My New iPad 2: A User's Guide [Paperback]

Wallace Wang (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 31, 2011 | ISBN-10: 159327386X | ISBN-13: 978-1593273866 | Edition: 3rd New edition

The iPad is cute, lovable, fun to play with, and a bit mysterious.

My New iPad 2 is your guide to getting the most from Apple's latest magical creation. Best-selling author Wallace Wang's patient, step-by-step instructions will have you using your new iPad to:

• Find your way using the Maps app and the iPad's compass
• Get organized with the Notes, Calendar, and Contacts apps
• Set up your email accounts and browse the Web
• Listen to music, read ebooks, and take videos and photos
• Use FaceTime to talk face-to-face with distant friends and relatives
• Shop on iTunes and the App Store for the best new music, apps, movies, games, and books
• Set parental controls, use a secret passcode, and encrypt your backups for maximum privacy

And so much more. You'll even learn top-secret touch gestures to help make the most of your iPad. Discover the hundreds of amazing things your iPad can do with My New iPad 2.

5 Top Secret Tips from the Author

1. Trying to get through a bunch of email quickly? Archive or delete unimportant messages quickly by swiping on their subject-line in the Mail app. Need to make room for new stuff? The swipe-to-delete gesture works in several other apps like Videos and iBooks, too.


2. Browsing Safari when a bad song comes on? Double-click the home button, swipe the icons to the right, and press fast-forward in the iPod controls. (You can even get these iPod controls while your iPad is locked!)


3. Reading an article in Safari? Double-tap a column of text to zoom into it perfectly. Once you’re finished, jump back to the top of the page by tapping the very top of the iPad’s screen (the status bar).


4. Shake your iPad to undo a cut, paste, or even a bit of typing. Just be gentle!


5. Prefer playing music through your computer speakers, but reading the news on the iPad? You can control iTunes playing on your Mac or PC by using the free remote app from Apple.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Wallace Wang is the author of numerous best-selling computer books including Steal This Computer Book, Steal This File Sharing Book, My New Mac, and The Book of Nero (all No Starch Press). He is also a successful standup comic who has appeared on A&E's "Evening at the Improv" and appears regularly at the Riviera Comedy Club in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: No Starch Press; 3rd New edition edition (May 31, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159327386X
• ISBN-13: 978-1593273866
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.6 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #763,487 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I may be the only computer book author who hates computers. I love what computers can do but I hate the fact that they're so complicated, hard to use, unreliable, and downright troublesome. Besides writing computer books, I also enjoy performing stand-up comedy just to do something creative that involves human beings as opposed to machines.

I've been involved in computers, stand-up comedy, teaching, writing, and game designing for most of my life. In the computer industry, I've written over 50 computer books. Initially I focused primarily on Microsoft products such as Visual Basic and Microsoft Office. Later I switched focus to the Macintosh, iPhone, and iPad as I've watched the trend of computing shift from the PC/Microsoft dominated world to the mobile/Apple-influenced world. I've also shifted my programming focus from Delphi/Pascal and Visual Basic to Objective-C and LiveCode (a HyperCard clone) to create Macintosh and iPhone/iPad programs.

In the stand-up comedy world, I've been performing stand-up comedy for over 20 years, having appeared on A&E's "Evening at the Improv" and SiTV's "Latino Laugh Festival" along with appearing at the Riviera Comedy Club in Las Vegas. Currently I'm focusing my comedic writing skills towards occasional comedy performances but mostly towards screenwriting. You can read my screenwriting blog at The 15 Minute Movie Method (www.15minutemoviemethod.com). I've collected the best ideas from my screenwriting blog and condensed them into an e-book also called "The 15-Minute Movie Method," which is available as an e-book.

In 1992, I got my first cat and after reading a basic cat care book, I found that none of the advice offered had any basis in reality for dealing with the quirks and whims of a real cat. Based on that experience, I wrote a parody of a cat care book called "How to Live with a Cat (When You Really Don't Want To)." This book is now available as an e-book.

In the teaching world, I've taught at community colleges around San Diego as well as teaching at the University of Zimbabwe in Africa. Currently I teach an online Microsoft Word course through a company called Ed2Go.

In the writing world, I've written for several magazines including Computer Power User (CPU), Boardwatch Magazine, and Technical Analysis of Stocks and Commodities. I also write a weekly Macintosh column in an online computer magazine called ComputorEdge (www.computoredge.com). In addition, I've ghost written several books for real estate experts, stock day trading specialists, and network marketing millionaires. In 2008, I also helped San Diego State University's film department win their first student Emmy when they filmed my sitcom pilot, "Three of a Kind."

In the game designing world, I've created and published a game in 1983 called "Orbit War," which was published by Steve Jackson Games (the game is now out of print). The game simulated low orbital combat between satellites. I'm currently designing educational games for teaching various college level topics such as organic chemistry, calculus, and geometry.

I'm interested in always learning something new and combining my various skills and experience to stay ahead of changing technology and I enjoy writing about complex topics and making them easy to understand.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for beginners to iOS, too simplistic for everyone else August 20, 2010

By D. Greenbaum VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

The "My New" series is designed for non-technical beginning users who need some hand-holding in confronting their new device. "My New iPad" is a perfect book for someone who has never used in iPad or iPhone and needs to be taught the very basics. Although the book claims intermediate users can learn tips and tricks, the book was too simplistic to be of any value to experienced users.

For the beginning, readers will find just the information they need to get up and running. Although the book is a thick 350 or so pages, it's a very quick read and includes a large number of pictures for reference purposes and learning about your iPad without actually having an iPad in front of you.

Instead of focusing on every feature, the book covers those features the average new user would be interested in. The books starts at the beginning: how to turn the iPad off and on. Instead of a list of every feature of every setting in alphabetical order, the presentation is based on how a user first approaches their iPad. First they turn it on, then customize it, then they get on the Internet and go from there. The last chapters focus on more advanced topics such as moving Microsoft Office docs to and from your iPad and suggested apps (although the app suggestions are extremely outdated). In the middle is a focus on practical aspects of iPad use - less about what an app does, and more how to integrate that app into your daily usage.

Overall, this book is great for a beginner to the iOS platform as well as the iPad user who bought one and quite can't figure out the best way to use it....

Pros: Well-illustrated with clear examples on usage, focuses on the features of the iPad the average user would be interested in a logical order
Cons: Simplistic for iPad users already comfortable with the device Read more ›

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for beginners December 12, 2011

By Anita J. Davison

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am an 82 year old who loves all the new electronic things but I do not have the background that the young people have. I learn better with manuals and this one is a perfect step by step one and it helps me to enjoy my I PAD 2.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Provides A Great Foundation For New Users July 19, 2011

By Devin B. King

Format:Paperback

My New iPad 2: A User's Guide from No Starch Press, is the latest book in the "My New" series by best-selling author and standup comic Wallace Wang.

My New iPad 2 is written in an approachable, friendly, and organized manner. The book takes the user on a 263 page step-by-step journey from the basics of simply turning on the iPad to battery conservation, customizing, controlling, managing, organizing, and general troubleshooting. Every chapter is filled with colorful screenshots and illustrations. The book never gets too technical or tiring to read.

Every App that is included with the iPad 2 is covered in just enough detail. You come away with a feeling that you have gained a confident familiarity with the applications that Apple provides with the iPad 2.

As the lessons wind down, Mr. Wang guides you through the wonderful Accessibility features that Apple provides and then goes on to offer the reader some solid choices on apps to install on their new iPad.

Throughout the book, tips are featured within most topics. For example, I learned that the scrubbing rate can be set by holding your finger over the Playhead slider until the Hi-Speed Scrubbing bar appears. Now, slide your finger down the the screen and the scrubbing speed choices change to Half Speed then Quarter Speed and then finally to Fine scrubbing.

The book closes with a useful chapter on troubleshooting. I would like to have seen Mr. Wang include instructions on rebooting the device. He explains how to restart the iPad but stops just short of providing the bonus tip of rebooting. To reboot your ipad, hold down the On/Off button and Home button at the same time. When you see the red slider, ignore it. Continue to hold down the On/Off and Home buttons until you see the Apple logo....

Mr. Wang writes in a style that you would see if Apple did put manuals in the box (or in iBooks.) If you ever said, "I just wish someone would sit down and show me", My iPad 2: A User's guide is an excellent choice. It is an iOS technology manual for the rest of us.

I found My New iPad 2: A User's Guide to be a terrific overview of what the iPad 2 and iOS 4 offers. While clearly written for the first time iPad 2 owner, veteran users will discover a few new tips to add to their arsenal. I look forward to future editions covering iOS 5.

Disclosure: No Starch Press sent a copy to the Southern California Macintosh Owners/Users Group for review. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to read, easy to learn! July 20, 2011

By Andrew Kavanagh

Format:Paperback

My New iPad 2 is such a pleasure to read!
Easy to follow, which makes it quick to learn.
And no excessive wordage or redundancy make this book great.

Most importantly My New iPad 2 de-mystifies the process of copying settings, contacts, music,
photos, apps, and more from iTunes on your computer to your iPad.
Very helpful book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Handy & attractive iPad manual June 30, 2011

By Steve Bellamy

Format:Paperback

This was a fun and informative book to read - it handles all the basics for the new user but there is always something new you can pick up - just off the top of my head: how to get foreign letters on the keyboard, changing your sleep settings, handling photos, contacts, iBooks, videos, calendars, maps, etc.Have you ever searched you iPad with spotlight? Did you even know you could? So, this is an attractive and well laid out book which doesn't go into the dark depths of what you can do with the iPad but has something for nearly every iPad user.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Any with a new iPad 2 will find this the manual that 'should be in the box' August 8, 2010

By Midwest Book Review

Format:Paperback

My New iPad 2 is a fine guide for getting the most from the iPad 2 and provides a step-by-step coverage for all the basics, from using the Maps app and the iPad calendar to setting up email accounts, using FaceTime to talk face-to-face, and setting passwords, controls and more. Any with a new iPad 2 will find this the manual that 'should be in the box'.

4.0 out of 5 stars iPad User Guide February 11, 2013

By Patrick J. McInerney

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am the guy of guy who need user guides.
I use them for a reference.
I no longer have the iPad, so the user guide has gone south.
joe