Help for Slow iPads and Other Devices

To speed up a sluggish tablet, don’t just put the device into “sleep” mode, as you normally would—instead, shut it off completely, then restart it. For an iPad, hold down the sleep/wake button until the red slider appears allowing you to turn it off. For Android-based tablets, hold the power button down until the shutdown button appears and then select “power off.” Restart your device.

To quit unresponsive apps on an iPad, force the app to quit by holding down the sleep/wake button until the red slider appears. Then hold down the home button for about 10 seconds. Once the app has quit, you should be brought back to the home screen.

For an Android-based tablet operating the 3.2 version or below, tap the menu button, select “Settings,” choose “Applications” and tap “Manage Applications.” Under the “Running” tab, select the app you wish to close and touch the “force stop” button. For an Android 4.0 or higher, bring up the multitasking pane and swipe the app to the left or right.

To stop getting disconnected from Wi-Fi, make sure that you are not in a “drop out” zone in your home or office. That’s where the Wi-Fi signal is weak because of interference from other devices or building materials such as brick, stone or metal.