Now that the Happy New year are here, it's the perfect time to give
gifts, throw parties, cook up delish recipes, and go on vacay. If you're
the festive type, though, you'll also want to pursue these same
endeavors year round. So we've gathered up a list of some of the coolest
(and most enduring) gifting, feasting, and merry-making apps for the
iPad Tablet. You won't feel the need to delete any of these after Christmas and
New Year's have come and gone.
Event Countdown & Gift Suggestions
My Day(Free)
Touted as the app that'll help you track all of the important events in your life -- and presumably the birthdays and milestones in the lives of your loved ones -- My Day is an application that's as user-friendly as it is aesthetically attractive. It's got a fully functional interface that lets you automatically import the birthdays of your Facebook friends, which can be useful for those who don't want to have to key in the DOB data for everyone they've ever known.
It also provides a countdown in days to birthdays, calendar holidays, and any other worthwhile date that you add to your calendar, but this is just scratching the surface. Where things get really cool with My Day are in the app's ability to suggest gifts based on data you provide on a given individual.
Don't worry, this isn't some super-spy database. It's just a nifty feature that takes a couple of points of description (the individual's gender and the multiple-choice description you assign to them that best describes their personality) and spits out some appropriate gift ideas. There are about two dozen "lifestyle" choice selections to pick from, all of which run the gamut from "activist" to "girly girl" to "wild child."
Once you've populated the information, just tap the "Find Gifts" button to launch a gallery of gift ideas complete with images and prices and links to a variety of online storefronts. Pretty clever, and worth a lot more than that zero download fee.
Pricing Gifts (and Other Stuff)
ShopSavvyFree
Barcode scanner and QR code reader apps aren't exactly a dime a dozen, but they're also not in short demand. Which is why, sometimes, finding the one that offers more than just a product's name and description can be a challenge.
ShopSavvy is a barcode scanner and QR code reader that works just like the rest of them do, in that a simple scan from your iPad pulls up both online and nearby price information for the product and returns results based on the lowest prices found. Beyond that, however, it's also a useful informational tool that gathers the most relevant online user reviews to help you inform your buying decisions.
Even if you don't have access to a QR code or barcode, ShopSavvy is a useful app to help you discover products, offering browsing for books, movies, electronics, games, and other stuff. Programmable notifications keep you updated to special featured products and local savings, and you can even create watch lists and wish lists and share them with others.
Recipe Planning
My Recipe Book$1.99
If you're bored with eating frozen pizza day in and day out, you've got only yourself to blame. The internet is rife with all sorts of incredible dish recipes that range from simple to extravagant, and you're never really any more than a click away from discovering your inner culinary skills.
The trouble a lot of people run into is in the organization of recipes. My Recipe Book is an all-in-one app that doesn't just help you discover good eats. It also has cool organizational tools and you can even create a grocery shopping list so you don't forget some critical ingredient.
It's also an aggregator of new information and comes with the ability to import recipes you find online. Food categories are broken down simplistically so you can find what you want fast, and you can also store recipes in specific "dietary needs" categories like gluten free, lactose free, vegan, and vegetarian.
Baking Cookies
Martha Stewart Makes Cookies$3.99
Baking home-made cookies is a traditional Christmas pastime, but it can be fun any time of the year.
If you've ever blurted out the words "How does she do that?" at the mere sight of some of Martha Stewart's baked confections, pick your chin up off the floor and wonder no more.
Martha Stewart Makes Cookies is a lot more than just a drool-inducing visual tour of "greatest hits." It's also an easy-to-navigate, great-bang-for-your-buck roadmap for turning your kitchen from a place to make food into a place to make dreams come true.
Okay, that might be a little over the top, but you get the picture. Separated out into six categories (Giftable Cookies, Holiday Cookies, Classic Cookies, Chocolate Cookies, Kids; Cookies, and Sugar & Spice Cookies), the app delivers no fewer than 120 unique recipes in a beautifully laid out and elegantly designed format. In addition to ingredients and instructions, the app comes with video tutorials, a shopping list creator, a unit converter, and a timer that can be set for up to seven hours.
Even better, recipes are sharable via email or Facebook.
Mixing Drinks
Tiki Drink Mixer -- Mixologist $0.99
Most people know about two types f cocktail recipes: "on the rocks" and "straight up." If you're into the idea of stretching the boundaries of your know-how, there are innumerable online resources to help you to that end -- but few quite like Tiki Drink Mixer, which has a library of more than 8,000 drink recipes.
Users can filter through seven different categories from traditional cocktails to hot drinks. If you're playing bartender on the fly, Tiki Drink Mixer also lists recipes by ingredients so that you can whip up tasty libations using what you've got on hand.
The app's gargantuan library of mixed drinks is also enhanced by the incorporation of user-submitted recipes, and a "create" option makes it possible for you to document your own concoctions and share them with others.
Its handsomely designed appearance -- which includes photos of what the final product ought to look like if you've done everything right -- also brings a splash of educational value with the inclusion of proverbs and quotes from historical figures.
Playing Djay
Djay 2$9.99
No party is ever complete without music. But when it comes to real entertainment, you're going to need one of two things: a live band, or a djay. Either one is capable of blowing away the simplistic "shuffle" limitations of the average music player, but both can be downright unaffordable.
By downloading Djay 2 and putting in a little practice, anyone can take the helm to effectively deliver a music set worthy of accolades. The app -- which took top honors in 2011 as the winner of the highly sought after Apple Design Award in the iPad category -- boasts a responsive, visually appealing interface that mimics the appearance of two side-by-side turntables.
Instead of slapping on a vinyl disc, songs are pulled from your device's music library. Each turntable has its own dedicated EQ meter, which can be manipulated to alter tones, add effects, set cue points and play loops. The app also comes with a number of samples from popular artists that can be laid over tracks, and the record feature can be used to create your very own samples on the fly.
For more accurate record scratch control, rotating the iPad changes the view to a single turntable. If you find yourself taking requests, Djay 2 also includes a song queue as well as a history view so you never have to worry about accidentally playing the same song twice -- a well known no-no among the djay elite.
The app is easy to use for beginners (thanks to special features like Slip Mode and Perfect Sync, which keep songs from falling out of rhythm) but experienced users will also discover a highly functional program that comes for about the cost of a single album download and eliminates the need for bulky equipment.
Music Singalongs
Karaoke Anywhere HDFree
Tunes like "Jingle Bells" and "Auld Lang Syne" can be cool to sing during the holidays, but karaoke can be a crowd pleaser all year long.
It's tough to go wrong with Karaoke Anywhere HD. If you're a beginner at the whole karaoke thing, the app comes with a modest library of free tracks to get you started. If you're already an avowed veteran of the solo singalong, previously purchased karaoke tracks in MP3+G ZIP format can be easily imported to the library so you're not forced to make duplicate purchases to get your rock 'n roll (or whatever your musical preference) on. Also, there is an export feature that lets you use songs purchased thru the app's download store on other karaoke applications.
While the download is free, you may have to pay extra to unlock the app's full capabilities. By paying $9.99 per month, you can get a companion subscription to Karaoke Anywhere PLUS which gives you access to over 10,000 songs. If you're looking for something specific, you can forego the subscription and opt instead to buy individual songs.
Karaoke Anywhere HD comes with the ability to add vocal effects, so that those not born with pipes of gold can sound better, either by altering the key of songs to make notes easier to hit, or by adding echo or reverb. Recording and mixing is also supported, so if you find you're not entirely ashamed of the final product you can share your performance with friends via Facebook and Twitter straight from the app.
Event Countdown & Gift Suggestions
My Day(Free)Touted as the app that'll help you track all of the important events in your life -- and presumably the birthdays and milestones in the lives of your loved ones -- My Day is an application that's as user-friendly as it is aesthetically attractive. It's got a fully functional interface that lets you automatically import the birthdays of your Facebook friends, which can be useful for those who don't want to have to key in the DOB data for everyone they've ever known.
It also provides a countdown in days to birthdays, calendar holidays, and any other worthwhile date that you add to your calendar, but this is just scratching the surface. Where things get really cool with My Day are in the app's ability to suggest gifts based on data you provide on a given individual.
Don't worry, this isn't some super-spy database. It's just a nifty feature that takes a couple of points of description (the individual's gender and the multiple-choice description you assign to them that best describes their personality) and spits out some appropriate gift ideas. There are about two dozen "lifestyle" choice selections to pick from, all of which run the gamut from "activist" to "girly girl" to "wild child."
Once you've populated the information, just tap the "Find Gifts" button to launch a gallery of gift ideas complete with images and prices and links to a variety of online storefronts. Pretty clever, and worth a lot more than that zero download fee.
Pricing Gifts (and Other Stuff)
ShopSavvyFreeBarcode scanner and QR code reader apps aren't exactly a dime a dozen, but they're also not in short demand. Which is why, sometimes, finding the one that offers more than just a product's name and description can be a challenge.
ShopSavvy is a barcode scanner and QR code reader that works just like the rest of them do, in that a simple scan from your iPad pulls up both online and nearby price information for the product and returns results based on the lowest prices found. Beyond that, however, it's also a useful informational tool that gathers the most relevant online user reviews to help you inform your buying decisions.
Even if you don't have access to a QR code or barcode, ShopSavvy is a useful app to help you discover products, offering browsing for books, movies, electronics, games, and other stuff. Programmable notifications keep you updated to special featured products and local savings, and you can even create watch lists and wish lists and share them with others.
Recipe Planning
My Recipe Book$1.99If you're bored with eating frozen pizza day in and day out, you've got only yourself to blame. The internet is rife with all sorts of incredible dish recipes that range from simple to extravagant, and you're never really any more than a click away from discovering your inner culinary skills.
The trouble a lot of people run into is in the organization of recipes. My Recipe Book is an all-in-one app that doesn't just help you discover good eats. It also has cool organizational tools and you can even create a grocery shopping list so you don't forget some critical ingredient.
It's also an aggregator of new information and comes with the ability to import recipes you find online. Food categories are broken down simplistically so you can find what you want fast, and you can also store recipes in specific "dietary needs" categories like gluten free, lactose free, vegan, and vegetarian.
Baking Cookies
Martha Stewart Makes Cookies$3.99Baking home-made cookies is a traditional Christmas pastime, but it can be fun any time of the year.
If you've ever blurted out the words "How does she do that?" at the mere sight of some of Martha Stewart's baked confections, pick your chin up off the floor and wonder no more.
Martha Stewart Makes Cookies is a lot more than just a drool-inducing visual tour of "greatest hits." It's also an easy-to-navigate, great-bang-for-your-buck roadmap for turning your kitchen from a place to make food into a place to make dreams come true.
Okay, that might be a little over the top, but you get the picture. Separated out into six categories (Giftable Cookies, Holiday Cookies, Classic Cookies, Chocolate Cookies, Kids; Cookies, and Sugar & Spice Cookies), the app delivers no fewer than 120 unique recipes in a beautifully laid out and elegantly designed format. In addition to ingredients and instructions, the app comes with video tutorials, a shopping list creator, a unit converter, and a timer that can be set for up to seven hours.
Even better, recipes are sharable via email or Facebook.
Mixing Drinks
Tiki Drink Mixer -- Mixologist $0.99Most people know about two types f cocktail recipes: "on the rocks" and "straight up." If you're into the idea of stretching the boundaries of your know-how, there are innumerable online resources to help you to that end -- but few quite like Tiki Drink Mixer, which has a library of more than 8,000 drink recipes.
Users can filter through seven different categories from traditional cocktails to hot drinks. If you're playing bartender on the fly, Tiki Drink Mixer also lists recipes by ingredients so that you can whip up tasty libations using what you've got on hand.
The app's gargantuan library of mixed drinks is also enhanced by the incorporation of user-submitted recipes, and a "create" option makes it possible for you to document your own concoctions and share them with others.
Its handsomely designed appearance -- which includes photos of what the final product ought to look like if you've done everything right -- also brings a splash of educational value with the inclusion of proverbs and quotes from historical figures.
Playing Djay
Djay 2$9.99No party is ever complete without music. But when it comes to real entertainment, you're going to need one of two things: a live band, or a djay. Either one is capable of blowing away the simplistic "shuffle" limitations of the average music player, but both can be downright unaffordable.
By downloading Djay 2 and putting in a little practice, anyone can take the helm to effectively deliver a music set worthy of accolades. The app -- which took top honors in 2011 as the winner of the highly sought after Apple Design Award in the iPad category -- boasts a responsive, visually appealing interface that mimics the appearance of two side-by-side turntables.
Instead of slapping on a vinyl disc, songs are pulled from your device's music library. Each turntable has its own dedicated EQ meter, which can be manipulated to alter tones, add effects, set cue points and play loops. The app also comes with a number of samples from popular artists that can be laid over tracks, and the record feature can be used to create your very own samples on the fly.
For more accurate record scratch control, rotating the iPad changes the view to a single turntable. If you find yourself taking requests, Djay 2 also includes a song queue as well as a history view so you never have to worry about accidentally playing the same song twice -- a well known no-no among the djay elite.
The app is easy to use for beginners (thanks to special features like Slip Mode and Perfect Sync, which keep songs from falling out of rhythm) but experienced users will also discover a highly functional program that comes for about the cost of a single album download and eliminates the need for bulky equipment.
Music Singalongs
Karaoke Anywhere HDFreeTunes like "Jingle Bells" and "Auld Lang Syne" can be cool to sing during the holidays, but karaoke can be a crowd pleaser all year long.
It's tough to go wrong with Karaoke Anywhere HD. If you're a beginner at the whole karaoke thing, the app comes with a modest library of free tracks to get you started. If you're already an avowed veteran of the solo singalong, previously purchased karaoke tracks in MP3+G ZIP format can be easily imported to the library so you're not forced to make duplicate purchases to get your rock 'n roll (or whatever your musical preference) on. Also, there is an export feature that lets you use songs purchased thru the app's download store on other karaoke applications.
While the download is free, you may have to pay extra to unlock the app's full capabilities. By paying $9.99 per month, you can get a companion subscription to Karaoke Anywhere PLUS which gives you access to over 10,000 songs. If you're looking for something specific, you can forego the subscription and opt instead to buy individual songs.
Karaoke Anywhere HD comes with the ability to add vocal effects, so that those not born with pipes of gold can sound better, either by altering the key of songs to make notes easier to hit, or by adding echo or reverb. Recording and mixing is also supported, so if you find you're not entirely ashamed of the final product you can share your performance with friends via Facebook and Twitter straight from the app.
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