How To

Thankfully, there are a few apps that will let you print wirelessly to the printer you currently own, whether it's a Wi-Fi printer or USB-only printer.

The cheapest way to go about printing from an iOS device is AirPrint Activator. It's a small Mac app that is easy to use and won't cost you a dime, unless you care to donate to the developer.

Windows users can turn to FingerPrint, a $10 utility that works with both PCs and Macs.

For $20, Mac users can use Printopia, a small app that cleverly installs itself as a simple

PrintCentral ($8.99) provides robust printing support that lets you print via Wi-Fi, 3G/EDGE, Bluetooth, and to USB-only printers. If you have a Bluetooth or USB printer, you'll need to use your PC or Mac as a proxy. To do so, you'll need to install EuroSmartz's free WePrint application. Regardless of your setup, your iPad and printer will also need to be on the same network.

Step 1: Download and install ChargeBarChargeBar - MIUI Battery Bar.

While the default settings are sufficient, you might consider changing the bar color, size, and enabling startup on boot. The actual indicator bar can be placed at the top of the notification shade, as a separator between the notification shade and the rest or the screen, or at the very bottom of the screen. You can also adjust whether the bar shows on the lockscreen, or while you're using full-screen apps.

Despite this bar not including an actual battery percentage number, it is definitely more accurate than looking

AirPrint Activator is a free download, although the developer politely asks for a small donation, making it a much more inexpensive option than the $20 Printopia. It looks very similar to Printopia, with an on/off switch on the left and a pane on the right showing the available printers. And like Printopia, it does not require you to install an iOS app. You just need to be running iOS 4.2 or later. Unlike Printopia, however, it does not feature virtual printing to your Mac.

As long as everything is connected to the same network, AirPrint Activator should find more

I have an old Canon MP500 printer. It predates AirPrint and is USB only. With my MacBook Pro running the Printopia app and my printer connected to it, my iPad and iPhone are able to see my printer. It's easy to set up, and although Printopia costs $19.95, there is a free seven-day trial you can use to make sure it works with your setup.

To download the free trial, head to Ecamm Network's Web site. You'll need to be running Mac OS X 10.5 or later (there is no PC version of the app) more

If you have an iPad 2, you might be familiar with Apple's Smart Cover accessory, a cover that locks and unlocks your device using a simple magnet system.

Bearing in mind that magnets were always known to "break" electronics, the technology is really neat, offering you one less step to access your iPad and get stuff done.

The only issue with the Smart Cover is that it's flimsy--its thin, minimalist construction offers your iPad no protection from falls, bumps, or scratches. And even though they come in a variety of colors, the Covers are still pretty boring.

Because more

Step 1: Head over to www.wanderplayer.com in your browser of choice. Click on the Download button on the right side of the window (Mac users can click "Not using Windows" to see a Mac download option).

As of right now, there are a limited number of Flash games compatible with the controller. This is sure to change as the app receives updates, so give it a look and enjoy.

Yesterday, I wrote about Luminance, a streamlined-yet-versatile photo editor that I think iPad users in particular will like. Paint FX ($1.99) is a bit more complicated, but for the slightly steeper learning curve, you gain the ability to edit only select areas of a photo.

To get started, tap the load/share button in the upper-left corner to load a photo from your Camera Roll, Photo Stream, or iPhoto (if you have your iDevice set up to sync some portion of your iPhoto library). You can also grab a photo from Facebook. This button also lets you save photos to your Camera Roll or share them via Facebook, e-mail, or the Paint FX community page.