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Topic: Apple

Six things every new iPad (or iPhone) owner should do immediately

Summary: So you got a new iPad (or iPhone) as a holiday gift huh? Here's some things that you should do right now to keep your new gadget safe.

Jason D. O'Grady

By for The Apple Core |

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Turn on Passcode Lock and Auto-Lock

If you leave your iPad in a taxi or on an airplane, anyone can pick it up and look through your email, contacts and photos -- and that's probably the least of your worries. A simple way to avoid unnecessary data exposure is with a Passcode Lock. You can enable it in Settings > General > Passcode Lock. A Passcode Lock is useless if a thief grabs your iPad while it's awake. So I also recommend enabling Auto-Lock which times out your iPad after a defined period of inactivity. If you're super security-minded (or General David Patraeus) I recommend that you also disable the 4-digit "Simple Passcode" in lieu of something more complex. According to Agilebits, developer of the excellent 1Password, a four-digit passcode can be cracked in 20 minutes, while an eight character passcode comprised of lowercase letters and the spacebar will take 1,000 years to crack. 

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Topics: Apple, iPhone, iPad

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  • AppleCare

    Whilst Apple have to provide a 2 year warranty on their hardware, in the case of the iPhone, the AppleCare warranty is useful. Here in Germany, if the iPhone stops working, you either have to bring it to a carrier shop or use their telephone service to get it fixed.

    This normally takes 2 weeks, during which time, you will be without your beloved iPhone. The AppleCare warranty brings the repair service into line with other manufacturers, meaning that you will receive a replacement phone when they collect your defective one.

    An expensive way to get the standard of service the other manufacturers provide for free, but given the reliability of the iPhones we've had, it is worth the money. One user here has a had 7 replacement iPhones in 2 years, 6 were hardware defects, the 7th due to the phone being dropped.

    I didn't have AppleCare with my iPhone 3GS and spent 6 of the first 7 weeks of ownership without the phone as it was sent off to the Apple repair centre 3 times without them finding the fault and returning it unrepaired! After the last failed attempt, they "graciously" replaced it, after I made a very loud comments about their incompetence in a very full shop.
    wright_is
    Reply 1 Vote

  • LOL!

    the first thing that you want to do with your new 'iCrap' is don't tell anybody. Secondly, go out and find a cover for it so no-one can tell what it is!
    Mujibahr
    Reply 1 Vote

    • lol lol

      Mujibar
      Im not sure I can be bothered to read articles which arent relevant to my interests let alone bother to make the effort to comment. Why not use your time more efficiently and take this much interest in articles about the device you actually own?
      MrMan365
      Reply 4 Votes

      • Follow The Money

        It's because Mujibahr and other 3rd worlders are being paid by Samsung to disparage Apple products in public forums. This seems to be a new front in the Apple - Samsung war, which Apple has declined to participate in. In the end, Samsung's nefarious ways will turn out to be the best sales tool for Apple products ever.
        Yacko
        Reply 2 Votes

  • Number 1 should be

    Trade it in for an Android, with numbers 2-6 being an Android buyers guide :-D
    T1Oracle
    Reply Vote

    • Almost

      Trade in for 2 more powerful devices (mini to N7 or i4 to N10) and share one with your friends. After all it is the season.
      alex_darkness
      Reply Vote

    • trade magazine

      ((( "Trade it in for an Android..." )))

      That would be like trading in a signed first edition of Huckleberry Finn for a stack of People magazines.
      buddhistMonkey
      Reply 1 Vote

  • Find my iPad/iPhone - critical additional step

    I'm not normally one for online comments, but this is really important. In addition to the steps outlined above for Find My iPhone, you should go to Settings>General>Restrictions, scroll down to Privacy, and then tap Location Services. Tap Don't Allow Changes - if you don't take this step, a savvy thief that takes your phone before the auto-lock engages can simply turn off Find My iPhone as fast as you activated it.

    In my opinion, this is a bug apple needs to fix - there should be a separate "lock" you can enable on Find My iPhone. Adding this restriction requires you to visit this area every time you add a new app and want to allow it to use location services. Until Apple fixes this though, it is a worthwhile inconvenience.
    dm4jesus
    Reply 3 Votes

    • Agreed...

      You're absolutely correct. Although I've found a similar but simpler way (at least on OS 6, not sure about earlier versions) that allows you to avoid locking down location services, meaning you don't have to keep enabling and disabling them every time you want to install an app that uses them.

      Go to Settings > General > Restrictions > Enable Restrictions. You will be asked to enter a four-digit passcode and then confirm it. After that's done, if a thief makes off with your iPhone, he won't even make it to the Restrictions page without knowing the passcode. So he won't be able to disable the "find my iPhone" function.
      Minit Mafia
      Reply Vote

  • You only have 30 days to purchase AppleCare +

    Because it covers accidental damage you only have 30 days from date of purchase AND the device has to be inspected at an Apple store.

    Just making sure you are giving out the correct information. AppleCare + is well worth the money.
    b4ndafter
    Reply 2 Votes

  • Six things every new iPad (or iPhone) owner should do immediately

    Does the AppleCare program for iPhone cover a cracked screen when dropped or accidentally dropped in water?
    Loverock-Davidson
    Reply Vote

    • Apparently you weren't covered for accidental dropping

      enuff said.
      ego.sum.stig
      Reply 1 Vote

  • DISABLE IN-APP PURCHASING - #1 STEP

    You left out the most potentially expensive hole in the iPad/iPod/iPhone experience if you are ever going to let anyone under the age of knowing better near your new toy.
    In-app purchasing has been hijacked by game developers who provide well-disguised options to purchase up to $110 at a time of game credits, etc. In the hands of a 9-year-old who doesn't know better this can be an unwelcome and expensive intro to the world of Apple (and yes I know it happens on other devices but this is an apple article).
    Apple could lower this risk very easily by shipping their devices with in-app purchases turned off by default - good for buyers but not so good for the apple coffers so it probably won't happen even in the 7th version of iOS
    joneda1
    Reply Vote

    • or...

      or don't give your 9 year old your password to your iTunes account which has a credit card attached... You can't in-app purchase without the password.
      doh123
      Reply 1 Vote

      • No passwords were exchanged!!

        I forgot to mention part 2 of the equation - Apple by default sets your iTunes account up on your new device and they set the password to be required only 15 minutes after it was last used. You also need to change this setting to require the password immediately.
        My daughter racked up $100's in Smurfberry purchases within 15 minute windows of ME entering the password (not her) to download apps or music.
        So you can in-app purchase without the password if it has been recently entered for other purposes. I guarantee my daughter doesn't know it.
        Apple (and others if they do it) need to get their act together to default their devices to a safer mode - is the grief and customer bad blood worth their cut of the profits?
        joneda1
        Reply Vote

    • Best Yet

      Don't leave a credit card attached to iTunes. I use gift cards.
      PeanutsRus
      Reply Vote

  • Apple Care

    Good tips except Apple Care. Virtually all extended warranties are poor investments. Just treat your devices with the care they deserve and use the $$$ you save to buy more goodies. JMO.
    TheBigA9505
    Reply 1 Vote

  • http://WWW.NEXSCIENCE.TK

    enabling find my IpAD(iphone) looks good :)
    Serra-Abs
    Reply Vote

  • I agree with all but one of your suggestions

    The Apple care or any other extended warranties.
    These are expensive items and only offering one year warranties on them is IMO a sham.

    I agree with many posters out there, that protecting your investment should be the number one priority and purchasing a $20-30 case for it is often sufficient.
    I also believe that accidental coverage is a totally different matter and that maybe the manufacturer could offer a warranty for that but not as steep a price as what Apple Care.

    Finally I applaud governments that force manufacturers of these expensive devices to offer a reasonable warranty, beyond one year. All such devices should be covered for at least the duration of carrier"s contract, that is 2-3 years.

    Finally, HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone.
    MG537
    Reply 1 Vote

  • The next time some iSheep...

    Tells me how evil Google is and "Apple never sells your data" will get redirected to Items #4 and #6.
    ePoch270
    Reply Vote
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