It is extraordinary how much technology has had to offer in the past decade. Computers used to be the size of a room, and now we have mobile phones that can use Internet connections. Technology continually improves and simplifies life. Same with the iPad and the tips that follow will help you make the most of its capabilities.

You default setting when you get your iPad is an email signature saying that your emails are sent from an iPad. Most people don’t bother changing it, and this can be rather tedious. You can personalize your signature by changing the setting. In the settings menu, choose Mail > Contacts > Calendar. Then tap “signature” and enter your new signature.

A lot of iPad owners know that their device has an iTunes store, but might not be aware of everything that it has to offer. For example, iTunes U. You can find lots of podcasts that are meant to teach in this section.

Learn how to mute your iPad instantly. Use this helpful tip. Hold the volume down button during a few seconds. This is a lot easier than constantly adjusting the volume controls. When you want to restore the volume, simply hold down the button again.

You do not have to go the second keyboard screen if you need a full stop while typing. Simply hit the space bar twice after typing a complete sentence. Once double tapped, a full stop and space are made. This is a wonderful time saver if you are typing longer documents.

Identical light or brightness settings are unnecessary in varied situations, so you can make changes to these yourself. The screen can be made dimmer by pressing “Home” two times; swipe until you get to the settings for brightness. There, you can select options to match the brightness to the ambient light in your environment.

Choose the functionality you’d like for the lock switch, orientation lock or audio mute. This is a new feature on the newer iPads. If your iPad comes with iOS 4.3 or a newer version, you will have this option. The iPad can be muted by holding down the volume button.

If you are tired of being prompted to join various Wi-Fi networks, change your settings. There is a selection in the Settings menu to disable Wi-Fi messages. Once set to no, you won’t be nagged again.

You can keep tabs open by opening new pages inside a new tab. If you are using Safari, tap and hold down the link and wait until a menu pops up. You can select the option to have another tab created with the new link content.

Use the notification settings feature. With multiple apps, you are sure to see lots of alerts and whatnot popping up all the time. You can manage this by navigating to Settings and then Notifications. This allows you to turn off notifications that you aren’t interested in. This will keep your alerts for things that actually matter.

Buy a screen protector to go on your iPad. A screen protector is essentially a piece of clear plastic that fits over your screen. It will prevent your iPad from getting scratched and having fingerprints all over it. This small purchase will go a long way in keeping your iPad in mint condition.

Think seriously of purchasing one of the external keyboards available for your iPad. You can use this keyboard to type documents and emails in no time at all. Keyboards connect wirelessly to your iPad for the ultimate in typing convenience.

Are you sick of typing? Give the dictation feature a try instead. Dictation can be turned on by pressing the key with a microphone symbol. Speak into the microphone, then press the key again. Tap the microphone icon again and your speech will be transcribed. You might have to make changes to the spelling.

Find your bookmarks easier. Simply always have the Bookmarks bar open. In the Safari Settings, choose “on” under the bookmarks bar. This gives you easy access to your bookmarks from any page as you are surfing the Internet.

Typing on a tablet can be difficult at first but gets easier over time. You can dictate your speech through a button on your iPad. Push Home twice and then hit the microphone. Once done talking, press it again and you’ll see what you said.

If your children regularly use your iPad and you don’t want them exposed to pornography and violence, enable the parental controls. All you have to do is turn the parental control feature on through the settings menu. It is possible to ban adult content such as films.

To view running apps, simply double click the home button. This will bring up a bar at the bottom of the screen which shows all the currently running apps. To access an app, just click the app on the bar. Use this function to check which apps are running, and close the ones you do not need.

The iPad is great for music, but for podcasts too! These are short (or sometimes long) audio clips on a variety of topics. If music is failing to hold your interest, see if podcasts are for you. You will surely find many subjects which interest you.

Go into FaceTime and manage your numbers and email addresses. When it’s on default, FaceTime on the iPad includes the email you set up with your iPad, but it’s possible to add more. Go to the settings of your iPad and add the email addresses and phone numbers you want to see on FaceTime.

You can change your screen’s brightness depending on your lighting. It’s simple to change the brightness on the iPad by going to your settings menu. This also conserves battery power and allows you to be more energy-conscious when using your iPad.

There are a myriad of options when it comes down to choosing the right computing device for your needs. The iPad is one such device which you must learn more about. This article can serve as a starting point to learn about your iPad.