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The 5 Best Free iPad Apps

April 3, 2010

As an early adopter of an Apple iPad, it's a safe bet you enjoy media of all kinds. Fortunately Yahoo! has created the best looking entertainment resource available for the iPad and it's completely free of charge. Yahoo! Entertainment is an interactive guide to all things media related. Find all of the latest news in the entertainment world from movies, television, books and music all organized in a very slick interface. If you plan to have your iPad on hand as you watch television, you'll be able to access an interactive television program guide giving you  highlights of things to watch so you'll never miss a thing. Additionally, catch Yahoo! Videos specifically formatted for use on the iPad to keep up to date on news within several entertainment categories. The presentation is very appealing and takes full advantage of the iPad's very slick touchscreen interface and it's available all for free. Download Yahoo! Entertainment on the App Store.

iPad users looking to stay socially connected have several options when it comes to the App Store apps but if you're looking for a great way to do it without spending a penny, AIM for iPad is a great choice. Assuming you already have a free account (and who doesn't?), AIM for iPad is a great tool to communicate with anyone on the AIM network which has expanded to include AOL, Facebook, AIM, ICQ, .Mac and MobileMe. Even forgo texting fees on your own cell phone by sending messages to mobile numbers through the instant messaging client. And with AOL's LifeStream social network aggregator, you can view and update all of your status over several social networks all at once. Social network support includes Facebook, MySpace, Youtube, Twitter, Foursquare and many more. Access to all of these features is presented in easy to read full screen on the iPad with options to customize your backgrounds to fit your mood and personality. Easily stay in touch and do it all for free. Download AIM for iPad for free on the App Store.

iPad users looking to keep up to date with world news have several choices but if you're looking to stay current without spending any money on subscription fees, you can't go wrong with AP News for iPad. The Associated Press is one of the world's most respected news agencies providing news from all over the world to every media outlet and it's now available on the iPad. Like its iPhone counterpart, you'll be able to receive breaking news on stories locally and from around the world and with the iPad's extra screen real estate, you'll be able to experience it with photos and videos for the most comprehensive look at world events. Download AP News for iPad for free on the App Store.

If the success of the games in the iPhone app store are any indication, iPad gamers will have no shortage of options. Those looking for a solid and mesmerizing experience without spending a cent can look to Tapulous' Tap Tap Radiation. Following in the footsteps of the hugely popular rhythm game for the iPhone, Radiation takes the simple tap-to-the-music formula and translates it over to the much larger iPad screen. Instead of tapping notes as they come down on linear rails, taps come from all over the playing surface as the game's bumping soundtrack and dazzling graphics will hypnotize you into a musical frenzy. The game comes preloaded with several hit songs and many more can be had for a premium in app download but the core game itself is free and highly addictive. Get your tap on for free with Tap Tap Radiation on the App Store.

Twitter clients are plentiful in the App Store but not many are as full featured and rich in value as Tweetdeck. And did I also mention it will cost you nothing to use? Tweetdeck is Twitter on steroids with an interface that sports multiple columns to fit all of your timelines to view at once. With iPad's enlarged screen space, this layout is well suited on the platform as you can access a lot of your information in one simple view. All of the necessary tools for Twittering are at your disposal like URL shortening, the ability to manage multiple accounts and you can even sync your data to the Tweetdeck's iPhone and desktop clients. And it's all done simply with an interface optimized for the iPad. Download Tweetdeck for free on the App Store.

Mentioned apps

Free
Tap Tap Radiation
Tapulous, Inc.
Free
AIM for iPad
AOL, Inc.
Free
AP News
The Associated Press
Free
Tap Tap Radiation
Tapulous, Inc.
Free
AIM for iPad
AOL, Inc.
Free
AP News
The Associated Press

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