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iPad Tips

PDF Readers for iPad

Benefit of PDF Readers

PDF (portable document format) readers are a file management app that allow you to view documents on your iPad. PDF readers allow you to:

Read - Read documents and search the text

Annotate - Edit, insert notes and add highlights to the document

Convert - Convert files between PDF and other file formats

Manage - Organise documents by creating file names and folders

 

The following PDF readers can be downloaded from the App Store

App

        Summary

Adobe Reader
Adobe
  • View and search PDF files
  • Annotate and highlight PDFs
  • Rename and organise files using folders

Air Sharing*
Avaltron
  • View and search PDFs
  • Annotate and highlight PDFs
  • Rename and organise files using folders
  • Mac Finder-like user interface
  • Ability to print to any shared printer on your local wi-fi

GoodReader*
Good.iWare
  • View and search PDFs
  • Annotate and highlight PDFs
  • Rename and organise files using folders
  • Create PDFs
  • Connectivity with other apps eg: Dropbox and Google Docs
  • Supports VGA output (allow viewing of documents through a projector)

iBooks
Apple
  • View and search PDF files
  • Annotate and highlight PDFs
  • Rename and organise files using folders
  • Default PDF reader on iPad and iPhone

PDF Expert*
Readdle
  • View and search PDF files
  • Annotate and highlight PDFs
  • Rename and organise files using folders

*Denotes apps where a cost applies.

 

iPad tips and legal apps

The Home button

The iPad home button is the small round button on the front of your iPad. Press the home button once to get out of an app and return to the home screen. Press the home button twice to close apps.

Create an Apple ID

This is required to download apps on your iPad. You can create an Apple ID here: https://appleid.apple.com/account.

Organising apps on your iPad

To rearrange apps on your iPad, touch an app and hold down until the app icon jiggles. Then arrange the icon by dragging it across the screen.

Creating a folder on your iPad

Tap and hold the app you want in a folder until all the apps jiggle. Then drag that app on top of another app that you want in the same folder.  This creates a folder. A default name will be created for the folder. This can be changed by tapping the cross that appears to the right of the default name. A keyboard will appear allowing you to type a name. Tap ‘done’ and then press the home button.

Saving a website to your iPad home screen 

Open the website in the Safari browser and tap the share button (a square with an arrow pointing up) found in the top right corner next to the address bar. Tap the option ‘add to home screen’.

Updates

Remember to check the iOS (operating software) is current.

Go to Settings > General > Software Update, tap Download and Install.

If there is no option to install you are up to date.

PDFs

Make sure you have a file management app installed on your iPad in order to read PDFs and other file formats.

iPads come pre-installed with the iBooks app for PDFs and ebooks.

Hotspot

Turn your iPad into a wi-fi hotspot (when using a mobile connection) and connect other devices to the internet.

Go to Settings > Personal Hotspot, and tap the ‘ON’ icon so it displays green. The wi-fi password is written underneath.

To connect another device go to its wi-fi settings and choose the name of your iPad in the list of wi-fi connections. Enter the wi-fi password when prompted.

Apps for legal research available from the app store

AustLII

Provides access to all AustLII content. Browse by jurisdiction, AustLII libraries or search across the AustLII site.

Free.

Lexis Red

Provides access to LexisNexis commentary titles. Annotate with notes, highlight text, access without internet connection.

A paid subscription is required.

Thomson Reuters Proview

Provides access to Thomson Reuters commentary titles and e-books. Annotate with notes, highlight text, access without internet connection.

A paid subscription is required.

File Management

File management apps allow you to view, annotate and manage PDFs and other file formats.

Good Reader – can be purchased from the app store

iBooks – pre-installed on iPads

Adobe – free from app store

 

Legal Websites

JADE

Access cases, legislation, citation reports, and alerts. Jade Professional is available to judicial officers and court staff. Register with your court email address to access.

Judicial College of Victoria

JCV website and publications. Remote access to JOIN intranet.

Lawlex

Access state and commonwealth legislation, commencement and amendment tables, second reading speeches, alerts and more.

Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents

Includes the Victorian Law Today database, the Victorian Statute Book, and parliamentary documents such as bills, Hansard, and notice papers.

Saving legislation to your iPad

iBooks (Default)

  1. Open Safari (web browser) and open the act or regulation from Victorian Law Today or the Federal Register of Legislation.
  2. Tap the screen and ‘Open in’ briefly appears at the top (or the arrow pointing up symbol top right of screen for some models). Select ‘Import with iBooks’. File automatically opens in iBooks.
  3. Rename file. Tap ‘Select’ in top right corner, select the file name, then delete default title and rename. TIP: include date of download in title to ensure currency.
  4. Select ‘Done’.
  5. Legislation is now saved to device.

Adobe Acrobat (Free via App Store)

  1. Open Safari (web browser) and open the act or regulation from Victorian Law Today or the Federal Register of Legislation.
  2. Tap the screen and ‘Open in’ briefly appears at the top (or the arrow pointing up symbol top right of screen for some models). Select ‘Copy to Adobe Acrobat’. File automatically opens in Adobe.
  3. Rename file. Select the ‘tick’ icon in top right corner, tap the file name, then select the ‘I’ icon at the bottom. Delete default title and rename. TIP: include date of download in title to ensure currency.
  4. Select ‘Rename’.
  5. Legislation is now saved to device.

Good Reader (Purchase via App Store)

  1. Open Safari (web browser) and open the act or regulation from Victorian Law Today or the Federal Register of Legislation.
  2. Tap the screen and ‘Open in’ briefly appears at the top (or the arrow pointing up symbol top right of screen for some models). Select ‘Copy to Good Reader’. File automatically opens in Good Reader.
  3. Rename file. Select ‘Manage Files’ on the right, select the file name, then from the right select ‘Rename’. Delete default title and rename. TIP: include date of download in title to ensure currency.
  4. Select ‘Done’. BONUS: Create and manage folders under ‘Manage Files’.
  5. Legislation is now saved to device.