Table of contents for Issue 27 in iPad User Magazine

Welcome

One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about the iPad since its launch back in 2010 is having a truly portable video device. Having just a thin sheet of glass that you can pop up on a stand or against a surface to watch movies and TV shows while doing almost any task is great – it’s made washing up less boring, at least! But it’s not the only excellent entertainment use for the iPad, of course – it’s great for listening to fantastic podcasts, for busting out some of your favourite tunes (especially with the improved speakers on the new iPad Pro models), and catching up on reading. That’s why we’ve focused on all the ways your iPad can keep you engaged and entertained this issue. However you like…

1 min

iPad User Magazine|Issue 27

Connect to social networks

Signing in to Facebook is also a way to quickly fill in any missing details in the Contacts app IT WILL TAKE 5 minutes YOU WILL LEARN How to connect to popular social networks YOU’LL NEED iPad, iOS 9, an account for Facebook, Twitter, Flickr or Vimeo Like it or loathe it – and which of those you plump for probably depends a lot on your age – social media has taken over the world. It can also be good fun, even if you don’t necessarily want to post about your every thought and action. So if you fancy getting in on the action with minimum effort, here’s how. Look down the list of categories in the Settings app and you’ll find one that contains Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Vimeo.…

2 min

iPad User Magazine|Issue 27

Enjoy video on your iPad

If you use iTunes on your computer, you can also purchase movies there IT WILL TAKE 5 minutes YOU WILL LEARN How to play both purchases and homemade videos on your iPad YOU’LL NEED iPad, iOS 9 With its stunning, high-resolution display, your iPad is great for watching movies wherever you go. The iTunes Store offers a large range of movies, music videos and TV programmes to buy or rent: just open up the Videos app, tap on Store and then choose Films or TV Programmes. You can search by genre, browse featured items and charts, or tap the search bar at the top-right and type what you’re looking for. When you’ve found something you want, tap the Buy or Rent button (note that not all items can be rented),…

4 min

iPad User Magazine|Issue 27

Multitasking in iOS 9

IT WILL TAKE 5 minutes YOU WILL LEARN How to use the new multitasking features in iOS 9 YOU’LL NEED iOS 9; read on to discover device requirements You can play a single video in a Picture-in-Picture box while using another app As well as the App Switcher that’s available on all iPads, iOS 9 adds three new multitasking features: Slide Over for quickly dipping into another app for a moment; Split View for working in two apps side by side; and Picture in Picture for playing video in a corner of the screen while you continue to work on something else. With Slide Over, when you drag in from the right edge of the screen, a narrow view of another app will slide into view. This is designed to…

5 min

iPad User Magazine|Issue 27

Read the web better

Use Reading List to save interesting articles, and Reader mode to strip away the web grime IT WILL TAKE 5 minutes YOU WILL LEARN How to make content on websites clearer to read YOU’LL NEED An iPad and something to read online The iPad is by far the best device around for reading web pages. The high-resolution Retina ensures text is crisp, and clear, even when it’s small. If only all websites were as clean as Apple’s design, but the web is littered with difficult-to-read pages with disjointed text surrounded by flashing adverts. Articles are also split up over several pages (requiring you to click through to read them) and you often pinball past pages without fully catching them. Fortunately help is at hand, and Apple has designed several crafty…

3 min

iPad User Magazine|Issue 27

Stream media with Plex

IT WILL TAKE 30 minutes YOU WILL LEARN How to set up and use Plex to stream content to your iPad YOU’LL NEED A Mac or PC, Plex Media Server for your computer, Plex for iPad, one or more video files to play Watch DRMfree media on your iPad Plex makes your DRM-free media available wherever you are, and on whatever device you want to use. Great for the iPad, as it deals with issues regarding storage (movies and TV shows often being extremely large files that need loads of space) and syncing (large files take an age to copy). It’s a multi-part system, based around a server and a client. If you’ve got a home Mac or PC connected to the internet, it can work as a Plex server.…

4 min

iPad User Magazine|Issue 27

Master the YouTube app

IT WILL TAKE 15 minutes YOU WILL LEARN How to make best use of the YouTube app on your iPad YOU’LL NEED The YouTube app, a Google account, an iPad, iOS 7 or later, and a web connection YouTube has plenty to offer as a TV replacement There are apps. There are popular apps. Then there is YouTube. YouTube is a true giant of the internet. It’s estimated that hundreds of hours of video are uploaded to the service every minute of the day. Although much of the content it hosts is throwaway, YouTube has plenty to offer as a TV replacement. There are countless music videos, clips from TV shows, movies, tutorials, and, most importantly, people playing Kraftwerk covers on the ukulele. Although it’s not mandatory, having a Google…

4 min

iPad User Magazine|Issue 27

Parental and security controls

It is possible to set up a separate App Store account for a child aged 13 or over and set an allowance IT WILL TAKE 15 minutes YOU WILL LEARN How to prevent your child from making purchases or seeing content on your iPad without your approval YOU’LL NEED iPad, iOS 9 Whether you’re lending your iPad to your children or setting up an iPad of their own – perhaps your old one you need to be sure that they’ll be safe using it. Particularly if they’re tech-savvy older children, you might want to ensure they won’t be visiting inappropriate websites, installing and playing unsuitable games, or running up huge bills buying extras as In-App Purchases (IAPs). The simplest and safest option is often to disable IAPs entirely, which is…

5 min

iPad User Magazine|Issue 27

Secrets of the Music app

Spend half an hour learning the app and playing music becomes infinitely more enjoyable. 1 Up Next Tap Up Next (three lines) to reveal upcoming tracks. By default, these are the next songs in an album or playlist. 2 History In Up Next, you can slide down to reveal your History, displaying the tracks you recently played. 3 Arrange order You can rearrange the order of tracks in Up Next by dragging the Up Next icon next to each track. 4 Remove and Clear Slide left on a track and tap Delete to remove it from Up Next. You can also use Add and Clear to manage tracks. IT WILL TAKE 30 minutes YOU WILL LEARN How to use Apple Music for playing, searching and more YOU’LL NEED An iPad,…

4 min

iPad User Magazine|Issue 27

Keep on top of podcasts

IT WILL TAKE 30 minutes YOU WILL LEARN How to find, play and organise podcasts in Overcast YOU’LL NEED An iPad, Overcast for iPad, iOS 9, and a web connection Overcast offers superb playback effects and playlist capabilities If you’re not yet immersed in the world of podcasts, now’s a great time to start. Countless shows are available for free, from extended versions of radio broadcasts to discussions on any subject you can think of. Apple itself offers a free podcasts app, imaginatively called Podcasts, but we reckon Overcast is that little bit better. This is primarily because of its superb playback effects and playlist capabilities, both of which we explore in the walkthrough. When you first open the app, it will ask if you’d like to sign up for…

4 min

iPad User Magazine|Issue 27

APPLE GEAR

iQunix Zand About £20 iQunix, iqunix.com This well-made aluminium iPad stand holds your tablet using a sticky pad. It uses micro-suction-cups to hold the back of your iPad tight, so leaves no residue. It works with any iPad, including the larger Pro. Getting your iPad off requires a bit of a technique but is no hassle. There’s a pad on the stand’s base, keeping it firmly in place on your desk. The stand can also lie with the main pad down to hold the iPad in a flatter position, for typing, again with the sticky area keeping it stable. The pads becomes less sticky over time as they pick up dust, but a wipe with a wet cloth fixes that. Logitech Create iPad Pro Keyboard £109 Logitech, logitech.com The Logitech’s…

3 min