Doing that is simple. Just jack the iPad into your Mac, select it in iTunes' Source list, and in the General tab to the right, click on the Restore button. iTunes will download (if necessary) the latest version of the iOS and install it on the iPad. You then have the option to set up your iPad as a new device (thus putting it in a condition similar to how it originally came out of the box). That's exactly what I did.

And so, Friday, it was off to see the Genius in not-so-terribly-far-away . I met the greeter at the door, told her that I was there to see the Genius: She found my name on her iPad, tapped it to indicate I was on the premises, and suggested I hover near (but not right in front of, please) the Genius bar in the back of the store. I did, waiting for a couple of minutes.

Albert (not his real name), the very nice Genius, called my name, walked over, asked me what the problem was, and I opened the box.

"So, you'd like to find out about replacing it?"