New iPad 2 owner and curious what apps you should try out first on your shiny new toy? With features like a camera and a newly designed screen giving the iPad 2 a step up from its predecessor, here are seven apps to get you started with your new iPad 2:
Facebook for iPad with Chat – Pica HD
“Facebook with Style,” Pica HD’s highly rated Facebook for iPad app is now optimized for the iPad 2. Featuring five themes, the app focuses on an award winning design Facebook for iPad makes the most of both the iPad’s screen and media consumption delights. From uploading photos to perusing your newsfeed, this is your favorite parts of Facebook with a totally different design personalized to whatever your behavior, from newsfeed to chat obsessed.
Yelp!
Where to eat just got a whole lot more visual with Yelp’s iPad app. It places the photos at places in its directory front and center. The app allows you to browse through photos at a single location or flip between a few you’ve narrowed your selection down to (just hope they’re high resolution). The iPad’s big screen makes navigating your search results in map view easy, especially with Yelp’s popup bubbles that show basic info like rating and phone numbers.
Free Wi-Fi Finder
Data network slow? Download this iPad app to avoid the frustration and stress, and use it when you need to find the locations around you that offer wifi. Built specifically for the iPad this app gets the trick done and, like Yelp, makes the most of the mapping screen to help you filter where to find wifi. Wi-Fi Finder by JiWire boasts over 465,000 wi-fi locations in over 140 countries. Not paying for data with your iPad? Download this app to your smartphone and find the nearest wifi connection through it to use your iPad.
Angry Birds Rio & Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
These two games are some of the hottest out there, with Angry Birds’ latest release Rio at $2.99 and Grand Theft Auto at $9.99. Both will give you a huge distinct and different gaming experiences that make the most of the iPad. Popular on other devices, if you have a history of addiction with either two of these two games before, you’ll be in heaven enjoying them in a whole new light on the iPad.
FaceTime
One of the most expected features on the iPad 2 over the first iPad is its camera. Compared to smartphones, the iPad’s bigger screen means video chat’s doing nothing but gaining in popularity. Facetime is a simple app that allows you to video chat with anyone over wifi with the app — from any Mac, iPhone, iPod Touch, or other iPad. With a touch interface, even Gramma will be able to have fun using it.
Find My iPad
Prepare for the worst. To track your iPad remotely for free you need two things: the Find My iPad app and a MobileMe account. (Create a free MobileMe Account by going to Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Add Account > MobileMe.) Armed with app and account, go to Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars and into your MobileMe account to make sure the “Find My iPad” button is set to On. If you lose it, after you get over that dreaded feeling, be relieved when you remember you can go to me.com to view where it’s located on a map.
