You know the scenario: a friend or family member got an iPad or iPad mini as a gift this week. Now they want to know what to do with the pretty slab of aluminum and glass. The App Store can be an overwhelming place, with programs that can transform the iPad into a word processor, a MIDI instrument, or a 3D gaming machine. That variety can be daunting if you are sampling the App Store for the very first time, but here's a place to start for those new to tablets.
We chose a few popular categories that cover some of the most common usage scenarios, then listed the top app in each that we would recommend to a friend. In some categories, we also mention alternatives that might appeal to those with more specialized tastes. (If you got a Nexus 7 or other Android tablet this holiday season, we have recommendations for you, too.)
Image editor
The iPad's screen is great for editing images, and photo buffs have no dearth of options for editing images while on the go. However, Google's Snapseed (free) is our top recommendation for editing images. It includes the standard editing controls like brightness, contrast, saturation, and color balance, along with tools that are common on mobile devices, like vintage-style filters and grungy borders.
Snapseed also has a nice touch-centric interface, with most effects adjusted by sliding left or right. Localized editing is also available for some adjustments, and some effects and filters can be adjusted using a "random" shuffle button for infinite variations. Sharing options include Google+, Facebook, and Twitter, but you can also send a photo to other apps registered to accept image input, such as Instagram or Photoshop Touch.
Another good option is Apple's own iPhoto ($4.99), which has a unique editing interface that also plays well with the iPad's touch input. In addition to editing, iPhoto also includes additional organizing features, the ability to create special online galleries replete with themes and other design elements, and integration with iPhoto on the desktop.
Users that already live and die by Photoshop might also consider Adobe's Photoshop Touch ($9.99), which can integrate with the desktop version via the company's Creative Cloud subscription service.
Text editor
Text editors are also a hot category for the iPad. Whether you feel at home with the on-screen touch keyboard or carry around an external keyboard, plenty of writers appreciate the iPad's small size and portability for writing whenever and wherever inspiration strikes.
Though Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng prefers Writing Kit ($4.99), I would recommend iA Writer ($0.99) instead. The program has a simple and clean interface, supports Markdown for simple formatting that easily converts to HTML, and can sync files via iCloud and Dropbox.
If you need full-featured word processor, Apple's Pages ($9.99) is an excellent option, with support for lots of text formatting and styles, images, and other advanced layout options. It can also import or export Word-compatible files, a must for those working in most office environments.
Cloud storage
Apple already gives every iOS device user a free iCloud account, which can be used to sync certain data between iOS devices. It also syncs data between apps if you use a Mac. However, for any type of file syncing outside of Apple's somewhat limited iCloud APIs, Dropbox (free) should fit the bill for most users. The iOS app was recently updated with improved syncing controls and photo viewing. Dropbox also offers integrated storage syncing for OS X, Windows, and Linux, and many apps (like the aforementioned iA Writer) use Dropbox as a cloud syncing option in addition toâ€"or instead ofâ€"iCloud.
News
You can of course use Safari to browse your favorite news sources online or download specialized reading apps from The Economist (free) or The New York Times (free). But sometimes it's better to have the news aggregated and presented in a more digestible form.
If you prefer to get a curated list of the most interesting news about your favorite topics, then Flipboard (free) is the app for you. The highly visual, magazine-like presentation looks great on the iPad, you can check out stories recommended by Flipboard staff, and it's easy to share great finds via Facebook and Twitter integration.
If you'd rather quickly browse headlines from all your favorite sites, an RSS feed reader might be a better choice. Reeder ($4.99) integrates with Google's Reader service, easily syncing with a desktop version. It also offers a number of sharing options, including sending articles to services like Evernote and Readability.
Messaging
The iPad comes equipped with the Messages app, which can communicate with other iPads, iPhones, and Macs using Apple's iMessages protocol. And FaceTime handles video chats with your friends that are in the Apple fold. But if you use other common chat protocols, such as AIM or Gtalk, you'll need a separate app.
Some chat services have their own dedicated apps (such as AIM, Yahoo, and Facebook), but why not use a single app that can use all popular services at once? For that, Verbs IM ($0.99) is a good value. It handles AIM/iChat, Facebook, and GTalk, and it has a clean, easy-to-use interface.
(Users that need wider service supportâ€"especially international services like Sina Weibo, VKontakte, or Mamba.ruâ€"might instead check out IM+ Pro [$0.99].)
While Verbs IM will take care of text chats, Skype for iPad (free) is your go-to service for voice or video chats outside of FaceTime. The mobile app works just as well with Skype users on the desktop as it does with other mobile users.
Music
There are lots of options for listening to music outside of your own iTunes library. Streaming services are a great fit for mobile devices since you can access a large library of music without having to buy tracks or albums and sync them via iTunes. Spotify (free) is among our favorite services, and US users can listen to streaming "radio" for free. You can also easily share your listening habits with Facebook friends or log data with Last.fm. An additional premium subscription gives you access to playlist syncing and offline listening.
But the iPad is also a great device for making music. Even if you aren't an experienced musician, Apple's GarageBand ($4.99) includes a virtual orchestra and a library of pre-made loops for building a song that's your very own. Those with even a rudimentary understanding of music theory can record original compositions using a combination of real or virtual instruments, mixing down an almost limitless number of tracks into the next hit song.
Games
Games are hard to recommend, since not all types of games appeal to everyone. However, iOS is a formidable gaming platform for gamers of all ages and preferences, so we'll just pick a few of our favorites to get started.
If there were a first game we would recommend for almost anyone, it's probably Words With Friends HD (free with ads or $0.99 without). The artwork is stunning on a Retina display, the rules are similar to Scrabble, and tons of people play it; you should be able to find a friend to play with easily enough. Words With Friends can also optionally match you up with friends or strangers alike with similar skill levelsâ€"it's no fun regularly getting schooled by your friend's mom who happens to have a PhD in English, trust me.
A few other casual favorites are worth mentioning. If you really like word games, definitely check out Letterpress (free); it's a novel take on word games that sort of mashes up Scrabble and Boggle in a one-on-one match to test your vocabulary mettle. If retro 8-bit arcade games appeal to you, consider The Incident ($0.99)â€"its infectious NES-style soundtrack alone is worth the purchase price. Plants vs Zombies HD ($0.99) is a great tower defense style game that blends a bit of action and strategy with great artwork and tongue-in-cheek humor. And Ticket to Ride ($6.99), a game centered on building a railroad in turn-of-the-century America, has to be the best board game adaptation ever to grace an iOS device.
If you consider yourself a serious gamer attracted to action and awesome 3D graphics, Infinity Blade II ($2.99) is a great place to start. The touch-based fighting controls are pretty easy to use, if hard to master. The half-fantasy, half-sci-fi backstory is interesting, the weaponry options are vast, and the game has enough puzzles and mysteries to keep you going for hours on end.
Weather
Unlike the iPhone, the iPad doesn't include a native weather app. You can see basic weather information in Notification Center, but that's it. Fortunately, the lack of an official Apple app has encouraged several developers to try and fill the void. Our recommendation is AccuWeather for iPad (free), which includes a full complement of current weather data from AccuWeather.com, along with hourly and 15-day forecasts, satellite maps, and iCloud syncing of preferences between iOS devices.
Some may find the ads a little bothersome, but don't fret: there are dozens of other options in the App Store, both paid and free.
E-reading
One popular use for a tablet is reading e-books, and Apple knows it. The integrated Newsstand automatically collects apps for subscribing to and reading your favorite magazines and newspapers, for instance. And iBooks (free) is an absolute must-download. Not only does it allow you to browse and buy standard e-books as well as enhanced e-texts from the iBookstore, it also handles standard, DRM-free ePub and PDF files as well.
(If you've gotten an iPad after using a Nook or Kindle e-ink device, you can get dedicated apps for accessing your existing content from Barnes & Noble or Amazon, respectively.)
If you like your nonfiction filled with tons of useful rich media, though, definitely give Inkling (free) a try. Inkling books are geared towards learning, so they include tons of interactive content like images, interactive graphs, videos, and more; some programming books also include an integrated interpreter to try code samples live as you read. Books can be purchased from Inkling's website, and since the format is built around standards like HTML5 and JavaScript, you can also read Inkling books on the desktop via any modern browser.
Just a start
Of course, the App Store has far more available than the handful of apps we recommend here, but the list should help tablet newcomers get up to speed with finding, installing, and launching quality apps. Once they're comfortable doing so, it's time to truly start exploring.
Ars readers, what other apps would you recommend to new users?
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