Team Stream HD is brought to you by Bleacher Report, the Web’s leading publisher of original and entertaining sports content, and one of the fastest growing sports media Web sites in the U.S. . Bleacher Report provides more than 22 million monthly visitors first-rate sports commentary, giving them stories they want to read in real-time about the teams and topics that are most interesting to them. Bleacher Report works with a number of national and regional publishing partners including USA Today and Los Angeles Times. With the innovation, knowledge, experience and information of Bleacher Report, Team Stream HD is most definitely one of the most informative sport iPad apps available. It allows the user to view articles and footage that have been carefully selected from various sources on the internet by Bleacher Report editors; and which are customized to suite his/her interests. The user is also given access to Twitter updates, and can comment on articles or even share them.

The user is able to add his/her location, and then add and edit teams or sports, to allow the app to customize the news and information it provides. The home screen displays the biggest current sport stories from around the world, as well as the top stories for the user’s sport or teams of choice. The user can browse stories on this home screen, or select sports or teams from his/her list to access more specific information. The refresh button, and real-time alerts for breaking news ensure that the user gets the most up-to date news possible.  The user can read Tweets from sport-writers and athletes, access various Websites, and share comments on the editorial pieces. In addition, the user can post articles to Facebook or Twitter, email links, or send to Instapaper.

Team Stream HD is a well-presented, easy to use and highly informative iPad app. Avid sports fans, as well as people involved in the sport industry would most definitely enjoy the real-time newsfeed that this app provides. Team Stream HD gives its user all the information he/she needs from various sources at one location, and quickly. There is no need to visit multiple sites, when you can use Team Stream HD, and get the full picture at one place.

With its well-designed, colourful layout, this iPad app is so simple that kids as young as 4 or 5 can immediately begin playing and learning with no adult involvement. Learning happens in the form of a game in which kids are shown a picture, and shown the letters in a jumbled order. They must then spell the word either by dragging and dropping the letters, or typing them using a keyboard. The app also provides auditory reinforcement by allowing kids to hear the word being spelled. After every few words spelled correctly, kids can choose from a host of prizes to add to a fish tank, which is initially bare, but slowly becomes active and vibrant with magnificent animations. Created by Merge Mobile, this is definitely one of the best iPad apps that teaches spelling.

The app includes over 75 words. These words are divided into 2 lists called: Freefall Numbers and Freefall Words. A third list, called My Words can be edited by typing a new word, recording it, and adding a photograph. Kids can therefore add as many words as they like to the list. They can also add other new lists, and arrange their words in different themes or categories. Kids who are beginner spellers can choose to see hints, whilst more advanced kids can play without hints being provided. The music can be turned on or off, and letters can be shown in lower or upper case. Kids can choose to use the Type Mode, which allows them to type using a Qwerty or Alpha keyboard; the Freefall Mode, which shows the letters falling to the bottom of the screen at differing speeds; or the Word Scramble Mode, which presents the kids with the letters on key cards. While playing, kids can go back to words or skip words, and also hear the word at any time by tapping the little sound icon. The home screen allows users to check out other products available from Merge Mobile; play the game; change the settings; or check out the fish tank  The fish tank is a game in itself. Kids can fiddle with the lighting, clean it, feed the fish, and move the prizes around.

Colourful, user-friendly, and highly interactive, Freefall Spelling is a fantastic tool to assist in teaching children to spell. Kids from as young as 4 or 5 can learn to recognize the letters by playing the game using the hints. Older kids can challenge themselves by adding words they are learning at school, and playing the game without the hints. Besides teaching spelling, this iPad app also helps to develop  fine-motor co-ordination,  and teaches kids how to use the keyboard and sort and organize information. Definitely a worthwhile app.

Toontastic is one of the most creative iPad apps for kids available today. Through stunning layout, accompanied by verbal and written instruction, Toontastic takes kids through the process of creating their own cartoons step-by-step. The app first explains what a cartoon is, and describes the story arc, which is the measure of the story’s emotional energy. The story arc consists of a setup, a conflict, a challenge, a climax, and a resolution. With the aid of the verbal and written instructions, as well as additional useful information, kids work through the process, starting with the setup, and ending with the resolution.  Settings and characters  can be selected from a range of templates provided by the app, or kids can draw in their own. With each scene, movement and sound can be added and music can be selected from a range of genres with differing emotions. The final result is a magnificent story, with a beginning, a middle, and an end, which has been created by the kids themselves, and which they can share with other Toontastic users throughout the world.

A detailed parent and teacher guide provides parents and teachers with the information they need, and gives them advise on how to encourage the kids’ creativity and thought processes. Additional settings and characters can be purchased from the toy store to add to the collection already in the app, and template characters can be edited. Additional scenes can be added to add new dimensions to the plot, and scenes can be moved around. The cartoon can therefore be as simple, or as complex as the user would like it to be. Of course at any stage, characters and scenes can be edited and deleted. The cartoon is a work-in-progress, which kids can change as many times as they like, and the final result may be entirely different to the initial idea that the kids had. The Toontube feature allows kids to share their productions with other Toontastic users, allowing kids to view cartoons that have been created all over the world. In addition, they can search for cartoons created by specific users. This feature therefore provides kids with exposure to cultures from around the world, and may even trigger ideas for more stories they would like to create.

This is a fantastic iPad application for kids as young as five years old all the way to adulthood. It provides an excellent learning opportunity;  teaching kids to plan and create a story, considering the storyline, sounds, actions, music, emotions and the message they would like to convey. It most definitely encourages the development of creativity and imagination; organisational skills; and free-thought. The beauty of this iPad app is that all learning happens incidentally, while kids are having fun.

This is one of the most revolutionary iPad apps for use with PDF files. It allows the user to work with PDF files that have been received via email or iTunes file sharing; loaded from Dropbox; or opened from any PDF file generating application. The files can be stored and organised in PDF Forms, which also allows the user to work on, complete and sign them, before sharing, printing or emailing them.

This brilliant iPad app, accompanied with fully comprehensive support, allows the user to create folders using PDF files, and then copy, move, add to zip, rename or delete them. Of course a Search feature is available to help the user find key words in the documents, and a Bookmark feature helps to highlight significant pages. Using the My Signature feature, the user is able to add his/her signature to documents and then edit the colour, thickness or size of the signature, or even move or delete it. My Signature can be edited and saved for use in other documents. A customer signature can also be added for one-time use. A key feature is the ability for the user to add text, which can also be formatted, edited, moved or deleted. With the Free Paint feature the user can make hand-drawn or hand-written adjustments, of any colour, thickness or opacity, and then move or delete them. This feature is particularly useful when jotting down points, or circling and underlining. The user is able to highlight text in a range of colours, and notes can be attached to the highlighted text. Text can also be copied and pasted into the user’s notes. Anything that has been highlighted can of course, also be cleared. Standard, or custom-made stamps can be added to any document, as can images. The user is also able to add and edit pages. Once the user has worked on his/her file, it can then be sent via email, printed, opened in Dropbox or opened in iBooks.

This iPad app has a brilliant lay-out, and is simple and user-friendly, but at the same time, leaves nothing out. Anybody needing to save, organise, edit, complete, format, print and share PDF files would most definitely find PDF Forms an absolute neccessity. With this exquisite app, forms can be completed, and agreements signed seamlessly, without the user having to hold a piece of paper.

Of all the agenda and calendar iPad apps available, this has got to be the simplest, and most user-friendly. Using the local iOS calendar app, Agenda Calendar supports Google Calendar, iCloud, Microsoft Exchange, and any other iOS calendar. This iPad application takes away the unnecessary details leaving its user with only the information he/she needs to know. It enables the user to have a broad overview of the year; scan the events for the month; check out what lies ahead for the week; or narrow down to just today. The user is able to quickly and easily find any date, using a variety of techniques, and then add events to the calendar. These events can then be synced with the other calendars being used. Wherever the user is within the app, he/she can tap on the target icon to take him/her to today. Of course events can be shared via Email.

A variety of settings can be changed allowing the user to adjust the layout, design, format, and usability of the app. For example: birthdays can be indicated; dots can be used to show events; a 24-hour clock can be used; Monday can be used as the default beginning of the week; today’s date can be added to the badge on the notification centre; weekends can be highlighted; the theme of the calendar can be adjusted; a variety of funky sounds can alert the user to events; and many more….The most exciting feature of this app is Status Taps, which allow the user to send standard messages to the attendees of the event  to confirm the event, or confirm arrival or lateness. Any other customized message can also be created using Status Taps. In addition, Status Taps make addresses tapable to open the Maps application. The Share feature allows the user to Email or copy an event. In iOS5, event alerts can be shown in the notification centre and lock screen. The day view is equipped with a search feature, and week numbers can be shown in the month view. The iPad application is available in a variety of languages and help and support are readily available to the user.

Agenda Calendar increases productivity by streamlining the calendar to help students, housewives and business people better manage their time. This is a clear, simple, attractive and user-friendly iPad app which features only the tools that most of us would choose to use. Why wade through mounds of information overload when you can manage your day using only the information you really need?

Slot Racing HD is one of the best iPad apps providing a realistic re-creation of a real toy. The game can be played by 1 or 2 players, who can select from a wide range of authentic-looking cars, and then select a track. They can also choose whether they would like to race 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25 laps. The race begins on the green light, at which time, each player touches the button matching the colour of his/her car. This causes the car to accelerate. The skill of the game is all about knowing when to accelerate and when to slow down. Speeding around bends causes the cars to jump off the track. When this happens, the players must hold down on a flashing light to return their cars to the track.

Players can change the volume of the music and sounds, or choose to turn them off completely. They can also select to play on levels that are easy, medium and hard. The more difficult the level, the more time it takes to get the car back on the track once it has come off. Instructions provided are clear and simple, but the game is fairly self explanatory and skill most definitely comes with practise. The game features  a wide range of cars and also a diverse range of tracks, all with different settings. Each game therefore ensures an entirely different experience for the players. The graphics are brilliant, and excellent animations surprise the players throughout the game. Players can decide to play in the desert, with hot air balloons passing by; at night in Vegas; or even in the snowy Alps. The game can also be paused at any time, and then either quit or continued.

There are countless games available on the iPad today, and particularly racing ones, but Slot Racing HD fits into a unique niche.  Combining the authentic replication of the real games, with the diversity, graphics, animation and sound of today’s technology, this game is beautifully laid-out, extremely user-friendly, and most definitely one to be enjoyed by adults and kids alike. Play yesterday’s game, with all the benefits of today, with this superb iPad application.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

App Developer:  NewspaperDirect Inc

With this brilliant  iPad application, the user is provided access to up-to-date news in various languages from around the globe. In order to get the user started, PressReader provides recommendations to him/her, based on the most popular newspapers at the location of the iPad. The user is then able to download the recommended ones, or search for others that interest him/her. The user can either download a single edition of a newspaper, or subscribe to a newspaper for a period of time. The app is free and the user is provided with 7 free downloads, after which he /she pays for issues and subscriptions. With its full digital replicas of newspapers, PressReader provides a traditional newspaper-reading experience. The reader can click on highlighted headlines to read the articles, or even listen to the articles using Newspaper Radio. This is definitely one of the best News iPad apps available.

The user is able to choose titles according to country or language, or search for a particular title. He/she can then sort the titles alphabetically, by popularity, or by date of release. It is also possible to  read, search, filter and sort top stories. Newspapers purchased are stored using the My Newspapers feature, which also allows the user to sort his/her newspapers, or search for titles. Various settings can be adjusted and the search requirements can be specified by the user. Titles can also be deleted or rearranged at any time. When reading the purchased titles, the user can enjoy the realistic experience of paging through them either using arrow keys or a finger swipe, and can view either 1 or 2 pages at a time.  Pages or articles can be printed, and articles can  be shared via E-mail, Twitter or Facebook; or copied and pasted. By pressing and holding the screen, the user is provided access to various capabilities, as well as the option to give his/her opinion on the articles. The Smart Flow feature enables the user to scroll through the pages horizontally, scanning for items of interest. Smart Zoom allows the user to quickly align with the beginning of an article. Finally, the text size and the font can be changed.

The design and layout of this iPad app are excellent. While the features available are numerous and extremely useful, they were found to be a little complicated at times. That said, however, PressReader provides its user with an unbelievably realistic newspaper-reading experience. It is certainly a must for anybody who enjoys reading and comparing a range of newspapers, or anybody wanting to purchase newspapers from abroad. The more this app is used, the more features are discovered.

This iPad application streams new content from Forbes.com, allowing its user to experience the articles and stories with particular focus on photos and videos. The iPad app enables its user to customize the experience by choosing how he/she views text, images and footage; creating a list of items of personal interest; and tracking his/her history. One of the best ipad apps to enjoy all that Forbes has to offer.

One of the most helpful iPad apps available to presenters – Exhibitview is definitely a worthwhile tool. Projects are created using documents, images and audio-visual media from Dropbox. The items are selected and then imported from Dropbox into the projects. The items can be customised for presentation and finally projected onto screen or printed. The app gives the user access to various tools which help to support his/her arguments or ideas while presenting.

The user is able to create new projects, and then add to those projects using items from Dropbox. Projects can be viewed alphabetically or chronologically, and the files or items within each project can be re-named. When the user is looking for items, Exhibitview allows him/her to view only documents, only images, only audio-visual media, or all items simultaneously. Items can therefore be found swiftly and efficiently. In addition, the search feature assists the user in finding the items he/she needs. Projects or items can be deleted from Exhibitview at any time. The audience sees only what they are supposed to see, while all of the back-end preparation and organisation is done simultaneously, using the same iPad, out of the audience’s view. While the presentation is in progress, the user is able to use various tools to make his her her point quickly, easily, and effectively. These tools include:

• a call-up zoom, which allows the user zoom in on the information he/she wishes to highlight
• a rotate button, which ensures the best visibility for the audience
• a highlight button, which highlights the important information
• a free-hand tool, which allows the presenter to circle or draw on the items
• undo and redo buttons
• an eraser, which works specifically on the freehand drawings without disturbing the original items
• a print feature, which enables the user to print information that can be used as hand-outs
• a screenshot button, which takes a snapshot of the screen at any particular time
• a pinch and zoom tool

In addition the screen can be cleared or the app can be disconnected from the projector at any time.

The display screen is split in 2, to enable the user to display 2 items simultaneously, for example an image and a document, or 2 different documents. The presentation mode effectively ensures that the presentation is live and active, while the screen lock mode, keeps the screen static, so that when the iPad is passed around it stays in the desired view. Support is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Flexible, practical and user-friendly – this iPad application allows lawyers, and anybody else who needs to make presentations, collect, organise, store and use information, and in so doing, present effectively. With Exhibitview, the presenter has all the information needed in one place and is able to jump from file to file, drawing attention to vital information, without losing the momentum of the argument. An outstanding tool that is without doubt an asset to any good presentation.

A brilliant collaboration between Juho Jussila Oy – who produces classic wooden toys; Amo Oy – Finland’s largest domestic importer and marketer of toys and games; and Into-Digital Oy, who helps customers succeed with digital media – this iPad application is superbly designed to replicate the original wooden shape-sorting toy that has been available since 1923. Targeted at toddlers between the ages of 1 and 3, Jukka Askare  is fun, user-friendly, and tried and tested by adults and kids. On opening the iPad app, shapes ranging in colour are spilled out of the wooden box onto the floor. With the slide of a finger, kids are then required to sort the shapes, dragging them into the appropriate slots.

Jukka Askare features brilliant sound effects, colours, and realistic 3D animation. The user-friendly design allows kids to instinctively know how to use it. With its self-correcting feature, and little cheering icon, kids can most certainly operate this app with absolutely no adult input. Adults can, however, provide additional stimulation by encouraging kids to talk about the various shapes and colours. Additionally, kids are able to return to the beginning at any stage of the game with the use of the re-start feature.

An iPad application that is brilliantly simple – Jukka Askare is an exact replica of the original shape-sorter. It teaches children vital concepts such as colour, shape and size; and allows them to practice geometry and spatial orientation as well as hand-eye co-ordination. Due to the fact that there is no language included in the design of the iPad application, it can be used and appreciated universally. Parents can then provide additional verbal stimulation at their discretion. Whilst virtual toys certainly cannot replace their real-life counterparts, since they don’t provide the same tactile experience;  they are most definitely convenient, take up less space, and supplement all the benefits that real toys provide. In addition,  they assist in introducing kids to the technical skills which are so much a part of life today. Jukka Askare is a highly-recommended iPad application for any children between the ages of 1 and 3, allowing them to practice, learn and experience, and at the same time, have fun. We look forward to many more superb iPad applications from this fantastic collaboration.

MeetingMinutes is one of those unique ipad apps. MeetingMinutes assists in project co-ordination by enabling the user to enter the minutes of meetings within a specific framework. The minutes are displayed on the screen as a form which the user is merely required to complete. Among the details that need to be entered are: details of the project; the purpose of the meeting; the agenda; the members; issues discussed; discussion aspects, and resulting actions required. The minutes can then be e-mailed to the members of the meeting. The minutes are stored within the iPad app for future reference.

A splendidly spectacular Christmas experience for preschoolers. This iPad application provides kids with many hours of fun and excitement, while incidentally teaching them vital reading, writing, mathematics, spacial, and fine-motor skills that will provide the foundation for future learning. One of the most worthwhile iPad Apps for this time of year.

Based on the original books by renowned education expert and founder of a well-known baby programme – Dr. Lin Day, this iPad application is a must-have for all preschoolers celebrating Christmas. Stagecoach was the first educational course developed for under 5s and it has been helping to educate globally for over 20 years. This iPad application is the first of a series that will be brought to the iPad, and the app is designed based on the same principles as the educational course – that a solid foundation in the early years, allows more complex structures to be built in later life; and that learning comes naturally and should be fun and stress-free.

The simple yet appealing layout divides the app into an About page; followed by 33 pages each with different fun and exciting activities for kids; and finally a credits page encouraging users to rate the application, and share on Facebook and Twitter. On the About page parents can read about Stagecoach and how it works; the Christmas Project Pack; practical steps to success, and more. Kids can scroll through the pages, selecting ones they would like to do. Activities include drawing, writing and colouring, and teach the letters of the alphabet, numbers 1 to 20, and important motor and spacial skills. Simple icons allow the kids to start a worksheet again; assess their progress; choose writing tools and colours; erase; zoom; Email, save, and share on Twitter or Facebook; or move between pages. Users also have the option to listen to music, sound effects or verbal instruction; or play in silence and read the instructions. The iPad application is available in English and German.

This is a simply brilliant iPad application for kids and parents alike. Parents are provided with the guidelines to help them ensure that their kids are benefiting from the experience; and kids are having fun. Without realizing it, they are learning to draw, colour, read, write and count; and they are developing skills that will provide them with a solid basic foundation on which to build their future educations. Activities are specific, but opportunities for creativity are infinite!

Make notes, write lists, jot down ideas, draw pictures and diagrams, or brainstorm, using this brilliant iPad app. Penultimate allows its user to write down thoughts in real time – making notes the way it comes naturally. The notes can then be customized, organized, shared and stored, or even deleted. The possibilities are endless.

On opening the iPad app, the user views a welcome note, talking him/her through the basic features. Penultimate allows the user to create notebooks that can be handwritten, or written using a stylus. The user can create an infinite number of notebooks, with an infinite number of pages. The flexibility of the format ensures that every thought can be recorded, whether it be in words or images. There are no limitations. Notebooks can be copied from iTunes or sent to iTunes, emailed, printed, or pages can be saved to photos. When emailing, the user has the option to send the notebooks as Penultimate files,  which can be shared for collaboration with other Penultimate users. Notebooks can also be duplicated or merged into each other, and of course deleted when they are no longer needed. Notebooks can be viewed in different formats, and a number of settings can be customized. These settings include:

• Wrist Protection – which stops the wrist from interfering with the writing process.
• Wrist Position – which tells wrist protection where the hand touches the glass when writing.
• Tools On Top – which moves the tools from the bottom to the top of the screen.
• Include Paper Design – which can be used when sending, printing or projecting.

When a notebook is open, the user is able to view all of the pages simultaneously, and then delete, duplicate or move them, or even insert new ones. The iPad application provides the user with various colour options, as well as different line thicknesses, and the user is able to write or draw, erase, cut, copy, paste, clear pages, and undo or redo operations. Three paper types are available to choose from, and paper types can be created using photos already saved in the photo albums. In addition, there are a variety of paper types available to purchase from The Paper Shop. Photos from the photo albums can be inserted into notes, and notes can be saved to the photo albums.

The user is also able to read up about Penultimate and the recommended accessories, as well as access help and support at any time.

This iPad application, available in a variety of languages, can be used by adults to  jot down ideas and improve their productivity at home. It can also be used in the work environment, either in the boardroom; to brainstorm, or to give a presentation. With its simple layout, and user-friendly features Penultimate can be used by teachers as a teaching aid, or by kids to play, create, study, or make notes. This iPad application allows everybody using it to be productive instinctively!

This iPad application works with notes in the form of words or images. It allows the user to create new notes, or use ones that already exist. The user can organise his/her notes using  the iPad apps familiar, simple and user-friendly layout. An unlimited number of folders and sub-folders can be added. (Meteor Notes Lite is available as a free iPad application, but only stores a limited number of notes.) The user is able to select from various options to customise his/her notes. Ultimately, the notes can be organised, stored, shared or printed.

With the iPad apps search feature, there is no need to remember where notes are filed. The name of the folder, or a key word, can simply be typed in and the note will be found. Notes can also be deleted, renamed or moved quickly and easily.

Options that allow for customisation of notes are:

• The font of both the title and contents of the notes.
• The theme, which enables the user to view the notes with a night, white or black background.
• The bullets and lists, which can be automatic and included as a toolbar on the keypad.
• The Dropbox account.
• The Dropbox backup.

Meteor Notes enables the user to take a new photo using his/her camera, or use existing photos from the Photos library. The iPad application is able to import notes already created in other applications from Gmail or Dropbox, as well as backup notes to Dropbox. The user can access notes from his/her computer by broadcasting them directly from Meteor Notes over local WiFi. Notes can also be printed and emailed. Information and tips are provided to the user in the form of notes that have already been set up in a folder called My iPad.

Students, housewives, business people, and in fact anybody, can most definitely improve their productivity substantially by using Meteor Notes as a planning and organisational tool. Why spend hours writing and tearing up notes on scraps of paper, only to find that ultimately there is no time to actually get anything done? Whilst in order to achieve maximum productivity, it is essential to have effectively created, stored and shared notes, note taking has got to be quick and easy, and Meteor Notes ensures just that!

Weather Live is a superb, fully-comprehensive weather-forecasting tool. This iPad application is able to give detailed accounts of current and upcoming weather conditions in multiple locations with the slide of a finger. Weather Live allows the user to see the temperature in a selected location even when the iPad App is not open. The user is able to add various locations and then select the one to be analyzed, after-which the time and detailed weather forecast is displayed full-screen, with stunning graphics which provide a real sense of what it would be like to be looking out the window.

With this iPad application, the user is able to select the device’s current location, or create a list of locations, and that list can be edited quickly and simply at any stage. With the slide of a finger, the user is able to switch locations, and compare the forecasts and times within them. The user is able to select a settings icon, and then adjust the settings to suite his/her requirements. The display settings that can be customized include: the weather, the clock, the brightness, and the auto-lock. The layout settings can be changed to allow the user to view: all of the details; the short-term forecast; the long-term forecast; the current state only; or the text only. Depending on the settings chosen, the iPad application allows the user to view: the current temperature, as well as how it feels; the expected high and low; current cloud-cover; the time and date either in the selected location or where the device is currently located; current humidity, precipitation, wind, air pressure, and visibility; and forecasts for the day and week. As the iPad is activated, the user is able to see the temperature in the selected location, and is alerted when the temperature goes below zero, without even opening the application.  Information about the iPad application and detailed help are also available. 

We may not be able to change it, but we certainly can be prepared for it. So whether you are travelling; have a special event planned; or have family, friends or business associates abroad, it most definitely helps to know what Mother Nature will be sending our way. With Weather Live you can choose to get all the details, or merely the date, time and temperature of any given place in real time or in advance. Let the exquisite graphics and animations of this iPad application not only provide you with information, but also an experience.