All iPads New to iPad using: Q&A

[macness]

Hey guys, I just bought my first iPad. I decided to go with the mini since I'm looking to use it for reading, reading forums (MacRumors), web surfing and casual gaming. I own a cMBP and an iPhone five. I set my mini up as new so I could use it for different purposes than my iPhone. I've been downloading apps as of late and have become pretty confused between iPad and iPhone apps. Is this common? Apps like NUMBERS seem to only have one version while apps like TAPATALK have an iPhone and an iPad version. I was especially confused when I went to download PULSE and noticed that you could download an iPhone or an iPad version. Is the AppStore on my iPad separated between iPhone and iPad apps?? On my iPhone there were no iPad apps. And why would someone want the iPhone version of an app on their ipad when there is also the iPad version to download? How do I even know if the application I'm downloading is optimized for iPad. Sorry for rambling on, I'm just confused.

 

[Piccio]

From the App Store switch to "apps for ipad" or something.

If you can't find an app for iPad you can also download the iPhone version but it's a different resolution and you will see the 2X key in the right bottom corner.

For example the Google Maps app is actually for iPhone only, as well for the game Ruzzle. If you want to use them on your Mini, download the iPhone app and use 2X.

 

[Gav2k]

I’ve heard it’s possible to copy songs and photos from my computer to my iPad without having to use the USB cable or iCloud. How do you do it?

Enable wifi sync or if there pervious iTunes purchases then do into the iTunes Store on your iPad and select purchased

 

[KieranDotW]

Unlike the iPhone, which will not run iPad apps, the iPad will run iPhone apps, but they'll be scaled down to fit an iPhone-sized portion of the screen. You'll have the option to blow it up to twice the size, but it will look pixelated.

If you want an app that will run on both the iPhone and iPad in each device's native resolution, look for the + icon next to the app's price, which indicates cross-compatibility. Some developers are just somewhat greedy and force the customer to buy an iPad and iPhone version of the app, or just use a blown-up iPhone app on their iPads.

 

[kevroc]

Hey guys, I just bought my first iPad. I decided to go with the mini since I'm looking to use it for reading, reading forums (MacRumors), web surfing and casual gaming. I own a cMBP and an iPhone five. I set my mini up as new so I could use it for different purposes than my iPhone. I've been downloading apps as of late and have become pretty confused between iPad and iPhone apps. Is this common? Apps like NUMBERS seem to only have one version while apps like TAPATALK have an iPhone and an iPad version. I was especially confused when I went to download PULSE and noticed that you could download an iPhone or an iPad version. Is the AppStore on my iPad separated between iPhone and iPad apps?? On my iPhone there were no iPad apps. And why would someone want the iPhone version of an app on their ipad when there is also the iPad version to download? How do I even know if the application I'm downloading is optimized for iPad. Sorry for rambling on, I'm just confused.

There are iPhone Apps:
These are designed for the screen size of the iPhone and usually for single-handed type use. When the iPad was first launched, Apple made it so that the iPad could run iPhone apps so that you could use all of your same apps just in a scaled down manner. There are some iPhone apps that actually run really, really well in this way on the iPad that are superior to the iPad counterpart.

There are iPad Apps:
Once the iPad was release, developers started building iPad versions of Apps. It was common to see an app by a developer called "Strange Bob" and then they would come out with and iPad version and call in "Strange Bob HD". Everyone started using the "HD" description to designate that it was for the iPad. So you'd have two apps, a regular one and an "HD" one. Then some developers started combining them into one "Universal" app so they didn't have 2 separate apps to manage. So the app store has it's share of apps that are orphaned in a sense because the app went universal after being released as 2 separate apps. Most developers are probably good about cleaning up their old apps, but it can happen.

There are "Universal" Apps:
These apps are single apps that support both devices. As another commenter posted, look for the + sign which indicates the app is "Universal". I usually only try to buy universal apps unless I know it's something that I'll never use on one device or the other.

I also always look at the last updated date to make sure I'm grabbing the app that's being updated as well and not something that's 2 years old.