MACKBOOK PRO!!!

The good: Powerful updates to the CPU and GPU; excellent battery life; still the best touch pad and gesture controls of any laptop.

The bad: Upgrades can get expensive; Thunderbolt is an unproven technology with as-yet no compatible products; still no dedicated HDMI, Blu-ray, or other wished-for options.

The bottom line: It's a hefty investment, but the combination of new high-end Intel processor options and AMD graphics makes the 15-inch MacBook Pro an all-around powerhouse, with the new Thunderbolt I/O port as an added bonus.

After a now-customary period of rumors, leaks, and anecdotal evidence, Apple's new generation of MacBook Pro laptops has arrived. And though these new models may look the same as the ones they replace, the changes under the hood are some of the most far-reaching in the history of the MacBook Pro brand.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro moves from Intel's original Core i-series CPUs to the latest second-generation chips, formerly code-named Sandy Bridge. Not only that, you can forget about seeing an Intel Core i5 CPU in your 15-inch (or 17-inch) MacBook Pro--these use high-end quad-core Core i7 chips now. Our step-up $2,199 review unit had a 2.2GHz quad-core i7, with 4GB of RAM and a huge 750GB hard drive (at only 5,400rpm, however).

The biggest surprise is the 15-inch MacBook Pro's graphics processor. Instead of the Nvidia GeForce 330M graphics card previously found in these systems, the GPUs now come from Nvidia's longtime rival AMD. The base 15-inch model has an AMD Radeon HD 6490M, and our review unit had an even faster 6750M. With Intel's improved integrated graphics in the 13-inch models, that means that Nvidia has been completely ousted from the MacBook Pro line.

The iconic unibody aluminum construction remains, as does the large glass multitouch trackpad. Most of the ports and connections also remain the same, with one very notable new addition. Where the Mini DisplayPort connection used to be, now an identically sized port is marked with a lightning-bolt icon. That's for Thunderbolt, Intel's new high-speed powered-port technology for data transfer and displays. The Thunderbolt tech is envisioned as a sort of future unified successor to USB, FireWire, and DisplayPort, allowing peripherals to carry data and video at 10Gbps (in the video above, we may have had a slip of the tongue and said Mbps, but we meant Gbps).

For now, at least, that promise is hypothetical. We have very little idea of exactly when Thunderbolt-compatible peripherals will be available (although Apple says the first ones should show up in the spring of 2011), how much they'll cost, or if Apple will be adding the technology to future displays or iOS devices. For now, it's a wait-and-see gamble on a future technology.

The lowest-cost 15-inch MacBook Pro is still $1,799, following the usual Apple trajectory of keeping the price steady but adding faster, more powerful components. While we're still waiting for oft-requested extras such as HDMI, Blu-ray, and 3G, the speed and power of these new quad-core Core i7 CPUs is extremely impressive, and leaves even other recent MacBook Pros in the dust.
Price as reviewed $2,199
Processor 2.2GHz Intel Core i7 quad-core
Memory 4GB, 1,066MHz DDR3
Hard drive 750GB 5,400rpm
Chipset Intel H67
Graphics AMD Radeon HD 6750M / Intel HD 3000
Operating system OS X 10.6.6 Snow Leopard
Dimensions (WD) 14.4x9.8 inches
Height 0.95 inch
Screen size (diagonal) 17.3 inches
System weight / Weight with AC adapter 5.5/6.2 pounds
Category Mainstream



By now, the shape and size of the MacBook Pro should be very familiar. Even more recent Apple designs, such as the second-generation MacBook Air, are basically just variations on it. The core building block remains the same: a solid block of aluminum, which is carved down into a shell with support struts. This unibody chassis has the benefit of being thin (for a 15-inch laptop), but strong and flex-free at the same time.

The touch philosophy that informs the iPad/iPhone line of devices can be said to have its roots in the large multitouch clickpad-style trackpad that's been a staple of the MacBook Pro for years. Of the multitouch gestures, our favorite is sweeping up or down with four fingers to show or hide all your active windows. Once you get used to that, going back to a regular touch pad is difficult. A few new gestures are apparently coming to the next version of OS X, but you won't see those until this summer.

Several Windows laptops have added larger clickpads over the past year or so, with similar multitouch gestures, but we can easily say that none can yet compete with the MacBook Pro's implementation.

The 1,440x900-pixel display is still a higher resolution than many 15-inch laptops (many of which are 1,366x768 pixels), and two screen upgrades are available: a 1,680x1,050-pixel-resolution version for an extra $100, or a 1,680x1,050-pixel-resolution "antiglare" version for $150. That's a lot more flexibility than the 13-inch MacBook Pro, which still doesn't have a glare-free or higher-resolution screen option (even though the current 13-inch MacBook Air has a stock 1,440x900-pixel resolution).
Apple MacBook Pro, 15-inch Average for category [midsize]
Video Mini DisplayPort/Thunderbolt I/O VGA plus HDMI or DisplayPort
Audio Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks
Data 2 USB 2.0, FireWire 800, SD card reader 4 USB 2.0, SD card reader, eSATA
Expansion None ExpressCard/54
Networking Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Ethernet, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, optional mobile broadband
Optical drive DVD burner DVD burner


The big story in the ports and connections category is the new port based on Intel's Thunderbolt high-speed I/O technology. If it looks a lot like the Mini DisplayPort connection on previous MacBook Pros, that's because it is the same, except for the tiny lightning bolt logo next to it. It still functions as a DisplayPort output, and, in fact, you'll be able to daisy-chain up to six Thunderbolt devices or displays to that single port.

While there aren't any Thunderbolt peripherals available yet, we did get to see a demo of a prototype RAID product when we met with Apple, and the performance passing multiple uncompressed HD video streams was impressive. Thunderbolt is technically capable of 10Gbps bidirectional transfer, and if Intel and Apple have their way, it may replace many other kinds of ports and connections in the future.

Also notable on the new MacBook Pro is a 720p Webcam, which works with the new Mac version of FaceTime, the same video-conferencing application found on the iPhone 4 and iPod Touch. With a solid Wi-Fi signal, jumping into full-screen mode was clear and mostly stutter-free. There's also an onscreen button for changing the video window from portrait mode to horizontal, and video calls can be made between MacBooks and iPhones as well. You can read more about FaceTime for Mac in this hands-on. It's also worth noting that the SD card slot is now SDXC-compatible, meaning it will work with higher-capacity SD cards.

But while Thunderbolt and FaceTime are interesting extras, the real muscle behind the new MacBook Pro is the quad-core Intel Core i7 CPU and AMD Radeon HD 6750M GPU. In our CNET Labs benchmark tests, it absolutely clobbers the competition, including last year's 15-inch MacBook Pro, which had a first-gen Intel Core i7, and other high-end midsize laptops, such as a Core i7 Alienware M15x.

To be sure, once more systems with these new Intel processors hit the streets, the competitive gap will close up significantly, but for now, this is the fastest laptop we've tested.

Report: Google planning mobile payment trial

Google plans to begin testing a mobile payment service within the next four months, according to a report today.

The company will pay for the installation of thousands of NFC (Near-Field Communication) short-range, wireless point-of-sale systems from VeriFone at stores in New York and San Francisco, Bloomberg reported, citing two unidentified sources familiar with the project. Users of phones with NFC chips in them could then make payments by holding the devices up to the specialized reader.

A Google representative said the company was not commenting on the report. Representatives from VeriFone did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

The adoption of mobile payment systems has been held up by the lack of NFC chips in handsets. Later this year, Visa will begin offering a way to use existing smartphones for such payments with a microSD (Secure Digital) removable memory card.

Mobile payments are being made on the iPhone 3 and 4, various BlackBerry models, and Samsung's Android-based Galaxy S II, while the Nexus S has NFC technology in it. NFC chips also could make their way into Windows-based phones made by Nokia, as well as future iPhone versions.

Meanwhile, Google added some NFC capabilities to Android in an update earlier this year and reportedly is working on a mobile wallet code-named "Cream" that will be integrated into NFC-enabled Androids.

Microsoft products we hardly knew (images)

Reports have it that Microsoft is killing off its would-be iPod killer, the Zune digital music and video player. Microsoft declined to confirm the reports, though plenty are speculating that the company will keep the Zune brand and continue to produce media player software for Windows Phone 7 and the Xbox 360. If true, that would relegate the much hyped device to the dustbin of failed tech products.

And that got us thinking about other consumer products eliminated by Microsoft over the years. The software giant is hardly alone in tech flops. Apple's success with the iPad and now iPad 2 makes it easy to forget the Newton. And Sony's Betamax flop is the stuff of business school case studies.

Microsoft continues to make boatloads of money selling operating systems for computers bought by consumers. And gamers keep buying Xbox 360s and the games that get played on them. But there's a rogue's gallery of products introduced with great fanfare that have slid into oblivion. Here are a few of them.

Site-loading speed battle 2: Motorola Xoom vs. Apple iPad 2

A couple of weeks back we put the original iPad up against the Xoom in a site-loading speed battle. While most of the feedback was positive, a few commenters expressed their disappointment that we used the original iPad instead of the iPad 2. Well, now that the iPad 2 has been released, we can in fact post the story you've been waiting for. One that will no doubt completely satisfy everyone.

So, let's get right to it.

Testing
Site-loading speed is one of the simplest things to test, and it's a test many users can immediately relate to. As I said in the previous post, I'm a greater fan of real-world tests like going to actual, real sites, than of synthetic benchmarks.

We used three different Web sites for the tests: CNET.com, CBSNews.com, and GiantBomb.com. Each tablet was connected to the same closed network with no other devices on it, with the router about 5 feet away. We considered the test to begin the moment we pressed Enter and run to the time the blue progress bar on each tablet disappeared. We used iOS 4.3 for the iPad 2 and iPad, and the Xoom is using Android OS 3.0.1.

Although in the video you'll only see one iteration for each test, we actually ran each test several times; over those runs we got results consistent with what you'll see here. Also, we cleared each tablet's browser cache before each iteration of the tests was run.

Now, as much as we'd love for these tests to be completely relevant for everyone in every situation, that's nearly impossible. We tested these tablets under specific conditions in a "free" environment. The network was closed, but we can't account for noise from other networks interfering. This is a snapshot of performance in our testing environment, and your results may vary.
Web site Motorola Xoom Apple iPad 2 Apple iPad
CNET.com 5 seconds 6 seconds 12 seconds
CBSNews.com 6 seconds 10 seconds 16 seconds
GiantBomb.com 5 seconds 5 seconds 6 seconds

Tested specs Motorola Xoom Apple iPad Apple iPad 2
Maximum brightness 312 cd/m2 388 cd/m2 432 cd/m2
Default brightness 131 cd/m2 161 cd/m2 176 cd/m2
Maximum black level 0.26 cd/m2 0.44 cd/m2 0.46 cd/m2
Default black level 0.11 cd/m2 0.18 cd/m2 0.19 cd/m2
Default contrast ratio 1,190:1 894:1 926:1
Contrast ratio (max brightness) 1,200:1 881:1 939:1



Conclusion
The iPad 2 shows a huge improvement over the original iPad and holds its own against the Xoom for the most part. On a really busy site like CBSnews.com, however, the iPad 2 chokes a bit, while the Xoom flies through with relative ease.

We were surprised that Apple increased the maximum brightness on the iPad 2 and it will be interesting to see what effect that has on the iPad's battery life. Look for some battery life test results very soon.

Apple delays Japanese launch of iPad 2

Apple has postponed the launch of the iPad 2 tablet in Japan, as the country struggles to recover from the recent earthquake and tsunami.

Originally planned for 25 March, the company said its launch had been delayed indefinitely.

Many technology firms are facing supply problems after factories in Japan shut down in the wake of the disaster.

However, an Apple spokesperson said the announced delay was unrelated to any supply shortages.

"We are delaying the launch of the iPad 2 in Japan while the country and our teams focus on recovering from the recent disaster," said Natalie Kerris.

Apple has been using its iTunes store to accept donations for the American Red Cross' (ARC) Japan earthquake and tsunami relief fund.

According to the company, 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the Red Cross.

While the country's main focus is on the human cost of the disaster, many businesses are also facing challenges.

Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba and Canon had all been forced to halt production in the immediate aftermath, in order to carry out safety checks.

The prospect of rolling power blackouts means further interruptions are likely over the coming weeks.

ipad 2 US LAUNCH

The updated version of the Apple's iPad first appeared in stores across the US last Friday.

Many retailers reported running out of stock within hours, and analysts estimated sales to hit 1m units during the weekend.

Buyers in 24 other countries, including the UK, will be able to get their hands on the iPad 2 next week.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs has unveiled the tablet computer at an event in San Francisco on 1 March.

The iPad 2 is said to be twice the speed of its predecessor; it has cameras on the front and back and also features improved graphics.

The first version of the iPad was released in April 2010, and went on sale in Japan in May 2010.

Google buys Parrot Pictures to improve YouTube quality

Google has bought Irish company Green Parrot Pictures in a bid to improve the quality of video uploaded to YouTube.

The Dublin-based firm specialises in image processing to improve, for example, sharpness and camera shake.

Its technology has already been used by several big Hollywood film studios on movies such as X-Men and Spiderman.

Google said that Green Parrot's technology would enhance the look of videos posted on its site while using bandwidth more efficiently.

A statement, posted on Green Parrot Pictures' website said: "We're excited to join Google, where we will apply our expertise to improve the online video experience for hundreds of millions of users worldwide on may different products, platforms and services."

Green Parrot Pictures was founded six years ago by Dr Anil Kokaram, an associate professor with the school of engineering at Trinity College, Dublin.

Google, which owns YouTube plans to use Green Parrot's technology to perform on-the-fly background processing on user videos.

Writing on the official YouTube blog, Google's director of video technology, Jeremy Doig said: "What if there was a technology that could improve the quality of such videos -- sharpening the image, reducing visual noise and rendering a higher-quality, steadier video -- all while your video is simply being uploaded to the site?

"You can imagine how excited we were when we discovered a small, ambitious company based in Ireland that can do exactly this."

How safe is your smartphone?

Smartphones are getting pretty clever these days but it is unlikely they will outwit the cybercriminals as fraudsters increasingly go mobile.

Last week Android Market, the shop front for applications aimed at Android smartphones, was hit by around 60 malicious apps.

It is thought that they did little real damage other than to Android's reputation, but the incident put the issue of mobile security back in the headlines.

Phones are attractive to criminals because they are essentially mini computers but with some important added extras.

"Phones also have direct access to address books, calendars as well as offering an ability to generate revenue," said Ian Fogg, an analyst with Forrester Research.

The type of personal data typically stored on a phone opens up a rich new vein for the modern fraudster's preferred crime - identity theft.

However, a more immediate income can be made from so-called rogue dialling programs - malicious bits of code capable of placing calls, unbeknown to the owner.

They are, according to Ovum analyst Graham Titterington, the "number one malware threat" to smartphones.

"Rogue dialling connects the phone automatically to a premium number that invariably belongs to a crook based in another country," he explained.

But it is not an insurmountable issue, he thinks.

"I don't understand why the mobile operators can't just cut off payments - then the problem goes away. But this type of international co-operation seems to be lacking at the moment," said Mr Titterington.

The close relationship between smartphones and location poses a risk that malicious apps will be able to track exactly where a person is at any given time.

"It could even be that it would be used to find out when someone is away from home," said Mr Fogg.

While it sounds scary, these nightmare scenarios are very far removed from the real picture, for the moment at least.

"So far there has been no major detrimental impact on consumers," points out Ben Wood, an analyst from CCS Insight."There will be a day when there is a catastrophic security lapse and then people will start taking it more seriously," he added.

Android may have hit the headlines but all smartphone operating systems have been targeted by malware of one kind or another.

To date, most iPhone security lapses have focused on offering users the power to break free from Apple's control with software that 'jailbreaks' the iPhone, a modification which enables users to run non-Apple approved software.
Continue reading the main story
TOP FIVE MOBILE MALWARES
Android - DroidDream - the most recent and most advanced piece of malware hit apps and allowed product ID and userID of phone to be transmitted to remote server
Android - Market Security Tool - the update sent to wipe rogue Android apps has already been hacked and injected with malware. Being distributed via 3rd party app stores in China.
Zeus-in-the-mobile - a trojan working with the Windows virus Zeus, affecting Symbian and Blackberry handsets and aiming to steal online banking details.
Android - Geinimi - similar to the market app attack, it took official apps, added malware and released them via Asian app markets. Could send SMSs, harvest phone data and make phone calls.
Android - ADRD - another trojan that pirated official Android apps.
Source: BullGuard

"These hacks are often reported as a good thing but from a security point of view it is a nightmare," said Mr Fogg.

Several bugs have taken advantage of jail-broken phones.

A relatively harmless iPhone worm which changed the handset's wallpaper to a picture of Rick Astley was followed a few months later with a more serious bug that targeted people using their iPhones for internet banking with Dutch online bank ING.

Blackberry handsets and Symbian phones have been targeted by a mobile version of the Zeus trojan. Victims were directed to a fake website where they are invited to download an app which then steals their banking details.

Such phishing attacks are likely to become a huge problem for smartphones, thinks Alex Vaystikh a researcher from security firm RSA.

"You can't always see the whole screen and you might be more likely to click on things you wouldn't click on a computer screen," he said.

And when mobile banking reaches a critical mass, there will be a good reason for criminals to phish from mobiles.

"There needs to be a financial incentive and that incentive isn't there right now, but consumers definitely want more service on their mobiles, like electronic wallets and banking, so the potential is huge," said Mr Vaystikh.

There are various ways to attack a mobile phone but by far the most popular is through downloadable applications.

Some experts think that Android's Marketplace is especially vulnerable because it is more open than Apple and Microsoft's systems.
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote

We are going to have to see a re-engineering of the infrastructure of how apps are delivered”
Graham Titterington
Ovum analyst

"All have restrictions and guidelines and stipulate no pornography, no viruses and no spyware," explained Phillip Dall, from mobile security firm BullGuard.

"But with the iPhone and Ovi store, apps are sent for some pretty serious testing. At Android the process is different, there are far more self-signed applications," he said.

Others think that there are other aspects to Android which make it just as secure, such as its policy of letting users know what data and resources an app will have access to, giving more savvy users the chance to spot obvious malware.

Google has said that it has no current plans to start pre-screening apps on Android Market.

It said that the recent spate of malicious applications could only access device-specific data.

The company did take the step of remotely "killing" them on all affected phones, proving, if nothing else, that it does ultimately have control over its apps.

There is also a question about how long Apple and Microsoft can continue pre-screening their applications, according to Mr Fogg.

"It is becoming an app internet as they become the primary way people go online, but the sheer volume of them makes human moderation impossible," he said.

Apple does not discuss how it tests apps but it is believed to use both human moderation and automated systems.

Mr Titterington thinks that there needs to be an industry-wide sea-change in mobile security.

"There is a need for Apple and Google to put in place a quality framework - a series of standard tests that issue apps with a health certificate," he said.

And it needs to be made less easy for users to install rogue apps.

"We are going to have to see a re-engineering of the infrastructure of how apps are delivered," he added.

"We need a more proactive approach to installing apps. It isn't going to happen in current generation of phones but maybe in the next two to three years."

Why People Jailbreak ipad

Why People Jailbreak

Jailbreaking is a term that refers to a type of hack which opens up the mobile device to allow for the installation of unapproved third-party programs. It has become well known over the years as a method which provides access to pirated iPhone applications - versions of paid applications available for free download from special programs that can be installed on a jailbroken device. However, that's not the only reason that people jailbreak their iPhones and iPod Touches.

The main reason, many would argue, is not for free apps but for more apps - the kinds Apple doesn't approve of. Thanks to a highly-regulated iTunes App Store and the restrictions it imposes on developers, some of the best applications are available outside Apple's domain. Want to turn your iPhone into a modem providing Internet access to your laptop (aka "tethering")? Want to download YouTube videos for offline viewing? Want to tweak hidden settings on your phone? Transfer files with Bluetooth? Enable Flash? Skin the phone with a custom theme and icons? Run apps in the background? Filter phone calls? The list goes on and on.

And yet, while these hacks have great appeal to users of the small mobile devices, some of them will no longer be necessary on the iPad, Apple's upcoming slate computer whose launch is days away.
Why Jailbreak the iPad?

The ability to tether your iPhone to your laptop is one of the most popular reasons why people people jailbreak. However, on the iPad, you either have Wi-Fi only or you have 3G built in. Would you really need to tether your iPad to your notebook computer? Probably not. If you're carrying the iPad around, you probably left the notebook at home.

Another favorite among jailbreakers is an application called Winterboard. This theming app lets you redesign your iPhone's UI from icons to the background and even the battery icon and the "side to unlock" bar itself. On the iPad, though, users can now use any image as the iPad's background image instead of just on the lock screen as is done on the iPhone. While the iPad feature is obviously still much more limited in functionality, it will likely placate some of those who feel the need for just a tad more customization than is available on the iPhone itself.

Similarly, many of the jailbreaking apps that let you perform or tweak phone-related functions will no longer be necessary since the iPad is not a phone. Same goes for the camera apps - the iPad doesn't have one of those either. And Flash? Well, more and more sites are adopting HTML5 technology and with this, videos can be rendered plug-in free, just in time for iPad web surfers to enjoy.

So although there may end up being plenty of reasons to jailbreak the iPad, there will be - at least at launch time - far fewer reasons than on the iPad's sister devices like the iPhone and iPod Touch. But we wouldn't be surprised to see an ecosystem of rejected but still incredible and useful apps spring up over time. If there's ever an unfilled niche the iPad doesn't address, there will almost certainly be "an app for that." You just might not be able to get it at the iTunes Store.

How to Jailbreak ipad software 4.2.1

Download the redsn0w software Redsnow b4
Upgrade to iTunes 10.1 if you haven't already.
Install the iOS 4.2.1 firmware via iTunes as usual.
Run the redsn0w software executable.
Redsn0w will ask you to select your IPSW file for your current firmware. Point it to one of the following, depending on your OS:
Mac OS X: /~/Library/iTunes/iPad Software Updates (or iPhone/iPod Software Updates, as the case may be)
Windows 7 or Vista: C:\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPad Software Updates (or iPhone/iPod Software Updates)
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPad Software Updates (or iPhone/iPod Software Updates)

Redsn0w should now say that the IPSW file was successfully identified. On the following screen, check "Install Cydia" then click "Next."
With the iOS device powered off and plugged into the computer, click "Next" again.
Redsn0w will now provide instructions on how to put your device into DFU mode. This is a combination of key presses, that are as follows: Hold the Power button for 1 second, then without releasing it, hold the Home button for 10 seconds. Finally, release Power but keep holding Home for 15 seconds.
One in DFU mode, the jailbreak will proceed automatically.

Compatibility notes: This jailbreak works on all devices. On iPhone 4, iPod Touch 3 and 4, iPad and iPod Touch 2 (MC model) it will be tethered. On iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS (older bootroom), and iPod Touch 2 (older model) it's not tethered. iPhone unlockers should NOT jailbreak!

As always, please proceed with jailbreaking at your own risk. Although relatively easy, it is a form of hacking and things can go wrong, break, crash or just not work at all. Back up your iOS device before jailbreaking in case you need to restore and make sure that critical data (contacts, notes, etc.) is also safely stored elsewhere than on your PC.

And after that don't forget to install the installous in your ipad so you can obtain game or apps on your ipad here are the steps:
1)Go to Cydia.
2)Go to Source.
3)Click add.
4)type cydia.hackulo.us
5)Click add.
6)Go to the Hackulo on the screen at the cydia.
7)Click the Installous and download it.

Thx...

Ipad vs Ipad 2

How To Make Ipad In Recorvery Mode

Recovery Mode is how to start all over again on your iPad like new. It erases everything, even the operating system, and reloads directly from Apple. Once that is done, if you have performed a backup of your iPad in the past, you will be able to restore all of your configuration settings and preferences after the reload occurs.

Reasons for using Recovery Mode:
- You jailbroke your iPad and want to make sure all strangeness and problematic code and logs are gone

- Your iPad isn't working quite right and you want to see if starting from the beginning will fix it

- You want to sell your iPad but ensure there are no artifacts or remnants of your personal data, apps, and settings on the device

Again, the below instructions will start you over like an iPad direct from the factory.

To prepare for a recovery mode restore, have the following ready:
- Your computer (plugged in to power) ready with iTunes up and running
- Your iPad synch cable plugged into your computer but NOT your iPad
- Make sure your iPad is at least at 20% battery, preferably higher

NOTE: Do NOT touch the iPad once recovery begins. Make sure your computer doesn't suspend, sleep, or shut down while the process is going on.

Steps:
- Sitting next to your computer, take your iPad (which should NOT be connected to your PC) and hold down the sleep button (on the top of the iPad) and the home button (front of the iPad) at the same time

- After about 10-15 seconds, the unit will power off (do not do anything when the "slide to power off" screen appears, just keep holding the buttons)

- When the iPad turns back on, you will see the silver Apple appear on the screen. Continue holding down the home button but release the sleep button and immediatly plug the iPad into your computer running iTunes

- You should see a symbol appear on the iPad with a picture of a USB cable with an arrow pointing to the iTunes logo. iTunes will then say that it detected an iPad in recovery mode.

- Let iTunes restore the device. It will download a fresh copy of firmware, install it, and verify the SW.
NOTE: This may take a while. iTunes needs to download about 500MB from the Apple server, then it will start the loader on the iPad, and load the OS.

- After iTunes said that is successfully restored your device, you may get an error message saying the iPad isn't recognized and you're still at the screen with the USB cable and iTunes logo on the iPad. Don't sweat it. Unplug the iPad from the computer. Power off the iPad by holding the sleep button until you see the "slide to power off" - go ahead and slide to power off. Once it is shut down, push the sleep button again until it powers on.

- the iPad will come back to the familiar USB cable/iTunes logo. When it does, just plug it back into your computer and iTunes will activate the iPad.

- if you had previously backed up your iPad, iTunes will tell you there is a backup and ask if you would like it restored. If you wish to do this, accept the prompt. This will also take some time. Note it will NOT put your apps, music, movies, TV shows, etc back on your iPad, just your settings and preferences.

- once the restore is complete, iTunes should recognize your iPad and you can pick your synching options (apps, music, movies, etc, etc) and have a blast! The only thing I noticed it doesn't retain is the page layouts for your apps, so either screen capture them before you begin, or write it down.