Just got an iPad 2!

[russelldirect]

This thing is... magical. I truly thought those ads were ridiculous when they first came out, but gosh. The Economist app is so much better than waiting for weekly issues. StarFront is a great clone of StarCraft, minus the $52 extra I'd have to pay to buy it. Netflix will be great when I go off to college next month. I'm hoping digital textbooks will help me save money, but the sheer convenience will be worth it. Flipboard is just plain innovative.

Sorry for the Apple love. Have any favorite apps? I'm mostly a writer and a gamer, so anything in those categories would be awesome.

 

[deadlystriker]

docs to go for editing and creating ms office docs,
goodreader for pdfs
dropbox - keep your files in sync

 

[thelookingglass]

Flipboard is nice, but I find it more efficient and quicker to get through all of my RSS feeds on Reeder or Mobile RSS.

There are a bunch of apps specifically targeted towards writers. Might want to check them out. Documents To Go is more of an Office-compatible suite for corporate types.

Evernote is incredible and is probably useful for a writer. It's basically a memory bank for anything and everything you'll ever want to remember. I use it frequently to jot down ideas, keep a journal, save various files. You can access it from all of our mobile devices and your PC/Mac. Great app.

Goodreader, as mentioned, is a good one for file management and for syncing with Dropbox. One advantage over the Dropbox app itself is that you can sync entire folders onto your iPad for offline access. I think the Dropbox app only does this for individual files (but I could be wrong). Goodreader is also an excellent PDF annotation tool.

Kindle app is great, too, of course.

LogMeIn for remotely connecting to your PC/Mac. Works well.

iswifter for the few pesky Flash websites out there. Works like a charm over WiFi.

 

[mike457]

iStudiez Pro is a great app for keeping track of your classes, assignments, and tests. It can feed into iCal as well, so you can track your commitments on your main computer too.

 

[Don Kosak]

Ditto on Evernote, GoodReader, and DropBox.

I like Apple's office suite - especially Pages and Numbers. I use them with iWork.com (Apple's cloud service, probably to be replaced with iCloud this fall.)

Essay is a good "clean and simple" writing app that let's you do formatting and syncs with DropBox.

Finally, here are some games I played and liked:
* BattleHeart
* Dungeon Hunter HD
* #sworcery (yeah, that's the name.)
* GeoDefense
* Lil' Pirates was cute to play with friends

Enjoy, it's a really useful gadget.

 

[ElysiumY2K]

Lol, me too.

Still waiting for my case and screen protector to come though... So i still have the plastic on

 

[TheSuperSteve]

Sorry for the Apple love.

Never apologize for that. Let it bloom. Let the magic flow within your spirit!

Ehhhh....Also, you might wanna try Notes Plus! Its one of the best handwritting notebook apps there is. You'll need a stylus though to use it at its best. A July update will revamp the app and add much much needed features so the developer is selling it at a discount until the update is out. Grab it while you can!

 

[Consultant]

Love racing games.

Real Racing 2
Asphalt 6
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
Need for Speed: Shift
etc.

Lol, me too.

Still waiting for my case and screen protector to come though... So i still have the plastic on

It does not need it.

 

[neiltc13]

Love racing games.

Real Racing 2
Asphalt 6
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
Need for Speed: Shift
etc.

Just don't expect racing games of the quality you have become accustomed to on other platforms. Some genres of game are suited to iPad (strategy, board games etc) but racing games are most definitely not the sort that are easy or comfortable to play on a device with no buttons.

It does not need it.

Agree.

 

[ElysiumY2K]

It does not need it.

Lol, yea i know. But its just be easier for me to put the screen protector on when it arrives without having to clean it thoroughly with a lint cloth

 

[Don Kosak]

I agree with the others regarding screen protectors.

The iPad doesn't need one. The screen protector just makes the iPad harder to clean, and more difficult to use when playing games that need a very smooth surface to slide your fingers around on. (Mostly games that use a "on screen" control stick.)

Peal that plastic off, feel the smooth glass under your fingertips, and enjoy the touch screen. It's meant to be used that way. Any force strong enough to damage the glass, will tear right through a thin-film screen protector anyway.

This isn't your 1990's style PDA with the plastic resistive touch panel that scratched the first time you dragged a stylus across it. You don't need a protector. Honest.

I own multiple iPad/iPad 2's and have kids. Not a single scratch on any of the screens in over a year. And they're used with reckless abandon. (the iPads, not the kids.)

 

[ElysiumY2K]

I agree with the others regarding screen protectors.

The iPad doesn't need one. The screen protector just makes the iPad harder to clean, and more difficult to use when playing games that need a very smooth surface to slide your fingers around on. (Mostly games that use a "on screen" control stick.)

Peal that plastic off, feel the smooth glass under your fingertips, and enjoy the touch screen. It's meant to be used that way. Any force strong enough to damage the glass, will tear right through a thin-film screen protector anyway.

This isn't your 1990's style PDA with the plastic resistive touch panel that scratched the first time you dragged a stylus across it. You don't need a protector. Honest.

I own multiple iPad/iPad 2's and have kids. Not a single scratch on any of the screens in over a year. And they're used with reckless abandon. (the iPads, not the kids.)

O I just realised that you guys meant was that the iPad doesn't need a screen protector... thought that you guys were saying just peel off plastic before the SP comes.

Ya, i kinda know what you mean about the smoothness and display etc. But I can't stand greasy finger prints. Been using the Power Support Anti Glare screen protector since iPhone 3G and loved it since. Have it on my iPhone 4 at the mo and it was just natural for me to buy one for my new iPad 2

 

[Elven]

I use my iPad one minus a protector and kept in a secure jacket when travelling or placed on rough surfaces.

No problems and I always have a microfibre cloth with me to keep the screen clean and it neatly folds into the iPads carry jacket.

 

[thesiren]

Ditto on Evernote, GoodReader, and DropBox.

I like Apple's office suite - especially Pages and Numbers. I use them with iWork.com (Apple's cloud service, probably to be replaced with iCloud this fall.)

Essay is a good "clean and simple" writing app that let's you do formatting and syncs with DropBox.

Finally, here are some games I played and liked:
* BattleHeart
* Dungeon Hunter HD
* #sworcery (yeah, that's the name.)
* GeoDefense
* Lil' Pirates was cute to play with friends

Enjoy, it's a really useful gadget.

Not quite. That would be its Twitter hash tag. The title is actually Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery. It's an incredible game, by far the most original and masterfully designed game ever made for the iPad... and it deserves its proper title.

Just don't expect racing games of the quality you have become accustomed to on other platforms. Some genres of game are suited to iPad (strategy, board games etc) but racing games are most definitely not the sort that are easy or comfortable to play on a device with no buttons.

Says who? You? Cuz I'm pretty sure that's an opinion, not fact. Real Racing 2 has utterly amazing graphics, just ask anyone who's played or reviewed it. People can't believe the graphics are coming from an iPad, cuz they're just as detailed as their PS3 or xbox. As for the controls, using such a blanket qualifier like "most definitely not" in regards to they're ease or comfort leads me to believe you played one game for a few seconds, crashed, got pissy and never bothered to give it a second chance. It's called settings and they're fully customizable. If after customizing the buttons and settings you still say it's too difficult or uncomfortable, then you won't like any game played on the iPad -- Modern Combat 2 for sure -- and might want to reconsider the iPad altogether.

I've beaten Asphalt 6 and Real Racing 2 both and I'm a chick. That should tell you something about the ease and comfort

 

[miamialley]

I used to prefer Flipboard, but I got frustrated with their topic offerings. I now only use Zite and never Flipboard (deleted it). Zite has very specific topics that Flipboard doesn't.

+1 for Goodreader and Dropbox integration.

 

[Mr.C]

Says who? You? Cuz I'm pretty sure that's an opinion, not fact. Real Racing 2 has utterly amazing graphics, just ask anyone who's played or reviewed it. People can't believe the graphics are coming from an iPad, cuz they're just as detailed as their PS3 or xbox.

Whilst I agree that Real Racing HD 2 has pretty amazing graphics for an iPad game it by no means even comes close to the best racing games on the PS3 or Xbox 360. Nor can you beat the use of a control pad with precision analogue sticks or a racing wheel. The iPad certainly is not suited to or the best platform for racing games or first person shooters.

 

[pruppert]

Boy, I wish I had an iPad and Evernote when I was in college a few years back. Evernote has many benefits, but what would be cool for a college student is that you can have the app open and recording lecture audio while at the same time you can be typing text into the note.

In college, you'll also need a good PDF reader/annotation app. There are a lot of recs here for Goodreader (which is a good app); however, I have come to prefer PDF Expert for this because of its superior user interface.

Cheers on the Apple love, and enjoy the iPad and college!