can you connect an Ipad to a windows PC?

[panda40]

Hi everyone
I'm thinking of investing in an Ipad and in the process of reading up all about it but I'm confused on one part. It says in the book I'm reading that you will need to connect the Ipad to your PC to sync Itunes etc. I only have a windows 7 PC. Are the two operating systems compatible when connected via USB or are they talking about a MAC PC. Its the only bit I'm confused about.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Regards Panda

[Calverley Lad]

Suggest you have a look at the post computer tablet?
 Brian
(could even merge topic)

[Craclyn]

Yes you can connect an ipad to a Windows PC. I have an ipad but no Mac.

[RJ_Paton]

The synchronisation is done via the program iTunes which you download and install on your windows 7 PC.

[weste]

I also have an iPad and a pc. I bought my iPad from the apple shop and they set it up. They and pc world have some out to get the feel for in the shop. You may have a few questions you want answering when you have a demonstration. Like the iPod it presumes a lot. There is a booklet which is electronic on. I managed to follow the olympic torch on Saturday at the bottom of moms drive while waiting for it to come down the road. Surprised the wifi was good enough to pick up the wifi. Someone recently mentioned doing screen shot with iPad on the other thread and that's good for watching live events. The tv coverage lags 2 mins behind though.

[panda40]

Thanks everyone for your valuable advice. You can always count on chatters to give you the information you require.
Regards panda

[Jamjar]

You need to consider what you want to do with the iPad and what you want to connect it to the PC for. iPad doesn't run windows programs. You download iPad specific programs via iTunes. iTunes is free to download as are a lot of the applications.

My iPad won't charge when connected to the PC, as there isn't enough power supplied.

Jamjar

[panda40]

Thanks Jamjar for the advise it was just the fact that they didn't specify what type of PC they were referring to in the book. I just want to transfer my cd collection which is stored on my Windows PC in Itunes to the Ipad if I get one.
Regards Panda

[jc26red]

ummm....

Installing itunes to your pc isn't really an option, its a MUST and has nothing to do with downloading apps (which you can still do via pc as well)!

1.  When you connect your ipad to the pc and open itunes, it registers the ipad to YOU! not only for warranty purposes but also there's a security option in case you lose the ipad. If you hold vital information on your ipad and its stolen, you can wipe the ipad remotely.

2. Its your only way of backing up your paid apps and music and transferring photos to and from the ipad. My podcasts are backed up on there but my book downloads appear to be in the cloud now.

3. and probably the most important, its the only way to update the ipad operating software. The latest version is OS 5.1.1.  If I remember rightly, the latest version contains a vital security breach update, it was in all the papers a couple of months a go. That was a first as Apple usually brag about how safe Apple products are.

4. The ipad will charge connected to a PC via usb BUT the charge icon does not show on the ipad. Its a slow charge compared to the charger supplied but it does charge.

When I bought mine (an ipad 2) last August, the only way of getting the ipad up and running was through connecting it to a pc and itunes but they have done a system upgrade since then and I noticed you can get up and running without connection to a pc.

Apple have 2 versions of the itunes software, one for Windows XP and later and one for an Apple pc...
see here for minimum requirements and download instructions
http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/