My 12 Favorite Apps for the iPad - January 2011 Edition

Every few days I am asked what are the best apps for the iPad and what my iPad favorite apps are. In fact, last May, I wrote about My 12 Favorite iPad Apps where I called out 12 of the best apps for iPad so I thought I'd revisit the list to see if my favorites have changed. As expected, my top apps for iPad have evolved over time. For example, only three of the twelve iPad apps have remained on my list for best apps for iPad including Kindle, Zinio and Mail.
#12 Starting at #12, iBooks makes the best iPad app list. The one and only reason iBooks made my iPad apps favorite list is because iBooks provides an excellent interface to store and read PDFs.
Having used several PDF readers including the popular GoodReader for the iPad, I prefer the way iBooks stores the PDFs showing the PDFs cover in the library view and the ability to sync via iTunes or attached to an email that you open and send to the iBooks app and these features make iBooks one of the best apps on iPad.
There are a few features in iBooks I don't use including the fact iBooks provides access to Apple's iBookstore which allows you to download and read the latest books and classics. Additionally you can make notes and highlight passages in your eBook and use AirPrint to print the PDF with your notes included.
#11 My next best app for iPad and latest obsession/time sink is Words for Friends HD. If you have not heard of Word for Friends, you must be the only one! Words with Friends HD is a crossword game (think Scrabble) that is socially played against friends with a NewToy Inc account. While there is an iPhone app for Words with Friends, the larger screen of the iPad allows better vision across the entire board allowing me to smoke my foes!
#10 The iPad app on my iPad favorite apps list is one of the best iPad apps for kids available and my four year old daughter's favorite iPad app. DressUpBaby provides an intuitive and simple interface for my four year old daughter using cute characters and funky clothes and accessories. I randomly receive outfits emailed from my daughter using the camera function on one of her top apps for iPad.
#9 Next on my list of iPad best apps is also one of my iPad productivity apps. Remoter is a VNC (Virtual Network Computing) client for the iPad that provides the ability to virtually control your desktop over the network from your iPad. I've used the client to control both Windows and Mac machines, but VNC will also work with various UNIX flavors. This app has saved me too many times while I'm out but needed something from work making this one of my best iPad apps.
#8 Whistle turns my iPad into a networked conference phone making this app high on my best apps for iPad. I use Whistle as a client for an Asterix PBX, a 3rd party SIP service) that allows me to make a call from the "office" anywhere that I have an Internet connection. Whistle provides integration with my Contacts (which is synced with Google's cloud) and with the latest iOS loaded I can continue Whistle calls in the background as I continue to use the iPad. Speakerphone works amazingly, but Whistle also supports the Apple Headphones allowing you to answer calls with the center button. This app enables business and is one of my top productivity apps for iPad providing a business tool to work virtually.
#7 Kindle constantly makes everyone's best iPad apps list and is no exception for the Geeks favorite apps for iPad. The Kindle app provides an easy to use interface and provides access to Amazon's Whispersync service to automatically sync your last page read, bookmarks, notes and highlights across your Kindle devices. The Amazon Kindle store provides over 800K eBooks at the same price or better than other eBook retailers.
#6 Next on my best apps for the iPad list, Toodledo provides access to my cloud-based task manager service and provides easy access to my to do list. Apple ranked Toodledo in the top 30 paid iPad apps of all time, and in the top 200 for iPhone - Jan 2011 and is one of my favorite iPad apps and one of my top productivity apps for iPad.
#5 Evernote is another cloud-based note service that is one of my top productivity apps for iPad and one of the best apps for iPad. The Evernote iPad app provides my primary interface to take and view notes, including voice notes, while I'm not in my home office. Evernote then automatically syncs with the cloud-based service so you can view the notes on the iPad, one of the desktop Evernote applications, or the web. The Evernote app was inducted into the Apple "App Hall of Fame", on the NY Times "Top 10 Must-Have Apps" list and has been the winner of the Best Mobile App Award from TechCrunch, Mashable and the Webbys and, in my opinion, one of the best apps on iPad.
#4 One of the included apps, the Calendar app, is one of my most used and therefore one of my iPad favorite apps. The Calendar iPad App is laid out well and keeps my schedule straight by syncing with Google's cloud-based calendar service.
#3 If you subscribe to Netflix, you should have one of the best iPad apps available to access the service with the Netflix app. The app provides access to your Netflix account to instantly watch TV shows and movies streaming from Netflix as part of your Netflix unlimited membership. I use this app almost nightly to watch TV shows and is one of the best apps on iPad.
#2 Zinio is one of my favorite apps for iPad and using Zinio I receive all my magazine digitally instead in the mail as the Zinio iPad app provides thousands of magazine titles with special interactive and graphical features synced directly to your iPad. I started using Zinio over 5 years ago, and those archived magazines are available through the Zinio app!
#1 Ever since getting the iPad, I've used the device as my primary means of obtaining most of my work and all of my personal email using the included Mail App and therefore, Mail is my best iPad app. The interface is great for a tablet and thanks to the portable nature of the device, the Mail App helps maintain my quest to maintain a zero inbox.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5949243

iPad 2 - New and Updated Review

iPad 2 review
The iPad2-release date in the US was March 11th. Review of Apple's iPad 2 is not a simple one way task. The new iPad 2 compared to last year's extremely popular version, the iPad 2 is almost equivalent with regards to software, nevertheless more improved and also similar in terms of the hardware side at the same time.
The new iPad 2 has a 9.7-inch, 1024 x 768 display and although inside there is a new dual core A5 CPU, more memory and a couple of new cameras, the majority of the iPad 2′s changes are merely decorative.
The iPad 2 will probably still stand above its competitors. This means the new iPad 2, a slimmer, even faster version of the original is probably not changing many of its new surfaces however it's already at the forefront of the herd.
The questions are is the iPad 2 worth an upgrade for people who own the first version? Moreover, does the new version have the required capabilities to get new customers to the brand? Those inquirers and more will be answered in this review, so.just read on.
The iPad 2 release date in the US was March 11th. From a manufacturing style and design viewpoint, the new iPad 2 significantly increased the criteria with a beautiful appealing computer appliance. For anyone who is the owner of the first device, you already know there were no short cuts taken in the design aspect, nevertheless its latest version takes it to a whole other level. The very first thing you will likely notice with regard to the iPad 2 is that it's amazingly thin. In the widest peak of it, the tablet is only 0.35-inches as opposed to the original iPad being one half inch of width. The device is marginally shorter compared to the prior model but additionally somewhat less wider, only 7.3-inches opposed to the iPad's 7.47-inches. The iPad 2 really seems incredibly slender whenever one will hold it.
Steve Jobs stated at the unveiling event, the unit is thinner compared to the amazingly thin iPhone 4 which is an impressive accomplishment taking into consideration what's stored within the iPad 2. The most dramatic change is the weight. At 680 grams, the iPad 2 is 80g lighter compared first iPad.
Much like the first version, the iPad version 2 frontages of the unit is entirely comprised of the screen, the home button is located in the bottom of the panel. The iPad 2 does include a camera opposite from that button towards the top of the unit, however the small camera is hardly detectable. Around back there's the known, sleek lightweight aluminum from the prior version. It does feel marginally smoother here, a modest spotted speaker grid about the downwards left, a camera about the top left, and based upon which model you will get, the 3G iPad version 2 antenna across the top back. The volume controls and mute button sit on the rear left side of the device; while on the right you can find the Micro SIM slot (on 3G iPad 2 versions). The top reveals a power up / sleep button about the higher right side. Most of the features are well known for an iPad, but all well and neatly assembled on this tiny body figure.
In all, the iPad 2 has an extremely tidy attractive and sexy kit.
Images and Snap shots, don't fairly represent the true experience of the iPad 2 and its look and feel. The iPad 2 feels extremely astonishing in your hands.
Putting aside the smart development it provides with a feeling of a real pleasure. Apple is recognized for its professional unique design and the new iPad 2 is brilliantly and carefully assembled.
iPad 2 Features
A lot has been talked about in terms of what is new on the interface of the iPad 2.
To begin with, the iPad 2 is 'twice as fast' as the original iPad, running the brand-new dual core A5 CPU built by ARM.
Actually the difference between the speed of the performance of the first iPad and the iPad version 2 is not that noticeable.
Several apps, such as the Safari browser and the iPad 2 media app, start up as quickly as the first iPad. However you will find that apps such as iMovie and GarageBand do run considerably faster.
There's now 512MB of RAM in the iPad 2, bringing it up to iPhone 4 specifications, which actually already seems low to us. A device of the iPad 2nd generation in this particular category should likely end up having 1GB, though there are no memory concerns. Strangely is that the size and the resolution of the new iPad 2 screens is identical to the screen size and resolution of the original iPad with just 1024 x 768 pixels. The screen is similar to the first model, a 1024 x 768, 9.7 inch display. Although the display looks good we would love it if there would be a uplift and update in the iPad 2nd generation resolution.
The vast majority of the update power on the new iPad 2 arises from the A5 processor and our initial tests reveal that this dual-core chip can give some noticable quality speed, particularly in apps like iMovie.
We also made a small test by turning on the iPad 2nd generation media player on both the iPad and the iPad 2 with the exact same music and movie files and noticed some speed variations - the iPad 2 finished loading just a couple of seconds sooner than the first iPad.
A few other features are also new or increased their performance:
Both of the two iPad 2 cameras, one being for photos and the other for video chats, have a faster visuals engines which will make games more accessible.
Despite having the faster processor and improved graphics engine, the battery of the iPad 2 still persists about ten hours.
On the speaker front, Apple has transferred the iPad's single speaker towards the back of the device. The sound seems crisper and relatively quieter compared to the previous iPad version and that we can't say is a significant advancement in terms of the location in the new iPad.
iPad 2 Internet and Browsing Features
Apple has applied the Safari browser on iPad 2 and its upgraded engine, saying performance is double the speed faster. Within our findings that statement is a bit of exaggeration.
Regarding sites that use HTML5, we saw a really good performance from the iPad 2nd generation. The sites loaded up quickly and formatted images properly.
Sites that make major use of Adobe Flash failed to load because of the iPad 2 is short of Flash support.
Flash video websites only loaded in bits and failed to play videos. There is still loads of data we couldn't view because Apple won't provide Flash support on its device.
To conclude, internet browsing is not a really good incentive to upgrade to the iPad 2 - it runs with comparable speed as the original iPad.
iPad 2 Media Features
Apple wins hands-down for media availability when compared to other tablets.
One of the iPad 2 specs is that you can rent or buy almost any TV show or movie, find albums from virtually any indie performer in the world and have the iPad 2 automatically download audio and video media without any hassle. This is one of the main achievements and one of the main iPad specs in which the iPad 2 have a strong dominate over other tablets is the easy and accessible feature to content, because they have licensing arrangements for enormous quantity of content.
Yet, the iPad 2 does not really improve on media viewing itself.
In HD movies that we played on the new iPad 2, the stream was smooth yet the iPad 2 still leaves room for improvement, as it could offer a display with a more colorful and sharper look.
For anyone who wish to get video over to your TV, you might want to grab Apple's new HDMI dongle anther one of the iPad 2 specs, that enables you to connect straight into your HDTV. The adapter worked perfectly and once an HD video was running within the iPad 2, it sent that content to the TV without any difficulty or problems in any aspect.
Home Sharing is among the latest features of the iPad 2nd generation.
Basically, it suggests that you are able to stream music, movies, and TV shows from your computer over Wi-Fi, you of course still have to get the content. You simply cannot watch media straight from the web without bringing into play the third-party application such as Netflix.
Within our tests, several episodes of 30 rock streamed easily and properly coming from a MacBook Pro.
With Video formats there were excellent results with platforms such as H.264 MPEG-4 and we discovered that, as expected, formats like Windows Media did not work. Moreover the widely used open-source HD format MKV file failed to work in the new iPad. For now, you might need a VLC application in order to use those files.
iPad 2, iMovie and GarageBand apps
The known iMovie application provides plenty of accessible features for video editing, plus it manages to do it inexpensively, at merely $4.99. iMovie app now enables you to edit both videos you've shot within unit and imported files in a user friendly platform that's actually more user friendly than its desktop space.
You'll be able to instantly upload your material to a selection of sources, including YouTube, Vimeo, CNN's iReport, and Facebook and yes it can be done in HD. From our experience, the process worked flawlessly.
Another great app is the GarageBand app, that one is truly a wonder app. The app includes numerous pianos, guitars and drums, along with other musical instruments. Above all, these instruments, especially the piano and drums, reply to soft touches and stiff finger presses perfectly.
iPad 2 Smart Cover
The iPad 2 Apple's Smart Covers nifty modest cover case are mainly touch screen protectors using a number of sharp magnets across the side area as opposed to having to wrap around your new iPad or holding the device with straps.
The cover attaches with effectively fitted magnets and protecting and covering your new iPad and results in a very impressive effect..
Furthermore the covers put your device to sleep and wake it as you close or open the flaps.The covers also have a microfiber inside layer, which would seem to help keep your screen clean.
We were very impressed with the benefit of the Smart Cover and their overall appearance.
iPad 2 Camera and Multimedia
As the well known addition for the iPad 2nd generation, the front iPad 2 camera and the back camera, are certainly a welcome addition, yet it is not ideal for any professional photography or for high-def video chats. The iPad 2 is not a flawless device, in fact in our findings the iPad2 cameras are really less than ideal.
It's annoying due to the fact that if the standard resulted in being higher, the iPad 2 camera might have become a great chat tool.
First, for photography, the rear-facing iPad 2 camera records video at 960×720. However in our tests, the recorded video looked rather poorly and simply not good enough. Worse was the 0.7-megapixel new iPad 2 camera is below average.
Most test images looked slightly blurry.
The front VGA-resolution iPad 2 cameras aren't a great deal better. You can capture 0.3-megapixel still images, yet its almost impossible to utilize it for anything aside from plain dull portraits.
In a FaceTime video iPad 2 specs, the video quality looked incredibly the same as the plain basic iPhone 4 cameras.
Conclusion
For now we quite simply think that the new iPad 2 is the best tablet available on the market. For those who own the first iPad, unfortunately we cannot suggest that an iPad upgrade is a must. If you don't necessarily need cameras on your tablet, you've still got a worthy device that still holds a lot of the assets of the latest OS and applications. However we can understand an iPad upgrade based upon the fact that the new design and style speaks for itself in encouraging anyone wishing to upgrade his or her iPad. It's simply stunning, and maintains the solid, premium feel as the initial iPad.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6389644

Mobile Payment Trends Are Shifting Quickly

According to the latest payment news dominating headlines all over the world, the trend of the moment in the financial world is the mobile payment platform. It seems like the mobile payment bug has bitten everyone in the financial world and beyond. Shoppers love this platform because of the convenience, it offers them. While merchants are into it because they want to maximize the shopping experience of their customers. The carriers and financial institutions are keying into it, because of the new market opportunities, it opens up for them.
Mobile payment offers a platform where goods and services are paid for, through a cell phone. It is a very convenient payment method for retailers. This is why many people are catching the mobile payment trends bug. When this payment platform is fully established, the days of cash, checks and credit cards as a means of payment for goods and services bought, will no longer dominate the mode of payment news headlines.
The source of funding for transactions involving mobile payments include credit cards, debit cards as well as ACH e-checks. Other mode of funding transactions in this platform are still being explored by industry experts and regulators.
This platform offers several variations to customers. Therefore, customers can choose the most convenient platform which best suit their needs. These variations include SMS-based transaction payments and near-field communications.
Another option also available on this platform is the direct mobile billing payment method. In this method, the amount charged for goods and services bought is deducted directly from the customer's credit. While the web payment where money is sent to the merchant account from the buyer's online bank account is also available on this platform.
This industry opens up a lot of potentials for financial institutions, mobile carriers and mobile software application developers. These key institutions are seeking new ways to improve the services offered in the industry. Thus new innovations which will make the mobile payment industry more convenient and reliable should be expected. This will improve customers' confidence in the industry, thus attracting more people who are skeptical about this payment platform. The resultant effect is rapid growth in the industry customer base, which will be beneficial to all the stakeholders in the industry.
The future of payment for retail transactions lies in the mobile platform. With improved and reliable services, many people will be ready to dump the traditional mode of payments for goods and services and embrace the new mobile payment trends.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7151326