Five apps to help you work on the iPad

Apple iPad becomes more and more popular. It almost becomes a synonym for the Tablet PC. The users can not only use iPad to amuse themselves, but also use it to work for them. Obviously, they can’t do everything as they want on iPad. For instance, they can’t make iOS apps on iPad.

However, the iPad users can do lots of things on their iPads with the help of some proper application tools. As an iPad user, you can work easier on your iPad if you apply the right tools.

There are a large number of applications for working on the iPad. Here I show you 5 apps to help you work on the iPad. The five tools aren’t tied to any particular method of working. They are all very flexible to help digital workers do work well. And you may find that Apple iPad is an outstanding working device.

Five good applications for working on the iPad as follows:

Paper by FiftyThree
Paper by FiftyThree is a free drawing app, which is developed by FiftyThree, Inc. This application tool was just released at the end of the March, but it is better than many graphics apps in the market.

Drawing on a touch screen with the fingertip isn’t a natural thing for most people, but the brush of Paper is very accurate. It provides users a free fountain pen and they can still buy more brushes via in-app store, such as Sketch, Write, Outline, and Color and so on.

The advantages of Paper are primarily manifested in its friendly interface, simple operation procedure, etc. This app is suitable for you if you need to hastily sketch out some new ideas.

Trello
Trello is a free collaboration iPhone application that is explored by Fog Creek Software, Inc. Organizing your projects into boards is its main function. It is developed for Apple iPhone, but it also works with iPad as long as the iPad is applying iOS 4.2 or later.

Some other features of Trello:

• Easy to use
• Offer each team member a space bar to place the task
• View and edit your Trello boards, lists, cards and notifications
• Keep track of who’s doing what
• Keep track of several projects for yourself

Byword
Byword is a plain-text editor, which is designed by Metaclassy, Lda. Its price is $2.99 but it creates a flexible way to write. By using Byword, you don’t need to worry about which version of Microsoft Word the other person use. It can be compatible with all versions of Microsoft Word.

The key functions of Byword:

• Sync files to iCloud and Dropbox
• Export files via email or iTunes directly from Byword and even print them out
• Work well as an email composer
• Have a good custom keyboard to let users move the cursor around with arrows
• Edit the files, preview and export them to HTML

MindNode
MindNode is at the price of $9.99, which is developed by IdeasOnCanvas GmbH. It is a very intuitive and useful app to collect, organize and outline your thoughts and ideas.

Using it is a pretty good way to draw up a plan or make a brainstorming, because it is more freedom than a text outline but more structure than a blank page. Though it doesn’t support the Retina display screen, but the effect on the iPad is still very good.

Other features that you may be concerned about:

• Support various export options like Free Mind documents, text outlines, PNG images, and OPML outlines, etc
• Share the document files with your team
• Support “Undo” and “Redo”
• Provide users to customize font, node and branch attributes
• Be compatible with iPad, iPhone and even iPod Touch

OmniFocus for iPad
OmniFocus for iPad is an application, whose developer is The Omni GroupView. It will take you $39.99 to buy this OmniFocus for iPad. The Omni GroupView developed the OmniFocus for Mac and iPhone as well. You don’t need to own all three apps at the same time.

Honestly speaking, they are all more expensive than the similar products. But many users love this app because of its powerful function. It can do you a favor to manage all the tasks methodically in your daily life.

The detailed features as follows:

• Preview the coming tasks via the forecast view mode
• Review all your previous tasks to make sure nothing slips
• Write down your good ideas as they come to mind
• Arrange your tasks into projects and folders
• The new OmniFocus for iPad 1.5.1 support for the new iPad with Retina display.

Those are the five apps for working on the iPad. If you know others, welcome to give me a comment.