iPad

From the latest news to the most comprehensive tutorials, learn how to get the most out of your iPad with our step-by-step guides and expert tips.

First look at the new iPad mini Smart Cover

Although the iPad mini won't start hitting shelves and doorsteps until this Friday, it appears the Cupertino company has decided to go ahead and start shipping the tablet's accessories. Earlier this afternoon, my local FedEx driver dropped off this little guy: a Dark Grey polyurethane iPad mini Smart Cover.

At first glance, the smaller Cover may seem like an exact replica of its larger sibling. But there's one significant difference between the two, and that's the hinges. Instead of using a bare metal hinge, like it does in the full-sized Smart Cover, Apple used a covered hinge in the mini version. So there's no metal on metal...

Apple updates Find My Friends with new features, resolves unexpected iBooks quits

Apple has updated its Find My Friends app for iOS devices and iBooks 3, which launched alongside the iPad mini last week. iBooks version 3.0.1 is a minor update which resolves an issue where iBooks may unexpectedly quit. With last week's release of iBooks 3, a free download, Apple added a new continuous scrolling theme akin to the Instapaper app, the ability to see iCloud purchases on your bookshelf, social sharing of quotes and more. Find My Friends version 2.0.1, also a free download, now features friends' notifications regarding your location right under the Me > Followers section. You will also find your temporary friends listed under Followers in the Me tab as well...

The banned iPad mini promo video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Os87PLlyU4k#!

iPad mini is the future. It's the future until May, at least. Probably more like the end of May. Or more than likely, June.

iPad mini is now the future until then.

BooKase stitches Italian quality into its iPad sleeves

I always keep an eye open for professional grade products, when scouring the internet for review materials and products. The BooKase website is a simplistic and unsuspecting front page advertisement for what amounted to an excellent iPad sleeve. Offering several options for both iPad and iPhone, I chose to review the Colorado collection designed for iPad and quickly fell for the simplicity and quality.

BooKase products are designed in California and produced in Italy. Placing importance on design-build, the materials are eco-friendly and washable to ensure a minimal footprint while offering easy-to-use protection...

Apple sells out of initial iPad mini pre-order stock in 72 hours

Apple has taken some heavy criticism over the past few days regarding the iPad mini's price tag. Starting at $329, a lot of folks feel that it has priced itself out of the 7-8-inch tablet market, which is dominated by $200 slates.

Well if that's the case, then someone forgot to tell consumers. Because according to Apple's website, the company has sold out of its initial pre-order stock of all Wi-Fi iPad minis during the tablet's first 72 hours of availability...

Amazon takes on the iPad mini in homepage ad

With the release of the 7.9-inch iPad mini this week, Apple will essentially be entering Amazon's home turf. You could argue that Apple still dominates the overall tablet market. But with two years of Kindle Fire sales under its belt, Amazon owns the 7-8-inch tablet space.

And as you may have guessed, it's not prepared to concede any of that space to Apple without a fight. Over the weekend, people started noticing that Amazon had placed a comparison chart between the iPad mini and its Kindle Fire HD, front and center on its homepage...

How green is the iPad mini?

In the run up to last week's iPad mini event, we heard multiple rumors claiming that Apple's new tablet would come in multiple colors, like the iPod touch. But obviously, the speculation never materialized.

Like other iPads and iPhones before it, the iPad mini only comes in two colors: white and black. There is, however, one other color that folks seem to be concerned about: green. How green is the iPad mini?

Initial pre-order stock of black 16GB iPad mini gone

Bad news for folks who haven't pre-ordered their iPad mini yet, it looks like the initial stock of all of the entry-level models are gone. White versions sold out shortly after pre-orders began Friday morning, and black 16GB minis sold out today.

This means that if you are hoping to score one of the aforementioned tablets on launch day, you'll have to head to your local Apple Store...

How to hide the status bar in Safari, no jailbreak required

Rag3Hack is at it again. Hot on the heels of his non-jailbreak solution for hiding stock iOS apps, comes a new trick that allows you to hide the status bar in Safari. This is useful because it allows you to gain more screen real estate since there's no full screen mode in portrait mode.

Take a look at our video demonstration inside for more details on Rag3Hack's latest...

iPad vs Surface boot speed test

Just a few minutes ago, I pitted the newly released Microsoft Surface against the 3rd generation iPad with Retina Display. Keep in mind that neither tablet is a slouch when it comes to specs, and that this isn't exactly a scientific test. Still, some of you might be surprised as to which tablet came out on top in a cold boot speed test.

I won't spoil the results, but if you're interested in seeing it for yourself, head inside and check out our iPad vs Microsoft Surface boot test video...

iPad vs Surface: size and dimensions

The Microsoft Surface launched today to quite a bit of fanfare. I just received my unit via FedEx a few hours ago. Although I've yet to actually power on the unit (such is the life of a tech blogger), I have thoroughly inspected its hardware.

In the following video, I compare the Surface's dimensions and weight to that of the iPad 3. It's an interesting look at two wildly different tablets on pretty much every level. Take a gander...

Android grabs 41 percent of tablet market as Apple’s share falls

Can the iPad mini save Apple's slipping lead in tablet sales? The could be the question of the day as researchers announce Apple's share of the tablet market dropped to 56.7 percent while Android tablets now account for 41 percent of the worldwide market.

According to Strategy Analytics, the iPad's lead eroded from the 64.5 percent it held during the third quarter of 2011. Meanwhile, an army of Android tablets, helped by Apple losses, rose to 41.3 percent of the market, up from 29.2 percent during the same period last year...