Top 5 apps to show off your new iPad 2

TiPb checks out the best, most must-have apps to load up as soon as you get your new iPad 2

Just get a new iPad 2 and curious which are the best, most must-have apps and games you need to install first? Want to really show off those new cameras or put that new super fast Apple A4 processor to the test? Well read on for TiPb’s top 5 most recommended, most must-have iPad 2 apps to get your started.

If you're brand new to iPad, be sure to check out our Top 10 iPad Apps to get you started with all the basics, from social to casual to creative. If you really want to stun your friends and family, however -- if you want to blow them away with your new iPad 2, then grab/update these next!

iMovie

When Apple debuted the iPad 2 they wanted to raise the bar when it came to iPad 2 software as well, and iMovie was their first salvo. Pull in video and photos via the decidedly tepid built-in cameras, from the Camera Roll, or from your iPhone, point-and-shoot, vidcam, or DSLR via SD or USB and the Camera Connection Kit and you're on your way. If you're familiar with iMovie '11 on Mac it's the same basic concept but completely touch-centric. You can mould your video as if you're working with digital clay. Clip and transition and modify the audio and title -- all in multitouch. *Universal app – buy once, use on iPhone 4, iPod touch 4, and iPad 2.** [$4.99 - iTunes link (opens in new tab)]

GarageBand

Apple's second iPad 2 salvo is also arguably one of the best mobile apps ever made. While it also works on the original iPad it's even better on iPad 2. If you're familiar with GarageBand '11 on Mac... well this is a different animal almost entirely. You've got touch sensitive instruments that, thanks to the accelerometer, can even tell how hard you're hitting them. Strings, keyboards, and percussion from classic to electric are available both for you to play and in "smart" varieties to play along. You can also plug in your own instruments and record your own vocals and you've got 8 full tracks to mix it all down with. Even if you're not musically inclined, GarageBand will wow you. [$4.99 - iTunes link (opens in new tab)]

Real Racing 2 HD

Always on the cutting edge of Apple's latest hardware, the ADA award-winning team at Firemint wasted no time in releasing an iPad 2 optimized version of their flagship driving game. Gyroscope makes it steer better and the new PowerVR SGX 543 graphics chip in iPad 2 lets them turn the textures to overdrive. While the game may look and control better than ever before, it's still Real Racing 2 and that means great cars, exciting tracks, and more fun than you can throw a hyper car at. If only I could drive like the Stig! [$9.99 - iTunes link (opens in new tab)]

Infinity Blade

Not only did Epic provide great new content in the recent Deathless Kings update for their Unreal 3 Engine-powered fighter, they powered it up for iPad 2 as well. While the original Infinity Blade for iPad blew people away with its gorgeous, real-time 3D environments and kinetic gameplay, the iPad 2 version takes it not only to the next level, but the next generations. The textures look better than ever, the frame-rate is near flawless, and if it looked gorgeous before it looks darn well glorious now. (You can even plug in the HDMI adapter and let your friends watch the mayhem video mirrored on your big screen HDTV!). [$5.99 - iTunes link (opens in new tab)]

Dead Space HD

Dead Space HD was one of the best looking, most atmospheric, most intense first-person shooters (FPS) games we've experienced on iPad -- and now they've gone and enhanced the already impressive visuals for iPad 2. So yes, good things can get better... or scary things can get even scarier... either way! It's hardcore horror and that might not be for everyone but for those who've been aching for console quality FPS on iPad, we've taken then next big leap in that direction. [$6.99 - iTunes link (opens in new tab)]

Your top apps?

So there you have them, our top 5 best apps to show off your new iPad 2. Be sure to check out our Picks of the Week and iPad App and Games Forum for more recommendations, and if we missed any of your favorites leave them in the comments below!

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.

16 Comments

The top it says "Apple A4 processor to the test?".
Believe you meant A5
My favorite apps: Zen Viewer. File viewer + reader (our app) Flipbook. Just an incredible experience. App Advice. Perfect for getting the latest iPad app + game news. Twitter. A wonderful UI. Angry Birds. The single "must-have" game. IMDB. Beautiful translation of the movie site but with some small flaws. Air Video. The best streaming movie solution for non-Apple supported movie files. Any app by Duck Duck Moose. My 2.5 year old daughter can't get enough of their apps. Apple App Store. Do I really need to explain why? Netflix. Because it just owns.
Apple Remote is a must, pocket cloud is also excellent, prefer HootSuite to manage all social media (they just added Linkedin).
We used the Polldaddy app to create our iPad 2 give away survey (http://t.co/m9sXA8H), it is a the best free App for any business collecting data, too easy.
Zite. It's my new favorite app. It knows what I like almost as much as Amazon, if not more, is free and has a beautiful interface. Zite's best feature? It includes TiPb articles!
I totally agree about Zite. This app epitomizes why I even wanted an iPad by bringing everything I'm interest in reading right to one place. It truly looks like a professional magazine made just for me.
I just got zite, got to say I love it a lot
It's right up there with flipboard
Should also check out the feature section of the app store and tap on the air view apps. There are a few and flixster was the one I like. Hopefully, more will come. Hdmi is cool but it is tethered via cable though.
My only complaint about GarageBand is the fact that you can't background export... Pretty lame.
My favorite new app is Inkpad, it's an easy way to design on the go!
I mean iMovie...
Don't disagree with the ones you've chosen at all but it's a shame the genre choices are so limited.
That said you're showing off the new one and apps like Autostitch, Brushes or Adobe Ideas, Flipbook, Elements and so on are old tech, so to speak, so I can see why they may not have been suggested.
Personally? I can't wait to see where Brushes and Ideas go with the new horsepower, Autostitch is amazing and I hope that the new iPad speeds it up. Can't wait to play on one but, sadly as I'm in the UK, I'll have to :(
i think we have very different tastes as three of the five, the games, wouldn't be near my list.
That is really top 5 app and really it changes ipad
Hey, that post lveeas me feeling foolish. Kudos to you!
Frontline Commando is one of the best for iPad 2. It is also free to download.
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