Hey all,
If you have an iPad, here are some of my personal recommendations for it.
COOL BASIC PROGRAMS...........................................................................
MAGIC WINDOW
This is just too cool. The base download has 4 city/country scapes. You can download like 10 more free and add them into your list. The program features bitmaps, high resolution, of slow time photography, such as a sunrise over downtown Tokyo (my fave) as well as some cool country scenes, a night city scape with traffic slowly moving (kind of fuzzy). Even one of a scene in NZ. Country scenes usually have birds chirping, wind noise through trees, etc. Clouds move by. You can change the speed rates of the scenes as well. Very cool if you need something on your desk to take your mind off of stress. I have a bed stand for the iPad so I can turn that on when I cant sleep.
WEATHER HD
This is mind blowing. I dont know how, but it shows you these brilliant animated photos of clouds blowing past, a field of giant wind turbines, night skies with a full moon, some with clouds strolling past, etc. You set up your town(s) you wish to know the weather of, and then when you need to know the weather conditions, forecasts, etc, you just turn this thing on and it generates a cool visual as well as your basic info for weather, wind speeds, etc. A popup will show you the forecast for the day and the week. Great for me when I take trips up north. One down side is it takes about 10 to 20 seconds to download the data, but once it does, its there. (Beaming in the intel from space?). :d The program is cheap, I think $1.99 or $.99. Cant remember. Well worth it.
MAX JOURNAL
This is a cool program that enables you to keep journals of your days, etc. Some cool features. There are many out there, and I have only picked this and Penultimate, and in my books, MaxJournal takes the cake. I did lose a ton of data though as I hadnt backed up my iPad in days (syncing will back up all files for instant restoration), but lost the data via a sync failure, which reloaded to a restore point. (Only time this has happened ever with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad). There is a way to sync your entries when ever you like in case such a incident happens. It exports a small file which you assign to where ever you like.
WORK SOFTWARE...........................................................................
TODO
This is a ToDo list program, but this one is extreme in graphics and looks like an open Day Timer book, complete with rings and paper just like in a daytimer. Whats more, it has options for the leather binding cover, the color of metal of the rings, etc, etc... Great for doing lists, interacts with your Contacts list, etc. If you are an organization freak, you will love this.
CORKULOUS
This ingenious program is like a giant corkboard, of which you use your finger tips to drag area's into view. You can have several layers of cork boards, and have totally different corkboard menu's on the base front menu. Where ever you leave off in yours, you go back into when you go into Corkulous. I use mine for mapping projects. You can do a project mapping with tons of post it notes, tape notes, pictures, etc. You have to see how it works on the screenshots to understand it. Very 'visual' and great for 'idea making' people.
iCAL
The built in iCal program (calendar) is brilliant and I never really knew how much it can do. I now use it for ToDo lists as it has Alarms (2 available per entry). If you need to take the dog to the clippers, get the oil changed in the car, upload a program before 3, etc, you can set up your alarms and they neatly let you know when things need to get done. Once more, you can create a MobileMe account, activate Push, do the same on your iPhone or iPod Touch, (also has iCal on these as well as Macs), and then when you enter a iCal entry anywhere you are, with what ever machine/gizmo you are on, it will update to all your iCal programs on all running gizmo devices (apples with iCal) all at the same time. Very nice organization helper.
MAIL
This is the stock Apple mail software program. I never really set it up and got it working. I did last week, and I am glad I did. In the time I boot up FSX, I can check my business emails, Yahoo emails, delete my junk emails, and put the iPad down and still have time to run get a cup of coffee in the kitchen and still beat FSX to starting up, lol... Fast....! The main thing I like is how you can click 'Edit' and go through and tap the emails you dont want, then click Delete, Delete, and done... No more junk. With mousing all those individual emails, its a pain. This makes it simple and fast. (for me anyways. I get sometimes astronomical amounts of junk mail per day). So if you want to check this out, give it a try.
NEWS...........................................................................
BBC NEWS AND USA TODAY NEWS APPS
Great apps and have videos that run with iPad. Playing news videos will bring you to YouTube App mode. I guess its a form of flash in a different way, and YouTube runs it, manages it. (FLV is a flash video format). The layout of BBC and USA Today are well done, both different in their own ways, both function quite well.
NPR
If you like listening to the radio talk shows on NPR, like Click and Clack the fixit guys, and some of the cool Tech talk shows, you will love this. This has pictures of the people you have been hearing for years. Great little App with tons of selectable talk shows.
GAMES...........................................................................
WARSHIP HD (high definition for new iPad large screen)
This is one cool game. For the longest time, I never got it. Out of sheer boredom, I decided to buy it, ($2.99), and I am addicted already. Finally up to a 3 gun deck iron sides (HMS Victory class?) and can take on some big ships now with ease. If you get easily addicted and are fighting addictions, DO NOT GET THIS!
X-PLANE for IPAD (HD)
If you are on a long trip, and you are an FS FREAK (like me) and you are jonsin for fix, get X-Plane HD for iPad. $10.00 and worth it. It has about 10 or 15 planes including the B2 wing, a Columbia Cessna (new) and many others. Photo real flight zones, flaps and spoilers, some have auto pilot, (the cool Avanti doesnt, I put in a request for it though). Isnt the full world, only selectable zones with super high rez ground terrain. This is a 'App' version, not the full blown regular PC version, so for those that want FS, you need a big computer for that. This is iPad/iPhone App technology, and for the platform, this sim is AWESOME...
THE HARBOR
Great game with an elaborate story line and some BRILLIANT graphics. I played it so much and finished it and now Im burnt out on it, but highly recommend it. Basically you are in the Rennaisance era and you are a Dock Master and import/export person. You dock these ships and they load what you assign them via what they reqeust. Basically its like air traffic, landing planes, but here its ships and cargo. (WarShips is far more fun, but addictive).
Thats it. Some fun stuff. My camera dock kit finally shipped from Apple yesterday. I want to be able to upload photos from iPhone to iPad easier without sending them to sites and transferring them back. Must be an easier way. I have Flickr upload Apps that do some stuff, but no direct-to software. I think the new iOS4 will get around that.
Bill
If you have an iPad, here are some of my personal recommendations for it.
COOL BASIC PROGRAMS...........................................................................
MAGIC WINDOW
This is just too cool. The base download has 4 city/country scapes. You can download like 10 more free and add them into your list. The program features bitmaps, high resolution, of slow time photography, such as a sunrise over downtown Tokyo (my fave) as well as some cool country scenes, a night city scape with traffic slowly moving (kind of fuzzy). Even one of a scene in NZ. Country scenes usually have birds chirping, wind noise through trees, etc. Clouds move by. You can change the speed rates of the scenes as well. Very cool if you need something on your desk to take your mind off of stress. I have a bed stand for the iPad so I can turn that on when I cant sleep.
WEATHER HD
This is mind blowing. I dont know how, but it shows you these brilliant animated photos of clouds blowing past, a field of giant wind turbines, night skies with a full moon, some with clouds strolling past, etc. You set up your town(s) you wish to know the weather of, and then when you need to know the weather conditions, forecasts, etc, you just turn this thing on and it generates a cool visual as well as your basic info for weather, wind speeds, etc. A popup will show you the forecast for the day and the week. Great for me when I take trips up north. One down side is it takes about 10 to 20 seconds to download the data, but once it does, its there. (Beaming in the intel from space?). :d The program is cheap, I think $1.99 or $.99. Cant remember. Well worth it.
MAX JOURNAL
This is a cool program that enables you to keep journals of your days, etc. Some cool features. There are many out there, and I have only picked this and Penultimate, and in my books, MaxJournal takes the cake. I did lose a ton of data though as I hadnt backed up my iPad in days (syncing will back up all files for instant restoration), but lost the data via a sync failure, which reloaded to a restore point. (Only time this has happened ever with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad). There is a way to sync your entries when ever you like in case such a incident happens. It exports a small file which you assign to where ever you like.
WORK SOFTWARE...........................................................................
TODO
This is a ToDo list program, but this one is extreme in graphics and looks like an open Day Timer book, complete with rings and paper just like in a daytimer. Whats more, it has options for the leather binding cover, the color of metal of the rings, etc, etc... Great for doing lists, interacts with your Contacts list, etc. If you are an organization freak, you will love this.
CORKULOUS
This ingenious program is like a giant corkboard, of which you use your finger tips to drag area's into view. You can have several layers of cork boards, and have totally different corkboard menu's on the base front menu. Where ever you leave off in yours, you go back into when you go into Corkulous. I use mine for mapping projects. You can do a project mapping with tons of post it notes, tape notes, pictures, etc. You have to see how it works on the screenshots to understand it. Very 'visual' and great for 'idea making' people.
iCAL
The built in iCal program (calendar) is brilliant and I never really knew how much it can do. I now use it for ToDo lists as it has Alarms (2 available per entry). If you need to take the dog to the clippers, get the oil changed in the car, upload a program before 3, etc, you can set up your alarms and they neatly let you know when things need to get done. Once more, you can create a MobileMe account, activate Push, do the same on your iPhone or iPod Touch, (also has iCal on these as well as Macs), and then when you enter a iCal entry anywhere you are, with what ever machine/gizmo you are on, it will update to all your iCal programs on all running gizmo devices (apples with iCal) all at the same time. Very nice organization helper.
This is the stock Apple mail software program. I never really set it up and got it working. I did last week, and I am glad I did. In the time I boot up FSX, I can check my business emails, Yahoo emails, delete my junk emails, and put the iPad down and still have time to run get a cup of coffee in the kitchen and still beat FSX to starting up, lol... Fast....! The main thing I like is how you can click 'Edit' and go through and tap the emails you dont want, then click Delete, Delete, and done... No more junk. With mousing all those individual emails, its a pain. This makes it simple and fast. (for me anyways. I get sometimes astronomical amounts of junk mail per day). So if you want to check this out, give it a try.
NEWS...........................................................................
BBC NEWS AND USA TODAY NEWS APPS
Great apps and have videos that run with iPad. Playing news videos will bring you to YouTube App mode. I guess its a form of flash in a different way, and YouTube runs it, manages it. (FLV is a flash video format). The layout of BBC and USA Today are well done, both different in their own ways, both function quite well.
NPR
If you like listening to the radio talk shows on NPR, like Click and Clack the fixit guys, and some of the cool Tech talk shows, you will love this. This has pictures of the people you have been hearing for years. Great little App with tons of selectable talk shows.
GAMES...........................................................................
WARSHIP HD (high definition for new iPad large screen)
This is one cool game. For the longest time, I never got it. Out of sheer boredom, I decided to buy it, ($2.99), and I am addicted already. Finally up to a 3 gun deck iron sides (HMS Victory class?) and can take on some big ships now with ease. If you get easily addicted and are fighting addictions, DO NOT GET THIS!
X-PLANE for IPAD (HD)
If you are on a long trip, and you are an FS FREAK (like me) and you are jonsin for fix, get X-Plane HD for iPad. $10.00 and worth it. It has about 10 or 15 planes including the B2 wing, a Columbia Cessna (new) and many others. Photo real flight zones, flaps and spoilers, some have auto pilot, (the cool Avanti doesnt, I put in a request for it though). Isnt the full world, only selectable zones with super high rez ground terrain. This is a 'App' version, not the full blown regular PC version, so for those that want FS, you need a big computer for that. This is iPad/iPhone App technology, and for the platform, this sim is AWESOME...
THE HARBOR
Great game with an elaborate story line and some BRILLIANT graphics. I played it so much and finished it and now Im burnt out on it, but highly recommend it. Basically you are in the Rennaisance era and you are a Dock Master and import/export person. You dock these ships and they load what you assign them via what they reqeust. Basically its like air traffic, landing planes, but here its ships and cargo. (WarShips is far more fun, but addictive).
Thats it. Some fun stuff. My camera dock kit finally shipped from Apple yesterday. I want to be able to upload photos from iPhone to iPad easier without sending them to sites and transferring them back. Must be an easier way. I have Flickr upload Apps that do some stuff, but no direct-to software. I think the new iOS4 will get around that.
Bill
