iPad mini: Unboxing Photos, First Impressions And Some Interesting Details

We’ve got our hands on the new iPad mini, which goes on sale in 34 countries today.

So here’s our unboxing experience of the black iPad mini in photos along with the first impressions and some interesting details.

First Impressions:

• The iPad mini comes in a miniature version of the full-sized iPad box.
• The iPad mini feels noticeably lighter than the iPad 3/iPad 4, which is not a big surprise as it weighs less than half the weight of the full-sized iPad. It will be our go-to gadget when we want to read in bed.
• It’s also very thin, not as thin as the 5th generation iPod touch, but thinner than the iPhone 5.

• You can comfortably hold it in one hand in portrait mode thanks to the slightly rounded sides, which can be quite useful in certain situations. Apple did the right thing by reducing the width of the side bezels.
• The fit and finish of the iPad mini is incredible. The back casing comes with the same kind of anodized aluminum used in the 5th generation iPod touch (which we really liked) and MacBook line.
• Actually, the iPad mini feels more like a bigger iPod touch rather than a smaller iPad due to the thinner bezel and anodized aluminum coating.
• As some early iPad mini reviews have mentioned, the thin and light iPad mini with its anodized aluminum coating and slightly rounded sides makes it a pleasure to hold.
• We noticed that the anodized aluminum coating is quite prone to fingerprints.
• iPad mini’s stereo speakers sound pretty good.
• If you’re used to the Retina Display, you will notice that the screen is of lower resolution, especially while reading.
• The size of the text also seemed quite small while surfing, felt the need to double tap on webpages to zoom in to avoid straining our eyes.
• The keys on the virtual keyboard are quite small in portrait mode, while they are quite nice and big in the landscape mode so it was more comfortable typing in landscape mode.
• The screen size is perfect for apps like Tweetbot, Mail app, Reeder, which are some of our most used apps.
• Unlike the full-sized iPad, it doesn’t feel odd using the iPad mini to take photos.

• Some interesting details:
• iPad mini comes with 92% charge out of the box.
• While setting up the device, iOS refers to the iPad mini as the iPad and not with the “iPad mini” moniker.
• The headphone jack is at the top edge.
• The speaker grille is at the bottom rather than at the back.
• iPad mini comes pre-installed with iOS 6.0 and not iOS 6.0.1. So users will have to update it iOS 6.0.1, which was released yesterday.
• According to software requirements on the box, iPad mini requires iTunes 11 or above, so it looks like Apple delayed the launch of iTunes 11 at the last minute.
• The Camera app doesn’t come with the Panorama mode.
• According to the Geekbench 2 app, iPad mini is powered by a 999 Mhz dual-core ARMv7 processor with 512MB RAM.
• iPad mini got a Geekbench score of 749, which is slightly lower than iPad 2′s average Geekbench score of 780, 3rd generation iPad’s average Geekbench score of 790 and significantly lower than 4th generation iPad’s early Geekbench score of 1757.
• The Smart Cover seems to work much better with the iPad mini as it doesn’t tend to snap off like the bigger iPad, probably as it is much lighter.

Here are the unboxing photos:

If there is something you want to know about the iPad mini, then please feel free to drop us a line in the comments 

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Low Touchscreen Yields Reportedly Contributing to iPad Mini Pricing

Digitimes reports that one of the primary reasons that Apple was unable or unwilling to launch the iPad mini at a price below $329 is ongoing difficulties with touchscreen production as Apple transitions to new "GF2 Dito" technology.
The sources said the DITO film sensor is having mass production issues, which has been a big contributor to why the device is approximately 40-50% more expensive compared to other 7-inch tablets that have OGS or G/G structures.

The sources said that GF2 touch screen modules are only about roughly US$5 cheaper than G/G ones for the 9.7-inch iPad models.

Apple's transition to the new touch structure was mentioned by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo back in late August, with Kuo noting that hurdles experienced in that transition were one of the primary reasons that prevented Apple from launching iPad mini earlier than it did.

Today's report also notes that supply chain sources are continuing to see orders for the iPad 2 extending as far as the first quarter of next year, suggesting that Apple will indeed keep that model available for some time. One analyst had speculated last week that Apple might drop the iPad 2 in favor of the iPad mini in order to maintain a streamline product lineup, but at its media event this week the company was clear that the iPad 2 at $399 Wi-Fi/$529 cellular remains an integral part of its iPad portfolio even as the third-generation iPad has been discontinued.

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Apple's Schiller defends iPad mini's price tag

Apple marketing wizard Phil Schiller defended the $329 price of the new iPad mini tablet, saying consumers will be willing to pay for quality not found in less expensive devices from rivals like Google and Amazon.

With competition growing from tablets that are smaller and less expensive than Apple's wildly popular iPads, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook and Schiller on Tuesday took the wraps off the new 7.9-inch tablet, which essentially has most of the functions and features of the full-size iPad but in a smaller package.

While the news of the launch was welcomed by Wall Street, many analysts were concerned that the steeper-than-expected price might turn away some cost conscious consumers.

Google's Nexus 7 and Amazon's Kindle Fire HD tablets are both priced starting at $199. While the iPad mini is significantly more expensive, it is also lighter, thinner and provides more screen space than rival offerings.

Asked by Reuters whether the iPad mini's price could make it too expensive for some cost-conscious shoppers who have been attracted to the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire, Schiller said he believes consumers will see Apple's smaller tablet as a premium product worth paying for.

"The iPad is far and away the most successful product in its category. The most affordable product we've made so far was $399 and people were choosing that over those devices," Schiller said.

"And now you can get a device that's even more affordable at $329 in this great new form, and I think a lot of customers are going to be very excited about that," Schiller said.

Amazon made inroads into the realm of 7-inch tablets last year with the launch of its Kindle Fire and has said its latest Kindle Fire HD is the best-selling product on the company's website since the device went on sale more than a month ago.

The Internet retailer is believed to sell the product close to its cost, but the Fire HD is part of Amazon's strategy to attract mobile customers to its website.

Internet advertiser Google is similarly believed to sell its Nexus 7, manufactured by Asustek, near cost.

Apple is under pressure to defend its dominant position in tablets, a market it created with the launch of the first iPad in 2010. The intensity in the marketplace was evident in Tuesday's unveiling of the iPad mini as Schiller took the unusual step of doing a side-by-side comparison of the smaller iPad and Google's Nexus 7 tablet.

"Others have tried to make tablets smaller than the iPad and they've failed miserably," Schiller said during the event. "These are not great experiences."

The launch of the iPad mini, at the California Theater in San Jose, was mostly a Schiller show with the veteran Apple executive responsible for all of its marketing and advertising strategy introducing all of the new products, including a fourth generation 10-inch iPad, a 13-inch Macbook Pro with a so-called retina screen and a new iMac.

Apple's presentations typically feature a host of executives and even some external game company executives, but Schiller on Tuesday only shared the stage with Cook, who later mingled in a crowded room as journalists and analysts jostled in a crowded room to try out the new gadgets.

Analysts have worried that challenging the likes of Amazon in smaller and less expensive tablets could hurt Apple's prized profit margins. Apple's gross margin on the full-sized iPad is between 23 percent and 32 percent for US sales.

Despite concerns that the high price tag may curb demand, analysts were still bullish of the company, which will releases its fiscal fourth-quarter results on Thursday.

"In spite of concerns about the price … we would be buyers of the stock even in front of earnings this Thursday as we do believe that customers will pay a premium for an Apple tablet," said Shebly Seyrafi, an analyst at FBN Securities.

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'iPad Mini' Name Confirmed by Smart Cover Part Descriptions

9to5Mac reports that it has received confirmation of a new set of Smart Covers launching today for Apple's "iPad mini". The accessories are described as "iPad Mini Smart Covers", all but confirming that Apple will use the "mini" designation as part of the device's official name.

Japanese blog Macotakara claimed in late August that Apple would use the long-standing "iPad mini" informal title as the official name of the device, and it appears that this is indeed the case. Others have, however, been advocating for alternative names, such as noted Apple pundit John Gruber having expressed his preference for "iPad Air".

The new iPad Mini Smart Covers are said to be available in red, dark gray, light gray, pink, green, and blue.

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Apple's 'iPad Mini' Media Event Reportedly Scheduled for October 23

AllThingsD reports that Apple appears to be planning to hold a media event on Tuesday, October 23 to introduce the "iPad mini", Apple's smaller tablet device said to be carrying a display measuring 7.85 inches diagonally.

As AllThingsD reported in August, Apple will hold a special event this month at which it will showcase a new, smaller iPad. People familiar with Apple’s plans tell us that the company will unveil the so-called “iPad mini” on October 23 at an invitation-only event.

That’s a Tuesday, not a Wednesday, so this is a bit of a break with recent tradition. It also happens to be just three days prior to the street date for Microsoft’s new Surface tablet.

The location of the event is unconfirmed, but the report suggests that it is likely to be held at the company's Town Hall auditorium at its corporate headquarters in Cupertino, California.

AllThingsD has an excellent track record regarding Apple media event rumors, giving this claim a high probability of proving true. Given past history, Apple would be expected to send out invitations early next week if the event is to be held on October 23.

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'iPad Mini' Launch Supplies Reportedly Challenged by Component Yield Issues

In the lead-up to major Apple product launches, there are almost inevitably reports of production problems that result in the company having lower stocks on hand than it initially hoped for, sometimes leading to extended shortages as the company's supply chain works to catch up to demand. The iPhone 5 was no different, with yield issues on the new in-cell displays used in the device reportedly being the bottleneck that has limited availability.

With The Wall Street Journal now reporting that mass production of the "iPad mini" has begun, reports are once again suggesting that Apple's launch supplies may be on the low side due to issues with several components.

One such report comes from Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White, who is currently in Taiwan meeting with a number of contacts in the component supply chains for Apple and other companies. White's contacts believe that yield issues with several iPad mini components have been "frustrating", with supplies of the device likely to be constrained for the first month of availability heading into the holiday shopping season.
Similar to the iPhone 5, we sensed that suppliers have found the specs around Apple's (AAPL-$671.45: Buy) 7.85-inch "iPad Mini" to be a challenge and yields have been frustrating. In our view, this is the reason the "iPad Mini" is 4-6 weeks behind our original launch expectation that we discussed in June. Despite continued yield challenges, the supply chain feels the much anticipated iPad Mini is on track to reach acceptable volume levels for a launch over the next month. That said, we believe that supply constraints will initially hold back the full sales potential during the first month or so of the launch.

White believes that Apple may sell 5-7 million iPad minis through the end of the quarter, somewhat below more optimistic estimates from other analysts that have put the number closer to 10 million. As with the iPhone 5, product availability for the iPad mini may actually be the limiting factor for early sales, making it difficult to assess true consumer demand.



A goal of five million panels for iPad Mini was set for the third quarter but later had to drop to one million due to low yield rates, with LG Display and AUO comprising 60% and AUO 40%, the sources said.
The second report from Digitimes indicates that chassis makers are also struggling with yield issues.
Along with the latest market rumors indicating that Apple is likely to unveil the much speculated iPad mini on October 17, sources in Apple's supply chain in Taiwan are also indicating that shipments of the iPad mini tablets are not smooth at the moment due to low yield rates at chassis makers.


A pair of reports from Digitimes tell a similar story, with one article claiming that AU Optronics' production of the iPad mini display panels has been below expectations with just 400,000 panels shipped in the third quarter compared to a goal of two million for the manufacturer.
Apple is expected to ship 9-10 million units of the new tablet in the fourth quarter, but it remains to be seen whether AUO and LG Display - the other panel supplier for iPad Mini - can meet the target, the sources said.



Case makers Foxconn Electronics, Catcher Technology and Ri-Teng Computer Accessory are responsible for production of the iPad mini chassis, the sources indicated. Ri-Teng is an associate company of Pegatron.
The report claims that the iPad mini will be available in two body colors, native aluminum and black-anodized aluminum as seen with the iPhone 5, with the black version experiencing greater production issues due to the scratching vulnerability of the anodized chassis.

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Apple Announces 4-Inch iPod Touch, Multitouch iPod Nano

Today, Apple updated its iPod touch line to a 5th generation model which incorporates the same larger 4" screen as the just announced iPhone 5. At only 6.1mm thin and 88 grams, the iPod touch is the lightest iPod touch they've created. The new iPod touch also contains the A5 processor.

Apple is promising 40 hours of music playback, and 8 hours of video, slightly increased over the 4th generation Touch. The back camera is much improved to a 5-megapixel, backside illuminated, f/2.4, 5-element lens, with the same sapphire crystal lens cover as the iPhone 5. The front camera is also upgraded to a 720p camera. The new iPod touch also supports the new Panaroma feature and also includes Siri.


Finally, there's hidden feature on the back of the new iPod Touch, called the Loop. It's designed to hook to a wrist-strap for added security.

The new iPod touch comes in five colors and will be available in October at $299 (32GB) and $399 (64GB). The 4th Generation iPod Touch will remain at $199 (16GB). Preorders for the new iPod Touch begin September 14th.

Apple also announced a radically redesigned iPod nano. The new iPod nano has a 2.5" screen and multi-touch interface. The design shares a lot of cues from the iPhone with the inclusion of a front Home button. The iPod nano includes an FM tuner, widescreen video, pedometer, Bluetooth, and the new Lightning connector.

The new iPod nano comes in 7 colors and will be available in October for $149. Preorders for the new iPod Nano begin September 14th.

The iPod Shuffle was upgraded with new color choices, but the same $49 pricing and 2GB capacity.

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'iPad Mini' Spotted in iOS App Developer Logs

Instapaper developer Marco Arment has spotted two new iPad device codes in his logs that he believes represents the long rumored "iPad mini".

The new identifiers found were "iPad2,5" and "iPad2,6". As Arment notes, the iPad2,1 through iPad 2,3 designations are known to represent the iPad 2's WiFi, GSM and CDMA models. The iPad2,4 represents a die-shrunk/cheaper version of the iPad 2 that was released alongside the 3rd generation iPad. Finally, the 3rd Generation iPad carries a designation of iPad3,x.


iPad Mini mockup (left) by iMore

As for "iPad2,5" and "iPad2,6", they have not been seen before, but Arment concludes they are likely to be the long rumored 'iPad mini' which is based on iPad 2 hardware.
The much more likely explanation is that iPad2,5 and iPad2,6 are the new “iPad Mini” in Wi-Fi and GSM, and I haven’t recorded the likely iPad2,7 CDMA version yet.


It’s a textbook Tim Cook supply-chain move: selling the last generation’s hardware at a lower price point to expand marketshare.


if  so, this suggests that the iPad Mini is, effectively, an iPad 2: an A5 with 512 MB of RAM and enough GPU power to drive the Gruber Display, but not a Retina Display.


By "Gruber Display", Arment refers to John Gruber's speculation that a iPad Mini made sense as a 7.85" display that shares the same resolution as the original iPad (1024x768). Arment goes into a little further depth in his blog post about his speculation on the internals of the iPad mini.

Apple is believed to be launching a smaller 7.85" iPad in the coming months. Rumors have suggested we'll see it launched as early as October.

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Next-Generation iPod Touch Case Points to Significant Redesign

While part leaks for the next-generation iPhone have been plentiful, similar leaks for an updated iPod touch have been harder to locate, with a front panel showing an opening for a larger 4-inch display having been the only known leak so far.

Back in late July, Macotakara reported that the device would adopt the A5 system-on-a-chip found in the iPhone 4S, as well as a buffed aluminum shell. The report also claimed that there is a mystery hole in the lower portion of the rear shell, with a rendering based on the rumors showing the feature located in the lower center of the device.

GizChina now posts photos of what is said to be a case for the next-generation iPod touch, seemingly showing a less-tapered design. The case shows a widened rear camera hole that the report suggests could hint at the addition of an LED flash as seen on the iPhone. The current iPod touch does have a microphone in that location, however, and the opening in this new case may simply be to accommodate the same feature.

The cases could also give away possible details as to the spec of the 5th generation iPod touch 5. The hole around the camera area to the left for example looks to have been elongated and tapered to fit around a possible LED flash to help with low light photography, and there is also the appearance of a new ‘mystery hole’ in the lower left hand side of the case.

The new case also shows the "mystery hole" described in the Macotakara report, but it is located in the lower corner of the rear shell rather than in the center.
As you can see from the photos these cases suggest that the next generation iPod touch will have a new design (at least to the rear) and seem to be have a much less pronounced taper to the edges when compared to the current iPod touch 4.



The report speculates that the mystery hole could be for a speaker or microphone of some sort, but there have yet to be any part leaks to provide additional hints at its function.

As with the tapered iPhone cases seen in 2011, case companies are sometimes incorrect in their designs, and thus part leaks such as those seen for the next-generation iPhone are regarded as much more significant. But in the absence of major part leaks for the next iPod touch, cases bearing a new design are currently one of the only pieces of evidence available for fueling speculation and discussion of a potential redesign for the device.

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iPad Mini display production slated for August, says analyst

It is speculated that Apple will launch a smaller and cheaper iPad, unofficially dubbed iPad mini, later this year to compete with cheaper 7-inch Android-based tablets such as Kindle Fire and Google Nexus 7.

Some reports have claimed that it could be unveiled alongside the 6th generation iPhone at a special event on September 12th, but earlier in the week iLounge refuted that claim saying that the smaller iPad will not be ready to ship at the same time as the new iPhone. According to their source, it could ship by November.


"We expect panel production to start in August, with production ramping up to high volumes (more than a million units per month) in the fourth quarter," said Paul Semenza, an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch, in response to an e-mail query.
Semenza said this is DisplaySearch's "understanding of the activity for the 7.85 [inch] panel expected to be used in the iPad Mini."
If this production schedule plays out, it could indicate a late 2012 launch, he said.
Recent reports say the so-called iPad Mini will launch in September.
While the downsized iPad is being characterized as a 7-inch tablet like the Google Nexus 7, a screen size falling between 7 and 8 inches -- such as 7.85 inches -- would likely make the Apple tablet closer to the larger 8.2-inch Motorola Xyboard.
No solid word yet on pricing, though a report claimed it "is likely to sell for significantly less than the latest $499 iPad."
Whatever the exact price is, it's safe to say that the $199 Google Nexus 7 would be seen as a direct competitor to a smaller iPad.

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Apple's profits rise 20% on sales of 26M iPhones, 17M iPads, and 4M Macs

Apple said Tuesday that third-quarter profits rose just over 20 percent to $8.8 billion, or $9.32 per diluted share, on sales of $35.0 billion for the three-month period ended June 30, 2012.

The results compare to revenue of $28.6 billion and net profit of $7.3 billion, or $7.79 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 42.8 percent compared to 41.7 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 62 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

Apple also shipped 4.0 million Macs during the quarter, a two percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter. iPod sales continued to decline at a rate of 10 percent to 6.8 million units.

Apple sold 26.0 million iPhones in the quarter, representing 28 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter, in addition to 17.0 million iPads -- an 84 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter.



“We’re thrilled with record sales of 17 million iPads in the June quarter,” said Apple chief executive Tim Cook. “We’ve also just updated the entire MacBook line, will release Mountain Lion tomorrow and will be launching iOS 6 this Fall. We are also really looking forward to the amazing new products we’ve got in the pipeline.”

"We’re continuing to invest in the growth of our business and are pleased to be declaring a dividend of $2.65 per share today,” said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CFO. "Looking ahead to the fourth fiscal quarter, we expect revenue of about $34 billion and diluted earnings per share of about $7.65."

Apple’s Board of Directors also declared Tuesday a cash dividend of $2.65 per share of the Company’s common stock. The dividend is payable on August 16, 2012, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on August 13, 2012.



Apple's results came in below analyst expectations, as most institutional market watchers expected Apple to report sales of nearly 29 million iPhones, according to data collected by Apple 2.0. The miss was even bigger for the more bullish independent analysts, who projected, on average, that Apple would sell more than 31 million iPhones in the quarter.

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More Details About iPhone 5, iPad Mini, Next-Gen iPod Touch, iPad 4

We reported earlier today that Apple is planning to unveil the highly anticipated 'iPhone 5' along with the cheaper and smaller iPad mini, next generation iPod Touch and iPod nano at a special event on September 12th, followed by the release of the new iPhone on September 21st.

Jeremy Horwitz of iLounge provides some more interesting details about the next generation iPhone, iPod touch, iPad mini and iPod nano.

New iPhone:


Apple is apparently working on two new cases for 'iPhone 5. One of them is similar to the Bumper available for iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, while the other "is a different design that our source says will have a major impact on the accessory market if released, yet is not hugely surprising. Something with a stand, perhaps

iLounge claims that Apple will start shipping the iPhone 5 in mid-September, pointing to a launch date around the third week of September, which in line with iMore's claims.


iPad 4:
iLounge claims that the next generation iPad will get a relatively modest body tweak.
It will come with the smaller 19-pin dock connector.



iPad Mini:
According to iLounge, iPad mini may not be released along with 'iPhone 5' in September. It could be unveiled at a special event in November.
Not surprisingly, Apple will also release an iPad Smart Cover and Smart case for the smaller iPad mini.

New iPod Touch:
Apple is planning to unveil the next generation iPod touch along with iPhone 5 and just like the 6th generation iPhone, it will come with a taller 4-inch screen.

A rear-side microphone to aid in noise cancellation or improve audio quality during rear video recording.
iLounge notes that though Apple may be ready to launch iPad 4 along with iPad mini in November, but it is unlikely to launch a new iPad so quickly as it would definitely piss off early adopters of iPad 3.

via iLounge

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NotiPad: Jailbreak Tweak Brings Growl-Like Notifications for iPad

NotiPad is a new jailbreak tweak that brings Growl-like Notifications to the iPad.

Andrea Olivia - developer of NotiPad wasn't too happy with iOS banner notifications on the iPad, so he has developed a jailbreak tweak that changes the look and feel of banner notifications along with tons of other features.

You can configure to display the translucent popups either on the right or the left side of the screen and also select the animations (fade, translation) based on your preference via the Settings app.

NotiPad replaces iOS banner notifications with translucent Growl-like popups as seen in the screenshot below.

You can dismiss the popup notifications by double tapping on them (which can be enabled or disabled via the Settings app).

You can also change the look and feel of the notifications such as the style (translucent or dark), background color or text of the notification.

NotiPad can also be configured to read out the notification.

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The iPad that never was: kickstands, curves, and 'highly confidential' Apple prototypes revealed

We already got a look at some early iPhone designs inspired by Sony and the iPod, but court documents have revealed an assortment of different looks that were considered for Apple's various iOS products — including several iPad designs featuring kickstands. Multiple versions of both the iPhone and the iPad are featured, and while we've seen

some of these before — the iPad prototype with dual dock connectors was sold on eBay back in May — many of the designs are being revealed for the first time. Of particular note are multiple iterations of the iPad featuring different types of kickstands, what appears to be a 16:9 model with wide handles on either side, and an eight-sided iPhone with diagonal corners. Many of the iPad prototypes also feature "iPod" on the back, perhaps giving insight into Apple's early naming considerations.


Apparently, like most other design-conscious companies like Sony, Apple had gone through various iterations. Earliest iPad prototypes show a kickstand, strangely squared corners and incidentally an “iPod” label on one of the devices. All the models and prototypes are quite neatly designed although they do have the look of the 2000s or earlier.

There are many other iPhone prototypes too – many of the “odd” form-factor. These, thankfully, did not make it to the final stages of the design. Judging from these designs and prototypes – which came much earlier than the original devices which were finally commissioned for production – it appears that Apple had a total re-thinking of devices by the end. The early prototypes indicate how designs weren’t that cool.

Of particular importance is the model N90, which was highly rumored to be the code name for iPhone 4. It appears that the design has nothing in common with the real device though. The photos reveal that the N90 device had a smaller screen, an oddly lengthy design and “curved glass” shape.


You can take a look at the designs and share your views on them. And as we said earlier, this is perhaps the only good thing from the fall-out of Apple vs Samsung lawsuit.

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How to Sync iPad with iTunes on Computer

Apple’s iTunes guides you through the entire setup and backing up process when you connect your iPad to the iTunes. It’s fairly simple but the concept of backup is often confusing if you’re new to iTunes or syncing processes.

One of the major benefits to syncing iPad with iTunes is to ensure that you have recent backup of all of your contacts, music, videos and photos, calendars, email settings, bookmarks, etc.


Here’s a simple how-to in order to help you sync iPad with iTunes and get the backup safely.

In order to make sure you have a safe syncing and backing up without any version problems, we recommend that you download and install the latest version of iTunes.

Now connect the iPad to your PC through the USB cable.
iTunes usually launches automatically but if it doesn’t, open it yourself.
On the side-bar of iTunes, you will find the “Devices” tab and under this you should see your iPad listed. (if the Devices tab seems empty, the list might have collapsed. Click on it once to see if that is the case).
Now, when you click on iPad, a plethora of options come up on the main window. These are basically nothing but stuff like Music, Email, Contacts and so on which you can sync with iTunes and thus, backup.
Select the options you want to sync and finally, once you’re done with the options, click on “Apply” at the bottom-right of the screen.
Wait for the Sync to complete. Once that is done, you’re good to go.
Syncing will make sure the files on your iPad and the iTunes library are up-to-date and in tune with each other. If you added a file to iTunes’s iPad library, once you sync, that gets reflected on your iPad too and vice-versa.

Since syncing is a simple and easy way to manage your data between iPad and the iTunes library, it is recommended that you sync often. Mostly, once-a-week sync is useful and safe. Furthermore, syncing often reduces the time it takes to sync between the device and the system.

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Stop iPad Screen from Dimming or Locking

The iPad screen defaults to automatically dim itself and then turn itself off after a fairly short amount of time of inactivity. That’s great for preserving battery life of iOS devices, but if you’re like me you keep an iPad or iPhone alongside you full time while working as a control panel for Pandora, podcasts, and email, and having the screen lock after a few minutes of inactivity is annoying.

Here’s how to prevent the iPad iPhone or iPod) screen from dimming and auto-locking:

• Open “Settings” then tap “General”
• Tap “Auto-Lock” and choose “Never” as the option

Close out of Settings, and now when you leave the iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch screen alone it won’t automatically lock itself or even dim.

A caveat to remember is this will always be in effect, meaning you will have to lock the screen yourself using the top power button when you do want the screen to go dark. That’s especially important for when you’re on the go, if not to prevent battery drain than to help protect your personal data in case you happened to lose the device (don’t forget to use a strong passcode too). In an ideal world, there would be different power management settings for auto-locking for if a device was plugged in and if a device was on battery, but iOS isn’t there yet.

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Photos Of Early iPad Prototype Revealed In Court Filings [Updated]

Although the iPhone was the first iOS device to be launched, it was the iPad that started Apple's venture into the touchscreen device market.



Network World dug up documents filed in the Apple-Samsung trial, in which Apple asserted that Samsung's products copied Apple's designs. More specifically, the documents that reveal images of early iPad prototypes were filed during Jonny Ive's deposition in December last year.



The research and development for such a device started way back in the first half of the last decade, which means that Apple developed, and iterated through multiple versions of the device before arriving  at the final design.

During his deposition, Ive said that initial design work on the iPad started as early as 2002:


The earliest design prototypes of the iPad are shown below:


For the entire set of images, head over to Network World.

After realizing how much better multitouch tech in the iPad was, Apple halted development of the tablet to work on a phone with the same capacitive touch. That of course turned out to be the iPhone, three years after the release of which, Apple launched the iPad.

The prototype was a lot thicker than current and past generations of the iPad, and it also lacked a home button, as can be seen in the images above.


Update: BuzzFeed obtained colored images of the actual prototype, and it appears to have borrowed a lot of its looks (including the thickness) from the early 2000s plastic iBook.

That's nearly a decade of work on a product. Compare that to other manufacturers who scrambled to come up with a decent iPad competitor, and barely managed to come at par, only recently. They still haven't yet, though, managed to steal market share away from the iPad.

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20 million iPad sales projected for Apple's June quarter

Apple is poised to report record breaking sales of 20 million iPads in the just-concluded June quarter, one analyst believes.

Charlie Wolf with Needham & Company issued a note to investors on Thursday in which he increased his June iPad shipment forecast from 13.5 million units to 20 million units. He admitted that his initial estimate made in April was "hastily formulated," which is why his latest prediction is so much larger.

"In our view, it's only a matter of time before iPad shipments exceed iPhone shipments," Wolf said. "The iPad is invading the business market at a much faster pace than the iPhone. In addition, the iPad will launch in China on July 20th. This should provide a significant boost in sales now that Apple is providing Chinese languages and services on its iOS platform."

If Wolf's prediction proves accurate and Apple does report sales of 20 million iPads in the June quarter, that number would be more than double the 9.25 million iPads Apple sold in the same quarter a year ago. It would also be a new record for iPad sales in any quarter, handily besting the 15 million iPads Apple sold in the holiday shopping season of 2011.

Wolf believes iPad sales have been particularly strong to both businesses and education institutions. He also believes the $399 16-gigabyte iPad 2 has been a major seller for Apple.




As for the iPhone, Wolf also increased his June quarter estimate to 28 million units, up from his previous prediction of 27 million shipped. It's expected that iPhone sales fell from the 35 million units Apple shipped in the March quarter.

"The assumption underlying our forecast of a sequential quarterly decline is that some customers have begun to postpone their purchases of an iPhone 4S in advance of a much widely publicized introduction of the new iPhone this fall," Wolf wrote.

Apple will report earnings for its third fiscal quarter of 2012 during a conference call on Tuesday, July 24, at 2 p.m. Pacific, 5 p.m. Eastern. AppleInsider will have full, live coverage of the call.

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