1Password
?2.39
Unless you actively enjoy identity theft (in which case, you rotter), you've probably accumulated more passwords than the average failing brain can reasonably accommodate. Step forward this supremely useful app, allowing you to automagically log into sites with a single click.
AirVideo
?1.79 (Lite version free)
Complaints about the iPad's relative lack of storage space go out of the window once you add the superb AirVideo app to the system. The ability to stream pretty much anything from your computer's video collection almost instantly is a real bonus, and also being able to do so over the internet (with a bit of fiddling around) means you can basically access your vids anywhere there's a net connection. Once you witness what a beautiful streaming video player the iPad can be, you won't waste time re-encoding video and laboriously synching it all to iTunes; fire up AirVideo and away you go.
Alice for the iPad
?5.49 (Lite version free)
Inspired by Lewis Carroll's legendary fantasy novel, this deliciously illustrated 52-page iPad 'makeover' is awash with beautiful backdrops and interactive 'props' and quirky tilt-sensitive animations. With such a gorgeous attention to detail bursting out of every page, it makes you wish you were three all over again, if only so you can experience that awe and wonder unfettered by the cynicism of age.
Amazon Kindle
Free
Otherwise known as 'If you can't beat 'em, join 'em', the Amazon Kindle app will be a godsend for anyone who has already built up a sizeable digital book collection, with the ability to re-download everything you already own. Much like the iBook, your books all line up rather beautifully, and reading is a joy - but actually buying them is a rather clunky process, involving nipping back and forth from Safari and meddling with the Amazon website. But if you can put up with that minor inconvenience, you've got 450,000 titles to browse...
Angry Birds HD
?2.99
I'm not sure who's angrier; the birds or the poor unfortunates who wind up spending endless hours of their lives fixated on the carefully plotted destruction of allegedly naughty pigs. Although essentially an upscaled, more expensive version of the iPhone classic, it's still such a monumentally addictive game that it demands to be near the top of your shopping list. The curious removal of the iPhone's extra levels is a bit annoying, though.
BBC News
Free
Currently only available from the US iTunes store for reasons too barmy for the rational human brain to mull over, there's a certain perverse satisfaction gleaned from accessing the latest headline news from an app we'e not supposed to see. It's all a bit basic at present, with audio and video snippets to spice things up but its quick, concise format and uncluttered design is actually part of its charm. Being able to stream the World Service live from the app hints at a future when we can listen to all of the Beeb's main stations live on the iPad. We can but hope.
Beatwave
Free
Ever wandered into a music shop and fiddled around with a Yamaha Tenori-on? Well, Beatwave essentially allows the Pad to do the exact same thing for free, creating layers of lovely soothing electronic noises by simply touching little squares on a matrix grid. By varying tempo and pitch, you can create remarkably proficient efforts without even really knowing what the hell you're doing, but with a bit of application (and perhaps by buying some of the in-app instruments and samples) you can turn Beatwave from a mindless distraction into something truly musical.
Broken Sword: Director's Cut HD
?4.99
It might have been released on every format known to man or beast over the past 14 years, but this enduring point and click classic was positively tailor-made for the iPad. As you might expect, its beautiful visuals come to life on Apple's extraordinary screen, while the simple touch-based interface makes it a pleasure to play through. Still one of the best adventures around, so if you've managed to miss out, now's the time.
Comixology / Marvel Comics
Free
As you might expect, the iPad's luxurious screen lends itself extraordinarily well to the world of comics and graphic novels, and Comixology's beautiful reader has wasted no time in bringing a growing library of fan favourites to the format, with loads more certain to arrive in the coming months. Browsing is an absolute delight, allowing you to pan around each page, pinching and zooming in on the fine details, or transitioning between each frame separately.
Civilization Revolution for iPad
?7.49
Alongside Red Alert, Sid Meier's all-time classic strategy series lends itself beautifully well to the iPad, and this fully featured port is the perfect introduction to the empire building title. With a no-compromise approach apparent in every area, the iPad is the perfect home for this moreish brand of turn-based strategy.
Command & Conquer: Red Alert
?7.49
EA's enduring Real Time Strategy classic worked surprisingly well on the iPhone, and this beefed-up iPad version goes even further, with a much more satisfying degree of control over your miniature army. For a game that demands instant precision and crisp visuals, the iPad is a natural home, and RTS fans will be delighted.
Dictionary.com
Free
And if you're a committed member of the Twitterati, then it's probably useful to be able to check the meaning and spelling of that clever word you're about to use before making an utter clown of yourself.
Dropbox
Free
One of the first things anyone should install on any computer, iPod, iPhone or iPad they own, because it will make you life easier than you know. Sync and share any of your files and folders across a multitude of devices, and with 2GB of free storage, you'll be living the cloud computing dream and wondering how you lived without it.
The Early Edition
?2.99
Why bother with officially sanctioned digital publications when you can create your very own newspaper from your favourite RSS feeds? Simply update it first thing in the morning and you'll have an offline personalised newspaper to browse as you travel to work. With an easy-to-use interface, you can quickly and easily tailor feeds to your requirements, with even the ability to funnel feeds into specific sections like a real newspaper. Stylish, easy to personalise and incredibly useful, this is a must-have app.
The Elements For UK & Ireland
?7.99
One of the more obscenely beautiful apps nestling in the App Store and one which, improbably, succeeds in making the periodic table fun and interesting. This 'visual exploration' lets you examine wonderfully detailed 3D models, explore facts and figures and generally experience Chemistry in a whole new way.
ESPN Scorecenter XL
?2.99
For the true sporting nutjob, this is manna from heaven, with a comprehensive array of sports covered from the more American-centric obsessions with NFL, NBA and NHL Baseball, through to more Anglophile passions such as Cricket, Soccer and Rugby Union. To justify the price tag, you now get video highlights, live in-game stats, commentary and loads more.
Fieldrunners for iPad
?4.99
It's true that you can have too many Tower Defence games in your life, as the 4,728 clones on the iPhone proved, but you can never have too much Fieldrunners. Benefitting hugely from the extra screen real estate, Subatomic's frantic title works a charm on the iPad once the pressure's on. With its incessant one-more-go appeal, playing it all over again on the iPad is a real pleasure.
Financial Times
Free
No FT? No problem - just download the this free iPad version of the iconic business paper, complete with fetching pink backdrops, easy to navigate layout and up-to-the-minute news and views. Register now to get free access to the iPad edition until July 31st.
Flight Control HD
?2.99
Probably not the sort of game you should ever introduce to obsessive compulsive types, this expanded HD version is even more terrifyingly addictive. Although the simple premise of guiding aircraft into land remains, the maps have been scaled up dramatically, making for an even bigger plate spinning challenge than it ever was on the small screen. And at three quid, you won't resent buying it all over again, either.
Free Books
Free
Does having instant access to over 23,000 free classic books sound tempting? If you despise the clutter of physical media but want instant access to some of the most enduring out-of-copyright tomes of all-time, then this will be a must-have for literary types. A broad range of authors, styles and eras are covered from the great poets and philosophers through to iconic novelists like Charles Dickens, H.P Lovecraft, Emily Bronte, Lewis Carroll and Bram Stoker. The interface is basic, but for precisely nought pence it'd be rude not to.
FryPaper
Free
The wit and wisdom of Stephen Fry's tech-obsessed blog has been rather pointlessly reformatted for iPad, and is worth it if only to make yourself feel even better about owning Apple's slab. In his own inimitable style, he cheerfully admits "Apple users like me are the uncoolest people on earth: we salivate, dribble, coo, sigh, grin and bubble with delight," and you'll happily nod along to his celebratory rants, comfortable in your deep uncoolness.
Geometry Wars Touch
?5.99
A touch-based Geometry Wars doesn't necessarily sound like the most sensible idea anyone's ever come up with, and the first few attempts at playing certainly bear that out. But once you slowly adapt to the fake twin stick analogue controls, it's not as barmy as it sounds, and with a pixel perfect port showing off the iPad's ludicrously swish screen like no other title, this is the ideal game to proudly show off during the launch phase.
The Guardian Eyewitness
Free
The stunning vibrancy of the iPad's screen is shown off to jaw-dropping effect with this simple app from The Guardian newspaper. Delivering one incredible screen-filling photo a day, Eyewitness offers an inspiring window to the world from the latest headline news events from around the globe.
iBooks
Free
Apple evidently has justifiably high hopes that the iPad can usurp Amazon's Kindle as the defacto digital reading device, and its free iBook app provides a basic but lovely virtual bookcase to store your growing book collection, as well as providing a handy shortcut to the book department of the App Store. With all books providing often generous samples, you can start filling yours shelves immediately without spending a penny.
iFooty
Free (iFooty Plus ?1.79)
The league season might be over with, but with a summer of World Cup action to enjoy, this essential app keeps you up to date with all the current news, fixtures, results, league tables and live text commentary from the beautiful game. If you can put up with a few non-intrusive ads, it won't cost you a penny, either.
IMDb
Free
Who hasn't been lost in an IDMb hole at some time or other? You start off looking up so-and-so's career biog, and before you know it you're poring over endless publicity shots and watching trailers of obscurities and spending money you don't have on a box set you probably won't even get around to watching. Reformatted for the iPad, they haven't really done anything different, but with its lovely layout you'll probably spend even more wasted hours lost in the IMDb void...
iPlayer
Free
The BBC's iPlayer has long been a fantastic means of accessing the broadcaster's rich catalogue of programming, and its recent arrival on the iPad has been justifiably celebrated as one of the must-have additions to the platform. Although not strictly an 'app' in the traditional sense of having to download it from the iTunes store, once you've added a simple shortcut to your dashboard (head to www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer) it have all the usefulness of one, giving you near-instant access to the last seven day's worth of the Beeb's shows.
iWork: Pages, Keynote, Numbers
?5.99 per app
It feels kind of perverse to buy a luxurious touch screen tablet and then spend ages trying to give it all the functionality of a laptop, but if you absolutely have to do some real-life word processing, spreadsheets or presentations on the iPad, then Pages, Keynote and Numbers are all excellent - and bloody cheap. Needless to say, Apple's keyboard add-on is a must for anyone who intends to get the most out of these.
Labyrinth 2 HD
?4.99 (Lite version free)
Although never one of the most glamourous titles in the iPhone canon, few games quite took advantage of the beautiful intuitiveness of the tilt-based gameplay the way Labyrinth does. Now benefitting from more elaborate levels than ever, the faux-3D perspective effect is excellent, giving real depth to the otherwise simple process of tilting a metal ball bearing to safety.
LogMeIn Ignition
?17.99
One of the pricier apps we've come across, but also easily one of the most useful imaginable. Essentially, you can remotely access and take full control of any of your computer desktops right from your iPad screen, allowing you to browse photos, access and update documents and even play games installed on your Mac or PC. In short, this is utterly essential.
Magic Piano
59p
As made famous by Iggy The Cat, this entrancing keyboard app perfectly demonstrates what the iPad's capable of when developers apply a little imagination. Evidently as much fun for household pets as it is musically minded gadget freaks, you'll have endless relaxing fun noodling away trying to master the Final Fantasy Prelude or Für Elise, or simply tinkle away your cares on the spiral keyboard.
Mirror's Edge
?7.49
The joint most expensive game on the system to date, but also one of the iPad's true must-have titles. Eschewing the first person viewpoint used on the full-blown console versions, EA's superb free-running thrill ride opts for the slick fluidity of a side-scrolling perspective - albeit without any compromise on the iconic visual style you'll recall from Faith's 2008 adventure. Inspired by the manic intensity of Canabalt, you must leap, wall run, slide and dash across hazard-strewn rooftops, guiding the nimble Faith via deft swipes and taps in a thrillingly original demonstration of why taking a new approach to old game styles can come off beautifully.
NewsRack
?2.99
For the committed Twitterati, keeping on top of your essential RSS feeds is a must, and what better than to impress your friends and annoy your enemies by doing so from this beautifully laid out iPad version? With the ability to forward your essential links direct to Twitter you can cover yourself in glory in record time.
Paperdesk
?1.19 (Lite version free)
Who doesn't like lists? Frankly, you probably shouldn't be reading this if you don't, but for those who get improbable pleasure from organise their lives, this no-frills notebook app hits the mark with all manner of useful features - like being able to record little voice memos when your hands are out of action.
Pinball HD
?1.79
We're not sure whether Tommy would have been playing by sense of smell, but he probably would have still given Gameprom's supremely polished take on the game the nod. With its three intricately rendered tables blessed with convincingly fluid ball physics and simple, responsive touch screen controls, it sure plays a mean pinball.
Plants Vs Zombies HD
?5.99
Not just one of the best games on the iPad to date, but a contender for one of the best games of the last few years, full stop. This initially innocuous twist on Tower Defence quickly lures you in with its visual charm, but behind the cutesy appearance, PopCap has devised a supremely fun and addictive title. Don't be put off by the higher-than-usual price - with the extra precision afforded by the extra screen size, you'll be grateful for it when the game kicks up a gear in the later levels.
Pressreader
Free
Fancy being able to access around 1,500 newspapers from across the globe? Thought so. With the first seven issues you download thrown in for free (then 59p a pop thereafter), you can grab the latest edition of your favourite daily and have a flick through without having to end up with a mass of dead tree to chuck away after. Beautiful to read in both portrait and landscape mode, this is one of the most essential apps released to date.
Print Central for iPad
?5.99
Promising to print any documents from any source direct to most Wi-Fi printers (or all printers via your PC or Mac), this is an essential app if you want to avoid the faff and just print something out direct from the iPad.
Real Racing HD
?5.99
Driving games are ten-a-penny already on the iPad, but as flash as most of them appear to be, few offer anything more than a cursory novelty. Firemint's offering wins out not through visual grunt (which still has a way to go to take advantage of what the iPad can do), but by delivering a more convincing feel. Played in its excellent dashboard view, there's nothing quite like using your iPad like a steering wheel, and careening around corners.
Reuters News Pro
Free
More comprehensive than the BBC's effort, with tons of new categories to wade through, as well as, photo galleries, and up-to-the-minute stock graphs and currency data. The layout's not as concise as the BBC's, though, and UK users will doubtlessly be slightly irked by the American-centric focus - an instant red card for those who head straight to the sports section.
Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse - Episode One
?3.99
For anyone pining for an adventure game that comes close to matching the peerless genius of the early 90s LucasArts classics, the wait is finally over. With superbly original puzzles, razor sharp dialogue and the usual cast of oddballs and freaks, The Penal Zone is a barnstorming return to form. Although the iPad version could definitely do with an optimisation update, the intuitive point-and-click interface works a charm, and shows exactly why we'll be seeing plenty of adventure titles coming to the format in the future.
Scrabble for iPad
?5.99
On any other platform, computerised Scrabble seems like a deathly dull prospect, but on the iPad it makes perfect sense. Essentially a souped-up version of the officially-quite-good iPhone edition, the extra screen size has allowed EA to deliver the ultimate no-compromise version, benefitting from a superb interface, and a new party play mode for up to four players.
Sky Mobile TV News and Sports
?35 per month subscription
If money is no object (and let's face it, you've already coughed up for an iPad...), then shelling out ?35 a month to be able to view Sky Sports' programming live on your iPad during the World Cup may well be the smuggest thing you'll ever do. Then again, when you can get the exact same service on the iPhone for ?6 a month, you may well balk at paying such a hefty premium for the privilege - especially if you've already got a full-blown Sky sub running already.
TapTap Radiation
Free
You can always rely on Tapulous to find new and interesting ways to batter our lovely touch-screen devices into submission, and this one is its most accomplished offering yet. The usual rhythm-action premise remains, but with a bigger screen to play with, the visuals are more varied and psychedelic than ever, while the ever-shifting pressure pads make it a challenge to keep up with its increasingly insistent demands. With plenty of songs packs to bolt-on this is more fun than it has any reasonable right to be for a freebie.
Toy Story Read-Along
Free
Ahead of the release of the long-awaited third movie in the series, this free offering from Disney gives a glimpse into the possibilities of interactive storytelling on the iPad. Designed primarily for nippers learning to read, this superb little app highlights each word as it goes along, and also allows you to record your own voice over the top - so parents can read to their kids even when they're away. With a brilliant colouring pad feature thrown in for good measure, children's bedtime stories will never be the same again.
TweetDeck
Free
If you've bought an iPad, you're probably the sort of person who likes giddily telling the world about it in 140 characters, several times a day. With tiny url links to twitpics. You're tweeting about it right now, aren't you?
Wired
?2.99
The fruits of a year in development, this iPad edition of Wired Magazine has undoubtedly blazed a trail in the burgeoning world of tablet publishing. Rather than go for the lazy PDF port approach of many of its competitors, Wired opts for a tactile multimedia experience, with embedded videos, audio clips, and animated features which truly bring the content to life in ways that marry the best elements of traditional publishing with digital connectivity. Although somewhat ad heavy, somehow you don't mind, with content that positively demands your attention.
World Atlas HD
?1.19
There's always something oddly fascinating about gazing at maps, and for a meagre sum you can now access National Geographic's collection of beautiful wall maps in high definition, complete with three levels of zoom to let you zoom into country-level detail. Beware, though - you'll need to be online to get the most out of it.
Worms HD
?2.99
Battling it out with Broken Sword and Pac-Man for the record of having been released on the most number of platforms, Team 17's evergreen title gets brownie points for being one of the very few iPad ports which costs the same as the iPhone equivalent. Endlessly replayable, furiously addictive turn-based fun with squeaky voiced audio - what's not to like? It won't exactly show off the amazing capabilities of the platform, but you'll still probably be playing in for years to come, so who cares?
Zinio
Free
We all know that the iPad makes for a deluxe book reading device, but it also serves as an excellent means of enjoying digital editions of your favourite magazines, from the NME to National Geographic - available for tempting prices through this useful portal app.