No 2. HBO Go – iPhone/iPad/Android

Price: Subscription-based

All you need is a subscription to the service for DISH Network, DirecTV, or one of several cable providers. You create a login, and then you can watch the current lineup of TV shows and movies. The interface on the iPad 2 is especially useful: All the major shows and movies are shown in a tile format, so you can flick through them quickly. Most importantly, HBO nailed the streaming engine which adjusts the quality automatically for your broadband speed.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EisaBTzuqsU[/youtube]

No 1. Yamaha TNR-I – iPad

Price: $19.99

This is one of the most entertaining music apps on the iPad or even elsewhere. Essentially a visual music sequencer, TNR-I is the mobile version of an actual musical instrument called the Tenori-On. The app allows you to press squares to trigger a sound effect, and then press other squares to make an entire song. Once you familiarize yourself with the concept, you can change the sequence on the fly. There’s a 16 x 16 grid of squares to pick from for the music and at $19.99 the app is totally worth it.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vux-0WxgS8g[/youtube]