Q: I have older (5.0) ipad as hand me down and trying real hard to get pics(jpegs) or movies(mp4's) onto ipad from computer!!! I am just not smart enough to do this--I signed up for icloud and itunes but still no luck.   PLEASE HELP a desperate old man!!!

You should try syncing the movies and photos using iTunes on your computer. You said that you signed up for iTunes, but you don't have to sign up for it, you need to download the app on your computer to use with the iPad.

On you computer - download iTunes and install it if you don't have it already.

https://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

After you have successfully installed iTunes, you connect the iPad to your computer, launch iTunes (it should start up on it's own) and you can select content to sync through iTunes. However, the content has to be in your iTunes library before you can sync it to the iPad

Adding music and other content to iTunes - Support - Apple

After to have added all of the content that you want to transfer to the iPad, you have to sync the iPad. You mentioned that you signed up for/set up iCloud as well, so this might be of some help.

http://www.apple.com/support/ipad/icloud-itunes/

Apple stores offer classes and "how to" sessions for all their devices. It might not be a bad idea to try to find a store in your area and attend a couple of sessions.

This should also come in handy.

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/ipad_ios5_user_guide.pdf

Another way. You can use a USB flash drive & the camera connection kit.

Plug the USB flash drive (works the same with an SD card) into your computer & create a new folder titled DCIM. Then put your movie/photo files into the folder. The files must have a filename with exactly 8 characters long (no spaces) plus the file extension (i.e., my-movie.mov; DSCN0164.jpg).

Now plug the flash drive into the iPad using the camera connection kit. Open the Photos app, the movie/photo files should appear & you can import. (You can not export using the camera connection kit.)

Using The iPad Camera Connection Kit

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4101

 Cheers, Tom

Are you using iTunes on your computer? The File menu is at the top of the screen when you are running iTunes on your computer.

Look at that screenshot that you posted. That is a MacBook Pro laptop computer that is showing. Look at the very top of the screen in the screenshot next to the Apple logo you will see iTunes. Next to the word iTunes, you see File.

You are running Windows and I am Winodws illiterate, but try clicking on that square icon in the upper left corner of the window - the square above the word "Music".

Maybe this will help.

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH12310

One of the most knowledgable iTunes for Windows users in our community, turingtest2, has a number of helpful user tips and when iTunes 11 came out, he posted this and it might be helpful as well.

In Windows, you can restore much of the look & feel of iTunes 10.7 with these shortcuts:

ALT to temporarily display the menu bar

CTRL+B to show or hide the menu bar

CTRL+S to show or hide the sidebar

CTRL+/ to show or hide the status bar (won't hide for me on Win XP)

Click the magnifying glass top right and untick Search Entire Library to restore the old search behaviour

Use View > Hide <Media Kind> in the cloud or Edit (iTunes) > Preferences > Store and untick Show iTunes in the cloud purchases to hide the cloud items. The second method eliminates the cloud status column (and may let iTunes start up more quickly)

If you don't like having different coloured background & text in the Album (Grid) view use Edit (iTunes) > Preferences > General and untick Use custom colours for open albums, movies, etc.

With iTunes 11.0.3 you can enable artwork in the Songs and playlist views from View > Show View Options (CTRL+J) making it more like the old Album List view.

I assume you have not solved this one...  ??

I think you got some very good direction here, but it can be confusing first time out.

And like lizdance40, I am curious to know if your issue was solved.

Do you live near to and can you get to an Apple store? Each has a genius bar. You must make an appointment and bring in your macbook pro and your ipad and they can help you get your pics and videos onto your ipad. Or you can get all on your MBP to an SD card or flash drive and bring that in with your ipad. (Bringing in the MBP with the ipad might be easier because they can also solve any issues you might still have with itunes.)

To make an appointment, go to the bottom of the Apple.com page and click on 'visit an Apple Retail Store.' Put your zip code in and find the store you want. Putting in my zip code never works, but across from that you can click on Complete Store List. The next window brings up all stores by state (in USA.) Click on one close to you and make an appointment. They can be very helpful. Many of these stores also have classes that you sign up for on the genius bar site to help you make the most of your ipad.

Also, are there any younger people you know well who can help? They're growing up on computers and it all seems to come so much easier to them. Ask your brother-in-law if he's uploaded pictures/videos and maybe he can help.

You can have a great time keeping in touch with family and friends vis slide shows with music that you can create for your and your families' memories. So don't give up and given that you are trying hard to make it work means you're not too old!

Please let us know how it all ends up working for you. There are many people like you who might be looking for solutions to the same issue, too, and they'll be grateful for what they can learn from your experience.

Hope this helps.

When you are totally lost and trying to do something that you have never done before, it can be extremely frustrating. I am not what you would call mechanically inclined or handy with tools if you will. Every time that I attempt to take on a project, there is generally a fair amount of swearing and whining going on. When and if I am able to complete the task, I look back and think to myself, that once you know how to do it, it really isn't that bad.

That is such an obvious statement but it is so true. Why don't you just continue to look through the user guide and see if some serious studying helps.

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/ipad_ios5_user_guide.pdf

I love my iPad and would be lost without it now. I use mine for work and for personal use. I think that if you got the hang of it, you would really enjoy using it yourself. You can do Google searches for particular issues that you are having problems with and Apple has a ton of support articles about using iPads online.

By the way, some of the most respected participants in the Apple Support Communities are "getting up there" in years. We are not all young whippersnappers around here. Don't let your age stop you. Keep on trying!