Must-have apps for the iPad (Spring 2012 edition)

Summary: The new iPad with the Retina Display is great, but only if you have the right apps. These apps are as good as they get.

By James Kendrick | April 16, 2012 -- 12:00 GMT (05:00 PDT)

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The official Twitter app for the iPad is good, but Tweetbot is the best there is. The clean interface takes full advantage of the touch interface on the iPad, and keeping up with Twitter is a thing of beauty.

The latest version of Tweetbot keeps the Twitter timeline synced between the iPhone and iPad using iCloud.

$2.99

Topics: iPad, Apps, Mobility

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6 comments

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A great selection, James.

May I suggest one more educational app that showcases the iPad's potential for truly innovative learning. The name of this app is "Nova Elements".

It is a fun, interactive way for a student to learn basic chemistry and the Periodic Table of Elements. David Pogue narrates the various sections of this free app from the PBS show "Nova".

There is one section where a student can graphically build an element from protons, neutrons and electrons. Of course, choosing the correct numbers of each sub atomic particle is required. (For those that forgot their high school chemistry, there is a cheat button that will build your chosen element correctly).

Needless to say, I highly recommend this app.

kenosha77a
16 April, 2012 16:56

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- Question: Would the app be just as effective if on other devices?
  
  Just wondering why it "showcases the iPad's potential for truly innovative learning". Does it use some exclusive property of the iPad? Or is it just because it is only available on the iPad?
  
  I am just trying to differentiate whether the kudos are correctly placed. If the app does not use anything specific about the iPad, then the "potential for truly innovative learning" is really attributable totally to the application rather than the hardware.
  
  I just seems that the hardware is getting too much credit for other people's work.
  
  Patanjali
  16 April, 2012 21:24
  
  Reply Vote
Twitter

I like Tweetcaster....

DJRenegadeUSA
17 April, 2012 08:12

Reply Vote
- Twitter
  
  I like turtles.
  
  Bowler_z
  17 April, 2012 08:28
  
  Reply 2 Votes
Great Selection, Don't forget iTunes U

One of My favorites is iTunes U. This app is a whole world unto itself with experts from thousands of institutions giving brief personal lectures to hour long symposiums and panel discussions. Oxford and Cambridge Universities from the UK, Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Cinematheque Francais, Bibliotheque Nationale de France, NASA . The variety is mind boggling and grows every day. Kahn Academy, TEDTalks are included as well. Makes Wikipedia as great as it may be, look like Cliff Notes. Almost every conceivable facet of knowledge is covered in a personal often idiosyncratic way. As the speakers are brilliant and often eccentric, what they have to say is rarely dull. This app deserves it own review. So far everything in iTunes U is free !

Apelles
18 April, 2012 03:26

Reply Vote
my apps

My apps makes ipad into something like netbook. I use Pocket Cloud to access my PC running ThinServer XP

bojanwojan
19 April, 2012 02:00

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