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Anyone with half a brain can use iPad at its basic level. Well, iPad, in fact, is very basic, even 2-year old kids can work well with it. There's no such thing as learning curve, and definitely, if you have used an iPhone before, using an iPad for the first time is a day at the beach. It is made to be that way.

But still, even when things have already been simplified by Apple for you, there are still some things about iPad use that may take time before you know. Here are a few.

Soft Reset
Apple's iPad does not necessarily come with an insurance that it will perform the same way it did the first time you bought it. Although there are no moving parts in the device, which generally means the device deteriorates very slowly if at all. There are still some risks though that some of its parts may not function in the long run. In case something goes awry with iPad, you can always find consolation in its Soft Reset function.

Soft Reset comes in very handy when the system freezes. It can be performed by just holding the top or power button simultaneously with the front or Home button for a couple of seconds. This will force your device to restart. Not happy with how an app is working and want to force quit it? Hold the Home button the same way, this time without holding the power button, and the device will exit any running app.

Cut- and Copy-Pasting
It's a pain to copy long texts on iPad so Apple created an easy solution that will let you copy an entire paragraph without necessary stretching the blue knobs that appear on your screen. To do this, tap any text four times and this will highlight the entire paragraph. This trick can be done only though if you are copying an editable text. Otherwise, you're stumped.

Importing Free eBooks
There are still some free things in this world. Free eBooks on Apple's iBooks for example. If you want to download old books that have fallen out of copyright, you'll find that there is an extensive collection of free eBooks downloadable on iPad. So long as you stick to the classics, you're a happy man with iBooks.

Easy Mute
When embarrassing moments are on the horizon because you frequently forget to turn off the volume of your multimedia device, you'll find that iPad gives you a break. It has an easy mute function that allows you to automatically turn the volume off. For two seconds, press the volume down and you'll have peace and quiet back.

Supersized Screenshots
Now the screenshot of your driving simulator would look more like a windshield than a tiny keyhole. Take giant screenshots on your iPad by holding the power and home buttons simultaneously for half a second.

Bringing the Virtual Keyboard Back
Switching between keyboards real and virtual keyboards is not as hard as many people confess. You only have to hit the eject key on the real, physical keyboard to bring the virtual one up.

Since the iPad's introduction to the public in January 2010, it has suffered unwieldy criticism from Apple antagonists. These groups of Apple non-enthusiasts have called the iPad a regretful piece of appliance at the least.

However, from the point of view of neutral commentators, there emerged a set of logic to explain the seemingly exclusive structure of the iPad.

The most popular perceived deficiency of the iPad in terms of software is its lack of Flash support. Flash is used in most websites; it is supported by all major Web browsers (Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera) except for the mobile version of Safari. YouTube is one of the most popular websites that utilize Flash for its videos.

Apple makes up for the lack of Flash support by creating and designing apps that are specific to the iPad. For instance, YouTube has a Flash-free app, using H.264, that will run smoothly on the iPad. Safari supports HMTL5, which can display embedded videos more efficiently than Flash-supported websites.

It has been noted several times that multitasking is impossible on the iPad because the user has to close one app before moving onto the other. Critics have panned this issue by taking into consideration the target market for this device.

As an "appliance" for the media consumer, the iPad is meant to play a single program at a time, most likely a video or a movie. It seems plausible since this device is marketed as an instrument to experience richer media; thus, multitasking is not expected.

The same goes with its lack of wired connections, particularly USB and FireWire ports. iPad has a "locked-down" nature that seemed to offend non-Mac users because of its almost elitist appeal. Critics have also answered this concern and their opinion made great sense.

The iPad is designed by Apple so it's only natural for the manufacturer to prefer full control over the software content of the product. It does not matter if the ownership has been transferred to the buyer. The point is that Apple prefers to protect their creation by ensuring that software entered into the device is properly filtered. Besides, they probably have more iPad apps to introduce and it would be unfortunate for them if a different software company would create a brand new application for the iPad before they even thought of it.

Its lack of commonly used hardware features can be easily resolved by purchasing separate accessories, such as the wireless keyboard dock, camera connection, Bluetooth headphones, composite and component AV cables, power adapter and dock connector to VGA adapter. Clearly, these deficiencies have already been considered by Apple engineers before criticism even materialized.

It is not obvious but there seems to be a continuous struggle of the Apple marketing division to insist that the iPad is in fact a media consumption appliance. It should be differentiated from a full desktop or laptop computer and an iPhone and simply be appreciated as a go-between of the two.

Its lack of full phone and computer features establishes that Apple has created a class of its own and might possibly be a successful forerunner in the field of tablet computers.

For most of the things we have heard about the iPad, its most popular feature is its tablet design. It sounds aesthetically centered, but beauty is just a secondary consideration when purchasing a gadget. The main purpose for acquiring a gadget is to take advantage of its ability to make the user's life better, whether in business or leisure.

To the average consumer, features make or break the purchasing deal; besides, even if the buyer is not technologically inclined, he will find a way to get to know his newest object of gadgetry affection.

Internet on the iPad is handled by Safari; recently, they have approved the Opera Mini app. Safari is the fastest Web browser in the world, according to Apple engineers. No doubt about the source definitely, because Apple created Safari. Now, for some reason, they have allowed Opera Mini to be included in the App Store; however, even the app does not support Flash. To those who aspire to continue harvesting their FarmVille crops on the iPad: better luck next time.

The iPad boasts a crisp and advanced split screen-style email application. When the device is placed on a landscape orientation, it displays both the opened message and the list of emails on the inbox with a two-liner preview. Attachments and images are displayed by default alongside the text in the message. For some reason, the split-screen inbox reminds me of Outlook; I don't know, I could be confused.

Graphics are highly appreciated with iPad's vivid color display. It utilises IPS or in-plane switching that allows for an extremely wide angle so you can look at your pictures from various points and still get a good view. Same goes for viewing maps on the iPad; its spacious screen and interactive display will allow the user to manipulate and zoom the map for better resolution.

For persons who enjoy viewing and collecting photos, there are several ways to store pictures in the iPad. You can import photos from your digital camera or SD card using the iPad Camera Connection Kit, an accessory that is sold separately. You can also synchronize the iPad to your computer using iTunes andvoila!you have successfully incorporated photos into your iPad.

Videos and movies are great to watch on the iPad for its wide screen effect and crisp display. The battery can run for ten hours so you can watch movies to your heart's delight without having to deal with a blinking power indicator. YouTube has created an app specially designed for Apple computers to make up for the absence of Flash in the device.

Naturally, the iPadlike all other Apple computerspowers its entertainment and file sharing features through iTunes. This application will enable the user to share, download, and purchase media content such as music, videos, and photos.

Of course, the mother of all Apple apps is the App Store, where the user can purchase applications and content to be stored in the iPad. About 150,000 applications have been created and the numbers keep on growing as the iPad begins to respond to consumer demands.

Design-wise, there really isnt much to comment on iPad. There's just the 9.7 inch, 1024 x 768 multi-touch LED backlit display that takes much of the bulk of the iPad's surface. But quite frankly, that is what most people love about Apple's products. Minimalist, sleek, yet very functional. But we'll go to that later. Let's first take a look at the iPad, from its exterior.

Unboxing the iPad
It is a beauty to behold, undoubtedly. Although un-boxing the device is the least marvelous thing about the beast, few people can say that much thought was not given to how the device is packaged. Since it's an Apple product, you can't doubt the fact that countless hours were spent over how the device would look when packed. And people are not disappointed for Apple's thoughtfulness.

The packaging is superb. It matches the general appeal of the device. For starters, the box of the iPad has a touch of MacBook Air in it. If you loved MacBook Air or other MacBook products, you will surely fall for the box of the iPad. It's so nice, you can hang it on a frame and display it in your living room.

Moving on, inside the box is the iPad itself, a thin information packet, which you would probably not use at all because even 2-year-old kids can understand the simplicity of the device, a wall power charger, and the famous USB 30-pin dock connector. If you have opened any Apple devices before, you are at home with these things.

How iPad's Size and Weight Measure Up
The closest comparison you can get is Amazon's Kindle DX. Not identical, but nearly there. iPad measures 9.56 inches in height, 7.47 inches in width and .05 inch in thickness. It weighs 1.5 pounds for the WiFi model, 1.6 for the WiFi plus 3G model. In comparison, Kindle DX stands at 10.4 inches, is 7.2 inches wide, .38 inch thick, and weighs at 1.2 pounds.

For a device that does more than the Kindle DX does if it alone is the point of comparison, the thickness of the iPad is forgivable, acceptable in fact. If the size and function of the iPad were to be used as parameters for judging whether or not iPad is better than Kindle DX, it is not a stretch to say that it is a killer. With its thoughtful eBook reading applications and the diverse selection of eBooks available for use with iPad, many say Kindle will soon be replaced with iPad.

Despite its revolutionary thickness, many people still seem to complain about the .5 inch thickness of iPad. Sure, it may feel awkward and may prove more difficult to handle in one hand for a few hours than Kindle DX, but considering how and what the device does, this is nothing more than nitpicking.

The Verdict
Well, it's obvious. There is no other device in the market that has what iPad has. That does what iPad does. The glossy glass face alone is a winner. And we havent even talked about the functions of the device.

Well, even the best computer in the world has its shortcomings. With a promise of harboring new things for personal computing, iPad took center stage and impressed many. But not everyone is happy about what iPad brings to the table. For one, no one is quite sure what role iPad has to fill.

What Really Is An iPad?
Is it a toy, or is it a personal computer? A replacement for notebooks, maybe? For laptops? No one can quite pin down what exactly iPad does. It is a hybrid of sorts, but no one can truly say what it can do that other devices can't. Even when everyone is clamoring that this device could kill Amazon's Kindle, many from the Kinderworld still swear by the almighty e-ink. Still, even the not so big fans of reading eBooks on iPad think that the thoughtfulness of the technology used to recreate reading on an electronic device makes iPad a decent eBook reader.

Issues With Portability
It looks very much like an iPod Touch, only it is about 4 times bigger. But it is not an iPod Touch and certainly has more functions than iPod Touch offers. Besides, it doesnt even have SMS so there simply is no way it can be an android phone, a hybrid phone even. Also, unlike the iPod Touch, it is not as portable. You can't carry it around, not even in your pocket. It has the same portability issues as its heavier cousins laptops and netbooks. Even around the house, people have difficulty carrying it around. It is too expensive to carry without a case it's quite heavy, its slippery and looks very fragile.

It is a very impressive feat of engineering, though. No one can doubt that. At .5 inch thick, iPad stores so much power in it that it is virtually a go-to device when some work have to be finished or when you need a hand for your procrastination. But its not just light enough. Surely, anyone who holds this device with one hand for a few hours while reading an eBook or watching a movie will get tired of the weight. Even when you place it on your lap, a few hours can kill your legs. Still, it would be so much to ask when you have a powerful device that can give you superb web browsing experience, brilliant applications, and whatnot and not be content with its .5 inch thickness and its a little more than a pound of weight.

The Problem With The Screen
Too much glare. Susceptibility to fingerprints. Vulnerability to cracking. Too slippery. The list could go on. The main thing that makes iPad a very handsome device is what many of Apple products' detractors hate about it. And comparisons are always made about how Kindle can fare better under the sun.

But really, when you take all these things away from iPad, you are already asking for a perfect tablet PC. A perfect device that can do nearly all things other devices can do without giving you so much as a small problem. And to think that it is just the second tablet PC Apple has developed, it sure is a giant leap for personal computing devices. But we are humans. Although we are not perfect ourselves, we expect for companies like Apple to produce perfect devices that no one can complain about, ever.

Apple iPad is many things to many people. It is a consolidated device that can be anything from a gaming console to an alternative to a 'real' computer and a replacement for popular e-reading devices. It is also a media player, a web browser, an e-mailing deviceto highlight a few things it can do. The fact that it does so many things while offering a better experience than the original devices built for iPads' specific applications is enough to confuse people what role iPad really fits in their lives. We'll try to break the device down a bit for you.

It is a superb media player. Playing video is, perhaps, the forte of iPad, but Apple doesnt really claim that so it can't be confirmed. Nevertheless, like its older distant cousins laptops, DVD players and even plasma TVs it can display videos very well. With its crisp, glossy screen, you can expect high from this device and you won't be disappointed. Maybe you'll find the fingerprints on the screen gross when you turn of the device, but that's an entirely different issue.

You can watch live stream TV on iPad, and even watch YouTube and other video sites without a glitch, given of course that you have the right application to 'convert' Flash to iPad-hosted file. If you are looking for a device that can help you catch your favorite video online, you can watch nearly whatever you want with iPad without a hiccup.

It's a major gaming platform, almost. Everyone thought that gaming apps are just value-added features that can enhance the use of iPad. Well, everyone was wrong, dead wrong. iPad may not be built as a dedicated game console, but definitely has the qualities of a great gaming console. In some respects, it even beats existing gaming consoles with its features and capacity to enhance gaming experience. Gaming console developers could be cursing that extra horsepower and that extra huge multitouch screen that Apple threw into their tablet PC.

It could be a computer replacement. In the future, we could see iPad-like devices replacing real computers. As 'raw' as iPad is now raw, meaning having the superb and diverse apps and functions it has now it already shows great promise for end users. It somewhat gives us a glimpse of personal computers 5, 6 10 years ahead. Maybe even less.

Despite all its glory, iPad is nowhere near to replacing 'real' computers just yet. It can't do as much as laptops and desktops can but it can definitely run as a winner against netbooks and other smaller devices. It can even beat e-reading devices, portable DVD players, and even plasma TV. Knowing Apple, we know that some great things are in store for iPad 2.0.

So what is iPad? Let's just say it's the first device ever to deliver on its promise while taking existing technologies to much greater heights. It may take a while before Apple unveils its predecessors, but
iPad is definitely the future of personal computing.

Many waited in line for the release of Apple's 'revolutionary' tablet PC, the iPad. But many, too, shrugged their shoulders with indifference and dissatisfaction over the fact that this almighty device would not deliver on its promise. Well, these two opposing views clearly show how polarized people are with iPad. Let us take a look at a few things that make iPad a not-so-hot item for some.

iPad 2.0 will be available soon, so why bother?
This is a big issue. The currently released iPad is a big disappointment for many and that doesnt help much with Apple's efforts to make its newest tablet PC a big hit. Whether the disappointments of the general public techies, mostly are justified or not, it still hurts Apple's sales. It still, in many ways, discouraged quite a huge number of people from buying the product.

But on top of this issue is the expectation that Apple will release a new, upgraded version soon. (Maybe this time, iPad will come with a built-in camera.) People would rather wait for the upgraded version, which many expect will offer a substantially improved version of its predecessor. Following this line of thinking, people would rather wait for one full year or two than dole out their more than $500 on a device that will soon be replaced.

It doesnt support Flash.
Ok, big deal. Apple seems to have a thing for Adobe's Flash, a standard on the web. Flash is what most websites and rich media are built with. It's the program that runs videos, audios and games that have saturated the online world. But Apple seem not to like it. The company prefers a more stable, less vulnerable to hack platform. It prefers its own HTML5. It only makes perfect sense that all Apple's products iPad included runs on this platform and not on Flash.

What most people dont quite get though is that nearly all websites on the internet use Adobe Flash. For the end users, this means that when visiting websites using iPad's browser, Safari glorious and beautiful as it is there would still be some problems that may be encountered. Big problems. No Hulu and HBO for now, buddy.

No built-in camera. Na ah.
Before Steve Jobs formally presented iPad to the public, everyone thought it's a no-brainer that Apple will attach a camera to the device. Apparently, iPad doesnt carry one and there seems to be no clear indication that iPad 2.0 will have one. For now, iPad cant be used for taking snapshots of yourself or for making video calls over Skype or YM.

You only get to multitask when running Apple's native applications.
iPad runs on iPhone's OS, fine. What is not okay though is that the same limitations on iPhone are experienced with the iPad. Say goodbye to multitasking.

If you are a regular user and if you see iPad as nothing more than a sophisticated, multifunctioning multimedia player/toy/laptop hybrid, it won't be much of a problem. But if you live your life online, you'll be stumped. There is no way you can listen to iTunes while making a video call using Skype.

iPad is perhaps not only the most hyped device in recent history, but is also a device that has caused great polarization among users. People can only either love it or hate it. What is so remarkable with this love-hate relationship with Apple's 'magical' and 'revolutionary' tablet PC is that you can tell who love and who hate iPad.

On one side, the techies hate it. They hate the fact that it can't multitask, that it does not have Flash, and that it's just a gigantic version of the iPod Touch. They can tell you everything that is so undesirable with iPad from its glossy screen that shows all the gross signs of fingerprints when turned off and the aluminum back that won't make you feel comfortable when you place it on your lap early in the morning. They would even go so far as rant about the black bezel that is too wide to be attractive. There is absolutely nothing that iPad does that other devices doesnt already do better. And to top all these off, iPad is nothing more than a product of systematic publicity.

While the techies complain about iPad, the online congregation of Apple product enthusiasts continue to clamor for the success that Apple has achieved through the tablet PC that promises to permanently change the way personal computing will roll in the future.

Multitouch screen This is surely among the top reasons why non-techie users of iPad love to have it around. Although iPod Touch can be used with nothing but bare thumbs, iPad takes multitouch screens to a level no other product has reached before.

You can still play your favorite game applications, but this time, the experience is enhanced. Instead of constantly zooming in and out of the board when you're playing scrabble, you already have the entire board glaring back at you. If you are driving on simulators, your screen resembles a car windshield more than it does with iPod Touch. If you love reading eBooks on your IPod Touch, you will find that the iBooks e-reader application of its much younger cousin offers you an experience almost similar with reading an actual book. Turn a page and you'll find how much thought was thrown in to create an e-reader app that will give an almost the same feel as with reading a book. With a few modifications, of course. A single tap on an unfamiliar word can give you a dictionary definition online, for one.

When visiting a website, so long as it does not contain rich media contents made with Adobe Flash, you'll have no problem. Other than that, the general experience of web browsing with iPad is simply, incredible. It's fast, hassle-free, and liquid. It is, as Steve Jobs claimed, "the best browsing experience you've ever had".

But not everything that is good with iPad is about its superb screen. People love the fact that iPad exceeds battery life expectations as well. Where typical laptops and portable DVD players can shell out up to 4 hours battery life, iPad promises you up to 10 hours of continuous use. No need for charging in between. But don't take the manufacturer's word for it. One independent review claimed that his iPad played 12 hours' worth of movies.

And despite all these great things, iPad gives more. What more can you ask from a $499 Apple device?

Now that the excitement towards Apple's iPad has now calmed down, people can think more clearly about the device that has received more hype than all other new devices in recent history combined. Naturally, there are some disappointed techies and ordinary end users out there who rant about anything from the lack of built-in camera to the fact that the device heats up in direct sunlight. And of course, there are always those who are eager to say everything that is good about Apple's newest creation. So what really is the score with this 'magical' and 'revolutionary' device? Here's our take.

iPad's Shortcomings
It does not multitask. Well, this isnt entirely true. iPad can multitask when its running its own applications. Multitasking stops when you begin running third-party applications such as IM apps.

For the most parts, this is bearable. Not many users complain about the fact that they cant update their tweets on Twitter, while commenting on a post thread in a forum or Facebook and at the same time watching live TV and writing emails. This doesnt seem to bother the majority of users. But if you are a techie, this is a huge disappointment. $499 doesnt justify the device at all. Na ah.

It doesnt support Flash. Apple has some issues with Flash. It's unstable, vulnerable to bugs among other things. So the company is not supporting it, and will probably not, ever. Not that the company does not offer an alternative. It does. It is, in fact, pushing its own HTML5, which is recently making waves online. But with less than one percent of all websites have converted to HTML5. This poses some major risks of not being able to surf the web without a glitch. Well, not supporting Flash is definitely a bummer.

It doesnt support a built-in camera. Prior to iPad's launching, rumors have spread that it comes with a camera. Apparently, it doesnt. At least not yet. And that definitely has caused uproar among disconcerted enthusiasts of anything that bears Apple's logo.

It doesnt allow users to do real work with it. Well, it does, only to a certain degree. Apple seems to have a penchant for eliminating documents and files within its power so it's apps, apps and apps all the way. But it does offer Keynote, Numbers and Pages, which by the way are superb tools you can work with.

And the list goes on

iPad's Offers
From an ordinary user's point of view, there is nothing that you can't love about iPad. We won't enumerate all the things that make iPad a very beautiful, all-around device here. There's just so many, you may fall in love with it and want to marry it.

But maybe, just maybe, iPad's detractors are looking for a perfect device that can do everything everyone could ever wish for. Or perhaps, they are looking at the device the wrong way. Many are taking the wrong approach to the device, comparing it with netbooks and laptops and other devices in between. Apple is perhaps trying to create a new device that is a hybrid yet performs at par or better than existing devices.

But for all its worth, iPad is definitely ushering in a possible future for personal computing technology and user interface.

The pioneer in e-reading industry seems to have been beaten by a consolidated device that also delivers superb e-reading experience. But is the game over already between Amazon's kindle and Apple's iPad?

When Steve jobs presented the much-anticipated tablet PC, the iPad, during the formal launching of the product, he gave the nod to Amazon for pioneering and revolutionizing the electronic books industry. It was only a matter of time until he took an ominous tone that seemed to threaten to burn Kindle, for good. In Steve Jobs' words, Were going to stand on their shoulders and go a little further. And they have taken e-reading further.

iPad is not exactly an e-reader. It is a hybrid that hovers between a smartphone, a laptop, and in some incredible respects, an e-reading device. What it does exactly, no one can quite pin down. It houses a powerful software that can do anything from playing high definition videos to providing a superb gaming console and, well, everything else in between. E-reading capabilities included. At first glance, iPad seems to run away as a winner in many things. But when pitted against Amazon's Kindle, does it even stand a chance?

The heck it does. Take Steve Jobs' word for it. iPad is a device that can take technologies to much greater heights.

Retailing at $499 per piece, iPad does something more than a $249 Kindle can. It plays all sorts of media very well, it manages Instant Messaging platforms superbly, it allows seamless surfing of the web with the updated and better performing Safari, and has other capabilities that are apparently beyond the reach of Amazon's Kindle.

Now the obvious question, will consumers prefer a multi-functioning device that seems to have consolidated everything from smartphone capabilities to plasma TV capabilities yes ipad enthusiasts go so far as comparing the glossy multitouch screen of iPad to a plasma TV - to a device that only does one thing to serve as a platform for ebooks? More importantly, when Kindle's price go up, will consumers still buy it? Apparently, there are some Kindle die-hard fans out there who appreciate everything Kindle.

Kindle is Amazon's blockbuster for a good reason. It is quite simply the best e-reading device out there. It does what no other e-reading device out there does it takes e-reading experience to a realistic yet more convenient level. It is a no brainer that kindle is not as sophisticated as iPad and that exactly is the selling point for the device. It does house any entertainment applications so users can focus on what they are doing, that is to finish the books they are reading from cover to cover. It also has the slow refresh function which makes it hard for readers to jump from one page to another, making it virtually impossible to skip from one chapter of the book to the next.

Kindle is also much less heavier than iPad. It weighs no more than 1.2 pounds, which is pure convenience for long readers. Compared to iPad which comes at 1.5 pounds, Kindle does not pose any discomfort identical with users who have tried reading with iPad.

So it's a standoffApple's iPad has functions that Kindle doesn't even pretend to have but Amazon offers a specialized device that delivers on its promise. In the end, users will still have to decide. Do they need a toy that allows e-reading or an e-reader that does its work very well?