Introduction - iPad For Seniors For Dummies, 8th Edition (2016)

iPad For Seniors For Dummies, 8th Edition (2016)

Introduction

If you bought this book (or are even thinking about buying it), you’ve probably already made the decision to buy an iPad. The iPad is designed to be simple to use, but still, you can spend hours exploring the preinstalled apps, finding out how to change settings, and figuring out how to sync the device to your computer or through iTunes or iCloud. I’ve invested those hours so that you don’t have to — and I’ve added advice and tips for getting the most out of your iPad.

This book helps you get going with the iPad quickly and painlessly so that you can move directly to the fun part.

About This Book

This book is written specifically for mature people like you, folks who may be relatively new to using a tablet device and want to discover the basics of buying an iPad, working with its preinstalled apps, and getting on the Internet. In writing this book, I’ve tried to consider the types of activities that might interest someone who is 50 years old or older and picking up an iPad for the first time.

Foolish Assumptions

This book is organized by sets of tasks. These tasks start from the beginning, assuming that you’ve never laid your hands on an iPad, and guide you through basic steps in nontechnical language.

This book was written about the iPad Pro (with a 12.9 inch display), iPad Air 2 (the 9.7-inch model), and iPad mini 4 (the 7.9-inch model). Most material is relevant whether you have an iPad second-generation or later, though I strongly recommend that you update to the latest operating system, iOS 9, which is quick and easy to do (see Chapter 2). iOS 9 is the operating system I based this book on.

This book covers both the Wi-Fi–only and the Wi-Fi and 3G/4G iPad features. Examples that involve iTunes are based on version 12.2 of that software.

Icons Used in This Book

There are two icons used in this book to alert you to special content:

tip Tip icons point out insights or helpful suggestions related to tasks in the step lists.

new This icon is used to highlight features of the latest iPad models or iOS 9 that are new and exciting, in case you’re moving up from earlier versions.

Beyond the Book

I’ve provided additional information about iPad and iOS 9 online to help you on your way:

· Cheat Sheet: Check out www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/ipadforseniors to help you figure out various iPad General settings and settings for email and contacts that will come in handy on a regular basis.

· Online articles: On several of the pages that open each of this book’s parts, you’ll find links to what the folks at For Dummies call Web Extras, which expand on features that I’ve discussed in that particular section. You’ll find them at www.dummies.com/extras/ipadforseniors. There, I’ve given you a listing of free apps to get you going with your iPad at no cost, info about using Apple Music, and a handy list of Siri commands.

Where to Go from Here

Dive in and get started! You can work through this book from beginning to end, or simply open a chapter to solve a problem or acquire a specific new skill whenever you need it. The steps in every task quickly get you to where you want to go, without a lot of technical explanation.

Note: At the time I wrote this book, all the information it contained was accurate. Apple may introduce new iPad models and new versions of the iOS and iTunes between book editions. If you’ve bought a new iPad and its hardware, user interface, or version of iTunes looks a little different, be sure to check out what Apple has to say at www.apple.com/ipad. You’ll no doubt find updates on the company’s latest releases. Also, if you don’t set up iCloud to automatically update your iPad, perform updates to the operating system on a regular basis, as described inChapter 2.

When a change is very substantial, I may add an update or bonus information that you can download at my website for this book, www.ipadmadeclear.com.