Discussion on:

10 tips for first-time iPad users

If you use the iPad for drawing then it's worth splashing out 10-quid or so for an iPad specific stylus. Pens, or a stylus for other devices won't work.

Also, getting a sturdy case is well worth the investment! IMHO you need a case that covers the front AND the back, not those flimsy flip-over ones that get given away free in a lot of mobile phone shops. And a quick warning - if you want to use apps which take advantage of the built-in compass, avoid a case with magnets.

Lastly, if you're not using wifi or bluetooth at that moment in time, switch it off to save battery life.

Press the home button twice and the apps will come up on the bottom. Just press on one of the apps and hold it until the apps wiggle then proceed to press on them one at a time until all apps are closed down.

Get Dropbox/Skydrive/etc so you can actually get something off the dam thing and onto a pc to do some proper work. That's what most of our iPad pioneers appear to need help with


Sent from my iPad

:P No seriously, it is a toy. Unless that is what you want, don't expect to do much actual work on it, unless you don't really do much work, then it is fine. It makes a passable eBook reader. The best use, is for playing games to pass the time (see above about not working). I had a look at them, and I for one, could not really see much use for it other than for amusement.

Seriously, you "took a look at them" and discovered you could not use them without any consideration for the difference between iOS and whatever OS you have been using? Is this also how you approached Windows? Or Linux? Those OS's, when folks first "took a look at them" seemed unappealing for work, as well. Remember those who derided the "Windows, Icons, Mouse, Pointing Device" user interface as "WIMP devices"? "Real work" had to have a command prompt, or it couldn't be a "true business machine." That was probably the attitude of those who moved from log tables to the slide rule and to calculators. You may think you're so sophisticated in your thinking, but you're really just close-minded and set in your ways.

Re 7 adjusting brightness: 4-finger swipe up, then swipe apps all the way to the left. Adjust slider for brightness.

But you have to have multi-tasking gestures turned on in Settings. Then you can 4-finger swipe left and right to open apps.

I'm not looking for a tablet of any brand or OS. I'm just wondering if you had to dig these out by trial and error, web search, read an included manual, or watch an included tutorial? I would assume some type of included documentation would tell a neophyte user how to perform most of these. I've never laid hands on an Apple product and am not familiar with the quality of their new user support.

Well, I help novices with their iPads as part of my work. I do not own one! It was pretty jolly easy to find my way around the first one I set my hands on ( my partner's iPad). I must say that I do like the addition of the front pointing camera, and its quality.
I'm waiting for the Windows 8 tablet. I have downloaded first the 'Consumer Preview' and then the pre-release versions of the Win 8 OS. I find the Win 8 OS 'clunky' to use on a PC, but I really think Win 8 on a tablet is supurb, and it will seriously rival the iPad.
I think Business's will stick with Win 7 for their PC's, and the tablet will be used in the field and brought back to sync - i'm assuming that Win 8 will sync with win 7.

Multi-touch gestures are a great way of gaining valuable seconds when you're in a rush, and they're really easy to learn.

As well as your standard Apple gestures (e.g. pinch zoom), there's a few 4-finger gestures:
1) Return to the home screen - do a 4-finger pinch
2) Switch between recent apps (ones that appear on your multitasking bar) - swipe 4 fingers horizontally
3) Hide/show multitasking bar - swipe 4 fingers up to show the bar and down again to hide it

These can all be done using some steps involving the Home button, but it's personal preference and I find this quicker and easier to use (although I use the Home button for screenshots). This could also see a redundancy for Home buttons emerging in future.

Don't cut the onion on it! Don't wash it in the water! Don't wash it in the dishwasher!