iPad

So, congratulations! Perhaps you're the owner of a new iPad this holiday season. If so, you've come to the right place. Apple's tablet is incredibly easy to use, but there are still plenty of ways to set up and optimize your iPad to take advantage of everything it has to offer. Some of these suggestions may be obvious; others might not.

Regardless, here's what I do when I take a new iPad out of its crisp white box. I think you should do the same. At the least, these tips should help you get on your feet.… Read more

Tablets have been eating away at the PC's position as the connected device of choice, and now they're taking their place in the classrooms of an Australian university.

The University of Western Sydney said in a statement that it plans to distribute 11,000 iPads next year to every new student and member of the faculty "to support learning and teaching innovations across the curriculum and in informal learning environments."

"With digital technology revolutionizing how we connect and interact with the world, university study should be no different," professor Kerri-Lee Krause, the university's … Read more

iPads don't come with their own protection. In fact, these sleek metal and glass beauties ship naked. That just won't do: you need a case. But when it comes to the iPad Mini, I quickly discovered, what makes a good case or bag is a very different proposition than for the larger iPad.

To help you pick out something good, here's what I've observed so far over the last couple of months of hard-core iPad Mini use. Let's take a look, shall we?… Read more

Chipmakers are preparing for the second-generation iPad Mini and Samsung is on track for a phone with a bendable display and possibly an early intro of the Galaxy S4, according to a research note from RBC Capital Markets.

RBC Capital Markets analyst Doug Freedman -- who is in China visiting chip companies this week -- offered this ambiguous Apple note: "iPad Mini Gen-2: Apple's gen-2 iPad mini is getting pulled-in, and is likely to have several new suppliers, with TXN gaining content."

"Pulled in" would seem to imply that Apple is moving up introduction of … Read more

Apple today released another minor update to iOS 6 that promises to fix a Wi-Fi issue affecting its newest devices.

The software, which went out this morning to the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini, says simply that it "fixes a bug that could impact Wi-Fi." No additional features or security fixes are part of the update, according to the company's release notes.

The update comes just a day after Apple gave developers a fourth beta of iOS 6.1. That software, which is expected by the end of the year, or shortly thereafter, brings new boarding pass … Read more

Planning to buy a 7-inch tablet? A new report from the folks at FixYa reveals some of the top issues with today's crop of small-size tablets.

Apple's iPad Mini New to the 7-inch tablet arena, the iPad Mini didn't trigger much in the way of specific problems reported by its users. Rather, people were more unhappy about what the device doesn't offer.

The Mini's 4:3 aspect ratio was cited by users as less than ideal for watching movies, which are typically better served by a screen with a 16:9 ratio. The small tablet … Read more

Apple might soon launch 3G versions of its fourth-generation iPad and iPad Mini in China.

China-based TechWeb reported (translation) today that a cellular version of the iPad and the iPad Mini cleared the country's regulatory hurdles last week, potentially paving the way for the device to launch before long.

Apple launched the Wi-Fi-only versions of the iPad and iPad Mini on December 7. The company previously said it would launch these iPads in China in December, but didn't say if that only applied to the Wi-Fi versions or would also include the cellular models.

According to TechWeb, the … Read more

The holidays have arrived. I'm sure with the launch of the new iPads, many young ones may find them, or possibly iTunes gift cards, in their stockings. In light of this, I bring good tidings.

Starting December 21 and running through January 2, Disney Publishing has specially priced some of its more popular titles, including Tangled: Storybook Deluxe; Brave: Storybook Deluxe; Finding Nemo: Storybook Deluxe; and Cars 2: Storybook Deluxe. Normally retailing for $6.99 with the exception of Cars 2 at $5.99 in the iTunes App Store, they will all be reduced to $2.99. … Read more

Tablets are dandy just as they come, but sometimes you can really stand to have a keyboard at your fingertips. You can carry around something like Apple's wireless keyboard or a fat case with a keyboard built in. Or you can get behind the Nibiqu iPad keyboard project on Kickstarter.

I don't really know what Nibiqu stands for, but I do know it's mighty thin at less than a quarter inch in thickness. It doubles as a case, but the most compelling aspect is the full keyboard with keys that depress. The maker is advertising it as "the thinnest keyboard for your iPad," though it may have some competition in that department.… Read more