By Steve Young, CIO Advisor
There is one device that follows me around all the time at work, when going to meetings, while traveling—and it also goes home with me each night. It is my iPad. It is my ultimate productivity tool. I see many tech directors, CIOs, principals, and superintendents carrying theirs around as well. But what often surprises me is how many leaders just use their iPad for email and Web browsing, not exploring many of the fantastic iPad productivity apps that really can make this device shine. Many great iPad productivity apps can help leaders become more organized and effective.
So I want to share many of the apps that I find very useful below in my productivity app list. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it ought to really help you get a great start on using your iPad for more than email and Web browsing.
Note: All prices are accurate as of 10/28/2012.
Stock iPad Apps
Safari
Web Browser
Included with iPad
Contacts
Syncs with Exchange (Outlook) and Google
Included with iPad
Syncs with Exchange (Outlook) and Google
Included with iPad
Calendar
Syncs with Exchange (Outlook) and Google
Included with iPad
Camera
Takes pictures and video.
Included with iPad
Photos
Access, email, and share your photos.
Included with iPad
FaceTime
Real time video conference with other iOS users.
Included with iPad
Notetaking Apps
Evernote
The e-filing note cabinet of choice – use as your memory. Stores emails, text notes & audio. Syncs across many devices and web. You can easily share notes.Includes a great search feature!
Free
Notability
Any easy to use simple text, written, audio and photo note app – email or PDF notes.
$0.99
GoodReader
PDF annotation and reader software – a bit complex but very powerful, with Google Drive and Box support amongst many others.
$4.99
PDF Expert
Simple PDF annotation with WiFi transfer and Box support.
$9.99
Audio Memos Free
Voice recorder, email up to 3mb files, WiFi download.
Free
Dragon Dictation
Voice to text transcriptions.
Free
Office Apps
Pages, Numbers, and Keynote
Apple’s GREAT office apps for Word Processing, spreadsheet, and presentations. These are the apps to use if using iPad for content creation.
$9.99 each
QuickOffice Pro HD
All in one office suite – edits Microsoft Office docs and syncs with Box.net and WiFi file transfer. This more affordable suite is geared towards just editing.
$19.99
CloudOn
Cloud-Based MS Office with Box synchronization
Free
Digits Calculator
Great desktop calc with editable, comment-able eTape that can be emailed.
$1.99
Dictionary.com
Great dictionary and thesaurus.
Free
BookApps
iBooks, Nook & Kindle
eBooks from the big three.
Free
News Apps
Pulse
Incredible customizable news aggregator.
Free
Another great customizable news aggregator.
Free
News360
Great news aggregator with excellent social media integration.
Free
Other Useful Apps
Box
Box is a great secure corporate level file sharing service. Use this app to synchronize files to the cloud and web browser.Can sync files between computer and iPad.
Free
Great social networking tool to expand your PLN.
Free
iThoughtsHD
Easy mind mapping with Image & PDF export, Box, and WiFi sync.
$9.99
Skitch
Simple annotation app – take a photo and mark up ideas and notes (syncs to Evernote).
Free
Explain Everything
Annotate and narrate on screen then export video – great way to narrate presentations then share.
$2.99
VDI and Remote Desktop Clients (I use Citrix)
There are many virtual desktop clients that you can often use to access work from remote locations or which you can use at work to get a full Windows desktop on your iPad.
Vary
Steve Young is CTO of Judson ISD in Texas and founder of the San Antonio Area Technology Directors group. He blogs at CTO Technotes, where this is cross posted. Follow him on Twitter as @atemyshorts.
