[BuonRotto]

We know what Apple is supplying us when it comes out (I think), but what about in the near future from either Apple or third parties? Is there one iPhone app you can't live without, or that would go from "blah" to "oh my God!" in iPad format? What about Mac apps for that matter? Are there any that jump out as being perfect for what you would use the iPad for?

My votes would go to:

iPhoto, or some photo organizing and editing app. C'mon, why is this not here on day one?!

A more basic version of iMovie, again just wanting something to organize and do a bit of editing on the sofa.

Rapidweaver or iWeb would probably be more fun, or for that matter, a WordPress-style app for blogging.

While we are on RealMac stuff, Socialite would be great too.

A SketchPad app of some sort would be nice, even if pressure-sensitive styluses or other contraptions are not in the cards.

Delicious Library would still be on this list. I can see the idea of doing this from a comfortable chair a lot more than I could from my desktop.

Slingplayer, EyeTV or similar media sharing/streaming app would be ideal.

I could someday see home automation software, but I still find that area very disappointing.

Desktastic as a convenience, perhaps.

A great cookbook app!

and finally, a sports app like Sportacular with more coverage and stats perhaps, maybe even game coverage (haha, I know).

[PB PM]

Originally Posted by BuonRotto A more basic version of iMovie, again just wanting something to organize and do a bit of editing on the sofa.

Seriously, you want to work on video with a mobile phone processor?

[chucker]

Originally Posted by PB PM Seriously, you want to work on video with a mobile phone processor?

Need I pull out the iMac DV specs?

[PB PM]

Yeah, but when was the last time you worked on a modern video file on a iMac DV?

[chucker]

Originally Posted by PB PM Yeah, but when was the last time you worked on a modern video file on a iMac DV?

…but the iPhone has video editing. Sure, it can only trim, but if you scale up that interface to what the iPad has, and consider that it has a much beefier CPU, some basic editing beyond just trimming should be feasible. And fun. Lots of fun.

[psmith2.0]

iPhoto: Doesn't even have to be the entire thing, but just the basic editing/cropping/straightening/enhancement/red-eye removal functions. Pics look dramatically better after I hit a few of those in iPhoto! If you could send/post your photos after running it through a few of those, they'd look so much better than the crooked, washed-out, demon-eyed stuff people are accustomed to receiving.

Scrabble: While fun on the iPhone (I play several daily "best of three" games), the larger screen on the iPad would really make this fun and a little easier to use. Larger tiles and squares, and easier to drag/place them.

MacTracker: I hope its author creates a larger iPad-sized version of this handy, always-informative app. A week doesn't go by that I don't check it, either the standalone version on my iMac or the iPhone app. Like Scrabble, something with this much info (and, therefore, scrolling) would benefit from a larger canvas to play on. If I had a nickel for everyone I've turned on to MacTracker over the years...

The Weather Channel: Again, with its larger display, something like The Weather Channel app (I use it every day) would really look nice, tailored for that space. You could see almost all the info on a single screen that it takes you four to see on the iPhone: Current, Hourly, 36 Hour and 10 Day. In fact, if I had my $#%^$@ iMac back and working, I'd totally mock that up, how cool it could look...just a big orgy of meteorological data smacking you dead in the face...current temps, hourly, a little animated map, record highs and lows for today's date in your area, pics of Alexandra Steele in her underwear straddling a large thermometer, air quality info, weather alerts, etc.

That's really all I can think of at the moment (I'm not even getting into the chat/video thing, but everyone knows that's just an automatic request at this point ).

Oh, and yeah...a neat cookbook app would be cool. Paired with a flexible, iMac G4-inspired stand/easel (keeping the iPad raised up, more vertically-oriented, and out of the food mess below).

Oh, and another vote for the video thing. It doesn't have to be the full-blown iMovie '09 (that might be a bit more than the iPad can truly handle and process). But I don't think it's asking too much for simple clip trimming and the ability to maybe add a basic title and a couple of transitions? The iPhone 3Gs already supports the trimming function, so I'm sure an iPad could. Just something that you could whip up to send back home to family that doesn't look so raw and "straight from the camera"? When you get back home, you can import the footage to the real iMovie to make your masterpiece. Call it iMovie LE or something. The most basic and useful of trim/title/output features?

[BuonRotto]

Originally Posted by chucker …but the iPhone has video editing. Sure, it can only trim, but if you scale up that interface to what the iPad has, and consider that it has a much beefier CPU, some basic editing beyond just trimming should be feasible. And fun. Lots of fun.

Yeah, I don't expect serious editing, just things like trimming clips and putting them together, the very basdic functionality of iMovie. I don't mean heavy rendering and effects, like an FCP "nano". I wouldn't dare think of it as anything more than prepping videos for Youtube or something similar.

Scrabble: While fun on the iPhone (I play several daily "best of three" games), the larger screen on the iPad would really make this fun and a little easier to use

Board games or pass-along games would be a lot of fun. I think what most people miss about the iPad is its easy ability to be passed around and/or touched by a couple of hands at the same time!

Yes, my wife would adore a weather app with full satellite imagery. Her heavy thunderstorm fetish would be satiated.

[psmith2.0]

What was that game out years ago? It was a circle with four light-up quarters? Simon? Simon Says? People gathered around and had to repeat the patterns or something. Hell, for that matter...Hungry Hungry Hippo!

And as silly as it sounds, someone could go retro and bring the old-school Centipede, Pong, Space Invaders and whatever those others ones from that time were (Missile Command?). Don't even update the graphics or design...that blocky, bitmap look is all of the charm and nostalgia.

But seriously...a sketchpad or charcoal/crayon pad? Even if you just used your finger, you could still set brush sizes. Maybe different modules or "add-on packs" to provide watercolor, oils, etc.?

In fact, if the guys who did Painter would come up with a stripped down version for the iPad...natural media art at its cleanest and most "shake to undo"-able!

The Bob Ross folks should get working on something...

[BuonRotto]

I could see Trivial Pursuit, Cranium, Pictionary, Monopoly, Blokus, Scene It*... tons of these things.


*sorry, I have a friend who is a board game nut.

[ezkcdude]

iPeng

He's working on iPadifying (iPaddying?) it already.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by BuonRotto I could see Trivial Pursuit, Cranium, Pictionary, Monopoly, Blokus, Scene It*... tons of these things. *sorry, I have a friend who is a board game nut.

Catan.

Catan Catan Catan Catan Catan. Catan.

[psmith2.0]

But we can't get too silly or carried away, because some things are better left "the old way". Anyone sitting around, 3-4 people, playing poker (or checkers) on a %#%^&@ Wii or Playstation (or iPad) just needs to be slapped mercilessly.

Get out a deck of cards and act right.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 But we can't get too silly or carried away, because some things are better left "the old way". Anyone sitting around, 3-4 people, playing poker (or checkers) on a %#%^&@ Wii or Playstation (or iPad) just needs to be slapped mercilessly. Get out a deck of cards and act right.

I had a customer come in once and ask for a poker game for the Wii. I wanted to smack them. Like, "here's a deck of cards. It's $2, and more fun. I just saved you $48."

I can sort of see the point if said poker/checkers games allowed online play, because then you could play with folks far away, but this was the Wii we're talking about. The game wasn't online, and the Wii doesn't have a camera anyway (and how fun would poker be without at least being able to see everyone's poker faces?).

I was really excited for Monopoly on the PS3 but then it wasn't even online, and I was like "WTF? What's the point?" Quicker setup, I suppose, but that's it really. It was a crushing disappointment, because we were all amped to Monopoly it up that night.

But hey, people will buy what they want to buy. If I made a game console I would certainly offer downloadable board games for the people who would want them (though of course I'd make them all online). It would save trees if nothing else

[zippy]

Battleship HD!

[BuonRotto]

That's why stuff like Scene It and a revised Where in the World Is Carmen Santiago?[/i] game would be fun, or a multimedia Trivial Pursuit kind of thing. and WiFi/3G networking for games is of course their killer feature. Hell, Battleship for iPad would be a retro blast.

D'oh! Beaten to the punch.

[Robo]

Battleship would be cool, because you could just flip the iPad over to change players. Plus, it's not like Battleship is something you could play on the go anyway, what with all those little pegs and all.

I'm beginning to think that minivans should come with iPads as standard equipment. iPad games would be perfect for those boring backseat hours! No little pieces, no mess...it would be a smart promotion, for Chrysler or whoever.

But srsly, Catan would be awsum.

[zippy]

Catan would be awesome.

But with all these games, you have to imagine them at the next level - wireless play between multiple iPads. That way, when someone needs to go use the john, they can keep playing!

[Xaqtly]

Yes, this. Any fun multiplayer game with either online or local wifi connection.

[evan]

Local wifi versions of pictionary and "speed scrabble" are on my list of apps to attempt this summer Just gotta learn some iPad graphics...