iPad+Basics

In your settings, click on Wi-Fi. If you're in a wireless location the name of the network automatically shows up. In the upper left hand corner of your iPad, you'll see a wireless signal just like on your Mac to show you that you are connected and how strong a signal you are receiving. •Do you know what Wi-fi stands for? Wireless Fidelity. Do you remember referring to your home stereo system as a Hi-Fi? High Fidelity. Ah ha! Now that makes more sense!
 * Connecting to Wi-Fi **

**Settings**
Settings on the iPad is much like going to your preferences on your Mac. There are several options for making the iPad the way YOU want it! Don't be afraid to see what all the settings are about. You can always change them back if you find you don't like the new changes.
 * **Location Services.** Many apps use your location services. This uses GPS, WI-Fi, and cell tower locations to determine your approximate location. If you download an app that uses location services, it will ask you if you'd like to utilize this feature. in the settings you can always turn it off. For example, I have the AccuWeather App. I have location services on because I want the weather for OUR area.
 * **Brightness and Wallpaper.** Simply change the brightness of your screen by sliding the bar. By checking auto brightness, the screen will adjust brightness according to the current light conditions. If you're outside and wearing polarized sunglasses and your screen appears dark, simply change the orientation of your iPad. You can choose a photo for your wallpaper. You have 2 options for your wallpaper: on the Lock Screen (when you first turn on the iPad and you have the slider lock) and on the Home Screen (this will show up behind your apps).
 * **Picture Frame.** Remember when the photo picture frames became so popular several years ago? Well, your iPad can easily be an animated picture frame. Choose which transitions and photos you'd like to display. Select whether to zoom in on faces and whether to shuffle photos. Now on your lock screen, tap the little flower icon! How cool is that????

This area has several settings that you'll want to explore. Listed here are just a few.
 * General **
 * **About.** This one is pretty important. Here you'll find information about your iPad - how many apps, songs, etc.; storage capacity and available space; software version; model & serial number, etc.
 * **Sounds.** Have fun selecting sounds for various tasks.
 * **Side Switch.** The little switch on the side of your iPad beside the volume control is the side switch. You have 2 options for this switch. It can either be used to mute your iPad or to lock the orientation of your iPad. I get pretty annoyed when the orientation changes every time I move my iPad so I set mine to lock the orientation.
 * **Multitasking Gestures.** This should be on if you want to be able to use pinch and swipe. When you're in an app, you can pinch the screen and it will take you back to the home screen. Swipe the screen UP will give you the multitasking bar. Swiping to the left or right will let you switch between apps.


 * Maneuvers **
 * **On/Off.** The switch to turn the iPad on and off is located on the shorter side of the iPad. Clicking the button once will wake the iPad up if it is asleep. To turn the iPad completely OFF, hold down the switch until the Lock Screen appears. You will be instructed to slide the bar to turn the iPad off. Holding the button down will turn it back on.
 * **Home Button**. If the iPad is asleep, clicking on the Home Button will wake it up. When you're in an app and you want to go back to the home screen, just touch the Home Button. You can always go back to where you left off in the app. Double clicking the Home Button will take you to the multitasking bar.
 * **Lock Screen/Mute.** Depending on how you set this in Settings, you'll be able to move the small button to either Mute your iPad or to Lock the Orientation.
 * **Screen Shot.** To take a screen shot of your iPad screen, click on the Power Button and the Home Button at the same time. You should hear a click like it is taking a picture. The screen shot will appear in your photos.
 * **Swiping and Pinching**. These are two very 'handy' manuervers to use on the iPad! If you're in an app and would like to get to the home screen, just pinch it with 4 or 5 fingers. Swipe up to get to your multitasking bar. When you're on the Home Screen, swipe to the right to get to the Spotlight Search Feature. When in an app, swipe to the right or left to go the next app.

Double click on the Home button to see the multitasking bar. Another quick way to get to it was just mentioned above - swipe the screen UP using four or five fingers.
 * Multitasking Bar **
 * To delete an app from the multitasking bar, hold down on the icon until it jiggles. A little red circle with a minus sign appears. Click on the circle and the app will disappear from the multitasking bar. Don't fret, you are NOT deleting apps from your iPad.
 * The Apps that are in the multitasking bar are the apps that have been used recently. Some of them might be actively using location services. This could be using your battery power quicker. Make sure you quit those apps.
 * If you swipe between apps, these are the apps that you'll see as you swipe from one to the next.
 * If you have an app that is not behaving as it should, quit the app. Then try it again.
 * In your multitasking bar swipe to the right. You'll be able to change the brightness and volume of your iPad here.
 * If you'd like to listen to music while you're working in other apps on your iPad, click on the Music icon. Choose your music. Now you should be able to go back and work on any app and still have your music playing in the background.

If you need to type in all caps, double click on the shift key. The Key will turn blue with a white arrow. Just remember that if you type an email in all caps it means you are yelling!
 * Keyboard TricksCaps Lock **
 * **Three Keyboards.** There are actually three keyboards in ONE! The top layer of keyboard contains the ABC's. The second layer, which is accessed by clicking on the .123 button, contains numbers and punctuation. The third layer contains symbols. Click on the #+- button.
 * **Hidden punctuation.** Since postrophes and quotation marks are used so often they can also be accessed from the ABC keyboard. Just tap and hold the exclamation mark to get an apostrophe and tap and hold the question mark for quotation marks. That might save a little time.
 * **Contractions.** You don't have to use the apostrophe in the contractions. The iPad will automatically do that for you! YEH!!!
 * **Split the keyboard.** There are two ways to type on the keyboard. When you're in an area where you need to type (Notes App, URL bar in Safari, or a search bar) the keyboard automatically pops up. Try typing the usual way on the keyboard, using Home Row position. With a little practice I bet you can do it! OR you can split the keyboard in half and use thumb typing. Just pinch the keyboard apart. This makes it easier to hold the iPad and type at the same time. If you want to go back to the full keyboard just pinch it together.
 * **Shortcuts.** If there are certain phrases, names or other terms that you type frequently, you can create shortcuts for them under Settings - General - Keyboard. Type "omw", for example, and the iPad will enter "on my way". **Period.** When you come to the end of a sentence instead of typing the period and hitting the space bar, double tap the spacebar and it will insert the period and a space.

Choose any of the sites below to learn several tips and tricks of the iPad.
 * Tips and Tricks **
 * iPad 2's Tips and Tricks Part 1 @http://buzzintechnology.com/2011/04/apple-ipad-2-tips-and-tricks-part-1/
 * iPad 2's Tip and Tricks Part 2@http://buzzintechnology.com/2011/04/apple-ipad-2-tips-and-tricks-part-2/
 * 50 Really Useful Tips and Tricks http://appsineducation.blogspot.com/2011/04/50-really-useful-ipad-2-tips-and-tricks.htm
 * 11 Essential Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your iPad http://www.businessinsider.com/11-essential-tips-for-getting-the-most-out-of-your-ipad-2010-4#the-hard-reset-1