Your iPad is an entertainment center packed with many options for you to experience the web and download materials for your own personal enjoyment. Your iPad is a highly capable e-reader with the ability to browse, purchase, and download books with the iBooks app. Your YouTube experience has been optimized for your viewing pleasure on the iPad. In this chapter, you learn how to utilize the features of YouTube and iBooks so you can get the most from both of these apps.
YouTube is a video-sharing website that gives you the ability to browse and view videos posted by users from around the world. Before you can upload a video from your computer, you need to create a YouTube account. The iPad offers a great way to experience videos on YouTube. Understanding some of the features of YouTube can help you optimize your YouTube experience on the iPad.
View Videos
There are literally millions of free videos on YouTube for you to enjoy. They span a wide range of categories, from entertainment to politics to educational. Users can upload and view standard-definition videos as well as high-definition videos. If you have young children that may use your iPad, you should consider configuring parental controls to protect them from any unsavory videos.
Share Videos
YouTube makes it easy for you to showcase your videos to millions of viewers around the world by creating your own video channel. YouTube also makes it easy for you to share videos found on YouTube by embedding them in your own personal blog. You also have the ability to email videos to family and friends by simply tapping the Mail button and then typing the address of the recipient.
If you are a fan of the videos produced by a particular YouTube user, you can simply subscribe to that individual's channel. That way, whenever that user posts a new video, you will receive a notification. Subscribing to channels is a quick and easy way to access the work of your favorite YouTube personalities.
Express Your Opinion
YouTube makes it easy for you to voice your opinion by enabling you to leave comments for videos and rate videos as well as rate comments left by fellow YouTube viewers. Some of the popular videos on YouTube can generate literally thousands of comments, which ultimately lead to conversations. You can use the YouTube five-star rating system to assess the popularity of a particular video before you watch.
Join Groups
YouTube also makes it easy for you to connect with other like-minded individuals through the creation and joining of groups. Joining groups is a great way for you to contribute your thoughts on interesting videos and conversations that happen every day on YouTube. Once you join a group, it is easy to create new topics of discussion.
To say there is a lot of content on YouTube is an understatement. The YouTube app on the iPad helps you locate videos of interest in a variety of ways by organizing content. The YouTube app enables you to search by Featured, Most Viewed, Search, and Favorites. You can tap the More button to reveal other browsing options.
Tap this button to access a list of videos handpicked by YouTube editors. Each video is listed with its name, star rating, popularity, and duration.
Tap this button to list the videos with the highest ratings on YouTube. Under this button, there are more ways to browse video by filtering the top rated videos for Today, This Week, and All.
Tap this button to see videos with the most views by users and visitors to YouTube. You can narrow this search by choosing Today, This Week, and All. Under this button, there are more ways to browse video by filtering the most viewed videos of Today, This Week, and All.
This option requires some previous work on your part. Tap this button to display the videos you have previously bookmarked and marked as favorites. You will also find the Playlist button under the Favorites option. Tap Playlist to view the playlists you have previously created on YouTube.
You can tap this option to view a list of the channels to which you are subscribed.
Tap this button to view a list of the videos you have previously uploaded to YouTube.
You can tap this option to view a list of videos you have previously watched on YouTube.
Tap this button to access a search box. You can type a search phrase into the field, and YouTube displays the videos that match your search.
When you find a video that you really like, the YouTube app makes it easy for you to mark it as a favorite. Marking a video as a favorite enables you to easily find that video for viewing again without relying on your viewing history or the Search feature.
Save a Video as a Favorite
The YouTube app opens.
The video begins to play.
The
Note
If you do not see the controls, you may have to tap the screen to reveal them.
The video stops, and you are taken to the More Info screen.
Note
You can also just wait until the video ends before you proceed.
The video now appears in the Favorites list.
Tip
Can I delete videos that I have previously marked as favorite?
Yes. While accessing your favorites page, you can do the following:
An X is placed next to each video in the list.
The Save As dialog box opens.
The video is removed from the list.
The YouTube app makes it very easy to share some of your favorite videos with friends and family. By understanding how to email a link to a video through the iPad, you can quickly share a great video that you found.
Email a Link to a Video
The YouTube app opens.
The videos you have marked as favorites appear.
Note
In order to see the share option, you have to be in the video detail page.
A new email message opens, with the link to the video in the body.
Note
If the recipient is someone you have emailed from your iPad before, you can just choose him or her from the list.
Note
You can also modify the subject and the body.
The message is sent to the recipient, and iPad sends you back to your video.
Tip
Can I mail a video to someone in my contact list?
Yes. But you need an email address included with the contact. After you tap the Mail button, follow these steps:
Your Contacts list appears.
The recipient's name is placed into the To field within the email.
Note
You can also modify the subject and the body.
The video is sent to the recipient.
iBooks is a stylish e-reader that enables you to browse, purchase, download, and read eBooks very much in the same way as the Classics app. You can download iBooks for free in the App Store. Understanding what you can do with iBooks enables you to take full advantage of the iBooks software on the iPad.
Browse Titles
You can browse the sleek iBooks storefront for classics and bestsellers with a flick of your finger. iBooks has partnered with publishers such as Penguin, HarperCollins, Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster, giving you access to a wide array of bestsellers to choose from.
Purchase and Download Books
iBooks enables you to download free and paid eBooks much in the same way as iTunes allows you to download and purchase music. As you download books, their covers appear on your personal bookshelf. All you need to do to browse your own bookshelf is flick your finger up or down to scroll through your library. In order to purchase books, you need to set up an iBooks account.
iPad is a very stylish and capable e-reader. You can simply tap a book on your shelf to begin reading. The page-turning animation gives you the effect of turning the actual book's pages with your hand. Each time you stop reading, iPad places a bookmark before the book is closed so you can later easily pick up where you stopped. The high-resolution, LED-backlit screen offers easy viewing in sharp clarity.
The iPad also enables you to customize your reading experience by enabling you to edit some of the settings. You can edit what style of text you view as well as the font size to optimize your reading experience. The iPad attempts to maintain many of the characteristics of traditional book reading while giving you more options as an e-reading device.
Purchasing books in iBooks is very similar to purchasing content in the iTunes Store. By understanding how to purchase and download books in the iBooks app, you can begin filling your bookshelf with your favorite book titles. To purchase books in iBooks, you need to set up an iBooks account.
Purchase and Download eBooks
The iBooks app opens.
The iBooks Store opens.
The icon changes to Buy Book.
Note
Tap Free for free books to download.
Note
The icon changes to Install after you tap it.
iBooks asks you to type your iBooks account password.
iBooks begins to download the eBook. The book cover appears on your bookshelf.
Tip
Will I be charged twice if I attempt to download a book I have previously purchased?
Usually not. If you attempt to download a book that you have previously purchased, iBooks generally alerts you to this fact and asks if you would like to proceed with the download. If you are billed twice for the download, you can report a problem in the iBooks Store.
