The iPad has quickly become my main interface for work and play, as I leave my luggable 15″ MacBook Pro at home. What started out ad a Top 10 thing expanded into 2 more because I just couldn’t decide which were the best. Here’s my personal list of choice apps I’ve been using and come to love.
Flipboard
Think of this app as your social aggregator as it finds and collects news feeds, blog posts, Tweets, Facebook status updates and more, then regurgitates them into a pleasant, beautifully designed magazine-type interface for your consumption. Designers will appreciate the gorgeous typography and well-thought out page layout, and the general public will appreciate it’s intuitiveness and speed. Flipboard also makes it easy to comment, reply posts and share it will friends.
Godfinger
Always wanted to play God? Well, it’s as easy as clicking, swiping and dragging with your fingers. Godfinger is a highly addictive, critically-acclaimed social game looks and plays even better than when i did on the iPhone. Bigger desktop real estate means better resolution and even better detail. Guaranteed to keep you occupied for hours. Days. Ok, months. Top stuff.
Penultimate
Ever needed to take notes in a meeting? Doodle? Draw quick charts and visuals? Sketch? Mind map? This is the ultimate tool for you, supporting multiple notebooks and pages.
Marvel
If you’re a fan of comics, then this is an app for you. This is your source for all your favorite Marvel titles including downloadable free ones for your reading pleasure. Yes, you will need to purchase most of the content, but hey, printed comics aren’t free anyways.
Keynote
The awesome desktop version gets an iOS version and this baby rocks. It isn’t a cheap app at $9.99 but if you need to work on presentations on the go, Keynote on the iPad is full-fledged. The only con, you can’t export presentations to Powerpoint format, only Keynote files and PDF.
Dropbox
This cloud-based facility had really become my favorite app on any platform. I have in on my desktop, Android, iPhone and now my iPad. It makes it super easy to collaborate, backup and sync data and also access your latest files on the go. Superb. And free.
Evernote
This is a multi-purpose productivity app that is your thought and notes organizer, a scrapbook and research tool, and so so much more. Like Dropbox, I have this installed on multiple platforms so I have access to my scribbles and research on the go. Free and awesome!
Angry Birds
With over 60 million downloads worldwide, Angry Birds is undeniably one of the most successful if not the most successful and best-selling game on any platform, of all time. This crazy addictive game is fun, challenging and anti-social. Don’t forget to catch the hilarious “Angry Birds Peace Treaty” video on YouTube. A must-have.
Cut the Rope
Hot on the heels of birds against green pigs, is the puzzle game Cut the Rope. Highly addictive and highly challenging, this will keep you mind-boggled and enthused for weeks on end. Go ahead, be a man.
PlainText
A no-frills, plain Jane text editor. Clean cut and very easy to use, this syncs with your Dropbox account so you’ll always have your notes, text files online. I’m writing this on PlainText as we speak. Less is definitely more.
How can I mention top choice apps without a mention of a Twitter app? The official Twitter app is full featured and very intuitive to use. Love the great interface, and the iPad’s bigger screen real estate makes it even more fun to use than on an iPhone. My only gripe is that it isn’t as easy to block a user or report one for spam.
Sketchbook Pro
This app simply blows my mind with it’s drawing and illustrative tools. Makes drawing with your fingers, onscreen very very natural! Results are amazing, and it’s just a joy to use overall. Illustrators and artists should never leave home without this. Amazing stuff.
Other notables
Epicurious, NFS Shift, Friendly for Facebook
There you go my Top 12! What are your choice apps for your iPad?
