Well, werenât you a good boy and/or girl this year! That iPadâs going to be your favorite new toy no matter what, but hereâs how to squeeze the most out of it from day one.
Step One
Iâll assume youâve successfully removed the iPad from its box, yes? Good. Youâre a natural! Now trot on over to your computer and plug it in with that fancy 30-pin connector (also, donât lose that connectorâitâs proprietary to Apple).
Once youâre hooked up, iTunes will walk you through the registration process. Itâs pretty intuitive! But in case youâre not one to intuit, you can check out our original iPad set-up guide
https://gizmodo.com/how-to-set-up-your-ipad-the-right-way-5508769
Getting In Sync
Okay okay, so now here comes the first remotely tricky part. Youâll be given the option to sync up alllll of the apps and media youâve got stashed away in iTunes. And this is where a little selectivity is going to be helpful.
So. If you donât already own an iPhone or an iPod Touch, you can skip this part. If you do own one or both of those things, youâre going to want to pare down the apps youâve collected. Thatâs partly because not all of your apps are ideally situated to the iPadâs larger display, and partly because youâre going to want to save room for the ones that are.
Fortunately, iTunes does a lot of the work for you. Apps are already segmented between âuniversalâ apps (that work for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad) and apps that are designed specifically for the iPhone. Which means: go ahead and sync all of the universal apps you already have, then either track down the iPad equivalents of the iPhone apps you love, or stick with the iPhone version and settle for some wonkiness.
Youâll also be given the choice to sync music, video, and photos. Again, be selective!
The Apps You Need Right Now
Okay, okay, hereâs the fun part: where you get to trick out your tablet with the apps that make you a Grade A iPad Ninja. We keep constant track of the most essential iPad apps here, but think of the following as the most most essential:
https://gizmodo.com/gizmodos-essential-ipad-apps-5507569
Netflix
Netflix streaming. On the iPad. It doesnât really get much better than that, assuming youâve got a Netflix account (which by now, honestly, shouldnât you?). [Free]
Kindle
Sure, Appleâs iBooks app is fine. But with Kindle you can read your ebooks across your iPad, iPhone, laptop, and actual Kindle. Itâs the best, most versatile way to turn your iPad into a portable library. [Free]
https://gizmodo.com/why-i-only-buy-kindle-books-5575592
NY Times
The Grey Lady looks great on the iPadâs color screen. Thereâs tons of free content for now, so grab it before it disappears behind a paywall. [Free]
Instapaper
See something on the web you want to save for reading later? Instapaper it, and youâll have a huge cache of perfectly formatted iPad content. [$5]
Epicurious
Even if youâre the type of person who just says they want to cook but doesnât do any actual cooking, Epicurious is a must-have. Itâs a huge, easily navigable recipe database, with the all the requisite mouth-watering pictures [Free]
Social media! RSS feeds! All wrapped up in a very pretty package. Flipboard turns your Facebook and Twitter updatesâand a host of other contentâinto the only iPad magazine you may ever need. [Free]
Of course, you may also just want your Twitter pure and simple, in which case you canât do much better than the Twitter for iPad [Free]
Words With Friends HD
Pseudo-Scrabble ends up being even better than real Scrabble, mostly because your friends have already downloaded this version. [$1 (sale price)]
Elements
Just in case you wanted to use your iPad to do some actual, uh, work, you canât do much better than Elements for a text editor. Bonus: files are stored in your Dropbox folder, so you can access them anywhere. [$5]
Infinity Blade
Totally original, amazing 3D graphics, an epic storyline: this is the iOS game to own right now. So go get it. [$6]
Suit Up
The whole point of the iPad is that itâs portableâwhich also means itâs more liable to get nicked, splashed, dropped, and dinged. Fortunately, youâve got near limitless case options that range from stylish to sturdy to kickstand. Here are a few recommendations to fit your own personal style.
Kickstand
Imposter
BookBook for iPad [Twelve South, $70]
https://gizmodo.com/turn-your-ipad-into-a-handsome-leather-bound-book-5613753
Classic
https://gizmodo.com/real-moleskine-covers-for-iphone-and-ipad-5653014
Versatile
InCase Convertible Book Jacket [InCase: $60]
https://gizmodo.com/review-incase-convertible-book-case-for-ipad-5597000
Keyboard
https://gizmodo.com/so-you-want-to-turn-your-ipad-into-a-netbook-eh-5686359
Novelty
Official Etch-a-Sketch iPad Case [Headcase, $40]
https://gizmodo.com/official-etch-a-sketch-ipad-case-makes-shake-to-undo-5643096
Accessorize
Donât get me wrongâit was great of them to get you that iPad. But no tablet is an island, and youâll want to pick up these iPad peripherals lickety-split.
Apple iPad Keyboard Dock
That giant on-screen keyboard is okay for short bursts, but youâre going to want an actual keyboard if youâre writing anything much longer than a tweet. [Apple, $70]
https://gizmodo.com/ipad-keyboard-dock-because-even-apple-knows-touch-typi-5458341
3-in-1 iPad Camera Connection Kit
Forget Appleâs official iPad camera connector, with its separate USB and SD card slots. This little guy lets you transfer files via USB, SD, and microSD all in one dongle. [MIC Gadget, $30 (preorder)]
https://gizmodo.com/the-3-in-1-ipad-camera-connection-kit-5713363
Twelve South iPad Compass Stand
Cases can prop up your iPad in a pinch, but the sleekly multi-positional Compass stand acts as a perfect easel for your tabletâs canvas. [Twelve South, $40]
https://gizmodo.com/the-compass-ipad-stand-5593085
Advanced Beginners
That should just about do it! Youâve got your apps, your case, and your gear, and youâre pretty much good to go. If you want to explore your iPad a little further, check out our 11 tips and tricks, our guide to accessing your whole computer from an iPad, and our ultimate jailbreaking guide. Most of all, enjoy your shiny new gadget, and Merry Christmas!
