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Useful iPad Apps for the D.C. Professional

So, you’ve been issued an iPad and your Systems Administrator has set you up with your email. What’s next?

Mobile devices like the iPad are starting to fill a variety of roles for their users.  They serve as information gatherers, productivity enhancers, and even content producers.  But once you and your new toy are finally left alone, what should you do with it?

There are a plethora of informative apps out there, for good reason. The iPad is the perfect tool to get all your news in one convenient place. You can sit down with it and receive more information than a dozen or more newspapers would provide you.

WPCNN

The Washington Post for iPad and CNN App for iPad are dedicated apps where you can read and watch the news.

HP

The Hill HD and POLITICO for iPad can provide you with all your Capitol Hill-related information.

HD

Intellicast HD is a handy weather forecast app to plan your day by. You can even watch streaming radar loops for weather in the area.

Flipboard

Flipboard is a well designed RSS reader that you can program yourself with all the news sources you could ever want to follow.  They’ll be arranged like a newspaper and you flip the pages by swiping with your finger.

congwe

MyCongress and Constitution for iPad are convenient reference apps pertaining to Congress and the Hill.

urbanmetro

Urbanspoon for iPad and DC Metro Map are more for after-hours DC life, for finding a new restaurant or getting around the District.

iPads can be used for a variety of purposes to make the work day easier as well.  Tablets this lightweight and thin allow you to bring your work with you wherever you may go, if you just need a few resources or full-fledged access to your desk computer. The iPad can step up to the plate and even replace a laptop in certain situations.

iBooks

iBooks is the first download offered when the iPad connects to the App Store, and many overlook its ability to store and read PDF documents.  One can conceivably go paperless to meetings, storing all their printouts in this app.

CNN App for iPad

Evernote and Dropbox are great ways to store your documents and retrieve them on your iPad, phone, desktop, and on the web. Not to be used for state secrets!

Skype for iPad

Skype for iPad was recently updated to use the iPad 2’s cameras, get ready for long distance meetings at your fingertips!

fbird

Facebook and Twitter for you press and social network types out there.

Noterize

Noterize is a great note-taking app for meetings and presentations. You can type or draw with your finger, and share in a multitude of ways.

pkn

Apple’s Pages, Keynote, and Numbers apps are the iPad counterparts to Office. They’ll cost $9.99 each, but will help get the job done whether you need to author a document, create a presentation, or review a spreadsheet.

Remote Desktop Lite – RDP

RDP Lite offers remote desktop access to your Windows Desktop back at the office. Very handy when you need to your desk on the go, or run software that wasn’t designed for the iPad.

Desktop Connect

Desktop Connect will do the same as RDP Lite, but will also connect to Mac, Windows, and Linux computers with a bit more functionality. This app carries a price tag of about $14.99. Your Systems Administrator can help you get all the settings correct.

Find My iPhone

Lastly, Find my iPhone isn’t so much an App you’ll use on the iPad, but it’s one of the most important to set up. Go to Mail, Contacts, Calendar in the Settings App and Add a free Mobile Me account using an Apple ID in the Add Accounts… box.  This enables you to use Find my iPhone in case you ever lose the iPad or it is stolen. From me.com, you can put a password on the device, locate it on a map, or even remotely wipe the iPad in case you believe it to be stolen.

There are a ton of ways to use iPads these days, with dozens of Apps to make these devices suit your needs. Let us know if you need any help getting them set up!