iPad apps - page 31

The iPad can be a handy to have on your next vacation, whether you need to research flights for a quick escape from your cousin’s wedding, keep the kids entertained on the plane or figure out which road is the least congested in a strange city.

Here are five free iPad apps we wouldn’t leave home without.

Kayak Explore + Flight Search
Kayak is the Ferrari of cheap flight search info — and a lot of users (including me) think the search engine works better in the iPad version than it does online. One thing is certain: the roomy iPad screen makes it easy to search for your flight, drilling down results by airline, number of connections, airport, times and price.
And, in the latest version, if you’re trying to figure out just how many miles you can put between you and your ex with the cash wadded up in your pocket, there’s a handy budget/distance calculator that will tell you just that. The caveats: hotels and car rental info is provided through Safari and you can’t book flights directly from the app.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siWJuJPGeeI

Unable to walk and chew gum at the same time, I’ve always admired how musicians can play and turn the page on sheet music without losing the plot.

They may need a little less coordination now thanks to a new iPad app and a Bluetooth foot switch called BT-105.

Still a prototype, maker Airturn says this Bluetooth version of their wireless, hands-free automatic page turner will be compatible with Bluetooth-enabled computers including the iPad.

With the tap on a foot switch, you turn to the page forward, if you hit it too soon, another tap turns the page back.  On the demo, the musician flips the switch using a third-party app with a zoom feature,  moving the sheet music half a page at a time.

Expect to see start seeing this page-turning app in late 2010.

Via Wired

Though I’ve come very close on several occasions, I still haven’t bought myself an iPad. After seeing this video for Flipboard, an iPad exclusive app that assembles a magazine out of the articles your friends are sharing on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks, I might need to finally pull the trigger.

The app, from a company of the same name (whose co-founder, Evan Doll, in full disclosure, is a friend of a friend), is absolutely stunning. The interactions, the formatting, the incorporation of video, the sharing capabilities — all of them are best in class. The iPad’s collection of RSS readers and Instapaper-like “read later” apps are very nice, but the premise here is different. It’s like Instapaper without having to choose what gets pulled down.

And I will say that this looks to me a lot more like the magazine of the future than that the digital version of Wired does. It’s available for free in the app store now, though from what I understand the company is frantically working to add more servers to allow new members to join. Maybe I’ll have an iPad by the time they have capacity again…

Apple has released an update to its iBooks application for the iOS and the latest version brings with it a few nice new features.

As well as the ability to now choose between 6 different fonts for your books, you can also double-tap images to see them in greater detail; and experience books that include audio and video.

In addition to new features, we also get welcome bug fixes, or, “stability and performance improvements.” I’ve lost count of the number of errors I get when opening a book in iBooks, so I’m hoping these issues are now fixed. So far, so good.

The full list of features from the app’s description is as follows:

• Double-tap an image within a book to view it in greater detail.
• Experience books that include audio and video.
• Enjoy substantial performance improvements when reading PDFs.
• Look-up definitions to English words inside books without a specified language.
• Addresses an issue that may have caused some book downloads to not complete.
• Includes many stability and performance improvements.

You can download the update through iTunes or the App Store on your device, or grab iBooks from the App Store for free if you don’t already have it.

It was just a matter of time before someone devise a way to let you wake up to a custom alarm from your iPad. The iPad dock, charger and radio called the iA100 — all the variations of iSleep or i40winks were apparently already taken — is being billed as an “amazing app-enhanced, Bluetooth-enabled FM radio alarm clock.”

Though its top-heavy looks don’t immediately appeal (and could be dangerous, depending how clumsy you are in the morning), it has enough features to keep you up at night tweaking your sleep habits: it comes with a Free iHome+Sleep app download that lets you set up  custom alarms, sleep stats, social media alerts, weather and overnight news. The iHome + Sleep app can also customize your wake up and nap settings, so so you don’t have to fiddle with it to get a day’s siesta.

iHome wants to put this new model beside your bed, though they are playing coy and haven’t released pricing or availability yet. It also works with your iPod or iPhone, too.

What do you think — is a wake-up call worth using your iPad for or will you stick to an old school alarm or using your iPod or iPhone?

Via Chip Chick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhbGgLOxc-Y

For those one-foot-in-one-foot-out Cult readers who have an iPad and a Windows machine (or running Windows on a Mac), there’s now an iPad app called Maxi Vista that lets users turn their iPads into a second display — just like Air Display, which we reviewed last month, does for Macs.

We haven’t tried it yet (we’re somewhat allergic to Windows devices) but it looks like it works practically the same way as Air Display does, seamlessly creating additional screen real estate wirelessly over a wifi network. At $10, it’s even priced the same as Air Display.

If you’re a kid who grew up in the 80’s or 90’s, you might remember days spent carefully building slot-car tracks that would eventually overrun the entire floor; now all that fun can be had on the iPhone with HTR High Tech Racer — without the annoyance of hunting for slot cars sent unceremoniously hurtling off a sharp corner.

Build tracks, customize tires, chassis and motors, then race the creations. The game claims “realistic physics” and an “intuitive track editor.” And if the lure of racing slot cars on an iPhone isn’t enough, the app’s developer, Graffiti Entertainmant, says they’re also giving away an iPad to the top racer on the app’s race leader board.

HTR High Tech Racing is $2 on the iPhone, $5 for the iPad’s HD version.

TeamViewer released their free app that lets a user remotely control any computer over the Internet (with permission) back in March for the iPhone. Yesterday, they brought out an iPad version.

While it’s a pretty cool app to have sitting around on an iPhone, it practically gains Essential Status on the iPad because of the latter’s much bigger screen, making remote-access sessions much easier than on the iPhone’s tiny screen — not to mention the fact that the iPad is the kind of tool that lends itself to functioning as a remote client.

As with the iPhone version, if you’re using the app in any sort of professional circumstance, TeamViewer ask that you purchase a $100 license.

There’s no point debating exactly what collective aneurysm in Apple’s generally unassailable design hive mind has led to Cupertino’s corporate blind spot when it comes to their cross-platform Notes application and its inexplicable reliance on the hideous Marker Felt font.

The good news is, there’s no reason to use it: the App Store is filled with better and more attractive note-taking apps. The newest on the scene is HelvetiNote, a gorgeous note-taking app for the iPad that is as minimalist, muted and beautiful as another Cult of Mac favorite, Reeder.

It certainly looks gorgeous and functional. My only complaint would be the lack of syncing with other note-taking services… namely the likes of SimplenoteApp. If you’re looking for an alternative to the eye sore of the iPad’s default Note.app, HelvetiNote is three bucks well spent.

Animated Knots by Grog is a great app that teaches you to tie all kinds of handy knots. This is the first app we’ve reviewed to earn five Black Turtlenecks using our rating system!

At least one car in this year’s NYC to Las Vegas Bullrun Rally — an invitation-only rally (which the organizers claim differs from a race in that speeding is not allowed…uh, sure) in which 100 supercars race (sorry, rally) across the U.S. Cannonball-Run style —  is packing Apple tech.

Defending champs Team Wu is packing a dash-mounted iPad running Trapster’s iPad app in their officially named “Trapster Cop Car” (because it resembles a cop car) — in an effort to keep law enforcement off their backs while rallying at-or-below the speed limit in their Vortec supercharger-equipped 2010 Dodge Charger.

Of course, Trapster should also alert them to road hazards; but that’s probably not the reason the team has called Trapster their “secrat weapon.” Good luck, guys.

[via Trapster’s blog]

With outstanding 3D visuals and impressive gameplay, Glu’s best-selling Deer Hunter 3D is recognized as the greatest hunting game available for the iPhone & iPod Touch. Now Deer Hunter 3D for iPad has hit the App Store and gives fans the opportunity to enjoy this highly popular game on the iPad’s high-resolution screen.

Apple has issued an update to its MobileMe iDisk application today and version 1.2 brings some welcome improvements. As well as support for multitasking and fast app switching, iDisk is now a universal application and works natively on the iPad.

What’s more, iPad users can now export documents from iDisk in to iBooks or office applications like Apple’s own Pages, Numbers & Keynote offerings.

Another big improvement is the ability to listen to music from within the iDisk application – this means you can save space on your device by uploading your tracks to an iDisk folder and then listening to them from there. Obviously this will require a data connection to your iDisk, however.

The full list of improvements is as follows:

• Designed for both iPhone and iPad
• Multitasking support for iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS (iOS 4 required).
• Quickly switch to another app and back to iDisk
• Play audio from your iDisk while using another app
• When app is opened, the last file or directory viewed is displayed
• Option to open iDisk documents in compatible apps such as iBooks
• When sharing a file, an email can be sent from any configured email account
• The URL for a shared file can be copied and pasted
• Various stability improvements

iDisk is the last of Apple’s MobileMe apps to be updated for multitasking and iOS 4. All we’re waiting on now is the MobileMe Gallery app improvements and iPad support!

Download MobileMe iDisk for your device from the App Store here.

Two of the most popular sporting games for iPad have gone on sale today for a limited time only courtesy of Gameloft, who have slashed the prices of Real Soccer HD (previously $6.99) and NFL 2010 HD (previously $4.99) to just $0.99.

I’ve found both games to be a great buy, in fact, Real Soccer is one of my favorite soccer games for the iPad, so if you’ve been considering either of them, now is a great time to snap them up!

Gameloft also has a sale currently running on two of their other games including Hero of Sparta HD and Brain Challenge HD, both of which have also been reduced to $0.99.

The savings don’t stop there, though – as well as their sales, Gameloft have permanently cut the prices of both Modern Combat: Sandstorm HD and Gangsta: West Coast Hustle HD from $6.99 to $4.99.

I cannot think of another iPad app that makes me want to take out the velcro and stick my iPad on the wall as much as Emerald Observatory does. This gorgeous app is simply stunning to look at and it is a useful astronomy tool too. Once you have it running on your iPad you won’t hesitate to display it for everyone to see and it will become a striking conversation piece.

The MyWi app by Intelliborn has been one of the biggest reasons to jailbreak an iOS based device. With the latest 4.0 release, creating a wireless hotspot has never been easier. For a one-time fee of $19.99 you can turn your stingy 3G iPad into a wireless hotspot capable of sharing your 3G connection with as many devices as you wish. I’ll show you how after the break.

I purchased my first iPad with Wi-Fi and later upgraded to one with 3G when they were available. I am using it more than I am using my MacBook Pro especially for quick and dirty tasks that it is perfectly suitable for like e-mail, internet surfing, chatting, Twitter, reading, shopping, research, etc. My iPad became very useful very quickly and now it has become a very important part of my life at work and at home. Therefore I’m constantly seeking something new, innovative, or productive to do with it and now that I am armed with a VGA video adapter I’ve discovered that my iPad makes a great whiteboard.

If you haven’t already played Giana Sisters, you’re missing out! It’s one of the best platform games on the iPhone & iPod Touch and I highly recommend you try it. If you share my love of Giana Sisters, you too will be pleased to hear that a HD version is making its way to the iPad soon, according to Touch Arcade.

Originally released in 1987, The Great Giana Sisters was first developed for the Amiga, Atari, Commodore 64 and other consoles of the era. It was quickly pulled, however, after running in to legal trouble with Nintendo due to its similarity with Super Mario Bros. The game was reborn in 2005 when it was renamed simply Giana Sisters, and made its way on to mobile phones, and a few years later, the Nintendo DS.

Today, 5 years on, Giana Sisters is one of the best platform games in the App Store for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and Touch Arcade have reported today that its developers, Bad Monkey, have sent them a bunch of screenshots for their upcoming HD version of the game. You can check them out and find out more info here, or read Touch Arcade’s review of the current game here.

If you can’t wait until the iPad release on 9th July, you can find the iPhone & iPod Touch version in the App Store here.

The iPhone might not run Flash, but that hasn’t stopped Zynga from bringing their popular social gaming phenomenon Farmville to the App Store.

Almost everything short of a Flash-engine is the same in the iPhone version, allowing players to buy and sell their crops and livestock. Any changes on your farm are reflected in the Facebook app, and vice versa. Additionally, iOS players get some exclusive new Farmville items to play with, including a Snow Leopard.

Farmville is available now on the U.S. App Store. It’s free to download.

Following the steps of their comic book competitors Marvel, DC Comics has just released their own iOSself-branded comic reading app for iOS, built for them by Comixology.

Like the Marvel app, comics cost between $0.99 and $2.99 an issue, and there are some free comics available… although the selection of those is quite paltry compared to Marvel’s offerings, although no doubt this will change. The best freebie right now is probably a black-and-white comic by Neil Gaiman and Simon Bisley that portrays the Joker and Batman as actors working on a television series.

Otherwise, if you’ve used Comixology or the Marvel app, you’ll be pretty familiar with how the DC Comics app works. It really only trades in Spider-Man for Superman.

Conde Nast hasn’t given up entirely on food magazine Gourmet, it just plans on serving the leftovers in an iPhone and iPad app.

Gourmet, known for its literate articles and collectible recipes, hung up its apron in fall 2009. Conde plans to launch Gourmet Live, a free mobile version of the 70-year-old magazine title by the end of the year.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67PZjbDnBCI&feature=player_embedded
The app will offer a sampling of articles, recipes, video demonstrations and slide shows plus social media bells and whistles that will allow those grazing on the content to see which of their Facebook friends and Twitter connections have seen it and what they have to say.

Heavy users will be prompted to pay for a subscription, though the payment options haven’t been put on the menu, yet. It’ll be made in iPad-friendly HTML5, so perfect for propping up in the kitchen to execute that peppercorn roasted pork with vermouth pan sauce recipe.

Via WSJ

Halogen for iPad from developers RocketHands is a fast-paced action game that kind of mixes air hockey with Space Invaders. Your job is to smash a puck around the screen and activate the colored reactors on each side, while at the same time eliminating the hordes of colorful enemies that invade your space to collect enough Halogen elements to complete each level and achieve your highest score.

There are 4 game modes that will each push your reflexes to the limit – single player mode features 16 insanely crazy levels that start off fast and then become faster. Your enemies get bigger and nastier and the black hole at the bottom of your screen gets wider. This intense, fast-paced gameplay is what makes Halogen so addictive and keeps you returning to the game in an attempt to beat each level and complete the game.

I like my apps to be simple and clean and I think that you would agree that is what Apple likes to see in apps designed for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Echofon Pro from Naanstudio is a universal app which makes it compatible with all of Apple’s iOS based devices. All of these attributes made Ecohfon Pro a great Twitter app for my iPhone, but the recently released iPad compatible version really put the icing on the cake.

MobileMe went down for some ‘scheduled maintenance’ last night, and when it came back up it included a whole host of new features. As well as the Mail web application now out of beta, Apple’s list of improvements includes:

• Widescreen and compact views.
• Rules to keep your email organized everywhere.
• Single-click archiving.
• Formatting toolbar.
• Faster performance.
• Increased security with SSL.
• Support for external email addresses.
• Improved junk mail filtering.

In addition to the new features, Apple has updated the login page (above) and introduced a fancy new application switcher (below) that provides a nice new way to navigate between the MobileMe web applications.

Apple have also released a Find My iPhone app that now provides you with quick and easy access to the Find My iPhone service from each one of your iOS devices. All of the web application features are included like sending a message to your device or playing a sound, locking the device and even wiping your data remotely.

Apple has been busy releasing a few of their own iOS applications this week, and as well as Find My iPhone, we’ve also seen iTunes Connect Mobile which gives application developers the ability to monitor their app’s success in the App Store from their iPhone, and the Apple Store application allowing customers to make purchases from their iPhones and schedule reservations at an Apple Retail Store.

The flow of apps through the App Store is thicker than a swarm of locusts in a Biblical plague these days (though somewhat less icky, and considerably more beneficial).

So on August 24-26, a bunch of app developers and the sort will gather in the desert at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino for the inaugural Appcon to discuss mobile app development across all major platforms, hear speakers from, for example, Chicago-based NAVTEQ (the guys who provide all those cool maps for the likes of Garmin and Magellan), and probably indulge a little too much at all-you-can-eat buffets and the craps table.

And who knows — we might be seeing the birth of something close to an E3 if the importance and revenue gathering ability of the app market continues on its upward trajectory, right?