Since it's still brand new, there's a little bit of the proverbial calm before the storm in the world of iPad apps, cases and accessories. Take advantage of the lull with us and check out these stellar products: just because we didn't have to sift through an internet's worth of options doesn't mean they aren't truly fantastic. In fact, we think these selections could become the benchmarks by which all others are judged!
www.melissabethdesigns.com | Price: From $29.50-$39.50 depending on size
HardCandy Bubble Sleeve for iPad
www.hardcandycases.com | Price: $49.95
www.luxa2.com | Price: $49.99
Bento for iPad | Price: $4.99
www.apple.com | Price: Free
NPR for iPad
www.npr.org | Price: Free
MelissaBeth Pretty Printed Sleeve
This Pretty Printed Sleeve is just the thing to keep your iPad safe--available in three prints and quite a few sizes, Melissa Beth Zalev has designed the sleeves to to be fashionable, functional and feminine. Not only are they adorable, the print itself was designed by Melissa Beth; pre-fab patterns are so not her style! The abstract floral in teal and black is our personal favorite, and the cushy neoprene and double zipper make this sleeve the utimate in form and function. It's perfect in a travel bag or when you need your gadgets but can't give up your purse. The smallest sleeve is perfectly iPad sized and they go up from there if you want to give your MacBook the same dose of style.
Taking the signature bubble design present throughout the line and applying it their iPad cases isn't just good branding--it's good protection. Unlike the regular bubble cases this one's soft to the touch, but stacked with molded EVA foam for hard case protection, and rubber bumpers on the inside corners keep your iPad from sliding around once it's in place. The outside is still soft, and it's a good thing, because once you get your iPad in here you're not going to want to take it out! Two zippers open the case up completely, too, so you never have to remove the device to use it.
Luxa2 H4 Stand
Remember how much we loved the H1 iPhone stand? We've got to tell you: the iPad version is even better. The design, which was cool on the smaller version, looks incredible in a larger scale; when it's bigger, you can see all the parts in more detail and appreciate the thought that went into the brushed aluminum finish, silicone pad, rubber supports and the slot joint hinge. That hinge is the best part, actually! It rotates a full 360 degrees and flips back and forth over the foot of the stand so you can share your brand new "magical" device with friends no matter where they're sitting. Keep checking back--this one's still on pre-order but the success and quality of the H1 allows us to assure you it's worth the wait.
Bento for iPad
If you don't need the thousands of features the new FileMaker 11 brings to the table try Bento: the smaller scale solution can still keep you organized and on track. This version incorporates many of our favorite features from the iPhone version and definitely takes advantage of the iPad's screen: details are larger and a split screen view that was just not feasible on the iPhone allows users to view the whole records list and a complete single record at the same time. Support for the touch screen means data entry is simple as well...just tap to edit in your own template or one of the 25 pre-loaded options ranging from a diet log to expenses.
iBooks
Developed with Apple's usual attention to detail, the iBookstore is one of the best new applications ever. And no, we're not exaggerating! They took all the things we wanted to dislike about e-books, like lack of actual pages and difficulty reading the screen, and gave us alternatives. No, an animated page turn isn't quite the same but it's way better than no page turn at all. The iPad's back lit screen makes it the best e-reader out there, and this application with its easy and attractive bookshelf interface and the ability to download free titles as well as best sellers make this a must have--it takes advantage of all the best features of the iPad and makes public transportation (almost) bearable.
National Public Radio's iPad app might be our favorite so far for news--using a three pane slider to navigate through the app and an audio bar to makes sure streaming radio is never more than one click away, the app really delivers on content. News, arts, music and lifestyle stories get equal coverage and you can even search for your local (or favorite) NPR station for on-demand streams. Also, NPR for iPad gives you full-page zoom on photos, plus the expected ability to share stories over e-mail, Twitter, and Facebook. User reviews agree--this is the news app to download. For the other guys, stick with Safari.
More Apple
More News
OS 4.0
What with all the iPad speculation, iPhone rumors have mostly been left in the dst We're proud to take up the mantle once more and speculate wildly about what's coming. Aside from a flash for the camera, we've heard more complaining about the lack of multi-tasking than anything (except AT&T's service...). Now, AppleInsider reports that people who are spot on in their Apple predictions say it's coming, and we couldn't be happier. Pandora streaming while browsing the interwebs? Yes please.
The issues here are really user interface and battery life--how do you switch between apps in a way that's easy to do and easy to see? Also, how much of our batteries will be quickly whiled away during our power sucking? That remains to be seen, of course, and along with spyware and malware issues is probably the reason we don't have this capability yet. There are tons of case chargers and battery backup systems available though, and we'd gladly slap a Juice Pack on or carry the Gum Plus if it meant we could use our iPhone more like our Macbook.
Consumer Reports
We don't know about you guys, but we've been reading Consumer Reports since childhood--there was very little to do in our grandparent's hometown over the summers--and we still have a special place in our hearts for them. Now we are happy to tell you that they've names Apple's customer support for laptops and desktops the best in the industry. Apple was judged in four categories for each computer type: problem solved, phone waits, phone staff and online support. It received the coveted "very satisfied" rating from over 7,000 subscribers...
Nice job, folks...thanks for making the upkeep of our machines as easy as using them.
And Now For Something Completely Different
Sure, there are plenty of office "friendly" games out there with escape buttons that quickly switch the screen to charts in the event of an unexpected boss walk-through, but four guys from the Netherlands have taken this a step further and worked their games into charts, graphs, and other office productivity tools. Leadership, Breakdown and Cost Cutter are the titles available free at cantyouseeimbusy.com that use word documents, line graphs and bar charts in games so you look more productive than you're being. The cost calculator (which tallies the cost of your lost productivity) is a nice, if sobering, touch.
Our advice? Just play. Don't think too hard about it.
Like the games? Have other favorites? Tweet us!
