better and worse choices.
We recommend buying your iPad in person at a store. You can ask questions. You can make human connections. If something goes wrong with your purchase, you have a person who's there to help you work through it. This is not to say that calling Apple's support line is insufficient; it's just that being face to face with a real person makes solutions happen more readily.
The sad fact of the matter is that, on occasion, iPad purchases do not go smoothly. Some people end up with a screen flaw, such as dead screen pixels. It's not an uncommon problem, and if found soon after purchase, it may involve a trade-in for a new unit. Others may have problems connecting to Wi-Fi or 3G networks. The chances of resolving these issues increase significantly when you have a real person to talk to.
As for the question of Apple or other retailers, we lean slightly toward buying at an Apple Store. It's an Apple product you're buying, and the Apple staff members are simply more knowledgeable about that product.
Figure 1.1. That nice shiny box contains the Apple of your eye, your iPad. Remember to keep all your packaging, receipts, and other purchase information just in case you need to return it to the store.
For a surprising number of people, there is no physical store nearby for picking up an iPad. In that case, the Apple Online Store is your best bet for getting your hands on an iPad as soon as possible.
Note
There are two quick ways to buy your iPad online. First click the iPad tab at the top of the Apple website (www.apple.com), and then click the blue Buy Now button. The second way? Point your browser to the iPad page (http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipad/family/ipad) in the Apple Online Store. Be sure to have your credit card ready.
Apple makes it easy for you to purchase your iPad online. The individual models all have their own Select button, and a click brings you to a page that lets you choose which Apple accessories you want to add to your purchase. Adding those accessories to your purchase just requires a click of the radio button near each item, and when you are finally ready to check out, clicking the Add to Cart button displays the contents of your virtual shopping cart as well as a Check Out Now button. An estimate of the shipping date is displayed in your shopping cart next to each item so you know when to start waiting for the delivery truck driver to ring your doorbell.
In most situations, the iPad you buy will be in perfect working order, and you should never need to return it to Apple. However, if you do get an iPad that just isn't working properly or that fails during the first year of ownership, there is a tried-and-true process to follow.
First, visit the iPad Support web page (www.apple.com/support/ipad/) to see whether you have set up something improperly or whether there is a known issue and solution. If the online support does not resolve the problem, then it is time to either take the iPad to your Apple retailer or send the iPad to Apple.
For iPads that have been purchased at an Apple Store, the easiest thing to do is to grab your receipt, the iPad, the original box, and all the contents of that box, and then head to the store. The Apple Store staff may ask you to work with a person at the Genius Bar in an attempt to resolve the problem, in which case there may be a delay until they can fit you into their busy schedule.
At other Apple authorized retailers, the return policy may be different, so be sure to check that policy when you purchase your iPad.
iPads purchased online from Apple require a Return Material Authorization (RMA). To initiate the return process, call Apple's support phone number at 1–800-275-2273 and speak to an iPad support specialist. If that person determines that the iPad is faulty and is eligible for repair or replacement, they will issue an RMA to you.
Note
Outside of the United States, you can refer to www.apple.com/support/contact/phone_contacts.html for a list of international phone numbers for Apple Support.
In the first paragraph of this section, we called attention to "the first year of ownership." That's the complimentary warranty period for any iPad. If you want to extend that warranty for another year, you can purchase an AppleCare Protection Plan for iPad for $99. This extends your hardware repair coverage to two years. If interested, you can purchase this option at the online Apple Store. Once the warranty expires, you'll have to pay the going rate for repairs or battery replacements.
American Express cardholders can double their iPad warranty simply by purchasing the device with their Amex card. This Extended Warranty program may be provided by other credit card companies, so be sure to check your card terms and conditions for details.
If you can, make sure to back up your iPad by syncing it to iTunes before bringing it in for service. Apple will usually restore your iPad to factory condition, which means you'll lose any data stored on the iPad during the repair and service process.
Is AppleCare worth buying? In our opinion, it is. In one case, AppleCare more than paid for the replacement of a logic board with a faulty FireWire port on an Apple PowerBook G4 almost three years into the plan.
You're entitled to complimentary phone support for 90 days after the purchase of your iPad. AppleCare extends that period to a full two years, and you can call Apple's experts as many times as you want to get your questions answered.
What about a situation where you find that an iPad isn't what you really needed, or what if you decide that you want the 64GB model instead of the 32GB iPad that you bought? Apple realizes that people change their minds or may be dissatisfied for one reason or another, so you have 14 calendar days to return your purchase. You must return the iPad in the original, unmarked packaging including any accessories (such as the power adapter), manuals, documentation, and registration that shipped with the product. There is a cost for this flexibility, because Apple assesses a 10 percent restocking fee on the return.
Apple does not offer an insurance plan for the iPad, and it's unlikely that the company will do so in the future. Instead, you'll need to call your renter's or home insurance carrier to see how much you'll have to pay for an iPad rider (a rider is placed on top of an existing policy, adding coverage for a specific item not covered under the standard plan).
Once you arrive home with your iPad or it is delivered to your door, it's time to unpack it and set it up. iPad packaging (see Figure 1-2) is a small work of art. The iPad ships in a box that contains the device, a Dock Connector to USB Cable, a 10-watt USB power adapter, and a packet of documentation. Each of these items is important and will help you in your day-to-day use.
Cable: The USB cable attaches your iPad to either your computer or the AC adapter. Whether you're charging your iPad for another day of use or you are syncing with your computer to get the latest software update, the Dock Connector to USB Cable is a crucial part of your iPad kit.
USB power adapter: The AC power adapter included with your iPad plugs directly into the wall and allows you to charge your iPad (or any USB device, for that matter). It offers a single USB port. To use it, just connect your iPad to the adapter using the USB cable. It supplies the 5 volts required for powering USB devices.
Once you've unpacked your iPad, take a few minutes to discover more about your new purchase. Figure 1-3 introduces the basic features on your iPad.
The top of the iPad houses a jack into which you can plug your earbuds, a built-in microphone (on the top front of the iPad 2), and a Sleep/Wake button that is used to power on and off certain features. If you purchased a Wi-Fi + 3G model, the top (or left side on the iPad 2) will also house a micro–Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) tray where your phone's micro-SIM card is stored. The bottom of your iPad has a built-in speaker and an indented slot for connecting to the Dock Connector to USB Cable or a dock. The iPad's front has a large touch screen and a single Home button. You will not see this interactive screen until you have set up your iPad through iTunes.
Newer iPads also feature two cameras, one in the front for playing with Photo Booth or making FaceTime video calls (see Chapter 15), and one in the back that can record high-definition video and take still photos.
On the right side of the iPad (as you look at it from the front), you'll find a volume rocker and an orientation lock slider.
You have unpacked your iPad but haven't yet connected it to iTunes. Now is a good time to review the data on your computer. When your iPad is first set up, it will synchronize itself to iTunes and, depending on your computer, to your e-mail accounts, your calendars, and so forth. Before you go forward, here are some items you may want to review and clean up so your iPad starts out its life with the freshest possible data:
Contacts: The iPad can sync with Outlook 2003 or 2007 and Windows Address Book on Windows, Address Book, Outlook, or Entourage on a Mac, and Yahoo! Address Book or Google Contacts on the Internet. To prepare for your first sync, review your existing contacts, and make sure they're up-to-date with current phone numbers and e-mail addresses. If you use another program to manage contacts, consider migrating your contacts to one of these solutions. If you'd rather not, that's OK too. You can add contact information directly to your iPad, although it's not as convenient as having the information automatically loaded for you.
Calendar: Your iPad can synchronize with computer-based calendars just like it does with contacts. The iPad supports iCal, Outlook, and Entourage calendars on the Mac and Outlook calendars on Windows. Get your calendars into shape before your first synchronization, and you'll be ready to immediately manage your schedule both from your computer and from your iPad.
E-mail: Your iPad works with most e-mail providers, including Yahoo! Mail, Google Gmail, and AOL. If your e-mail provider uses the industry-standard POP3, IMAP, or Exchange services, your service will work with iPad. You may want to establish new accounts with these providers before you set up your iPad. That way, they'll load onto your unit the first time you synchronize. You can always add new e-mail accounts later, but it's nice to have them all set up and available for use right away.
Media: Some iPad models offer relatively small storage space when compared to, for example, iPod Classic's generous 160GB hard drive. To make the most of this limited space, set up playlists for your favorite songs, TV shows, movies, and podcasts. Since, in all likelihood, you won't be able to synchronize your entire library to your new iPad, invest time now in weeding through your media to find those items you most want to have on hand.
Software and OS: Update to iTunes 10.2 or newer before you attempt to set up your iPad. If you're using a Mac, make sure you've updated your OS to at least OS X 10.5.8. Windows computers must be running Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 3 or newer. You can download the latest version of iTunes from Apple at
www.itunes.com/download.iTunes account: Apple requires a current iTunes account in order to set up your iPad. If you do not already have one, you must sign up for an account with the iTunes Store. If you want to make purchases through the iTunes Store, App Store, or iBookstore, you'll need to have a valid address and credit card. Here are the steps you'll need to follow in order to create that new iTunes account:
Launch the iTunes application on your computer, and wait for it to load.
Locate iTunes Store in the column on the left side of the window. Click iTunes Store, and wait for the store window to load. You must be connected to the Internet for this to happen, because all the storefront information is stored at Apple.
Click the Sign In link at the top-right corner of the screen. iTunes opens the sign-in screen shown in Figure 1-4, which will allow you either to sign in with an existing account or to create a new one.
Click Create New Account. The screen clears, and a message welcoming you to the iTunes Store displays. Click the Continue button.
Review the terms of service, check the box marked "I have read and agree to these terms and conditions," and click Continue. A new window appears prompting you to create your account.
Enter your e-mail address and a password (you must enter the password twice for verification). Also enter a question and answer that will help verify your identity, as well as the month and day of your birth. Review the other options on the page, and adjust them as desired before clicking Continue. Again, the screen will clear, and you'll move on to the final account creation step.
Enter a valid credit card and the billing information for that credit card. These must match to finish creating your account. When you have entered the information, click Continue.
After following these steps, you will receive a confirmation e-mail at the address you specified while signing up. The e-mail welcomes you to the iTunes Store and provides you with the customer service web address (www.apple.com/support/itunes/store).
You don't need a credit card to get an iTunes App Store account. If you're planning on only downloading free apps and don't have a credit card, there's a way to create an iTunes App Store account from your iPad. The following instructions assume that you don't already have an account and that you've already unwrapped your iPad. Don't worry; you can always come back to these instructions later if you'd like to wait.
Launch the App Store app on your iPad by tapping its icon.
Look for a free app. It can be anything, but just make sure that the price is listed as Free. Tap the Free button to start the "purchase" process; then tap Install App.
A dialog appears asking you to sign into the iTunes App Store by using an existing Apple ID or by creating a new Apple ID. Tap the Create New Apple ID button.
You'll be asked to choose a country or region for the store that matches the billing address for your payment method. Select one from the list that appears when you tap the country name next to the word Store; then tap the Next button.
Agree to the iTunes Store Terms & Conditions.
Now you're asked to enter new account information, including your e-mail address, a password, a secret question and answer, and your date of birth. When you've entered that info, tap Next.
On the Billing Information screen, tap the name next to the word Credit Card, and select None as your billing method. Enter a valid name and billing address, and then tap Next.
At this point, an Email Verification screen should appear. Tap Finish, and then open Mail on your iPad (that's assuming it's already set up; if not, you can do this part on another computer).
Open the e-mail from Apple, and tap the Verify Now link. You're asked to sign in to complete the account creation.
Tap the Use Existing Account button, enter the username (e-mail address) and password that you just created, and then tap OK.
You'll see a message telling you that your iTunes Store account has been successfully created. Tap the Done button, and then you can start downloading any free apps, books, music, or videos from iTunes, the App Store, or the iBookstore. Read more about these stores in Chapter 8.
Once you've created an iTunes account on either your computer or your iPad, you should connect your iPad to your computer to back it up, check for software updates, and do an initial synchronization of data. If you haven't yet released your iPad from its box, here are the steps you need to take:
Remove the iPad from the box, and extract it from its factory wrapping. Also unwrap the included Dock Connector to USB Cable.
Locate the two ends of the USB cable. One is thin and marked with a standard three-pronged USB symbol. The other is wide and marked with a rectangle with a line in it.
Connect the wide end of the cable to the dock connector port on the bottom of the iPad. Connect the thin end to a spare USB 2.0 port on your computer. iTunes will launch, and your iPad will chime softly.
If your iPad does not automatically power on and display either the white Apple or the Connect to iTunes message, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button. With the main screen facing toward you, you'll find it at the top right of the iPad. After a few seconds, the iPad should wake up and display the white Apple as it powers on. If the iPad does not respond and display either the white Apple or the Connect to iTunes message, contact the store where you purchased the device or call Apple Support.
Now you're ready to synchronize your iPad with your computer. This allows you to initialize your iPad's music, movies, podcasts, e-mail accounts, calendar, bookmarks, and so forth.
After connecting to your computer, iPad appears in the iTunes source list (the left column on the iTunes screen on your computer). If you own and use an iPhone, you're already familiar with iPad syncing. If not, here's a quick overview.
On your computer, click your iPad's name in the source list to open its preferences in the main iTunes window. The tabs along the top of the window allow you to set each of the options associated with your iPad.
Tip
In iTunes on your Mac or PC, click your iPad's name a second time to open a text edit field that allows you to edit the name. You can name your iPad more creatively than "John Appleseed's iPad." Perhaps you could name your iPad "Bill Gates" for the laughs.
The Summary tab (see Figure 1-5) displays your iPad overview, including the iPad's name, capacity, currently installed firmware version, serial number, and phone number. From this page, you can check for firmware updates and restore your iPad to a pristine factory-installed condition.
Figure 1.5. iTunes allows you to manage the content loaded onto and synchronized with your iPad. Each tab offers a variety of controls, allowing you to choose what information gets loaded onto your iPad at each sync.
The Info tab allows you to select which contacts, calendars, mail accounts, bookmarks, and notes are synced to your iPad. Select those items you want to sync by clicking their check boxes, and click Apply. You can sync any POP3, Exchange, or IMAP e-mail account.
The Apps tab shows you the applications that have been installed on your iPad and enables you to organize what apps are on specific home screens. This tab is also used to share files between iPad apps and your computer.
The Music tab specifies which songs, playlists, and music videos you want to store on your iPad. If you own a large music library, you'll want to select just your favorite playlists or create smart playlists (covered later in this book) to establish an ever-changing collection. The Movies tab is similar to the Music tab but allows you to determine what movies you want to store on your iPad. Since movie files can be extremely large, you may want to move only a few at a time to your iPad for viewing.
TV fans who want to watch their favorite shows on iPad use the TV Shows tab to synchronize shows that were purchased in the iTunes Store. If your tastes lean more toward audio content, the Podcasts tab specifies what episodes of your podcast subscriptions are synced to your iPad. Students of all ages who use iTunes U courseware to further their knowledge can use the iTunes U tab to synchronize lectures and educational movies to iPads.
The iPad is the ultimate electronic book reader, and the Books tab is helpful when you want to sync e-books or audiobooks between your computer and iPad.
The Photos tab lets you synchronize your iPad photo collection with iPhoto. Since you can import photos directly from a digital camera to your iPad with the Camera Connection Kit, the Photos tab is an important tool for moving photos to your computer for backup purposes.
For any of the tabs, make your selections, and click Apply. The Capacity bar at the bottom of the screen monitors how much space remains on your device.
If you purchase your iPad in an Apple Store, your Apple sales associate will show you many accessories that are available for it. These accessories are from Apple and third-party sources, and they provide your iPad with protection and added functionality.
Apple sells iPad docks to make charging and syncing your iPad a snap. The $29 iPad Dock and iPad 2 Dock support your iPad in an upright position and work with other accessories and optional audio cables. For the original iPad, text entry into iPad apps is enhanced with the iPad Keyboard Dock ($69), which charges the iPad as you type.
For protection of the iPad 2, Apple provides the iPad Smart Cover ($29; Figure 1-6), which can also be folded into a variety of positions for supporting the iPad 2 on flat surfaces. The colorful Smart Cover attaches to the iPad 2 magnetically, and automatically turns the iPad's display on when opened or off when closed.
Figure 1.6. Available in a rainbow of colors, the iPad 2 Smart Cover protects the iPad's display while adding very little weight or thickness.
Photographers will want to buy the iPad Camera Connection Kit ($29; Figure 1-7), which includes two adapters—one for connecting a camera through a USB 2.0 cable, the other for reading SD memory cards. The USB adapter can also be used to connect USB headsets and keyboards to the iPad.
Figure 1.7. The iPad Camera Connection Kit includes two adapters. The one on the left connects to a standard USB cable for direct connection to a digital camera, while the adapter on the right can be used to read or write SD memory cards.
Since you might want to show slide shows or Keynote presentations from an iPad, Apple sells the iPad Dock Connector to VGA Adapter ($29). The VGA end of the adapter can be connected to external monitors, some TVs, and PC projectors. On the iPad 2, whatever is on the screen can be mirrored to an external display, while the original iPad is limited to displaying only apps that have been specifically written to provide video out capabilities.
The Apple Digital AV Adapter ($39) is perfect for putting slides, movies, photos, and anything else visible on your iPad onto your HDTV. This adapter provides a standard HDMI connector as well as a dock connector port for charging your iPad while it is connected to your display.
The Apple Component AV Cable ($39) and Composite AV Cable ($39) also work with the iPad, providing two more methods of linking external monitors and projectors to the device. The same application limitations apply with these cables as well.
Finally, the Apple Wireless Keyboard ($69) and most other Bluetooth keyboards are iPad-compatible, providing an alternative way of entering text into iPad applications.
In this chapter, you learned how to select and purchase your iPad. You discovered what's involved in setting up your iPad before using it. To wind things up, here is a quick overview of some key points from this chapter:
Your iPad choices come down to whether you want 3G connectivity, how much storage space you want, and (in the United States) which mobile carrier network you wish to use. You can also decide whether you need a new iPad, or can get by with a used device to better fit your budget.
There are several venues for purchasing your iPad, but Apple Stores are our recommendation.
Make sure your computer is compatible with iPad before you buy.
Consider adding AppleCare to your iPad purchase for an additional year's coverage against hardware repairs.
iPad technical support is free for 90 days, but you can call Apple's experts for up to two years with the purchase of AppleCare.
Consider insuring your iPad against loss and damage by purchasing a policy rider from your insurance company.