It is no exaggeration to claim that iPad has forever changed personal computing. In terms of its form factor, ease of use, and always-on accessibuility, it has revolutionized how we consume digital information, interact with each other, and create unique content. Its intuitive user interface is very easy to master, and yet there are few details and features under the hood whose that may require the use of a written resource. “The iPad PocketGuide” provides one such easy resource, and I’d recommend it to most iPad owners.

This short pocket guide aims to take away the mystery behind the iPad and help you make the most of it. The guide is written in an extremely accessible and to-the-point style, and from the very outset it takes you straight to the actual demonstrations of how to achieve certain actions on your iPhone. It helps you navigate the plethora of settings and adjustment options, and tries to make sense of them. This is in fact one of the book’s greatest strengths – it is not just a bag of tricks, but also a clear and lucid explanation of the rationale behind every design option on your iPad (both hardware and software). Even seasoned iPad users will find many valuable tips and insights, and the book is a valuable reference for the long-term use.

I also enjoyed the format of the book. As the name suggests, it is rather small but I would still not attempt to put it in my pocket. The illustrations, although small, are very clear and help to illustrate all the relevant material. It is a very intuitive guide for a very intuitive device.

The 4th edition is the first major update in this series in a while, due largely to the inclusion of material on iPad mini. Even though iPad mini is essentially scaled-down version of iPad 2, it has enough of the idiosyncrasies that stem from this new format that it deserves slightly different treatment. iPad mini is particularly well suited for media consumption, and its size and portability make it a much more convenient device to carry around. All these aspects of iPad mini are properly addressed in this wonderful book.