May
25
Written by:
David Howard
5/25/2010 6:30 PM
Since the beginning of time (or maybe the last 30 years or so), software drives hardware sales. It makes it useful, and spawns terms like "Killer App". The brand new iPad is no different; many people of all types are buying it, but using it for different reasons (they sold over a million of them in the first few weeks in the US, meaning about one in every 300 people have one).
I am finding some apps very helpful, and some are free, with most of nominal cost. Here is a list of what I am using on my 3G 64Gb iPad, sorted by category.
A note may be helpful:
- All prices are as of the point I updated this.
- A price of “Free+” means that there is a free version available, but it may be limited. Full capabilities may require a paid version, or subscribing to some service.
|
App
|
Category
|
Comments
|
Price
|
|
YouVersion
|
Bible
|
Bible Software with basic features. 2 translations are available for download, the rest must be accessed from an Internet server so 3G is helpful.
|
Free
|
|
Olive Tree
|
Bible
|
In my opinion, the best bible reader software available. Allows access to all previously purchased translations and other works.
|
Free or .99
|
|
SugarSync
|
Connectivity
|
Allows you to open and view (and often edit) all of the synced files on your desktop or laptop, providing access to much more personal data without the space being used up on the iPad. It also effectively replaces use of Apple’s MobileMe’s for additional space at a lower cost.
|
Free+
|
|
Wyse PocketCloud
|
Connectivity
|
Allows access of a Windows Remote Desktop (RDP) like Windows Terminal Server. Our tech team tested several RDP clients, and found this to be the most full featured. I find it very handy to reach much more functionality, such as the full use of Word, Excel, etc.
|
$14.99
|
|
Air Sharing HD
|
Connectivity
|
Allows you to create a web server on the iPad to transfer files to and from it. Note that because of the way the iPad stores files, you cannot always access files downloaded to the Air Sharing folders with your native iPad apps.
|
|
|
IMDB
|
Content Reader
|
Allows access to the Internet Movie Database content from a custom interface.
|
Free
|
|
Appolicious
|
Content Reader
|
Allows access to the Appolicioius website content for Apple devices. Can search and discuss apps.
|
Free
|
|
NPR
|
Content Reader
|
Allows access to National Public Radio (NPR) content from a custom interface.
|
Free
|
|
HBR Stats
|
Content Reader
|
iPhone app - not sized for iPad
Show Harvard Business Review.
|
Free
|
|
HBR Tips
|
Content Reader
|
iPhone app - not sized for iPad
|
Free
|
|
Urban Spoon
|
Content Reader
|
Nice interface to view content from UrbanSpoon.com’s website. You can find restaurants in most any area you may be, read reviews, etc.
|
Free
|
|
Adobe Ideas
|
Drawing/art
|
Ok for doodling, but without a pen not as interesting as it could be.
|
Free
|
|
Kindle
|
E-Book Reader
|
Read Amazon based e-Books. Not as “cool” as iBooks, but sync allows you to read the same book on numerous devices, and it even task the last page read and syncs that.
|
Free+
|
|
iBooks
|
E-Book Reader
|
Cool interface.
|
Free+
|
|
Implode Light
|
Game
|
Neat little physics game. There is a free and paid version.
|
Free+
|
|
Labyrinth Lite
|
Game
|
Uses accelerometer for a neat game. There is a free and paid version.
|
Free+
|
|
SoundPaper
|
Note Taking
|
Note Taking application that also records sound in the meeting. Allows you to skip to the audio portion
|
$2.99
|
|
RoamBI
|
Productivity
|
May be the killer app for business on the iPad. Shows graphs and lists you subscribe to that have drill down capability. Can upload an Excel file to create the dataset in the free version for one user; paid version adds data sources and users.
|
Free+
|
|
iThoughtsHD
|
Productivity
|
Mind Mapping app that can save to other formats, such as Mind Manager.
|
$7.99
|
|
TaskTaskHD
|
Productivity
|
Task Management, syncs with Microsoft Exchange tasks if you need one.
There may be better standalone task managers, but this seemed like the only one that synced with Exchange.
|
$4.99
|
|
Pages
|
Productivity
|
Word Processing similar to iWorks app, but greatly simplified. As good as it gets for word processing, but that is not saying much.
|
$9.99
|
|
eBay
|
Shopping
|
Access to eBay auctions. Can search and buy. I have heard selling is not as easy.
|
Free
|
|
Last.Fm
|
Streaming Audio
|
Stream audio under same account you access to listen from a PC.
Does not work when not the active app, so you cannot listen to
|
Free
|
|
NetFlix
|
Streaming Video
|
Need NetFlix Account, works extremely well and works over 3G
|
Free
|
|
ABC Player
|
Streaming Video
|
Watch ABC programs
Originally did not work over 3G – does now.
|
Free
|
|
Air Video
|
Streaming Video
|
Allows you to setup a streaming video server on a PC (Windows or Mac) or full server.
|
$2.99
|
|
Twitterific
|
Twitter Client
|
|
Free
|
|
TweetDeck
|
Twitter Client
|
More elaborate twitter client, and the one I prefer. Allows you to see linked web pages inside the app, or open in Safari.
|
Free
|
|
PC Calc Lite
|
Utility
|
Nice, full featured calculator app.
|
Free
|
|
WunderMap
|
Weather
|
Shows a Google map with real time weather overlaid.
|
Free
|
Copyright ©2010 David Howard
Tags:
1 comment(s) so far...
Re: iPad Apps I Find Helpful
We had some more feedback from our team internally, and they had some more great suggestions I wanted to share. Thanks guys!
* Fast PDF is the best and fastest PDF viewer with bookmark support,
* Dropbox has 2gb free and a lot of integration unlike SugarSync
* UrbanSpoon - a great way to find a new restaurant wherever you happen to be - free!
* Tap Defense - an interesting Tower Defense strategy game witn multriple levels and fresh content
By David Howard on
6/1/2010 1:25 PM
|