iPad: The Missing Manual

Chapter 2. Interact with Your iPad

Touchscreens are nothing new; these days you find them everywhere. They’ve been on automatic teller machines for years, and dispensing New York City subway fare cards for more than a decade. Some delis let you order up a turkey-and-swiss by pressing a touch-sensitive menu. So, in the grand scheme of things, the iPad’s touchscreen interface isn’t unfamiliar.

But using the iPad takes more than touch. You tap, you flick, you swipe, you double-tap, you drag, you press-and-hold. Which motion you make and when you make it depends on what you’re trying to do at the time. And that’s where this chapter comes in.

Over the next few pages, you’ll learn how to do the digit dance so your iPad responds to your every command. You’ll also pick up a few keyboard shortcuts, and learn how to use your fingers to find stuff on your ‘Pad. So get those hands limbered up by turning the page to get started.

Finger Moves for the iPad

The “brain” behind the iPad—its operating system—is smart enough to respond to a series of very different touches. The ones you make depend on what you want to do. These are the moves:

• Tap. Take the tip of your finger and directly touch the icon, thumbnail, song title, or control you see on-screen. The iPad isn’t a crusty old calculator, so you don’t have to push down hard; a gentle press does the trick.

• Drag. Keep your fingertip pressed down on the ...