It appears the App Store has a distorted idea regarding the basic requirements for running an iPad. They provide users with a set of apps that they call “Apps Starter Kit”, however the applications contained in this gear are anything but essential.
If you do not already own an iPad and you plan to purchase one soon, you have to download some essential apps for iPad if you wish to realize the best experience while using your new iPad. These apps cover all the standard operations that can be done with the iPad.
Social Networking
With the Safari browser, you can take a look at what’s happening in your Twitter and Facebook accounts; however you will need to get the apps, if you wish to obtain the full experience. Nothing is as good as viewing the images via the Facebook app. But the Facebook app has one negative dimension, at the moment there is no support for Timeline and the app has not been upgraded to support the Retina Display. But you have to get this application, if you wish to add images to your Facebook page.
Skype
Our next pick of the essential apps for iPad is Skype which has become extremely popular as it helps people avoid long distance charges when they make voice phone calls. The calls can be made using a mobile device or on a computer. You can still make your call through Skype, even if you have an iPad that has WiFi only or your iPad is not 4G LTE.
Keynote, Numbers, Pages
Keynote, Numbers and Pages are Apple’s reply to Microsoft Office. You can use these apps to design and view documents, PowerPoint presentations as well as spreadsheets. Also, they are connected to iCloud, and that means you can use your Mac to edit the same presentations, spreadsheets and documents. Each application goes for $9.99, and you will find some free applications on iTunes that can carry out the same tasks. However if you wish to attain the best experience from your iPad and Apple, you need to get these three apps. The three have been upgraded to make the most of the recent Retina Display.
SoundHound
Our next recommend app in essential apps for iPad is SoundHound. In this age that everything has gone digital, Soundhound is something everyone needs to get. Apart from acting as a device for playing music, it has the capability to find music for the user. If you would like to find out the name of the song you are listening to or the artist that did the song, all you have to do is run SoundHound, and the app will get you the information you need, plus the iTunes links for downloading it. It can also show you the lyrics for the songs it found for you, or the lyrics of the song you are playing. The app functions just like the Shazam application; however you will find that SoundHound provides a much better experience. Apart from finding songs that are recorded in your device, it can locate songs using your voice.
Pandora
It is looking like having your own private radio station has become some sort of necessity. All that is required to create your own radio station is to give the name of an artist or a song, and Pandora will create your station by playing that song, plus other similar songs. It will create stations that are customized for you, if you tell it the songs you like and do not like on each station.
Netflix
Video rental shops are no longer fashionable these days. It is either people rent films from Netflix over the internet or they go to Redbox to purchase them for a dollar. To use your iPad to view Netflix content, all you have to do is download the application, and sign up to their service. You will definitely not have enough time to watch all the available films.
AP Mobile
For keeping you updated on latest news, our next app in the list of essential apps for iPad is AP Mobile. The number of news apps you can get are so many, and they all display slightly differently. But you will not need any other apps, since AP Mobile has been improved to utilize the Retina Display. In any case, Associated Press is the source of most of the content you get from other news services. With AP Mobile, it is as if you are getting the news right from the horse’s mouth. Apart from giving you world and national news, it will also display local news.
iBooks
Of course you can read the newest book releases in ebook format using your Kindle, however iBooks will do something better for you. You can use it to view your pdf files; also you can now read textbooks with it. And, you will be able to read a number of the books you usually read using your Kindle.
The Weather Channel
It is kind of surprising that the iPad has no weather app, considering that one is available in the iPhone. Even though it is possible to get all the weather report you need from Safari or news applications, you will also enjoy getting the same details using The Weather Channel. The app is a fine one and they have not even improved it to profit from the Retina Display. This application will always give you all the weather report you need.
There are several other apps you can go for, but the ones mentioned here are the really essential apps for iPad. These ones can take care of the basic things you can do with your iPad until you are set to start examining other applications.
