3.)
Do you know how big a gigabyte (GB) is? Technically, it’s a billion bytes where a byte is the standard unit for digital information. A byte is typically 8 bits long where each bit is an on/off, yes/no, or 0/1 value (those terms are interchangeable in this context). So now do you know what a gigabyte is? Let’s try another route.
A gigabyte can contain 60 minutes of standard TV video running a 2.2 megabits per second (2.2 Mbit/s). A gigabyte can also contain 7 minutes of high definition TV (HDTV) running at 19.39 Mbit/s. The difference between HDTV and SDTV has to do with the size of the image, but the storage also depends on the speed with which it runs: A faster speed makes for a smoother playback, and a larger image size makes for clearer images. Both the speed and the image size together determine how good the video looks.
When downloading or playing video on any computer, if you have a choice of HDTV or SDTV, pick the version that gives you the best results. In the best case, choose HDTV, but because the files are going to be larger than SDTV, if you’re running out of storage space you might want to opt for SDTV.
If you are downloading video to view later (as opposed to viewing it now) you might want to do the download at an off-peak time and watch it in the best quality once it’s downloaded.
Don’t forget that downloading large files also costs you more if you’re not using a Wi-Fi connection. So the choice is yours based on how much storage space you have, how long you have to download the file, and how much – if anything – you have to pay for the download itself.
Consider this: Just about any computer you buy today comes with a minimum of 250GB to 500GB of storage. Computers have to tackle larger tasks than iPads do, so that amount makes sense. The iPad, which uses a technology called flash for memory storage, is designed (to a great extent) to help you experience online media and email; it doesn’t have to store much and in fact pulls lots of content from online sources. In the world of memory, 16GB is puny storage if you want to keep lots of content on the device.
The biggest users of memory are movies, followed by photos and music. The bigger or longer the movies, photos, and songs are, the more memory you need. You can always back them up to iCloud to relieve the pressure on your iPad (as described in Chapter 3).
What can really, really, really push you into needing much more memory is using your iPad to create and edit content. If you’re using iMovie to create your own movies from raw footage you shoot or collect, you’re going need to be able to keep several clips as well as your being-built movie in memory at the same time. (iMovie from Apple is free from the App Store but you can also do a lot of video work with Photos, as described in Chapters 14 and 15.)
If you’re creating complex drawings (large or detailed), you’ll probably need more memory. If you’re writing or editing text – even text with a few illustrations – you’ll probably need less memory.
So how much capacity is enough for your iPad? Here are a few tips:
• If you like lots of media, such as movies or TV shows, and you want to store them on your iPad (rather than access them online on sites such as Hulu or Netflix), you need a lot of built-in memory. If you’re just checking email and browsing the web, you generally need less memory; the minimum configuration is probably okay for you.
• Ask friends who are using an iPad how much memory they have and how much they think they need. Choose friends who do the same sorts of things you do. (To find memory usage, go to Settings and tap About. You’ll see the numbers for capacity and available usage. Don’t think that you can use all the available memory. Once you start using all your memory, performance can be degraded. There are no hard-and-fast guides to the amount of available memory you should have but just be aware that some of your memory is needed for the iPad itself.
• If you have an iPhone, use it as a guide. Look at how much memory you’re using on your phone, and think about what you’ll do on your iPad.
Although you can use your iPad on its own without any Internet or Wi-Fi access and without a computer to pair it with, it’s easier if you have Internet access and a computer that you can (occasionally) use with your iPad.
Use basic Internet access for your iPad
You need to be able to connect to the Internet to take advantage of most iPad features. If you have an Apple ID, you can have an iCloud account, Apple’s online storage service, to store and share content online, and you can use a computer to download photos, music, or applications from non-Apple online sources (such as stores, sharing sites, or your local library) and transfer them to your iPad through a process called syncing. You can also use a computer or iCloud to register your iPad the first time you start it, although you can have the folks at the Apple Store handle registration for you if you have an Apple Store nearby. If you don’t have a store nearby, the Chat feature on apple.com can connect you to a representative; you can also use apple.com to request a phone consultation. These are free (but for Chat you’ll need an Internet connection).
There are ways to set up your iPad without an Internet connection and without going to an Apple Store: The best way to find out more information is to contact support.apple.com through an Internet connection on another device or at a public library or Internet cafe.
Can you use your iPad without owning a computer and just use public Wi-Fi hotspots to go online (or a 3G/4G LTE connection, if you have such a model)? Yes. To go online using a Wi-Fi–only iPad and to use many of its built-in features at home, however, you need to have a home Wi-Fi network available. You also need to use iCloud or sync to your computer to get updates for the iPad operating system.
Pair your iPad with a computer
For syncing with a computer, Apple’s iPad User Guide recommends that you have
❯❯ A Mac or PC with a USB 2.0 port and one of the following operating systems:
• Mac OS X version 10.6.8 or later
• Windows 10, 8, 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 3 or later
❯❯ iTunes 11 or later, available at www.itunes.com/download
❯❯ An Apple ID and iTunes Store account
❯❯ Internet access
❯❯ An iCloud account
Apple has set up its iTunes software and the iCloud service to give you two ways to manage content for your iPad – including movies, music, or photos you’ve downloaded – and specify how to sync your calendar and contact information. There are a lot of tech terms to absorb here (iCloud, iTunes, syncing, and so on). Don’t worry: Chapter 3 covers those settings in more detail.
You use Wi-Fi to connect to a wireless network at home or at locations such as an Internet cafe, a library, a grocery store, or a bus, train, plane, or airport that offers Wi-Fi. This type of network uses short-range radio to connect to the Internet; its range is reasonably limited, so if you leave home or walk out of the coffee shop, you can’t use it anymore. (These limitations may change, however, as some towns are installing community-wide
