Create a US iTunes account for your iPad

After a bit of research, this is what to do.

Read http://patphelan.net/how-to-open-a-usa-itunes-account/ Follow the instructions here, the only change is that you goto the iTunes Store and scroll right to the end to choose "Change Country".

You have to give an email address.  I used the google mail trick of adding a + sign to the end of your account name to help me know and be able to validate the address.  e.g.   youraccount+us@googlemail.com

I now have iBooks on the iPad up and running.

iPad UK Review

Managed to get an iPad here in the UK.  Typically Apple, works straight out the box.  Charger unit is US plug but iPad charges from USB connection anyway, so you can use ipod/iphone chargers no problem. 

The main limitation is the App Store on the iPad doesnt connect as Apple only have it enabled for the US.  I guess you could try get a US iTunes account in the meantime...  However you can find iPad apps on iTunes and they will sync up no problem to your device. 

IM+ is the best app I've tried, uses full screen and makes good use of the real estate.

Even better are some iPad optimised websites.  Try Google Mail.  Three pane email view is superb.  And ultra fast. 

On the downside, BBC iPlayer recognises the device as a full browser so trys to serve up Flash version which doesn't work.  Not found a way of tricking it into iPhone type mode yet.

Its not a iPhone replacement, its not a Macbook replacement - its a whole new device.  Kind of Coffee Table browser.

Nike+

Just uploaded most recent runs... I'm 175 miles off the top level of runner! 

Sky+ Upgrade Done!

Hard Drive Cloned (Thanks Copy+) and installed.  Now 87% free - no more having to delete endless Come Dine With Me series link recordings...

Upgrading Sky+ Hard Drive to 1TB

Trying to upgrade the Sky+ HD box hard drive from 300Gb to 1TB.  Should be straight forward.  Plug in two SATA hard drives, use copy+ to partition and transfer recordings etc.

Unfortunately copy+ gave endless read errors - in fact a log file of 15mb of errors!  The author of the program is very helpful and gave me some pointers, but it appeared that the Sky drive was quite corrupted.

I was using two cheap USB to SATA plug ins to drive the two disks, then remembered my trusty old desktop in the garage (pictured!) - 14 years old, but I had installed a internal SATA interface.  Booted up first time and connected up drives.  Repeated the clone, and works perfectly!

One hour to go to see if it worked!