How to Protect Your IP Address in Windows

The acronym “IP”, in computing terminology, refers to an “Internet Protocol address.” It is number that identifies your computer or network and separates it from all other computers or networks on the Internet. It allows other computers and networks to identify your own connection and initiate communication, which is the basis of how the Internet actually operates. Because of the important job of an IP address, it is equally important that you take steps to protect your own, especially if you own and operate a business. If your IP address is used in the wrong way by a person with malicious intentions, it could potentially cause irreparable harm to your network, your computer or even your business.

A number of different things can potentially happen to your business if your system’s IP addresses are compromised. Because of its importance and the precise way in which it operates, someone with questionable intentions could use the IP address to gain access to your network from the outside. This puts all connected computers, and the sensitive data stored on them, at risk. Someone with advanced technical knowledge could also potentially use your business’ IP address to hide their own, covering their own tracks while performing illegal activities and pinning the blame on you and your company. This makes protecting your IP address of the utmost importance.

In addition, certain websites may install malicious software on your computer that uses your IP address to glean additional information. This information could be small, like what websites you browse to be used for targeted advertisement purposes. It could also be large, like those whom you frequently e-mail or communicate with. Protecting your IP address not only protects your business, but it protects your clients as well.

Peer Block is one program capable of protecting your computer’s IP address by blocking specific connection attempts. It is an open sourced utility that is available free of charge at Peer Block’s main site. Peer Block operates using a series of IP address “block lists,” similar to the virus definitions that your business anti-virus software would use. If any of the IP addresses on the block lists (which are typically malicious programs, computers and users) attempt to make connection with your business computer, the connection is denied. Peer Block can also block outgoing connections to the same addresses. This can be especially useful if your business computers have been compromised, and malicious software is attempting to make contact with its original source.

BeeThink IP Blocker is another program available for Windows that operates similar to Peer Block. It is available at BeeThink’s main page. In addition to offering “block list” protection from IP addresses, the program is also capable of preventing specific types of attacks from outside sources. A DDoS, or “denial of service” attack is just one such example. If your business server experiences a DDoS attack, the server itself is overloaded with so many simultaneous information requests that it can no longer function. This could send your business, or at least its ability to communicate, grinding to a halt.

You can also use most standard firewall software, like the program that comes natively installed in the Windows operating system, to block specific IP addresses or entire ranges of addresses. This, however, requires you to know the specific IP addresses that you are trying to block and input that information manually. Windows Firewall in particular does not have block list capabilities that rival that of other programs. It is, however, already installed on your computer so no additional downloads are required.

The Benefits of VoIP Connections for Your Business

The computing term VoIP is short for “Voice over IP,” or “Voice over Internet Protocol.” It refers to a technology where certain communication methods like voice, fax or SMS text messages are sent over the Internet rather than through traditional phone lines. Though this is a relatively new phenomenon in the world of computing, it has already been widely adapted and put to good use in the corporate world. VoIP has many clear benefits over traditional telephone communication, and is wonderfully easy to use.

One clear benefit of VoIP communication is that voice information and data can be transmitted over a single network. This means that you no longer need to have separate phone lines and Internet lines to run your business – one single line is capable of handling both jobs.

VoIP communications services are also bandwidth efficient. Though the handsets are operating using the same connection that your corporate Internet services will filter through, you will not notice any speed degradation in regards to your Internet connection while making or receiving calls.

VoIP services are also one way to lower the overall costs for your business. The start with, you no longer need to have two monthly bills – one for your phone service, and the other for your business Internet connection. Since the service is more than capable of handling both jobs, you only need a single bill. In addition, VoIP services are just inherently cheaper due to their very nature when compared to traditional copper wire phone lines offered by telephone companies.

VoIP connections also make it easier to do work out of the office. VoIP handsets make it possible to receive calls to your business lines from anywhere an Internet connection is present. Traditional telephone services require that you be in one physical location during a call, or at least tapped into the same line. This will cut down overall operating costs in an additional way. Instead of having a business land-line telephone and a separate business cell-phone, you can have one VoIP handset capable of making calls anywhere.

One popular company that offers VoIP services is Skype. Skype gives users the ability to not only make voice calls over the Internet, but text and video calls as well. Any calls that you make to other users who are also subscribers to Skype will be free. Calls to non-Skype users and international users will be subject to the service’s fee structure. Skype is also supported by many mobile phones and devices including Apple’s iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad. Skype offers services geared directly at business owners with plans for home offices, small businesses, medium businesses and enterprise users available on their website. You can sign up for any Skype plan at Skype’s homepage.

Other communications companies, like AT&T, Verizon and Vonage, also offer similar VoIP services aimed directly at business users. These plans vary in price depending on the size of the installation, how many handsets you will need and other things of that nature. The benefit of going with one of these companies over something like Skype is that you can often bundle services together. Bundling a VoIP phone service with Internet service will save you money over buying the services individually. If your business or home office requires cable television, you can further save money by bundling all three services together. These plans can be obtained by signing up at the provider’s website.

Five Signs It's Time to Upgrade Your iPad

Apple tends to release a new model of its iPad portable tablet device every twelve months. These new models don’t just have new features; they also tend to be faster and sleeker in design. An iPad is an expensive commitment, so it’s natural to question whether an upgrade is really necessary. However, if you’re experiencing a few key signs that every iPad user will eventually come to know, you should realize that it’s time to trade up for a newer and better version.

If your applications start running slower than you’re comfortable with, it’s time to upgrade to a new iPad. The designers and companies that make and release applications for the iPad tend to program them with the latest and greatest hardware in mind. If an application is released at the same time as a new model iPad, for example, it will be designed to run perfectly on that new version. However, these companies also regularly release updates to their software that could cause the application that has always run perfectly to slow down as your iPad ages. This is especially true of applications that store large amounts of data, like eBook reading applications.

If you can’t upgrade to the newest version of iOS, it’s time to buy a new iPad. Just because Apple has released a new version of the iPad’s operating system doesn’t mean your model will be able to run it. For example, iOS version 6 isn’t compatible with the original model iPad. Not being able to update your operating system could result in a loss of the over 200 new features that these software updates typically bring.

If you need a camera, it’s time to upgrade your iPad. The original model iPad, released in 2010, did not feature a camera. All iPad models released afterwards do have the ability to capture both photos and videos. If your iPad is getting older and you want to buy a camera anyway, why not kill two birds with one stone. Take the money you would have spent on a new camera and put it towards the cost of the upgrade.

Service will eventually get very expensive. As Apple hardware devices like the iPad get older, it becomes harder to have them serviced. There will likely come a time where the cost of getting your iPad serviced is half or more of the cost of a new model. When that time eventually comes, the money would be better spent upgrading to a new iPad that will run problem free for the next few years.

If you’re out of hard drive space, consider upgrading to a new iPad. If you bought one of the smaller-sized iPad models and need more space, don’t make the same mistake twice. Learn from your lesson and buy the biggest size you can afford. Apple iPad models are commonly available in 16 gigabyte, 32 gigabyte and 64 gigabyte models. Future models will likely have even more storage space beyond the current limit of 64 gigabytes.

How to Run Windows Update in Windows

It’s always imperative that you keep your computer software up to date. This is especially true when talking about an operating system like Windows. Microsoft regularly releases updates, bug fixes and additional features free to Windows users. These updates can be quickly and easily downloaded and installed via a native application within the operating system itself. Updates can also be downloaded for other Microsoft products, like the Microsoft Office productivity suite, through the same utility.

Step 1

Open Windows Update. There are a few different ways you can accomplish this. The first is by clicking “Start,” selecting “All Programs” and choosing the icon for the utility. The second is by clicking “Start” and typing “Windows Update” into the search box. The utility will appear in the list of programs that appears shortly thereafter. Click the icon to open the program.

Step 2

Give Windows Update a few seconds to automatically check for available updates. If no updates are available, you will be notified at this time. If updates are available they will be separated into two categories – “Important Updates” and “Optional Updates.”

Step 3

Click “Important Updates” to view a list of the available updates in this category. These types of updates include ones to important system files and the Windows operating system itself. Check the box next to any update you want to download. Because they are considered important, it is typically recommended that you download any updates in this section. Click the “Ok” button when finished.

Step 4

Click “Optional Updates” to view a list of available updates in this category. These types of updates include ones to the optional Microsoft Windows anti-malware utility, ones for Microsoft Office and other updates of similar nature. You do not have to download or install any updates in this category if you don’t want to. Check the box next to any update you want to download. Click the “Ok” button when finished.

Step 5

Click the “Install Updates” button on the right side of the screen. Windows Update will download the necessary files for all of the updates you have previously selected. When the download is finished, the updates will automatically be installed.

Step 6

Click “Restart Now.” In order to finish installed updates, Microsoft Windows often needs to be rebooted. Clicking the “Restart Now” button will turn your computer off and turn it back on again. The installation for the selected updates will be complete.

Five Ways to Speed up Your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad

Though Apple’s iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad devices are truly remarkable, they’re not perfect. Case in point: just as a computer will slow down the more you use it, so too will Apple’s flagship line of devices. Certain performance issues just can’t be helped, like programs being created with newer and more advanced hardware in mind. But if your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad are generally slow and sluggish, there are a few free ways that you can get its speed back up to the blazing-fast performance that you’re used to.

Close programs you aren’t using anymore. After using a program, most of us just press the “Home” button when we’re done. This closes the program and returns you to your device’s “Home” screen. What many people don’t realize is that it doesn’t actually close the program – it just minimizes it. Press the “Home” button twice to view a list of apps that are currently running. Press and hold on one of the apps until they all start to wobble. Press the “-“ button above the app to close that particular program. The more apps that are running at once, even when you’re not using them, the slower your device will go.

Uninstall apps you don’t use. Having too many applications installed on your device at one time will take up valuable hard drive space, which will ultimately slow down your Apple device. Either uninstall an app via your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad or have the device removed via iTunes on your computer. Always leave some space on the hard drive free to avoid slowing your device down for this reason.

Remove content you don’t watch or listen to. This effectively performs the same function as uninstalling apps you don’t use – it frees up hard drive space. Leaving even a small amount of free hard drive space, like a couple of gigabytes or so, will yield speed-related benefits almost immediately.

Stop upgrading to the newest version of iOS. Each new version of iOS that becomes available requires more system resources than the one that preceded it. This is because the newer versions are designed for newer models of the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad. Just because a new version is available doesn’t mean you have to download it. For example, downloading iOS version 5 on an iPhone 3GS will dramatically slow that device. If your device is more than a year or so old, it’s probably time to stop upgrading the operating system.

Stop upgrading applications if the updates specify they take advantages of a new version of the iOS software. Just because you downloaded an app when it was new doesn’t mean it’s always going to run smoothly on your device. Newer versions of applications are designed to take advantage of the latest hardware models of Apple’s iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad devices. This means that the newer version may actually run slower on your device if it isn’t a brand new model. Before you download an update, check the “Update Notes” in the iTunes Store. If the update is geared specifically at improvements for newer hardware models, steer clear.

How to Uninstall Applications on Your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad

When you download an application using your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad, that application automatically installs itself on your device. This is a similar process to the one your computer goes through whenever you install a new program or game. Though there are hundreds of thousands of applications available in the iTunes App Store, the actual devices themselves certainly don’t have room for that many. If your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad are quickly filling up and you need to free some space, you can do so by uninstalling any third-party application in just a few quick moments.

On the Device

Step 1

Navigate to the screen on your iPod Touch, iPad or iPhone that you want to uninstall. If the application is stored in a folder, open the folder. If it’s on a separate screen, slide your finger to the appropriate screen.

Step 2

Press your finger down on the application’s icon. Hold your finger in this position until all the icons on screen start to wobble. An “X” will also appear in the corner of the icon.

Step 3

Tap the “X” in the corner of the icon. Select “Remove” to uninstall the application from your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad.

On Your Computer

Step 1

Plug your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad into your computer. If the Apple iTunes device management software does not load automatically, load the program manually at this time.

Step 2

Click on your device’s name. This is the same process you would go through to sync any type of content to the device. Click “Apps” in the device’s “Settings” page. Scroll through the list of available applications in iTunes until you find the one you want to uninstall. Click the checked box next to its name. This removes the check, and also tells iTunes that you no longer want to sync the application to your device.

Step 3

Click “Sync.” Your new settings specifications will be synced to your iPod Touch, iPad or iPhone. This will uninstall the selected application from your device.

How to Restrict Apps and Other Mature Content on an iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad

Certain applications on the iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad feature content that you may not want younger members of your household to access. This can be anything from a specific program altogether (like one allowing users to view mature videos), or even the ability to use the device’s built-in Web browser. You don’t have to uninstall these applications from the device completely to prevent younger children and teens from using them, however. Instead, you can just set restrictions on your device. This requires you to enter a passcode whenever you want to use a particular restricted app. If you don’t want someone to be able to access the application, don’t give them the passcode.

Step 1

Open the application labeled “Settings” on your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad. By default, this icon will be on the main page of installed applications. If you have moved this application at any time, navigate to its current location and open it now.

Step 2

Tap “General.” This will load a new page of options. From the list on screen, tap “Restrictions.”

Step 3

Tap “Enable Restrictions.” If this is the first time you’re enabling restrictions on your device, you will be forced to enter a four digit passcode. This can be any four digit code you are comfortable with, and should be one that you can remember. Enter the code now to continue.

Step 4

Select the application or applications that you want to restrict. This can be any application on the device, including ones like YouTube and Safari that come pre-installed and can’t be completely removed. Tap the “ON” button next to a particular application to toggle the restrictions on and off as needed.

Step 5

Scroll down to the “Allowed Content” portion of the window on screen. This allows you to specify what types of media content a person can view. For example, if you don’t want a young child to be able to watch R-rated movies from the iTunes Store, you can restriction access to such content in this portion of the window.

Press the “Home” key to exit the “Settings” application when finished. Anytime a person tries to view content that has been restricted, they will be automatically prompted to enter the passcode. If they cannot provide the passcode, they will be unable to view the content.

How to Stream Spotify From Your Computer to Your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad

Spotify is a popular online streaming service that allows you to listen to all of your favorite songs via the Internet. Instead of purchasing digital tracks or compact discs, you can enjoy music much the same way you would on a radio station. If you’ve got an Apple iOS device like an iPod Touch, iPad or iPhone you can also get in on the fun that Spotify has to offer. You can do this in one of two ways – by using the official Spotify application available in the iTunes App Store, or by streaming the music from your computer directly to your device over a home wireless network.

Step 1

Download and install the Spotify software to your computer. This software is available at no cost from Spotify.com. Point your Web browser towards the site and click the green “Download Spotify” button. When the installation file is finished downloading, double-click on it to execute.

Step 2

Make a free Spotify account. Launch the Spotify software (via the icon on your desktop that is created during the installation) and choose a username and password for your account. You will also need to provide a working email address to receive updates and informational emails from the Spotify staff.

Step 3

Download the necessary files to get the free “Spotify Stream” software for your computer. Open your Web browser and navigate to your search engine of choice, like Google. Search for the following three files by name: “dsound.dll”, “dsbridge.ini” and “lame_enc.dll.” The files can be found individually on certain websites or all in the same .ZIP or .RAR archive.

Step 4

Right-click the archive file you downloaded (if your files came in a .ZIP or .RAR file instead of separately). Select the “Extract” option to open the archive file and reveal the three program files inside. When a new folder appears on your desktop or in your “Download” folder, double-click it to open it.

Step 5

Open the “Computer” icon on your desktop. This icon is also available by clicking the Windows “Start” button and selecting the “Computer” option. Navigate to the directory in your “C” drive called “Program Files.” In the “Program Files” folder, open the “Spotify” icon.

Step 6

Drag the three files in the “Spotify Stream” folder (these will be two .dll files and one .ini file) into the “Program Files/Spotify” directory. You can now close both the “Spotify” and “Spotify Stream” folders on screen.

Step 7

Open the Spotify software on your computer. If prompted, log into your account using your username and password. Select a song from the playlists on screen to play. When the song begins, a small blue icon will appear in the task bar of your computer.

Step 8

Turn on your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad. Tap the “Safari” icon from the iOS device’s home screen to open the built in Web browser. Use the device’s virtual keyboard to type “ http:// “, followed by your home network’s IP address, followed by “:8124” into the browser. If you do not know your network’s IP address, you can find it by opening the Windows Network and Sharing Center from your computer’s Control Panel. You can also find it by clicking “Start,” selecting “Run,” opening the “CMD” command prompt program and typing “ipconfig” into the screen that appears.

Step 9

Press “Go” on your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad. Your iOS device will pick up the signal being streamed from the Spotify computer application and will immediately begin to play whatever song is currently in progress.

Five Ways to Save Hard Drive Space on Your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad

The iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad devices from Apple all come with limited amounts of hard drive space. Depending on how much money you spent when you initially purchased the device, you’ve got somewhere between 8 gigabytes and 64 gigabytes of room to play with. This may seem like a lot, but when you consider that new desktop and laptop computers typically ship with 500 gigabytes of storage or more you realize just how quickly this space can fill up. Luckily, there are always a few tricks you can employ to free up hard drive space without just upgrading to a bigger (and more expensive) model of your device.

Use an Internet connection to stream videos and songs instead of downloading them. While it is tempting to take all of your favorite movies and songs with you on the go, you don’t necessarily need to if you’re in range of an Internet connection or have a data plan. Applications like Netflix for movies, Hulu Plus for television shows and Spotify for music allow you to access this content solely using your Internet connection without downloading anything to the device. Note that these services do require subscriptions, and some of them charge a monthly fee.

Rent movies from iTunes instead of purchasing them. Purchasing a movie or television show downloads the content directly to your device (or to your computer) permanently. Renting a movie or TV show episode only downloads the content until you view it, at which point it is deleted. Renting is also cheaper, and will save you more than just space in the long run if you’re the type of person who likes movies but will only ever watch them once.

Only sync the content you want when you want it. While it is certainly tempting to take hundreds or thousands of songs with you everywhere you go, it isn’t really needed if you’re not planning on listening to those songs on a regular basis. The same thing goes with movies – it doesn’t make any sense to sync your entire movie collection if you only watch a particular film once every few months. Leave that content on your computer and only sync the things you plan on watching or listening to in the immediate future.

Manage the photos you take and the videos you capture. While photos don’t necessarily take up a lot of space, the high definition videos that the iPod Touch, iPad and iPhone are capable of recording do. While it’s great to walk through our daily lives with a camera always at the ready, this content can quickly take up a lot of space that is best used for other things.

Go through the “Newsstand” application and remove past issues of newspapers and magazines. Certain applications (like the “Entertainment Weekly” reader) download full issues to your device so that you can read them. However, those issues stay on your device even after you’re done. Certain issues can take up 100 megabytes of space or more. Deleting these old issues once you’re done will free up a significant amount of space to be better used by other types of content.

How to Back Up Your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad to the iCloud

Apple’s iCloud feature came into prominence with the release of version five of their iOS operating system. This allows you to back up your settings and files in “the cloud,” which is a branded way of saying that you’re storing this information online instead of on your hard drive. With information stored in the iCloud, you have access to it wherever your device is capable of picking up a data or Wi-Fi signal, as opposed to just when you’re by your home computer. You can back up your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad’s contents to the iCloud at any time by following a few quick steps on your device.

Step 1

Set up your Apple iCloud account if you have not already done so. Navigate to the iCloud website at iCloud.com on your computer’s Web browser. Click the “Set it up” hyperlink to manually create your new iCloud account. You will need to create a new account with your existing Apple username and password. This enables all Apple devices to communicate with and back up content to the iCloud.

Step 2

Turn on your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad. Open the “Settings” icon and scroll down the screen until the “iCloud” menu option comes into view. Tap once on this option to view a list of the settings relating to the device’s iCloud functionality.

Step 3

Type your Apple username and password into the appropriately labeled boxes on screen. When finished, click “Sign In” to sign your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad into your iCloud account.

Step 4

Scroll through the list of applications on screen. These applications include ones like “Mail,” “Contacts,” “Calendars” and more. Tap “On” next to any application that contains information you want to back up to the iCloud.

Step 5

Scroll down to the bottom of the iCloud settings window and select “Storage & Backup.” From the screen that loads, select the “Back Up Now” option. Your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad will now communicate with the iCloud and back up any information you specified on the previous screen. This is similar to the backup process that happens whenever you sync your device to your computer. In that situation, the backup file is created on your PC or Mac. With the iCloud, the information is stored externally for universal access.

You can also access information stored on the iCloud at any time from a PC or Mac with Internet access. Return to the iCloud website and sign in using your Apple username and password to view all information that has been synced from your iPod Touch, iPad or iPhone.

The Five Best Free Entertainment Apps for iPad

Apple’s iPad has quickly become one of the premiere productivity tools on the market today. It allows you to do practically anything a computer can do on something small enough to hold in your hands. But the iPad doesn’t have to just be all work and no play – there are also a variety of entertainment related applications that make keeping up with pop culture and having fun as easy as anything else on Apple’s tablet device.

Flixter

The official Flixter application serves a variety of purposes. In association with Rotten Tomatoes, it allows you to quickly see what movies are coming out and to read reviews about the films that interest you. Partnered with the Ultraviolet digital initiative, the Flixter application also allows you access to your Ultraviolet streaming library on the go. You don’t have to download your Ultraviolet films to your iPad to enjoy them – they can be streamed instantly anytime you have an Internet connection.

HBO GO

The HBO GO application allows you constant streaming access to all content currently available to HBO subscribers. You can stream any movie showing on HBO in a particular month at any time. You also have streaming access to nearly all of HBO’s own shows and original programming, including titles like “The Sopranos” and “Game of Thrones.” While the application itself is free, the content is only available to monthly HBO subscribers. You will need to log in using your cable television service provider username and password.

Netflix

The free Netflix application allows all Netflix service subscribers to access their accounts on the go. You can stream hundreds of thousands of movies and television series episodes right from your iPad. If you were to stop a particular film part way through on your iPad, the next time you view the title it will resume from the same place. Even if you pick it back up again on your television or from your Web browser.

iBooks

iBooks doesn’t come pre-installed on new iPad devices, but it should. This is Apple’s official eBook reader application. It allows users to view not just specially formatted eBooks, but documents like PDFs as well. It allows you to sort your library into a series of “shelves,” giving you a great visual interface to use while deciding what you want to read.

iTunes Trailers

Apple.com/Trailers has long been one of the premiere movie trailer websites on the Internet. Trailers are often exclusive to Apple’s site for a period of time, and are offered in high definition. The iTunes Trailers application allows you to reformat the site specifically for the iPad’s screen. If you’ve heard about a movie coming up and want to watch all available trailers immediately, this is the application for you.

All of the listed applications are available by tapping the blue icon labeled “App Store” on your Apple iPad device.

How to Upgrade iOS on Your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch Without a Computer

iOS is the name given to the operating system that runs on mobile devices from Apple like the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad. This unique operating system is designed to respond not to keyboard taps or a mouse like on a regular desktop or laptop, but to your own fingers tapping on the screen. Previous versions of iOS required you to connect your device to a computer via a USB cable in order to perform an update. With iOS version 5.0 and later, you can perform this update even if you’re nowhere near your computer. You don’t even need to be at home.

Step 1

Connect your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad to a wall outlet using the included Apple wall adapter. This unit comes in two parts – a USB cable and a white, square-shaped adapter. Plug your USB cable into the adapter and plug the adapter into the wall.

Step 2

Plug your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad into the USB cable. Due to the sensitive nature of an operating system upgrade, you will not be able to download the necessary files on battery power. You need to be plugged into the adapter to perform the upgrade.

Step 3

Slide your finger across your iOS device to reveal the main screen of icons. Tap on the “Settings” icon one time.

Step 4

Tap the “General” option from the left side of the screen. This will reveal an additional list of options on the right side of your device’s screen. From this list, tap one time on the “Software Update” option.

Step 5

Wait a few moments while your iOS device checks for an available update. If no update files are available and you have the most recent version of the operating system, you will be notified of this on screen. If updates are available, a new box labeled “Software Update” will appear.

Step 6

Tap the “Install” button. Your device will begin the process of downloading and installing the necessary files to perform the operating system update. You will be unable to use your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad for any purpose for the duration of this process. With the upgrade is complete, your device will reboot and load back to the main screen.

The Five Best Comic Book Apps for iPad

Of all the aspects of our daily lives that Apple’s iPad has helped to revolutionize, perhaps the one it has left the most identifiable mark on is the way we read. The iPad’s large screen and capable storage capacity makes it perfect for carrying entire libraries with you on the go. Each book in your arsenal can be accessed with the simple tap of a finger. The iPad isn’t just great for regular print novels and non-fiction material – it is also a terrific way to enjoy comic books and other types of graphic art. There are many applications available in the iTunes App Store geared towards this specific market.

Comic Zeal

Comic Zeal is a type of catch-all application capable of reading and displaying comic book files in the popular .CBR and .CBZ file formats. If you’ve got any comic book files on your computer that you want to be able to read on your iPad, Comic Zeal is the program for you. You can separate issues into digital “boxes” by series, artist, writer, publisher or any other criteria you can think of. This makes keeping track of your collection as easy and fun as it is in real life.

ComiXology

The ComiXology application acts as a digital marketplace for comic books, much the same way the iTunes Music Store is for music. ComiXology allows you to purchase and download hundreds of new issues and back issues from the world’s biggest publishers like DC Comics, Marvel Comics and more. Certain issues are also available through the application in digital format the same day they hit comic book stores.

DC Comics

If you’re loyal to DC Comics over all other brands, the DC Comics application is tailor-made for you. As its name suggests, only DC Comics are available for purchase and download via this particular application. This gives you immediate access to Superman, Batman, the Justice League and some of the biggest characters being published today. Many issues are also available for free so that you can try out a particular book and see if you like it.

Marvel Comics

This is Marvel Comics’ answer to the aforementioned DC Comics application. Only Marvel titles are available, with many being offered on the same date as they are released in print versions in stores across America. This application also offers you free issues for you to try to see if you like a book before committing to any type of financial commitment. Characters published by Marvel Comics include Spider-man, the X-Men, the Avengers and more.

Comic Viewer

Comic Viewer is similar in concept to Comic Zeal, with a much more straightforward interface. You can take digital comic files from your computer and sync them to your iPad via this application. Issues are arranged on a virtual shelf, much the same way that eBooks are arranged in iTunes’ iBooks application. You can swipe your finger across your iPad’s screen to turn the comic’s pages, similar to the motions you would make if you were reading a print copy of the book.