More than 1 million iPads have been sold in one month. Since they are able to work with most of the 200,000 apps in the Apple App store, it's no surprise that 12 million iPad apps have already been downloaded. The iPad is fresh on Hong Kong shelves, so it's understandable if you are not sure about which apps to try. It can be a massive hassle trying to find the best ones, so we've compiled a list for your iPad. Sports ESPN ScoreCenter XL is, hands down, the best app for any sports fan. Featuring access to live action, highlights, video replays, scores and even interviews, the ScoreCenter covers all sports and major events as well as smaller leagues like the NCAA. With the iPad's wireless capability, the app is able to stream live videos and even sports news. It's not free, however, costing US$4.99 - a reasonable price to have sports on the go. Other, more specialised apps include the NBA's free Game Time: Courtside App, a game companion for live and past games. Much pricier is the US$14.99 At Bat 2010 app from Major League Baseball, well worth the cash if you can afford it. Along with all the standard scoreboards and news, At Bat 2010 offers a virtual battlefield with options to listen to the game's radio broadcast. Entertainment While Twitterrific is probably the best Twitter client, we can't help but love Tweet Flow. The free social networking app for the iPad is absolutely stunning to look at, with cartoonish graphic and an intuitive interface. Smooth animations and a sunny colour palette make this app instantly likeable. And for those who like interesting, weird world news, StumbleUpon have their free app, allowing you to rate websites and redirecting you to pages that'll suit you. It's a perfect time-waster and great for discovering new content. Gaming Tapulous have launched the next in the Tap Tap series for the iPad: Tap Tap Radiation. For the few that have never played the popular series, Tap Tap is a series of rhythm games, the objective to 'tap' the screen, on the graphic balls, along with the music. The download contains a mix of more than 50 free and paid tracks including Lady Gaga, Pink and David Guetta. Other games to check out are the 14-level, side-scroller Mirror's Edge (US$12.99) or the adrenaline infused racing game Asphalt 5 (US$6.99). News The South China Morning Post has its own app, the first English-language Asian newspaper to do so. Specifically designed for the iPad, it allows users access to all the key sections of the printed paper electronically. The app will run as a free trial until August. Fluent News is also a decent app, completely free, combining dozens of the top news sources into a single and easy-to-read page. Fluent News allows for customisable filters, giving you full control over what you read. Productivity A lifesaver for any student, Evernote has launched a free application for the iPad. A planner for electronic notes and notebooks, Evernote can sync with the internet, so you can access all yours works anywhere in the world. The streamlined and smooth interface allows you to be able to edit and organise your notes painlessly, meaning a much more efficient and ordered workspace. Check out the free speech-to-text program Dragon Diction, a free-file hosting program that gives your iPad an extra 20GB of space. Christopher is a Young Post intern
