The iPad is coming. It is slowly, but surely, trickling down into the Malaysian market, and judging from the iPad population thread started by beavis68, it has gathered traction and momentum. The objective of this thread is to gather impressions, thoughts and/or thorough reviews of what iPad owners think about what is their most useful, most recommended, or most important, can't-live-without-it Apps in general, but specifically the iPad Apps and Universal apps, made available in the iTunes AppStore.

First up, how to get to these apps. Apps are region-specific, and seeing how iTunes has proliferated into the Malaysian market with the introduction of the Malaysian iTunes and AppStore, users from Malaysia can now purchase and enjoy applications made for their iPads from within iTunes itself. However, there are apps that are still only released to the most well-stocked and diverse region of the iTunes store, the US iTunes AppStore. As a refresher, click on THIS link to create a US iTunes account without the need of a credit card. Remember, this is not required if you are logging into into the Malaysian iTunes store, you can proceed and input your credit card details and create your Malaysian iTunes account from there.

Once that is out of the way, it is time to SHOP! You can opt to try out free versions of the available apps in iTunes by clicking their Lite versions and downloading them. These "Lite" versions are a sample or representation of what the full-paid versions are, so that it can help you decide if the apps is for you or not. However, there are cases where paid apps will reduce in price, and in some cases, be made FREE from its previous paid status. How would you know and keep track of the price reductions or free apps, you ask?

Appshopper to the rescue! Click on that link to proceed to their page tracking all the apps made available in the AppStore, in this case in the US iTunes AppStore.



You can either list down all the apps available or filter them down to either iPhone- or iPad specifics only.

Now, what about that Universal apps, eh?



Well, lookie here! For this app called Soundhound, notice that PLUS (+) sign there? This indicates that it is a Universal app, which means that if you choose to purchase and download this app, it comes with both the iPad- AND iPhone-formatted version of the app. Apps without the "Universal" designation would mean that they are specific to that platform only. For iPad users, using iPhone-formatted apps will result in the app in its iPhone-size resolution, and although there is an option for pixel-doubling, the app will look pixelated due to its lower-resolution format.

How about topping up credits into your US iTunes account? You can either purchase your iTunes Gift cards from reputable sites like www.maximuscards.com, or in the Garage Sales itself, members like Skalominia here is offering purchase of these cards itself in exchange of your legal tender, your cash. The other option is to have physical iTunes Gift cards purchased for you from a friend in the States and either emailing you the codes, or passing you the physical card and doing it yourself. Please, please, please MAKE SURE that your iTunes Gift Card sellers are reputable, your account may and can be shut down by Apple and all credits deleted from that account if Apple catches you frauding on the credits purchased from sellers with shady reps, which more often than not, signified by the exorbitantly ludicrous price of their iTunes Gift Cards (*for example, selling their USD100 worth of iTunes credits for RM100*). When things are too good to be true, they usually are. Rule of thumb, never proceed with iTunes Gift card purchases that is pricetagged any less than 70% of their worth. For example, a seller selling a USD100 iTunes Gift card for RM231 (USD70 x 3.3 USD-RM exchange rate). Draw your lines there.

Accounts made? Credits stocked? What are you waiting for, let's shop!

If you like the format I used to post my impressions on my selections of apps, here is it in the spoilered section. Just copy-and-paste them into your post, and edit the info in between and post away!



Thank you for the suggestion from DG for the idea of creating this thread. This is to cater and anticipate the oncoming queries about apps specifically on the iPad.

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Apr 30 2010, 02:00 AM

App: iBooks
Price: FREE!
iTunes page link: iBooks
Region: US iTunes AppStore
Version: 1.0
Filesize: 18.1Mb
Requirements: iPad ONLY. OS 3.2 or later
Developer: Apple Inc.

My first recommendation for a MUST-HAVE app in the AppStore is, in fact, made by Apple. This app should be built-in for every iPads out there, but Apple chose to have it as an optional download from the AppStore. The interface is slick, and users of Delicious Library app on Mac OS X should find this app very similar to that. Gorgeous wooden shelves with your iBooks ready to be read. You can download samples, or purchase the iBooks using the same iTunes credits you have from the iTunes Gift cards. What's even better, there are literally THOUSANDS of free literary books made available in the iBookStore, just type "free" in the search window, and download away!

Here's a Youtube clip showing iBooks in action!



I've start the ball rolling, feel free to post your favourite iPad-specific and/or Universal apps of your choice here.

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Apr 30 2010, 02:25 AM

App: GoodReader for iPad
Price: USD0.99
iTunes page link: GoodReader for iPad
Region: US iTunes AppStore
Version: 2.7.7
Filesize: 8.7Mb
Requirements: iPad ONLY. OS 3.2 or later. There is another version priced at USD0.99 that is for both iPad/iPhone, but low-res.
Developer: Good.iWare

An indispensible tool for those with large PDF files with reflow feature. I use this for the digital versions of my work-related manuals and flight charts, absolutely flawless reproduction and representation of the PDF files once transferred over via iTunes. To transfer via iTunes, click your iPad on the "Devices" list column, click the Apps tab, scroll down to "File Sharing", click the "GoodReader" app icon, click Add" and choose the files to be transferred into the iPad via the browser. Click "Sync" and voila! The files transfers over. you can further organize the files you have transferred over from inside the GoodReader app on the iPad itself. It also supports MS Office files .doc, .xls and .ppt, iWork files and HTML and Safari webarchives. File transfers can also be done, if supported by the download source you're downloading from, from within the built-in browser itself. Integration with MobileMe, iDisk, Google Docs and DropBox makes it even more invaluable tool!

Here is a Youtube clip of GoodReader in action!



Bear in mind, in that Youtube clip, the reviewer states the price as USD1.99. The price has since dropped to USD0.99 after enormous demand enabled the dev to drop the price down further. This app constantly swap places from #1 to #2 in the Most Popular App listing in iTunes! A MUST-HAVE!

App: Desktop
Price: USD0.99
iTunes page link: Desktop
Region: US iTunes AppStore
Version: 1.0.1
Filesize: 1.6Mb
Requirements: iPad ONLY. OS 3.2 or later.
Developer: Aqua Eagle LLC

Another valuable utility app. This app simulates desktop-like environment on your iPad, with pseudo-multitasking features of splitting the screen into two working halves(horizontal or vertical) so that you can designate what task you want to have on these two halves. Tasks available as listed by the dev are:- Web Browser, Dictionary, Calculator, Language Translator, Currency Converter, Maps, US Weather, Email, Unit Converter and Device Stats. Future Tasks to be made available with future updates include World Clock, Notepad, Compass and Battery Info. For something as cheap as 99 cents, this is literally a steal!

For what it's worth, this app would probably be obsolete once Apple releases OS4.0 with multitasking capabilities. But bear in mind that this app has all those listed Task without the need of multitasking, just simple splitscreening.

Apps, in the definition here does not only mean utilities or productivity-related apps, games, especially iPad-specific, or games taking advantage of iPad's large screen estate, impressions and reviews on these games are also most welcomed. I await to see if shahir is willing to post his thoughts on his gorgeous The Elements app, or any one of the sifus in We Rule(I'm only on Level 11 ) to post their impressions on that game as well. We Rule for example, takes the game to a whole new level, without the constraint and cramped screen on the iPhone/iPod touch.

Facebook 4.0 has finally joined the Universal app category of apps. It now supports iPad native resolution as well as a host of iPad-specific features. Update your Facebook app now!