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Forget about saving your newspapers and bundling them for recycling. Forget about printed magazines with their smelly perfume ads and annoying subscription cards. That’s done with.
The iPad can deliver all that information faster and cheaper. Don’t believe us? Take a look at the 50 best iPad apps for staying informed (and entertained).
iPad News
AP News iPad App
1) AP News (Free): The scrapbook-style user interface of this app isn’t for everyone, but some will appreciate the randomness and flexibility it brings to presenting the news. The app offers both articles and photos.
2) BBC News (Free): For a world-view of what’s happening, consult the BBC News app. It’s a reliable alternative to the more selective offerings of U.S. news organizations.
3) The Early Edition ($4.99): This app mimics the look of a traditional newspaper and lets you select the type of content that matters to you.
4) Financial Times (Free): Enjoy this while it’s free, because that only lasts through July 31. After that, you’ll need a $3.59 per week subscription.
5) Fluent News Reader (Free): This simple news aggregator gets it right, offering the perfect mix of stories and sources so that you’re on top of the important issues taking place.
6) Instapaper ($4.99): Ever see a great article online, but didn’t have time to read it? With Instapaper, you can save those articles with one touch, then have them sync to your iPad for later enjoyment.
7) News Browser ($.99): Call up all the top news sites at once. This news aggregator uses a tabbed interface that lets you quickly see what each site is reporting. A bookmark feature lets you save stories for offline reading.
8) Newspapers for iPad ($4.99): If you like to get your news from several different papers, you’re going to love this app. It’s a directory of thousands of newspapers with free online content.
9) NPR for iPad (Free): Better than a tote bag, the NPR iPad app lets you read or listen to the latest news stories and other programming from National Public Radio.
10) NYT Editors’ Choice (Free): The New York Times is tired of giving it all away for free, but at least you can enjoy this daily selection of top stories for no money. Just don’t expect the crossword.
11) Pulse News Reader ($3.99): This visual news reader takes up to 20 sources that you follow and creates a visual mosaic of the news. It now supports offline reading, so you can get the news even without an Internet connection.
12) Reuters News Pro (Free): Get the latest from the trusted news agency. Personalize the app with a geographic-specific view, so you see the top news for your area.
13) The Sun ($7.99): This app automatically downloads the entire printed Sun newspaper from Monday to Saturday, so you’ve got it all on-hand for offline reading.
14) USA Today (Free): Get the latest from the United States’ most colorful news source. This app offers current stories from the news, money, sports, and life sections.
15) The Wall Street Journal (Free): Although the app is free, you’ll need to register to access all the free content. And to get absolutely everything, you’ll need to be a subscriber.
iPad Magazines
iCreate iPad App
16) iCreate Magazine ($1.99): Mac users, enjoy this creative Apple magazine on your iPad. Single issues sell for $4.99 each, with six-month subscriptions available for $26.99.
17) MacUser Magazine ($.99): America’s favorite Apple magazine is a natural fit for the iPad. The $.99 price includes the full current issue. After that, issues are $2.99 each or $29.99 for a six-month subscription (which, oddly, is not a savings over the single-issue price).
18)Zinio Newsstand and Reader (Free): A highly popular app because it aggregates content from many magazines – 2,000 titles by one count – and allows you to purchase what you want. Think of it as a “newsstand on your iPad.”
19) Newsweek (Free): Downloading the free Newsweek app gets you a special digital edition called “Politics in the Age of Obama.” If you want more, weekly issues go for $2.99 each.
20)Outside Magazine ($2.99): Get the best of the outdoor lifestyle magazine with this visually-impressive app. Individual issues also for $2.99 each.
21)Paris Match (Free): This app is meant as an introduction to the kinds of news and cultural content you can expect with Paris Match. Individual issues of the Gallic staple go for $1.99 each.
22) Popular Science+ ($4.99): Want to know what’s new and what’s next in the world of technology? This app gets you the current issue, with other issues selling for $2.99 or $4.99 each.
23) Time Magazine (Free): Although the leading newsweekly’s app is free, later issues will cost you $4.99 each. That’s pretty aggressive pricing, especially when you consider that Newsweek issues go for $2 less.
24) Vanity Fair Magazine ($4.99): As of this writing, purchasing this app gets you the full July issue, as well as photo outtakes and video. Later issues sell for $3.99.
25) Wired Magazine ($4.99): Purchasing this app not only gets you the current issue, but several iPad extras including videos, music, and slideshows. The store doesn’t list a price for later issues.
26) Women’s Health (Free): This magazine’s digital edition includes step-by-step videos, instant polls, and the ability to share favorite stories. Later issues cost $3.99 or $4.99.
27) GQ Magazine ($4.99): Downloading this app gets you the full current issue of the world’s best known men’s style magazine. Subsequent issues are $2.99 each, which is a nice savings.
28) X360 Magazine ($1.99): Xbox 360 fans will love having the premiere Xbox magazine with them. Single issues go for $3.99 or $4.99, with a six-month subscription selling for $21.99.
iPad TV
ABC TV iPad App
30) ABC Player (Free): Why aren’t there more iPad apps like this one? In time, there will be. Did you miss an ABC show and forget to record it? Then turn to the ABC Player, which lets you stream full-length episodes of current shows.
31) The Colbert Report’s The Word ($2.99): Purchase this app and you can stream the popular The Word segment from any episode of The Colbert Report. The only way this app could be better is if it streamed full episodes.
32) MTV News (Free): Keep current on everything in the worlds of music, movies, television, celebrities, and gaming. This app brings you video reports and print stories, including exclusives found nowhere else.
33) OrbLive ($9.99): You don’t need to transfer all the great content on your desktop to your iPad. Just get OrbLive and the Orb desktop application, and you can stream any local content you like. There’s also a free version that lets you sample the streaming quality before you buy.
34) TWiT Touch ($.99): Tech geeks need to have their regular dose of This Week In Technology, and this app lets you watch live and on-demand content from the whole TWiT network. You can even chat during live shows.
iPad Movies and Videos
Dailymotion iPad App
36)Dailymotion Premium ($1.99): YouTube isn’t the only game in town. With this Dailymotion app, you can watch millions of videos on a variety of topics. With the iPhone 3GS or 4, you can even upload videos. There’s also a free version of the app that includes ads.
37) Disney Movies (Free): There are plenty of Disney-lovers out there, and this is the ideal app for them. Watch videos for the latest Disney films or find out what’s coming to theaters soon. You can also use the app to buy tickets.
38)Movies (Free): Not sure what to see in the theaters? Movies can help you make up your mind. Use this app to watch trailers, get reviews from Rotten Tomatoes, and look up show times.
39) Imax TV ($4.99): Watch visually stunning movies on your iPad. This app presents 12 films that were originally shown in Imax theaters. All of them present the beauty of nature.
40) Joost (Free): Entertain yourself with this app’s selection of online videos, on topics including news, gossip, music, action, and comedy. Browse by category or view the favorites of the Joost editors.
41)Movies Now HD ($1.99): Find out what’s playing near you with this app. Browse through movie posters and get info on new releases. You can also use it to buy tickets at over 1,000 theaters.
42)mSpot Movies (Free): Your iPad becomes a movie theater with mSpot, which lets you rent and watch full-length movies at any time. You can even pause a movie and start it again later. The description says it works over 3G, but you’ll probably want to limit it to Wi-Fi networks for best results.
43)AirVideo/a> ($2.99): Enables you to stream videos from your Mac or PC to your iPad, so you don’t need to use storage space on your iPad (those movie/TV files gobble up space). Quite a helpful app.
44)Netflix (Free): Netflix Unlimited members now have one more reason to love Netflix. With this app, members can instantly watch anything available for instant streaming. You can watch titles as often as you like, and pause or restart anytime.
45) Sony Pictures (Free): Use this app to view HD trailers for upcoming Sony releases and even buy tickets through Fandango. Games including Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune make it a helpful time-killer.
iPad Weather
Weatherbug iPad App
46) WeatherBug Elite (Free): This must-have weather app is free for a limited time, so grab it now. It offers comprehensive weather information and the ability to personalize the report you get.
47) The Weather Channel Max (Free): The biggest name in weather brings you full screen weather maps, detailed reports for any location, and even local traffic cams for select cities.
48) Weather HD ($.99): No ordinary weather app, Weather HD puts the iPad’s large screen to good effect. It offers gorgeous full-screen high-definition videos that immerse you in current and future conditions.
49) WunderMap (Free): This app presents the weather as an interactive map. Scroll around and view information from over 16,000 storm stations. Zoom into an area to view animated radar reports.
