Apple has published iPad user guides for tablets running different versions of the iOS firmware. These support manuals can be viewed directly on the iPad using the Apple iPad in-browser user guide. This link will automatically display the manual for your iPad model and iOS version.

iPad user manuals are also published as PDF files which can be viewed on a computer or printed on paper for future reference. Find the correct user guide in PDF format below:

1. iPad with iOS 3.2

Though the physical rotation lock switch was changed to a mute switch with the iOS 4.2 update, locking the rotation on your iPad via the dock rotation lock switch still offers both portrait and landscape locking.

The rotation/orientation lock in the dock will lock the iPad in whatever its current orientation is at the time the lock is employed.

This is unlike the iPhone, which only offers portrait orientation locking.

Spotlight makes it possible to search the contents of your iPad. To access Spotlight, swipe to the right or press the home button when on the first home screen.

You can see a small magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the home screen above the app dock. Another way to jump to Spotlight search is to touch the magnifying glass when on the first home screen.

A text box will appear that says "Search iPad." To find an app, song, artist, book, email or other content on your iPad enter a search term.

Apple covers your iPad under a Limited Warranty for one year from the original date of purchase. To check if your iPad is still covered under warranty use Apple's online service assistant:

https://selfsolve.apple.com/GetWarranty.do

Click the link above and enter your iPad serial number (S/N) and your country. Apple may ask to see proof of purchase documents to verify your iPad's warranty status before service is performed.

You can easily find your iPad serial number (S/N). If you have a Wi-Fi + 3G model, you can also look up your International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number and ICCID. Follow these steps to get this information:

If your iPad is working properly:

1. Navigate to Settings -> General -> About
2. The Serial Number, IMEI and ICCID are listed towards the bottom of the page, along with other information.

If your iPad will not turn on or boot properly:

Your serial number and IMEI are both printed on the barcode label that's affixed to your iPad packaging.

We've gotten a few emails from users complaining that they had to purchase a third-party PDF reader application or keep an email lying in their Inbox with the iPad manual attached to it in order to read the official Apple iPad user guide on their iPad.

None of this is necessary.

The iPad manually can be read and stored in iBooks. Simply search for iPad to find the free-to-download iPad user guide and add it to your iBook-shelf.

File this under the "well-known" items by long-time iPhone owners that we shouldn't have assumed all iPad owners would already know, as clearly not all iPad owners have iPhones.

Anyway ...

If you've got a locked up iPad app or otherwise misbehaving iPad, and want to reboot / reset your iPad, simply hold the sleep and home buttons together until the iPad restarts.

You'll see the shutoff slider come up first, but just keep holding. The screen will go blank and the Apple logo will reappear as the iPad reboots.

To take a screen shot in the iPad, simply press the home button and the sleep button at the same time.

The screen will flash and a picture sound will be heard and the screen shot will be saved to your photos.

You can then email, sync or share the screen shot like any other picture.

After many early iPad pre-orders were updated several days ago to indicate that they were prepared for shipment, Apple has actually begun shipping those orders. Many eager iPad owners-to-be were happily greeted by an Apple shipping notification, such as the one shown in the image below, sitting in their inbox.

Somewhat interestingly, despite most outlets previously assuming it would be FedEx handling the Saturday deliveries of Apple's long awaited tablet, early reports from consumers indicate that UPS is handling the initial shipment of iPads. Despite some customer concerns that UPS does not deliver on Saturday, the UPS website clearly states "For time-critical shipments, UPS offers the convenience of Saturday Delivery."

Apple now officially owns the trademark for the term "iPad". A recent article on patentauthority.com details the transfer of the iPad trademark, which was first registered in 2003 by Fujitsu, to Apple Inc. (AAPL).

Fujitsu originally registered the trademark for its now-defunct iPad device, a hand held computer that was used by retailers for inventory and check-out purposes.

Initial expectations that Apple would challenge the iPad trademark were confirmed when Apple initiated opposition proceedings last year. However, according to the article, these proceedings never progressed and left Apple only to file extensions on their proceedings, with Apple filing its last extension in December of last year.