Just Another Tech Blog

Although there are many iPad apps that I really like and that will vary from category to category, there are several apps that I use on a very consistent basis (practically every hour of the waking day).  These are the apps that I like the most and get the most use out of.  For the sake of this post I will not be including any native apps in this top 10 list.  Obviously I use quite frequently apps like the Calendar app and the iPod app as well as apps like YouTube and Maps.  But the purpose of this list is to give you an idea of the App Store apps that I feel bring me the most value.  I will give you a short description of each and then later link to a full review of each app.  Every app that I list and/or review is an app that I have purchased.

Here they are listed in order of how much I use them, 1 being the most:

10. Pages (Apple Inc. $9.99)

READ MY REVIEW — A very well done portable version of Apple’s word processor, Pages has a large feature set enabling you to work and just about any document type on the go.  Some of the most recent features added include the ability to upload and download right from your MobileMe iDisk.  Apple also provides a free (Beta) iWork.com account (if you choose to sign-up) for storing and delivering documents (in multiple formats) to anyone you so choose.  If you have the need to edit standard documents on the go, this is the app for you.

9. BeejiveIM for iPad (Beejive, Inc. $9.99)

READ MY REVIEW — Beejive has been around in the app store for quite some time starting off with their iPhone app.  From the very beginning they have proven their ability to not only stay on top of the latest and greatest, but consistently address issues that arise by their user base.  This full featured app has everything you could want from a standard IM application except video chat.  With a huge variety of customizable options, you can make this application look and feel the way you want it to.  Always stay in touch with those you need to over IM with Push Notifications when you receive new instant messages.  I won’t list all the features here as there are too many to list, but this app is definitely one that I use on a regular basis.  Since purchasing it, I have all but stopped using the iPhone version as I like this one that much more.

8. iSSH – SSH / VNC Console (Zinger-Soft $9.99) Universal App

READ MY REVIEW — For the Tech guy that just can’t stop doing his job, you know the type, the one who goes home for the weekend and spends the entire time fiddling around on various projects; this application is the perfect companion for getting things done on the go.  I first purchased this application for my iPhone when it first came out back in 2008 with the introduction of 3rd Party apps on iOS 2.0.  I originally purchased several other SSH applications (each one at a time) and found iSSH to be simply the BEST SSH application for my needs.  When the iPad was released, the makers of iSSH graciously made it into a universal application in doing so making it all that much better!  Again too many features for me to list here.

7. iTeleport: Jaadu VNC for iPhone / iPad (iTeleport LLC  $24.99) Universal App

READ MY REVIEW — One of the more expensive applications in my top ten list, but definitely worth every penny to me.  Again an application that I purchased back in 2008 for my iPhone and they have taken it and built upon and made it into a Universal App as well.  There is something I like about a developer rewarding their early adopters this way.  But certainly for $24.99 I think it merited being a Universal app and they did a wonderful job of making just that.  If you do not have a need for a VNC application then this may not be for you.  I also must note that iSSH does do VNC as well (although I’ve never used it myself).  iTeleport allows you to easily access any of your machines from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.  The ability to control the machine in every aspect including an additional set of keys for their keyboard to manipulate media on that machine (enables the use of this application as a remote control for that computer).  This app I will continue to get a lot of benefit from and never will regret purchasing.

6. iBooks (Apple Inc. FREE) Universal App

READ MY REVIEW — Perhaps not one that most people would consider a top ten.  For me it is simply because I use it on a regular basis.  When iBooks first was released, I didn’t use it at all.  It wasn’t until I saw how beautifully it worked with the iPad that I feel in love with this app.  The store could use a little work, especially in ease of finding titles you are looking for, and they are certainly lacking in content.  But with what they have, this is a very good application for reading books.

5. Air Video – Watch your videos anywhere! (InMethod s.r.o. $2.99 *free version available as well) Universal App

READ MY REVIEW — Yet another one of those applications that I would say was one of the best choices I ever made!  This application was recommended to me by a friend back before the iPad was released.  I used it regularly with my iPhone, connecting to my home network with a large library of LEGAL videos.  My wife also enjoys quite a bit using this application.  We can lounge anywhere watching anything available to us.  This application allows you to store files in any format on any machine on your local network, and with the use of their free server software, it is streamed and encoded on the fly (encoded when necessary) to your iPhone.  With the release of the iPad this was quickly adapted to the iPad as well as a Universal App and what a great job they did!  Now my lounging experience is even better with the bigger iPad screen for watching anything available to me.  The encoding works seamless and is virtually indistinguishable as it happens almost instantly.

4. Netflix (Netflix, Inc. FREE) Universal App (requires monthly subscription starting at $8.99)

READ MY REVIEW — To me, this application is a no brainer.  As a matter of fact, I think Netflix was the initial influence in me wanting an iPad.  As silly as that may sound, Netflix now offers a library that is growing rapidly with your favorite films from TV shows that I like to some of my favorite old time movies, and even some of the new ones.  Netflix does a good job presenting this for you in the iPad app and allowing you access to this Instant Watch library.  I will say that the interface isn’t the best as it looks like they just tried to port the website into it, whereas the iPhone application is specifically designed to take advantage of the unique characteristics of the iPhone.  I think they should do the same for the iPad version.  Nonetheless this is an application worth having and one I use daily.

3. The Early Edition (Glasshouse Apps $4.99)

READ MY REVIEW — As far as RSS readers go on the iPad this is definitely one of the better ones.  And although they are lacking a few features that I think would be great for them to add, this is definitely my choice for the best RSS reader on the iPad.  I tried out several different apps in my search for the right RSS reader for me.  I even purchased several different readers, none of them seem to fit me quite as well as The Early Edition does.  And now with the update that they recently released (1.3.1), The Early Edition is even better at providing me with the exact environment I desire for my news.  I can publish specific articles directly to Twitter or Facebook from within the application or even save it for later using Instapaper.  The navigation is slick and smooth and works well with out too many visual issues.  Whether using in Portrait or Landscape, The Early Edition gives you a good view of all your news right upfront with the ability to drill down and even see the article directly.  I would like to see Google Reader full syncing at some point.  But for the time being, this is by far the best RSS reader in the app store and that far outweighs the down side of not having Google Reader full Syncing.

2. Twittelator for iPad – Twitter Client (Big Stone Phone $4.99)

READ MY REVIEW — Twitterlator again has been around in the app store for some time.  They have earned a reputation as being one of the best (if not the best) iPhone app for twitter.  I purchased Twittelator back in 2008 when it was first released and have been using it ever since.  I would have liked to see a universal app, but nonetheless they have done a great job with the iPad version and maintain their reputation for a beautiful, easy to use interface that is full of features.  Over the past several years, every time I have run into an issue with Twittelator, I have gone to the app store to try out other Twitter applications, and every time I have come right back to Twittelator.  One of the things I like most about them is that the developer is always up and on top of the latest and greatest.  Consequently his application is general the first Twitter app to incorporate new features that would be of benefit to such an application.  creating ideas such as Lists (before twitter had it) and incorporating Geo Tagging, and other services as soon as they were available.  They’ve even got printing ready to go in the latest release.  Although this app still feels like it is in its infancy, not yet even incorporating all the features that the iPhone version has, it is worth every penny if you are an active Tweeter.

1. OmniFocus for iPad (The Omni Group $39.99)

READ MY REVIEW — By far the most expensive app on my iPad, but also by far the MOST used app on my iPad.  I was skeptical at first about purchasing this application and quite honestly I really didnt see the need to spend an additional $40 after already paying over $100 for the desktop and iPhone versions.  But once I finally decided to stop being so cheap and purchase this application, it very quickly became the MOST important application on my iPad.  Using the Getting Things Done methodology, OmniFocus organizes your life in a way that allows you optimum efficiency.  With a variety of syncing options, you can keep you iPad/iPhone and Mac in sync at all times so that no what which you are looking at, you can always find the most important tasks for you to focus on at that time.  By organizing you life and preparing to get things done, you can take your free time and allow yourself to focus on things you want to do, rather than worrying or thinking about things you need to get done.  This is by far the first application I look at in the morning and the very last application before I go to bed at night.  It may be a bit pricey, but again worth every penny considering what it does for me and my life.  Not a universal application as I would have liked it to be, but the iPad version is by far more beautiful than the iPhone version, taking full advantage of the larger screen.

I will be working on full reviews of each of these applications so you can see what I like and don’t like about each.  Stay tuned.

Some of these apps may be a little bit more expensive than you are willing to pay and there are plenty of free or less expensive alternatives.  But in most cases when it comes to iDevice apps, I have found that being willing to pay the extra money is usually worth it for the benefit you gain from it.  The apps I have listed here on this post are all apps I found to be worth it — for me.

What are your most used iPad apps and why?