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1. Get to Know Your iPad > Connect Through iPad Jacks and Ports
While the iPad’s innards are full of state-of-the-art electronics, the outside isn’t very complex at all—just four buttons (On/Off-Sleep/Wake, Volume, Side Switch, and, discussed on Find the Home Button, the Home button). The outside of the iPad sports two jacks where you plug in cords. Here’s what you do with ’em:
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Headphone Jack. Although it doesn’t come with its own set of headphones, as iPhones and iPods do, the iPad does offer a headphone jack on its top-left edge. You can plug in any pair of earbuds or headphones that come with the standard 3.5-millimeter stereo miniplug. Add Earbuds and Earphones has more on that.
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Dock Connector. The flat port on the iPad’s bottom edge is called the Dock Connector. You plug the provided USB cable in here to connect your iPad to your computer for battery-charging, as well as for music, iBook, and video fill-ups from your iTunes library (unless you decide to go with the Wi-Fi Sync option, described on Sync Your iPad Wirelessly with iTunes). This thin port has been a fixture on iPods since 2003, which means that certain accessories, like stereo-audio docks meant for an iPod, may work with your iPad—so check the tech specs before you buy anything new. The Dock Connector snaps right into the tablet’s optional external keyboard, too (Add an External Keyboard).
