It feels almost like science fiction when you first use the Netflix (free in the App Store) app to stream movies and television shows to your iPad. You can browse your Watch Instantly queue, search for other titles, and begin playing any of them in seconds. Netflix isn't the iPad's most elegantly implemented app; it seems a bit like a website crammed into a program. But it does what it's supposed to do, which is to let you stream movies! Over the Internet! (Wherever you have a reasonably fast Internet connection, that is.)
The Room
Some games you use to waste time, and other games you actually sit down with your tablet specifically to play them. The Room ($2 in the App Store) falls into the latter category. The game sets its eerie mood beautifully, offering detailed, painstakingly drawn, pseudo-3D graphics and an elaborate soundtrack. The gameplay itself is even better: The Room contains an intriguing safe, and your job is to break it open. To do so, you'll need to solve increasingly complex puzzles with little guidance. The game provides occasional hints, but you'll still have plenty of problem solving to do on your own. For instance, you'll notice that a seemingly ordinary panel masks a tappable portion that grants access to a hidden section, and that tapping these buttons in the right order will open a secret drawer. The Room includes at least 3 hours of entertaining gameplay, and you'll wish you could keep going when you finally finish.
PCalc Lite Calculator
Though the iPhone's Calculator app works fine, it simply doesn't exist on the iPad. PCalc Lite (free in the App Store) works on all iOS devices, and it looks great on the iPad. Beyond that, it adds tons of functionality beyond simple arithmetic, including a scientific calculator, unit conversions, constants, reverse Polish notation, multiple undos and redos, and themes. The $10 version comes packed with features, but if you start with the free Lite edition, you can add other options from the paid version with separate in-app purchases.
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