Don't believe everything you hear about the iPad. (Or read.) Some of these myths have persisted since the introduction of the iPad, while others are more inventions of rivals than they are rooted in any truth. The iPad has come a long way since its introduction in 2010, so it is not a surprise that many of these myths were true at one time, but simply haven't kept up with the times.

The iPad can't multitask.

If you believe the advertisements for some Android devices, the fact that the iPad can't display two apps at the same time means it cannot multitask. But having two apps on the screen at the same time has more to do with task switching than multitasking. You have two easy ways to switch between tasks on the iPad: You can double click the home button to bring up the task bar or turn on multitasking gestures.

The iPad also supports a limited form of multitasking. While an app doesn't have free reign to do anything it wants in the background, it can still perform tasks like delivering music to the speakers, so you can listen to Pandora Radio while typing a document in Microsoft Word.

The iOS 8 update will add the ability for a small piece of an app to run within another app, which is a brand new way of doing multitasking.

iPad vs Android: Which Tablet Is Right for You?

The iPad doesn't support USB.

It's true that the iPad only comes with a Lightning port, but Apple makes a camera connection kit that will turn the Lightning port into a USB port.

This allows the iPad to communicate with some USB devices. It was specifically designed for connecting cameras, but because it is a fully functional USB port, it works with other devices. One popular use for the camera connection kit is to connect MIDI devices to the iPad, such as a MIDI keyboard to control Garage Band.

Shop for the Camera Connection Kit

The iPad doesn't have a keyboard.

Microsoft likes to hammer the iPad about not coming with a keyboard. Funny enough, Microsoft's Surface tablet doesn't come with a keyboard either. The Surface cover is sold separately, which puts it in the same category as Apple's wireless keyboard, which works perfectly fine with the iPad.

In fact, there are a multitude of keyboards and keyboard cases designed specifically for the iPad. And you can even plug in a wired keyboard by using the camera connection kit.

You can also pull apart the on-screen keyboard to easily use it with your thumbs, which is great if you are used to typing on your smartphone. And if you touch the microphone on the on-screen keyboard, you go into voice dictation mode. So you may find you don't need a keyboard at all.

How to Connect a Keyboard to the iPad

The iPad can't play Adobe Flash videos or games.

The inability for the iPad to play Flash was a big deal when it was released, but Steve Jobs was adamantly against Flash, even penning a letter as to why it wouldn't come to the iPad. The fact here is that Flash was never great on mobile devices, which is why Adobe stopped support for the mobile version of Flash.

But that doesn't mean you can't play Flash video on the iPad. There are a number of web browsers that support Flash. As for Flash games, they are possible, but because many are designed for a mouse and keyboard setup, some are a little awkward when played on the iPad.

How to Play Flash on the iPad

The iPad needs to be hooked up to a PC to prepare it for use or to back it up.

This is a hold over from the early days of the iPad. Initially, we were required to connect the iPad to a computer with iTunes to set it up. And if you wanted to back up your device, you had to get that cable out.

The iPad cut the cord several years ago. You can now set it up wirelessly and back it up to iCloud. There's no longer any need to connect it to your PC. However, you may want to connect it to iTunes to sync your music, movies and photos.

Charging the iPad too frequently before the battery is empty can lead to less battery life.

A longstanding myth about mobile devices is that you should occasionally let them drain completely or else you could shorten the overall battery life of the device. This one is actually rooted in truth. The old batteries used for mobile devices could see less battery life if you constantly recharged them before they were depleted, but the new batteries used in mobile devices don't have this problem.

This is true of Android devices, Windows RT devices as well as iPhones and iPads. Don't worry about letting it deplete completely. You should charge it anytime it gets low, and if you know you are going to use it heavily the next day, go ahead and charge it overnight.

The iPad has gone downhill without Steve Jobs.

The sales of the iPad have gone down in the past year, but this has nothing to do with the passing of Steve Jobs. The decreased sales of the iPad have more to do with the lack of a true upgrade cycle. Let's face it, the iPad works great. Even the iPad 2 is still chugging along, thought it may start to show its age with the iOS update. And until consumers think their iPad is becoming too slow, they aren't as likely to buy a new one.

As for innovation, the basic features of the iPad are set. We'll see small features added like the Touch ID fingerprint sensor or (perhaps) Near-Field Communications (NFC), but most upgrades will be iterative in nature. This is true of both the iPhone and the iPad, and it would be true with or without Steve Jobs. Apple's philosophy is to build the best product, not to throw in everything including the bathroom sink.

It is also worth noting that Steve Jobs wasn't perfect. While among the most brilliant innovators of our time, not every decision he made was the right one. In fact, he argued against the App Store, believing web apps were the future. And web apps may be the future, but App Stores will bridge the gap to that future. He was also against the iPad Mini, thinking that any device smaller than the iPad's 9.7-inch display wouldn't be a good experience. But the popularity of 7-inch tablets (including the 7.9-inch Mini) proves this untrue.

Jailbreaking the iPad is illegal.

Believe it or not, this myth is true. And even stranger, it is legal to jailbreak an iPhone, it's just illegal to jailbreak an iPad. The Library of Congress granted an exclusion to the iPhone when attempting to install lawfully gained software (i.e. apps that you pay for or that are normally free), but did not extend this protection to tablets because the term 'tablet' was too loosely defined.

Of course, this doesn't mean you are going to go to jail for jailbreaking your iPad. And its more likely Apple would abandon iOS and install Android on their devices than they would go after an individual for jailbreaking their iPad, so if you plan on jailbreaking your device, you shouldn't sweat this one too much.

After some prodding, Congress has finally made it quite clear that unlocking phones is perfectly legal. And the only thing keeping iPads from being legally jailbroken is the loose definition of tablet. So it might be time for more prodding of Congress.

Read More About Jailbreaking the iPad