What makes the iPad so versatile isn't just its interface or touch screen but its ability to run apps to make your iPad do practically anything. Although it's possible to use your iPad without installing a single extra app, half the fun of having an iPad is downloading and using the thousands of apps available in the App Store (see Chapter 12 for more information about downloading apps from the App Store).

Surprisingly, some of the best apps are free, and others are far less expensive than comparable software for desktop or laptop computers. Whether you decide to buy apps or just download the free ones, you'll find plenty of software to expand the versatility of your iPad in ways that may surprise you.

In this chapter, you will learn which types of free and commercial apps might be most useful to download and install on your iPad.