For reason I can't understand people tend to think about me as an Apple fan and heavy user. I'm not sure why. Just because I can't stop talking about Apple, or the fact that I now own almost all the products they make (except for the new iPad Air and mini, and Mac Pro and retina, so you still have enough stuff to buy me for my birthday), doesn't say I'm a fan or anything... Sheesh.
So, anyways, as they do think so, people also ask me about apps I recommend and I always say I'll write something and send them and I always forget.
Well, today I worked enough as to not feel totally crappy about writing something that is not work related. So here it is, my recommended list of apps for all sorts of usages and users.
Writing Apps
Most of my work is writing related so to me, this makes sense as a top priority.
- Pages - my favorite writing app and its just got better with the last update. I love using it for writing and for page layouts.
- Deadalus - for note taking, drafting and most of my blogging and tidbits of information this little app is my favorite. It is the mobile part of the fantastic Ulysses writing app for the mac.
iA Writer - I know, why the hell do I need three apps for writing, well I have more and I use them according to my mood. iA Writer is great because it's simple and clean.
Work
This category is tricky. People my skip over it, and I hope they don't. These are apps that I use for my work and I can't really place them in some other category other than general... And they are not general. Each is very powerful and unique
- OmniOutline2 - The BEST outliner app out there. If I need to write, take notes, make a plan, build a project, draft headlines for a major writing undertaking, this app is my go to app. The new version is even more amazing. Get it.
- Goodreader (iPad) - This app reads every file you can think about. I can open zip files with it, I can connect it to every single type of online hosting service (box, dropbox, whatever), it can play movies, music, pdfs. It can annotated pdfs, it can protect files and folders with password, it is an amazing app that looks really horrible and the fact that I'm using it says a lot (I hate ugly apps).
- Keynote - Apple created the first and only app I ever use for creating presentations. I hated building those before I came to the mac and after discovering keynote I started loving the presentation creation process. Much of what I know today about design, color theory and more is due to the fact that I wanted to create better and better presentations.
- 1password - This is the only way to work with passwords, and to protect your credit card information etc. It has a desktop version as well (it came first) and it's brilliant. The desktop version can also hold serial numbers for app and has tons of other features.
Omnigraffle (iPad) - The Omni Group has amazing apps, really I own and I love all of them. Omnigraffle is a great tool for... Well, many many things. Need a mind map? You got it, want to create a logic flow chart? No problem, want to design your nee apartment? Ok, want to get people to understand your point better? Fine! It's brilliant.
Reading
Well, there is enough stuff to read on the web, and the iPad is the best ay to read it. You do, however, need a good app to do so.
- Flipboard (iPad) - the best reading experience for RSS feeds, or web sites feed.
Instapaper - Flipboard is fun to read and share articles, but for serious reading and archiving you need instapaper.
Photography
One of my favorite usage for the iPhone (especially the new 5s) is for taking photos. I have a DSLR (Sony Alpha 77) but the iPhone is fantastic and is always with me.
- Camera + - this app has an iPhone version and an iPad version. I love shooting with it on my iPhone and editing on my iPad. It synch images you shoot with it between app versions so it's great fun. Very cool editing tools, great frames and other nice features
- Snapseed - Great universal editing tool and one of the few apps that were purchased by a big company (specifically google) and not killed. Very easy to use exigent tools, very powerful if you know what you are doing.
iPhoto - I love the new version. Great tool for working with images. Too bad it can't add some of the effects to has.
Racing Games
I love racing games. It's a thing and the iOS got some of the best games out there in general and some amazing racing games
- Real Racing 3 - fantastic gameplay, great physics, gorgeous cars.
Asphalt 8 - less realizing than RR3, but very fun and has a wonderful multiplayer option.
Board Games
Yes, iOS (well, iPad) has some brilliant board games adaptation and board game-like original games for it.
SOON
Kids Games
Soon
Drawing
I'm not and artist, but the iPad (and the iPhone if you have to use it) offer some great drawing apps
Paper - my go to app for sketching, brainstorming, illustrating a point or just passing my time doodling. Get all the in-app options!
More SOON
References
I got a few dictionaries and tools for writing, editing, word searching etc. These are the best ones
Wordflex (iPad) - wow, this is how a dictionary should look like. Type a word and see it and all the connected words that it has. Find meaning, find other words that mean the same, or the opposite. It's beautiful, useful, fun to use and you can actually play with it and improve your vocabulary. It is ingenious.
More soon
Video Editing
SOON
Cooking
Soon
Social Apps
SOON
Health Apps
Interactive books SOON
SOON