Essential iPad Air apps

Hurray, the iPad Air is here and you know what that means? There are going to be a lot of first-time users who won't be sure where to start. Apple's latest tablet is a wonderful portable computer, with great built-in functionality, but it's true power can only be unleashed through the use of the many wonderful third-party applications.

There are more than 475,000 apps on the App Store that are specifically designed to take advantage of the iPad's beautiful 9.7" high-resolution display, and if that's not enough, you can always run all the other iPhone applications as well. There are apps for all purposes - navigation, note-taking, movies, weather, drawing, music production, video editing, cooking, learning and so on, and so forth. What you'll find here is a list of essential, must-have apps (no games here) that everyone should seriously consider installing on their brand new iPad.

Essential iPad Air apps

1. YouTube

iOS used to come with its own YouTube application, but not anymore. Now, you have to visit the App Store and download Google's YouTube app in order to access the mega-popular video-sharing site. It's probably the first thing one should do after unboxing their new iPad Air.

YouTube for iPad (free)

2. Twitter

What's life without social networking? Well, it's probably not such a bad thing, buy anyway, if you're leading an active online lifestyle, we guess you'll find the Twitter app more than useful.

Twitter for iPad (free)

3. The Onion

Yes, it's debatable if The Onion really qualifies as an essential, must-have iPad app, but the truth is this isn't a debate here, it's just a list with what we think are some great iPad apps, and America's Finest News Source definitely has a place in it.

The Onion for iPad (free)

4. Spotify

Music-streaming services are incredibly popular these days, and Spotify is up there among the very best. And, as every self-respecting service, it has a version optimized specifically for the iPad. If you're using Spotify, or if you're looking for a great entrance in the world of music-streaming, you should definitely give it a try.

Spotify for iPad (free)

5. SoundHound

Everyone has had one of those moments when they're hearing an awesome track somewhere, but they don't know the title or the artist's name. That's where SoundHound comes in - just run it, let it scan the music and in a few moments, you'll know exactly which song you're listening to and who's performing it, as well as a ton of additional data. It works like magic.

SoundHound for iPad (free)

6. Snapseed

If you feel your pics could use a bit of a visual boost, the Snapseed image editor will come in handy. It's got a very intuitive interface, as well as some pretty neat tools that can really help you to breathe some life into your photos.

Snapseed for iPad (free)

7. Skype

Does Skype even need an introduction? We guess not. Anyway, here's a brief one: it's one of the most popular IM services around. You have to have this.

Skype for iPad (free)

8. Puffin Browser

Puffin is a really good example of those browsers that attempt to simulate a real desktop browsing experience on your mobile device. Not to be rude or anything, but the only reason we think it's useful to have it installed is that it'll allow you to load and use Flash Player content in web pages. In case any of your favorite sites still makes use of Flash for a particular feature or something, get the Puffin Browser and chances are you'll be able to access it.

Puffin Browser Free for iPad (free)

9. Pocket (Formerly Read It Later)

Pocket is a very useful service for those of us that happen to use multiple devices throughout the day. It allows you to save articles, web pages or videos for later viewing or reading, and the beauty of it is that it syncs across all of your devices, making this content available offline. So you might stumble upon something while on the go, save it in your Pocket, and then read it later on your iPhone, iPad or personal computer.

Pocket for iPad (free)

10. iWork

iWork is not an app, but rather a complete suite of productivity apps. It includes Pages (Word alternative), Numbers (Excel alternative) and Keynote (Power Point alternative). These are all very powerful and useful applications, and best of all, you get them for free with the purchase of a new iPad (or an iPhone)!

Pages for iPad (free for new devices, or $9.99)
Numbers for iPad (free for new devices, or $9.99)
Keynote for iPad (free for new devices, or $9.99)

11. Netflix

Like watching movies and the latest TV shows? Don't hesitate - download Netflix to your iPad and gain access to a ton of content on the go. Of course, you need to have a paid Netflix membership for this to work, but there's a one-month free trial for new subscribers.

Netflix for iPad (free, requires paid subscription)

12. Amazon Kindle

And here's the mega-popular Kindle app, which can basically make a Kindle out of every tablet. Just install the app, and you'll have access to your complete library of Kindle e-books, complete with all the cool features such as X-Ray and built-in dictionary.

Kindle for iPad (free)

13. Hulu Plus

Another video-streaming app, allowing you to enjoy some of the most popular TV shows like Modern Family, The Office and Family Guy. Of course, you need to have a paid Hulu Plus subscription to watch video with the app.

Hulu Plus for iPad (free, requires paid subscription)

14. Google Maps

Apple is working hard to improve its own Maps application, but it turns out that building a great maps app takes quite a bit of time. So, while we're waiting for Apple to sort out all the kinks, why don't you grab Google Maps from the App Store? It'll present you with a much more polished mapping solution.

Google Maps for iPad (free)

15. Gmail

Of course, you can always use the web app or even the built-in Email app, but when it comes to working with Gmail, it's usually the Gmail app that will provide you with the best experience, seeing that it incorporates all the Gmail features one's come to expect from Google's ultra-popular email service.

Gmail for iPad (free)

16. iLife

Similarly to iWork, iLife is not just a single app, but a suite of apps, which includes GarageBand (music production), iPhoto (photo editing, and iMovie (video editing). These are some very cool and useful applications that can enable to create something truly beautiful. The best part is that they are free with the purchase of a new device.

GarageBand for iPad (free for new devices, or $4.99)
iPhoto for iPad (free for new devices, or $4.99)
iMovie for iPad (free for new devices, or $4.99)

17. Feedly

What's a list with essential iPad applications if we don't have a quality RSS feeder? This is where Feedly comes in. The service has picked up quite a bit of pace lately (with the closing of Google Reader), and is now almost the go-to app if you need a news aggregator.

Feedly for iPad (free)

18. Facebook

Countless hours have been lost using Facebook, but with the Facebook iPad app, you can totally forget about the offline world and immerse yourself in the 9.7" version of the world's biggest social network.

Facebook for iPad (free)

19. Evernote

We really like the stock iOS Notes app for its simplicity and ease of use, but if you happen to need something with a bit more depth, then Evernote and its numerous features will surely get the job done for you. Naturally, it'll sync your notes across all of your devices, including a PC.

Evernote for iPad (free)

20. Epicurious

Love it or hate it, cooking takes up a considerable part of our lives, and the iPad can actually help you produce some really fancy meals in the kitchen. Epicurious is just one of the many apps available that can offer you tons of recipes, as well as useful tips and tricks.

Epicurious for iPad (free)

21. eBay

Living in the 21st century means being buried in a pile of... stuff. Regardless if you want to get yourself something new, or get rid of things you no longer need, eBay is probably the place to "go." And, with the eBay iPad app, you don't even have to go anywhere, because this enormous marketplace will be right under your fingertips.

eBay for iPad (free)

22. Adobe Reader

PDF documents are still quite easy to run into, so it's best to be prepared for their viewing and editing with a capable app. Well, we can't think of a better app for the purpose than Adobe Reader itself!

Adobe Reader for iPad (free)

23. AccuWeather

The stock Weather app in iOS 7 is pretty cool and easily covers the basic weather information, but just in case you want to go a bit more in-depth, it's best to get one of the many versatile weather apps available on the App Store. AccuWeather is a wonderful example, but of course, there are many others to choose from, if it's not exactly your cup of tea.

AccuWeather for iPad (free)

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