I love my iPad 3G, it’s a pleasure to use. While iPad apps aren’t as numerous as those for iPhone/iPod Touch (yet), I’ve found some worth recommending. Note: Links point to iTunes.
News –
Thomson Reuters Pro: I respect Reuters as a news organization, and their iPad app doesn’t disappoint. Wide range of topics and elegant presentation. (Free)
France 24: Excellent news content and easy to use app. (Free)
SkyGrid: Interesting new app that presents 10 “Featured Streams” based on current newsworthiness. App also provides ability to subscribe to specific news categories. (Free)
npr: Nice content presentation and all the news you’ve come to expect from npr. (Free)
WSJ: Love it for the dead tree newspaper-like experience. I have a WSJ Online subscription and so far using this app has been free. Will I recommend it when I’m paying ~$18 per month? Not sure. (Free app. WSJ subscription required after trial)
NY Times Editors Choice: Not the full newspaper content, thus the “Editors Choice” label. Nonetheless, I enjoy it for the dead tree newspaper experience similar to WSJ app. (Free)
USA Today: If you like the USA Today newspaper or iPhone app, you’ll like the iPad app as well. ‘Nuff said. (Free)
Finance –
Bloomberg for iPad: Think Bloomberg app for iPhone, on steroids. Track your portfolio, monitor Finance news and watch the markets. (Free)
Thomson Reuters MarketBoard: A different presentation than Bloomberg app, with a cool animated market board. Also features news, corporate call information, and ability to monitor your stocks. (Free)
Books –
Kindle: LOVE it! Offers the reading experience I’d hoped for from Kindle hardware. Tip: Want cool iBooks-like page turn animations? On Home screen, tap “i” (lower right of screen), then Settings, and then set “Basic Reading Mode” to OFF. (Free app. Kindle books can be had at a variety of prices, including free)
iBooks: Apple’s own eBook Reader. I think the Bookshelf UI is a bit tired but, nonetheless, easy to use and beautiful interface. (Free app. Lots of books available and many free offerings)
Alice for the iPad – Lite: A great example of what’s possible with eBooks. Beautiful graphics and cool interactive animations. (Free)
Marvel: Gorgeous comic book graphics – even if you’re not into comic books, worth downloading just to check out. (Free app. There are a few free comics available, but most are paid.)
Twitter –
I haven’t found an iPad twitter app that knocks my socks off yet, but here are the frontrunners at this point…
Tweetings: Makes good use of iPad screen real estate and fairly robust. Also offers notifications, which is a plus. ($2.99)
HelTweetica for iPad: Similar UI to Tweetings, but also includes retweet, fav, @ and DM commands on main twitter list. I like how clicking a link drops you directly into the web page. (Free)
Weather & Traffic –
As with Twitter apps, I have found some good options but am hoping there continue to be improvements in this space.
Weatherbug Elite for iPad: A very useful “at a glance” view — main screen is 3/4 map with weather details squeezed into the right-most 1/4 of the screen. (Free)
The Weather Channel Max for iPad: Select from six screens: Maps, Local, Video, Severe, Social, & On TV. Great for when you want more detail than Weatherbug provides. (Free)
Beat the Traffic: Uses GPS to show your location on large map, along with real-time traffic info and slowdowns. (Free. US & Canada only)
Productivity & Reference –
I’ve purchased Numbers, Keynote, and Pages but haven’t used them much yet. Here are some noteworthy productivity apps…
MaxJournal: Great journaling / note-taking app with a beautiful “Day-Timer” interface. Can be password-protected. ($2.99)
Dragon Dictation: Amazingly accurate voice to text capability. (Free)
MindNode: I’ve tried both MindNode and iThoughtsHD but prefer MindNode for ease of use and its clean, easy to read diagrams. MindNode also supports exporting your maps. ($5.99)
WolframAlpha: The fantastic reference app that used to be $50 is now affordable and should be on everyone’s iPad/iPhone. ($1.99)
Dictionary.com Dictionary & Thesaurus: Straightforward dictionary and thesaurus reference. The price is right. (Free)
Entertainment –
Cartoons HD: MSNBC political/news cartoons. (Free)
Yahoo! Entertainment: Yahoo’s contribution to the iPad – news, book reviews, fashion, comics, and more. (Free)
ABC Player: Love being able to catch up on some great TV on my iPad: LOST!
:-) (Free)
Netflix: For Netflix fans, this is a must have. Manage your queue, browse DVDs, and watch streaming video via “Watch Instantly.” (Free app. Requires Netflix subscription)
IMDB: Needs no further explanation – perfect app for serious movie fans. (Free)
Audio –
WunderRadio: I like WunderRadio for its flexibility. A great iPhone app is now an equally good app for iPad. ($6.99)
Pandora: Gotta have it. Love Pandora’s Spa Radio Channel. (Free)
Relaxation –
iZen Garden for iPad: Beautiful graphics and soothing sounds. Great for unwinding after a hectic day. ($5.99)
Magic Window: Gorgeous animated scenes with soothing ambient sounds. Love to open this app and then just leave the iPad standing on a desk. ($2.99)
Marine Aquarium: A colorful aquarium available anywhere, anytime. ($.99)
Games –
Scrabble: Disclosure – if there were a 12-step program for Scrabble addicts, I’d be first in line. Familiar scrabble board and tiles. Just wish the board were a bit bigger. ($9.99)
Shanghai Mahjong: Beautiful mahjong game, with a wide variety of tile graphics, board layouts, and backgrounds. ($2.99)
Pinball HD: Beautiful images and fun game play. ($2.99)
Angry Birds HD: I don’t know what got these birds so P.O.d, but this game rocks! Very fun and addictive. ($4.99)
Honorable Mention –
The Elements: A stunning display of periodic table elements. ($13.99)
What cool iPad apps have you found? Add a comment to share your recommendations.
it is what it is 