Like many other iPhone users the jump to iPad was viewed as an extension to my mobile computing experience. Planning the downloads in advance was easy as many of the apps have been on my iPhone for a number of years. I have decided to document my first ten iPad app downloads so that I can look back in a few months time and see how my iPad use has changed.
I very much view the iPad as a mobile classroom, the ability to manage and create learning resources on the fly with the additional benefit of being able to organise classes and other tasks in Things.
In many ways the first four applications on the list are essential for productivity.
1. Pages
I still predict I will produce most of my Pages documents on my desktop Mac but Pages iPad offers the ability to start or update documents when necessary.
2. Keynote
I have big hopes for Keynote. Over the last few years I have converted my PowerPoint presentations over to Keynote, improved the content and added video.
I hope to pre-load a day’s worth of presentations in advance for class use. I expect most of the Keynote on iPad use will be updating and presenting rather than creating.
3. The Early Edition
A great way to catch up with your RSS feeds presented in a great newspaper style format. Although you have to add your feeds manually version 1.1 (already submitted for approval) allows importing of feeds from Google Reader.
4. Numbers
The essential markbook. I have been looking forward to Numbers for iPad the most. Most of my marking happens around the classroom visiting computer workstations. It is going to be interesting to see just how well this works being able to carry the iPad and update marks directly in Numbers.
5. iBooks
I think every iPad owner will download the Apple iBooks apps. I am particularly curious to try out the reading experience of iBooks and it will be very interesting to see who education text books make their way to the store.
6. Goodreader for iPad
Pretty much the essential reader for every possible document I own Goodreader remains a firm favourite on my iPhone. With the ability to read documents from MobileMe, iDisk etc there is no excuse for not having access to information when you are out and about.
7. Things
I run Things on my Mac, I run Things on my iPhone and now I run things on my iPad. Things is a brilliant application for staying on top of all those daily tasks I historically ended up forgetting about. I love it, the interface is clean, easy to use and the system actually works.
One negative is the price ! I have paid for the Mac version, the iPhone version, and the iPad version with no benefit or discount for customer loyalty and these apps are not cheap.
8. Instapaper Pro
I started using Instapaper a few months back and I love it. Instead of skim reading articles at my computer I can send them directly to instapaper for reading on and offline later. I do most of my Instapaper reading on iPhone and suspect Instapaper on iPad to be one of my most used apps.
9. Reeder
I use Reeder in partnership with Instapaper having subscribed to over 300 news feeds from a mix of education, technology and photography websites. With Reeder I can browse the latest news instantly and send larger articles to Instapaper for reading later.
10. Mindjet MindManager
I use mind mapping as a focal point for topic planning and project planning for creative projects. xMind is available on every computer and iThoughts HD brings MindMapping to situations away from a computer screen.
Last modified: July 14, 2010
