The iPad is a capable solution for getting work done, but that requires good apps. There are so many apps in the app store it makes finding the right ones a hit and miss process.
We’ve done the work for you and found 10 solid apps that can turn the iPad into a productive work system. In this collection there are apps for tracking work time for professionals, organizers for notes, an office suite for working with documents, and apps for keeping track of scheduling.
The apps are presented in no particular order of preference.
There’s also a hot new game in the collection thrown in as a bonus, as you know what they say about all work and no play.
Self-employed professionals usually generate income by billing clients for time worked. This requires keeping track of time worked on a project, and generating invoices for the work.
OfficeTime is a full-featured solution for time management. It has a timer for tracking periods spent working on a project, and automatically allocates said time to the proper client. It generates invoices based on tracked time.
From the developer:
Working with PDF documents is something many professionals do regularly, and this app is a good way to do it. It has many features that make viewing and editing PDFs productive, including full markup capability.
There is a file manager built into Goodreader that works with both local files and those stored in major cloud storage services.
From the developer:
This app from Microsoft is a good way to create and work with notes. It works with OneNote on other platforms to keep all notes in sync and looking the same. OneNote can work with enterprise systems for a true work note system.
From Microsoft:
This note app has been around for a long time and has evolved into a full-featured note-taking solution. In addition to taking notes by entering text, Evernote can capture information by capturing images with the camera.
Many other apps can save information directly to Evernote.
From the developer:
Even those who don’t edit photos for a living might need to make personal photos look as good as possible. Pixelmator is an editor that packs a lot of features into an app that is very easy to use. It has very good operation by touch, making it a natural fit for the iPad.
Keeping on top of to-do lists can be critical for the busy professional. Those using Google Tasks to do so will find this app to be a good way to stay on top of things that need to get done.
It syncs with Google Tasks, and has fully customizable views to see at a glance where today’s focus needs to be.
From the developer:
Keeping tabs on a busy schedule requires a good calendar app, and this one qualifies. It offers several views to see appointments at a glance and also has a view for keeping on top of tasks that need to get done.
Tasks can be synced with Google Tasks and iOS reminders to stay up-to-date with other devices.
From the developer:
This calendar app has a dynamic interface that is optimized for use in portrait and landscape orientation. It features an adjustable two-window display that shows the calendar and the user’s agenda at the same time. Dragging either pane up or down expands the calendar or agenda as needs dictate. The two panes are linked, so moving around in one brings the other to the same point in time.
Entering new events is done through natural language, eg “Lunch with Pete on Tuesday at 1pm”.
Fantastical 2 has a useful widget for the iOS notification center.
From the developer:
Microsoft Office rules the workplace, and the version for the iPad is outstanding. Word, Excel, and Powerpoint are very full-featured apps, and have been optimized for touch operation on the iPad.
While there are three separate apps, they are included together in this collection. Users can download and install any or all of them as needed. All three apps in Office for iPad are free, with extra features available to those with an Office 365 subscription. Many will find the features in the free versions to be sufficient.
From Microsoft:
Word for iPad
Excel for iPad
Powerpoint for iPad
When you think work email you think Outlook Outlook for the iPad is a rebranded Acompli, a great email app as reviewed by ZDNet. Microsoft bought the company behind Acompli and shortly after released the app as Outlook for iOS.
It handles multiple email accounts including Exchange, and has the ability to learn over time which messages are important. Those messages are moved into a “focused” inbox to keep them from getting buried in the flood of email many folks receive.
In addition to good email functionality, Outlook has an integrated calendar, and a useful view that collects onto one screen contacts with whom you've had recent email interaction. This makes it easy to create email for those the user does most frequently.
From Microsoft:
You can’t work all of the time and a good game is a great way to kill time. This racing app has great graphics and an easy control system that even the least coordinated of us can master.
Red Bull Racers is free, with feature upgrades available either through in-app purchase or with winnings received from racing in the game. In-game winnings are plentiful, so free goes a long way with Red Bull Racers.