iPad apps worth a look

After installing and using over 300 iOS apps, I decided to assemble my top must have list for all my readers.

All prices listed here are subject to change (as they often do in the App Store). As of the date of this posting, these prices are accurate.

These are my top 8 apps that I think are worth everyone checking out. At #8 is the only game on this list, it is called iCut Deluxe and cost $2.99. This is a great game for those that enjoy solving puzzles that work the brain.

iCut Deluxe
$2.99

Next up at #7 is AppStart for iPad and it's free. This app is good for everyone to install because it actually teaches you how to use your iPad, as well as offer suggestions for app you may which to buy. Some people have commented in the App Store that AppStart is just a giant advertisement, so take this app with a grain of salt. Some may find it useful, others may not.

AppStart for iPad
FREE

At #6 is iBooks and is also free. Not only is this app a great e-Reader for e-Books, but it also lets you view PDFs. One thing I enjoy most about this app is the ability to create your own collections. Have one bookshelf for cookbooks, another for children books, etc.

iBooks
FREE

#5 is Dropbox and is free. It allows you to sync files between various computers, and also your iOS device. Just drop a file in your Dropbox folder on your computer, and it suddenly appears on your iPad.

Dropbox
FREE

#4 is GarageBand and cost $4.99. Great for music composers. Allows you to create songs using a variety of instruments, and also includes a voice recorder.

Garageband
$4.99

#3 is iMovie and cost $4.99. If you're into recording videos on your iPad, iPod touch, or iPhone then you'll enjoy the ability to edit the video directly on the same device. I don't particularly like iMovies, but unfortunately there is no Final Cut Pro app for the iPad.

iMovie
$4.99

#2 is Pages and cost $9.99. The most productive app on this list, Pages lets you take word processing mobile. You can export your Pages documents to PDF and MS Word, unfortunately the ability to export to Plain Text, Rich Text, and ePub has been lost on the iPad version.

Pages
$9.99

#1 is a tie between Flipboard (free) and Atomic Web Browser ($0.99).

Flipboard is an RSS reader that uses page flip animation and a magazine style to present the content in an organized and tidy way. Flipboard has replaced most of the news apps on my iPad, because I can get all the same content via the RSS feeds.

Atomic Web Browser has completely replaced Safari for me. Unfortunately there is no way to actually "replace" Safari as the default, so links in email messages will still open in Safari. Atomic is great because it lets you mask the User Agent as another browser, this is especially useful on sites that limit access on mobile browsers, such as Facebook.

Flipboard
FREE

Atomic Web Browser
$0.99

Most of the apps on this list are universal, so they will work on the iPhone and iPod touch as well as the iPad. The iPad-specific apps are: AppStart, GarageBand, Pages, and Flipboard.

If all you own is an iPhone or an iPod touch, I would still recommend the above universal apps: iCut Deluxe, iBooks, Dropbox, iMovie, and Atomic web Browser.