Article by Newsletter Editorial Board
Posted January 2013Get an iPad or an iPad mini for Christmas? Thanks to a variety of sources from Networkworld, here’s some of the best available applications for your new toy.
Many magazines are worth trying; most include digital subscriptions with print subscriptions. National Geographic only costs twenty dollars (or less) per year. The digital version offers several features that the print version does not, such as interactive graphics, audio, video, and the latest online news.
iWork contains creation devices such as Pages, Keynote, and Numbers, which allow you to create content compatible with Microsoft Office (which, incidentally, is said to be coming for iPad use). These can be downloaded as a suite or separately for ten dollars each.
Instapaper is an app that allows you to save a Web page in a highly legible format for both multiple device and offline access, important if you do not have cellular data capability. Instapaper is more manageable and user friendly than Reading List and only costs four dollars.
Dropbox, an application I’ve mentioned more than once for PC’s, is a free service for saving your photos, documents, and videos in the cloud. You can get up to 18GB of storage if you refer the required number of people to the app. If that isn’t enough space, you can upgrade to higher storage levels for a subscription. Dropbox is accessible on multiple platforms and is the best data center for online use.
Flipboard allows you to create a personalized magazine filled with content from social network newsfeeds, Web sites, and other media sources. Flipbook is tantamount to the Facebook app, but many choose it instead due to its greater content hub and aesthetically pleasing nature.
IMDb is a free internet movie database, which allows you to access movie reviews, actors, and viewer feedback. The days of aimlessly roaming the aisles at Blockbuster are all but extinct.
TiVo Premier, HBO Go, Netflix, and Hulu all have iPad apps that let you use your favorite home viewing devices anywhere on the go. You can now watch your favorite shows and movies from anywhere in the world, instead of being limited to your sofa at home.
Facebook for the iPad and other mobile devices is not as user friendly as it should be. Even though you can access and use most everything on Facebook via mobile devices, Facebook on the go remains the most inept option available.
Tweetbot is a must have for Twitter enthusiasts because of its multiple timeline feature and the ability to switch quickly between lists. Yours for three dollars.
AIM allows you to create short messages and responses via the touch keyboard. It makes conversations easy to manage, and allows you to chat directly with Facebook and Google Talk friends. Most importantly, you can now send instant messages to phones via wi fi connected iPads; these appear as regular text messages.
GarageBand turns your iPad into a music studio. For five dollars, you can strum chords on an electric guitar, play an electric drum, bass, or piano. You can also create and share songs with friends.
With iMovie, you can create movies for five dollars. You can add videos, photos, and music from your iPad library to create your very own personalized movies and trailers.
GoodReader is like a PDF reader, with the very helpful abilities to highlight text, take notes, and record freehand drawings.
Angry Birds Star Wars is a new face on an old app. All of your favorite characters from the saga are depicted for play in their respective bird versions, allowing The Force to be with you for only three dollars.
Weather HD gives you the latest weather forecast for a specified city for a dollar. You can view an hourly or weekly forecast or even get push weather updates for instant information.
Questions or comments? Drop me an email: jwh3@mindspring.com