The first ipads had to be connected to your computer and initially set up with itunes. The new ipads can be set up without a computer, using just the wifi. Once set up, you can update the software and buy/install aps without a computer.

For a few of these tips, you must have the cellular data connection in your ipad and pay a subscription fee to your cellular data provider (Verizon or AT&T). Otherwise, you can only use your ipad when you have WIFI available. I recommend buying the IPAD with the 3G/4G feature (cell phone networks), whether or not you subscribe to the data service. You might change your mind later, and the ipad is MUCH MORE VERSATILE with the cell data option.

Connect your ipad to your TV or computer monitor.

This lets several people view (and hear) what you're doing on your ipad (shopping sites, emails, videos, etc). The picture quality is amazing! (You can also connect many laptops to your TV.)

You need a fairly new TV, that has an HDMI connection. At an Apple or electronics store, purchase the ipad to HDMI adapter (sorry, it's probably $25 or more), and purchase an HDMI cable (at a discount store) that will reach from your TV to where you use the Ipad. (Hide it under furniture.).

You may have to share the HDMI connection with something else, just switch cables when necessary. (My TV has 2 HDMI jacks, but the cable box uses one, and my blue-ray player uses the other.)

Plug the ipad into the TV, use the TV input control to select the correct HDMI input. (There may be up to 15 seconds delay when you change inputs, so wait after each change to see whether the ipad screen appears)
Now, everything you see on your ipad will by shown on your TV and the sound will come from your TV, not your ipad.

You can also purchase an ipad to VGA adapter, and use a VGA cable to connect to a computer monitor. VGA is video only, you must use a separate audio cable to connect sound to external speakers.

Connect your ipad to your car stereo.

There are four ways to connect, depending on your car stereo system's features. Sound quality depends on your car stereo, but can be EXCELLENT!
1. Bluetooth. You can pair your ipad to your car stereo's bluetooth. Follow the instructions for your ipad and/or your car stereo.
2. USB. If your car has a USB connectors, you can connect through that. (But it's more convenient to use the bluetooth.)
3. Cassette adapter. For an older stereo, you can insert a cassette adapter, and plug it into your ipad. The car radio "thinks" you're playing a cassette. Just select "cassette" on your car stereo, and you're done. The adaptor requires no batteries.
4. FM adapter. This works with any FM car radio. Plug it into your ipad. The IPAD looks like an FM station to your car stereo. You have to try several frequencies on the adapter (and tune to them with your radio) until you find an unused channel, but they work fine. Get one that plugs into your cigarette lighter (er... 12-volt power) socket, so it doesn't need batteries.

Get a REAL keyboard.

Logitec sells both a metal and a plastic keyboard/case for the IPAD. I found the metal keyboard MUCH easier to use.  It connects to the IPAD with bluetooth. It's a standard (but small) keyboard with arrow keys, volume and brightness controls, numbers, and function keys. I find its keyboard MUCH easier to use than the IPAD onscreen keyboard, especially when I sit at a table or desk. TRY IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT! Make sure it's for you! If you have problems connecting, get you store to do it!

Charge it in your car:

Some car USB cables are for audio only, and don't charge devices. Get a cigarette lighter connector to USB adapter, plug the IPAD into that to charge it.

Useful apps:

There are hundreds of thousands of apps for the ipad. You get them from the Apple App Store on your ipad. Some are free, some a few dollars. Here are the ones I've used -- most are free:

Teleprompt+ Teleprompter app($20 -- well worth it). Use your Ipad as a teleprompter:
This app and the required hardware enables you to use your Ipad as a teleprompter. With those, you can make your own home videos (or clips) looking directly into the camera lens while reading from a script. I've prepared a video series to show how to choose the hardware and software, and how to use them to record videos. See playlist How To Use Your Ipad As A Teleprompter . There are three videos in the series:
Part 1 - Advice for choosing an app and the teleprompter hardware.
Part 2 - Using the Teleprompt+ Ipad app (quickstart guide)
Part 3 - Managing Teleprompt+ Prompt Scrips

DJI Vision: Control DJI drone, view thru the camera on the drone.

Dragon dictation: You speak, it builds a text file.  Research it before you buy it.  Some people report problems using it on a mobile device.

Drop Box: File share with all your computers over the internet(free).

Google drive: File share with all your computers over the internet(free).

Google earth: See the earth (or your house) on your ipad.

Camera apps: Lets you view thru and congtrol your WIFI-equipped digital cameras.

Kendle: Lets you read kendle books on your ipad.

Reflector 3 ($15). The app runs on your PC. It displays your ipad screen on your desktop computer, using WIFI. Useful for making IPAD video tutorials.

Skyview ($1.99. This app displays the sky for star-gazing. See page "Astronomy" for more details.

Logmein: Control your home computer from your ipad. (If it's turned on!) You definitely need the IPAD keyboard/case to use this, but it can be useful at times.

Pandora: Free service, similar to SiuiusXM.

Podcasts: Play podcasts.

Shazam: Fun app. Hear a song but can't remember the name? start the app, hold up your ipad; it'll identify the song, artist, & album in a few seconds.

SiriusXM: Over a hundred radio channels, including CNN & many left or right-leaning stations and some great music stations. Pay subscription required.

Spectrum TV: Charter customers can view TV.

Speed test: measure speed of your internet connection.

Warning: I assume ALL of the free apps (and all free services on your desktop, like Youtube) are saving information about your browsing habits. They sell this info. (That's why they're "free".) If you're worried about the lack of provacy when you browse, I suggest you go back to doing everything by land phone (Only the government is then listening in, not the "private" companies.) Tin cans and strings also work (kinda). 

For nerds only:

Use a network-accessible hard drive. I have a (Seagate GOFLEX) hard drive in my closet at home. It connects to my router, so I don't need to turn on my home computer to use it. On it is stored my (large) music collection. With the GoFlexAccess ap on my ipad, I can connect over the internet and play my songs. It worked fine from Rome (not Rome, Georgia), using the ship's WIFI. I use it When I (frequently) sit in parking lots while Margaret shops, I open the goflex app, get my songs over the ipad's cellular data connection, then play my songs through the car stereo using the ipad bluetooth to the radio. (I warned you this paragraph was for nerds only!)