Q: Our family recently got our first iPad. We want the kids to be allowed to use it, but I am worried that they will get into trouble with it. Many of the games on the iPad ask you to buy things. I don’t want my kids running up a big credit card bill! Is there a way to stop this from happening?

A: Great question, Amanda. In-app purchases are an issue with smartphones and tablets that not nearly enough parents are aware of. In fact, we’ve heard news stories about kids accidentally running up thousands of dollars in charges in their favorite mobile game. Fortunately, iPhones and iPads both come with built-in tools that allow parents to control what their kids are getting into.

Image credit: Brad Flickinger / Flickr

Open the Settings icon on your iPad, and look for “Restrictions” under “General”. Tap “enable restrictions” and you’ll be asked to create a passcode. Be sure to use a different passcode than the one you use to lock your device, since your kids probably already know that code.

After you’ve created the passcode, you’ll see a list of features you can restrict access to, including in-app purchases, Safari and even the camera. Tap the button next to “in-app purchases” and any other feature you want to be restricted (that button will be green when the feature isn’t restricted, and white when the restriction is on). This will turn off these features.

Now keep in mind, Amanda, that when you enter that passcode to make an in-app purchase, the restriction will be turned off for 15 minutes by default. If you’re worried that you might put down your iPad and one of your kids might rush over and start buying things within that window, you can set it to ask for the passcode every single time. Go back to the “Restrictions” screen, re-enter your code and scroll down to the option that says “Require password”. Tap that and select “Immediately”. Now the iPad will require the passcode every time anyone tries to make an in-app purchase.

Android devices also have the power to restrict in-app purchases. On your Android tablet or smartphone, open the Play Store (the app you use to download other apps) and go to the settings menu. There you will see an option that says “Use password to restrict purchases”.

Android doesn’t have as many built-in parental control features as iOS does, but there are a ton of great parental control apps out there. You can find them by searching “parental controls” in the Play Store.

Whether you’ve got a table or a smartphone, iOS or Android, there are a many easy-to-use options to allow your family to safely enjoy their new toy.

Q: I enjoy reading and want to start reading more eBooks, but I don’t know if I should get a tablet or an eReader. Do you have any suggestions?

Image credit: kodomut / Flickr

A: That’s a tough one, Casey! Tablets like the iPad, the Nexus and the Kindle Fire can make great eReaders in addition to everything else they do. But dedicated eReaders like the regular Kindle or the Nook are tailored to the reading experience. There are definitely major differences between the two.

The most obvious difference is the screen. Tablets have backlit screens, while Kindles and Nooks have e-ink screens which are lit from the front or not at all. Some people find a backlit screen to be hard on their eyes over long periods of time, but a backlit screen is a plus if you’re reading in the dark. Some eReaders like the Kindle Paperwhite and the Nook GlowLight also have built-in lighting, but they are front lit so the light doesn’t shine in your eyes.

If you enjoy reading at the beach, an eReader is your best bet. Direct sunlight will wash out a backlit screen, making it hard to read (even in the shade you may have glare issues). If you’re reading mostly indoors or on an airplane this won’t be a problem for you.

A great thing about the e-ink screens on dedicated eReaders is that it doesn’t even feel like you’re looking at a screen. A good eReader very closely mirrors the experience of reading a good old fashioned paperback.

On the flip side, if you want to read magazines, comic books, graphic novels, or just non-fiction books with photos or charts, you’ll really want to get a tablet. eReaders only have black-and-white screens. And while e-ink screens are great for reading, they don’t come anywhere near the picture quality you’ll find on tablets. Reading full color comic books on your retina display tablet is really a treat.

Another thing you need to consider is battery life. Most tablets will last you eight hours or so. eReaders, on the other hand, can last for weeks between charges. On a long plane ride, a dedicated eReader will last you way longer than a tablet.

A bigger consideration for many people is price. The cheapest Nexus 7 tablet is $229, while the cheapest iPad, the iPad Mini, starts at $399. The Kindle starts as low as $69, as long as you don’t mind seeing ads on your screensaver. What will make the higher price worth it for some people is that you can do a lot more than just read books on your iPad. Tablets can run apps, play games, check email and surf the web.

So, getting back to your question, which one should you choose? Well, if you’re a casual reader who wants to read some books and run apps then look into getting a tablet. They make good eReaders and they do a lot of other fun stuff too.

Zealous readers or people who like taking books to the beach should consider a dedicated reading device like the Kindle. Not only will it be easier to read outdoors, but it will only cost $69 to replace when you accidentally drop it in a tide pool.

Speaking of which, whatever device you decide to buy, do yourself a favor and get a case!

Q: My son recently gave his mother an iPad as a birthday gift. He bought it earlier this year, but he decided he wanted an iPad mini instead. What’s the best way to delete all of his data and accounts on the iPad, and get him moved over to the iPad Mini without losing all of his emails, contacts, music and apps?

Image Credit: Ben Miller / Flickr

A: It is really important to clear your iPad out before you give it to someone else. You don’t want to hand out your personal information when you sell or give someone your iPad or iPhone. But, it’s also good to do, even if the only reason is so that the other person has more room for their own stuff. So, here’s what you do on your iPad to clear it out.

First, you want to back it up and sync it with his computer before you do anything to it. Backing it up saves his settings, Messages, photos in his Camera Roll, documents, saved games, and other data. Syncing his iPad saves all of his downloadable purchased content such as movies, music, podcasts, and apps.

In general, you should sync and back up any iOS device, like an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch once a day, but if you only back it up once every couple of weeks, or even once a month, it’s OK. I won’t tell on you. Just keep in mind, you could lose anything that’s on your iPad at any time since the last time you backed up and synced your iPad. So, the more often you back it up and sync it, the better.

Just plug his iPad into his computer, and you’ll be able to back it up and sync it in iTunes. Once you’re done with that you can take his iPad Mini and plug it into his computer, and restore it using the backup you just made of his old iPad. Just plug it in, and tap Restore iPad. If it asks you which backup to use, make sure to choose the most recent backup. Once iTunes is done restoring and syncing his content, he should have everything back and it should look just like his old iPad. Of course, it will look a little smaller since it is an iPad mini.

Now, the next step is to wipe the old iPad. Now, don’t take this step lightly. Once you’ve done it it cannot be undone. His iPad will be completely wiped clean, and it will look brand new like the day he bought it. Well, except for those scratches and the ding on the corner.

To wipe his iPad, open the Settings app and tap General, then tap Reset, then tap Erase All Content and Settings. The iPad will give you one warning to try to pull you to your senses. If you’re sure you want to do it, pull the trigger and tap Erase iPad. It will take a few minutes to do it’s magic, but once it’s done, it will reboot, and you’ll be greeted with the setup greeting screen, just like he was when he first got the iPad.

Sounds easy, right?

Well, it is easy, if it works. I’ll be honest, this is the one area where Apple to this day has still dropped the ball when it comes to the iPhone and iPad. If it works, it’s seamless and polished. But, a lot of times, it just doesn’t work, and it is very complicated to make sure you have all of your files from your old iOS device on your new iOS device. So, if you try it and it doesn’t work, you may want to contact a professional before you wipe the old iPad.

If you were wondering, yes, this is exactly how it works to move from an old iPhone to a new iPhone as well.

Updated: 3/6/2012 2:47:08 PM PMEST

Starting at 10 AM PST, Wednesday March 7, 2012, Apple fanboys and tech news fanatics will be scouring the Internet for every scrap and morsel falling from the keyboards of the journalists attending the iPad 3 (or the iPad HD if you believe the rumors) event that Apple is holding at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. Unfortunately, just like the last Apple press event, the one thing that they will most likely not find is a live video stream of the Apple iPad event.

Although Apple always posts high-definition video from the keynote events on its website afterwards, the last time that Apple live streamed an event was in 2010. A few reporters have tried to stream audio or video from the event, however they have allegedly been blacklisted by Apple’s PR folks from then on.

These sites have confirmed that they will be live blogging the Apple iPad 3 event:

• CNET
• Engadget
• Gizmodo
• Macworld
• PC Magazine
• PluggedIn
• SlashGear
• Time
• The Verge

CNET’s Buzz Out Loud and iMore will be doing live video commentary during the event on their podcasts.

These sites usually live blog Apple events, but they have not confirmed yet:

• TUAW
• ZDNet

Emily Dreyfuss, from CNET, plans on trying to sneak into the Apple event, so if all of the other sites are bogged down, that should be entertaining. Also, apparently Financial Post has worked out the kinks in their Mr Fusion powered Delorean, because they have posted tomorrow’s Apple iPad 3 live blog today! They will be covering the event tomorrow again, as well. The Motley Fool will also be live blogging the Apple iPad press conference discussing what the event means for investors.

Here are the times that the Apple event will be held in your time zones:
07:00AM – Hawaii
10:00AM – Pacific
11:00AM – Mountain
12:00PM – Central
01:00PM – Eastern

Let us know in the comments where you are planning on hanging out for the Apple iPad 3 announcement, and if you’re reading this article outside of the United States, leave your time zone in the comments below, too.