Let's have a big, warm, welcome for the "Maurader's Map"

That is what our iPad is called when you plug it into the mac mini that supports all our iOS devices.  Which number three iphones (one functioning as Julian's ipod), one ipod touch, and now, an iPad.

So I will be offering my thoughts on all these devices, which isn't too hard as they share an operating system.

First, though, I would like to present the suggestions of my friend Andrew (Campbell), a very skilled programer and developer (and designer, and photographer...) in his own right.  He sent me the following suggestions when I wrote to him about our new acquisition:

My favorite iPad apps

iBooks

GoodReader (pdf viewer)

Instapaper (which you have and is even more awesome on the iPad)

I'd like to recommend a text editor too but there is no Vim on the iPad =/

There have been a ton of editors that sync through dropbox recently. If you end up using one I'd be happy to get your recommendation

http://appadvice.com/appguides/show/dropbox-text-editors

That link is from a collection of best of category reviews from AppAdvice that are all pretty well done

http://appadvice.com/appguides

I think I'd like an outliner, and I'm kind of waiting for OmniOutliner. On the otherhand I'm really enjoying notetaking in the red moleskin notebooks you showed me.

Fun stuff

Harbor Master HD (line drawing that works well with multiple people)

Beatwave (music sequencer toy)

Marble Mixer (multiplayer marbles)

ArtStudio (cheapest of the big paint apps and just as good)

AirVideo (stream video from your mac. no need to copy it to the iPad or convert divx to mp4)

Math Bingo (good add/sub/multiply practice game that rewards with little bugs to collect)

LIne Art (visual toy. no instructions.  the effects change depending on the number of fingers you are using)

Diner Dash GG (order processing game that works great with two people)

Virtuoso - (best free piano app I've found. nicest part is that you can set it to show two keyboards facing opposite sides so two people can play at once)

iphone stuff

Pocket Frogs (frog collecting, the kids love it)

Sushi Cat (pachinko with a fat cat. very funny. I got it free, just the right price)

Helsing's Fire (my favorite puzzle game - good for grownups, hard for kids)

I've been working my way through these suggestions, and find that Andrew's assessments and suggestions are spot-on.  I hope you find them to be, too.