GL's Favourite iPad2 Apps

2011-08-01T10:24:00.020+08:00

Influenced by my geek of a boyfriend, I bought myself an iPad2 with the initial excuse of being able to communicate with him via FaceTime when I was slated to be away from him for work for 2 weeks. Admittedly the lure was even greater when I saw the number of productivity apps with clean interfaces available and the type of magazines I can purchase. I already had an Amazon Kindle - an e-Book reader I absolutely adore and thought as one of the technical wonders of the world. It is light and its battery lasts forever (okay, just a little exaggeration but a month is a pretty damn long time) and carries up to about 3500 eBooks. It is singularly the most useful device I need to have before bedtime, in plane and subway rides and while waiting for latecomers. However the iPad2 is different. Due to its popularity, magazines and news websites are coming up with applications to facilitate sales by creating a need for online publications and it was to this I succumb.

I thought to share some of my favourite applications on my iPad2 just because I also enjoyed reading about other people's favourite apps in the hope for finding another gem to add to my collection. I've theorized that voyeuring at what others install on their iPad is a manly equivalent of a "What's In Your Bag". Also, when there are 100 apps available for an alternative Notes app in addition to the local one, you'll probably want to know what is worth downloading and what isn't.

Awesome Note
[Info] $4.99

What I like about Awesome Note is how customizable it is. I use it to record my passwords for various accounts till I have the gumption to purchase 1Password. I also record my travel plans, make notes of restaurants to try out with the Boy and copy down quotes I read from books. One day, I'll use it to write down recipes. What struck me first was the beautiful interface (yes, I am shallow that way). You can choose different backgrounds and textures for your Notes and I find that one has so much more tendency to use it when it is aesthetically pleasing. Although it is not a free app but at least it is an app I can say is money well-spent. It also synchronizes with your Google documents for better management.

Sorted
[Info] $0.99

Sorted by Savage Interactive is also a To-Do app but its clean and simple interface is appealing and sometimes I just want to make quick shopping lists or identify project goals or note down 101 ways I can clean my room and its fuss-free state spoke volumes to my very confused mind.

Uniqlo Calendar
[Info] Free

Sure we don't actually need another Calendar app, given that the local one that comes with the iPad is pretty awesome in my opinion. However when it is as unique as the one provided by Uniqlo, featuring a random assortment of time-lapse tilt-shift imagery from locations across Japan, all one could do is just to launch and stare at it in wonder. It is addictive to just stare at the tilt-shift imagery so be warned!

Flipboard
[Info] Free

I can't begin to tell you how much I love Flipboard. It is a personalized social magazine. What that means is that you can choose the content that interests you and it will be presented in a graphical format to ease reading. It allows users to "flip" through their social networking feeds and feeds from websites that have partnered with Flipboard. I was disappointed initially when there wasn't a Salon app but with Flipboard, they provide a list of potential websites that you might be interested in when you choose the relevant content type. Not only can I read Salon or The New Yorker now but I also found some other websites I never knew of and they quickly became my favourite reads.

Hitpad
[Info] Free

Hitpad brings you rich bite-size information snippets about the important and worth-knowing topics of the day so you become current in no time and with very little effort

In summary, it brings you the trending topics so you can be up-to-date easily.

Moodboard Lite
[Info] Free

Moodboards are used to develop design concepts but recently, it has become a popular visual project to put together inspirational knick-knacks and create stunning collages. I haven't tried this out in any extensive manner but thought I would like to give it a go sometime.

National Geographic
[Info] Free app but subscriptions are not

Okay, National Geographic looks to step up a notch with their 3D images and embedded videos offering an interactive perspective to their already awesome articles and photography.

TRVL
[Info] Free

Started by Jochem Wijnands and Michel Elings, TRVL zine is a community of travel writers and photographers wanting to share their travel experiences and photographs with others so as to inspire them. Most of the time, looking at the photographs are enough to let them do all the talking. This app is free although with a stunning array of photographs and write-ups, it needn't be. It is obviously fueled by the passion to share and so, I humbly learn.

Nightstand Central
[Info] Free

It is quite a simple app but is arresting in its simplicity as a digital clock which looks beautiful on a dock by your bedside table.

LoveFood
[Info] Free to try, $1.99 to buy

The layout of this recipe book is gorgeous and clean with food illustration to better help visualization along the way.

Epicurious
[Info] Free

I enjoy watching MasterChef even though I am not a cook. And not being a cook doesn't mean you are not interested with what's going into your food. The nice thing about recipe books and website as such is that you can always rely on delicious pictures of food and desserts to bring on a smile and brighten up your day.

The Start Of The End

2011-07-25T11:03:00.001+08:00

In summary, Girlishlaughter is mostly about a finely tuned palette, an acute appreciation of the aesthetic, a respect for nature, a soul deeply anchored in wanderlust and a pursuit of a truly merry life.

Girlish Laughter

GL's Favourite iPad2 Apps

The Start Of The End