Essential Apps and Accessories for iPad Entertaining
This week we explored how to use your iPad to throw an amazing party or make an event extra special.
There were apps, accessories, and ideas that take parties from ordinary to extraordinary, and if you missed any of our articles, make sure to take a look at this round up of all the essential items for entertaining with your iPad. You won’t want to miss the chance of entertaining everyone with your iPad.
Apps
Hosting a party can be a lot of work, so you’ll want to look into apps like Pro Party Planner, which can do all the tough stuff for you. With a simple party planning app, you can cut down on the amount of work you need to do, because you can keep track of party attendees, recipes, shopping lists, drinks, and decorations.
Deciding what to serve to eat and drink can be a serious chore if you’re not creative in the kitchen, so make sure to pick up a recipe app and a drink app. You can find some great suggestions on all kinds of party planning apps in this week’s PadGadget Weekly App Series.
Download a few photography apps onto your iPad and have a blast at your next event or party taking silly pictures. Give Pocketbooth and some props a try for some retro-style photo strip fun. You can also download an app like PowerCam to take photos with artistic filters, or have some fun with after party collages using Pic Collage and share them everywhere using PhotoSync.
Music is also an important part of any party, so take a look at apps like Spotify or Pandora to turn your iPad into a virtual stereo. With these apps, you’ll never have to worry about what to play. If you’re a little more adventurous and want to try your hand at DJing, make sure to take a look at our awesome guide on turning your iPad into a complete DJ setup, with the djay app by Algoriddim.
If your party is getting a bit dull, you can always spice it up with some board games. We wrote up a great list on some of the best iPad board games this week. There’s also a plethora of fun party games in the App Store, like the ever essential Truth or Dare or Charadium.
Of course, if kids are attending the party and you want to keep them entertained, you might want to take a look at our list of AirPlay ready games for kids, which will keep them busy for hours on end while the adults have fun of their own.
Party Doodle for iPad – Fun for kids and adults.
Accessories
A great speaker system is a must for any party, especially if you’re going to be using your iPad. You don’t have to shell out tons of cash for decent speakers though, because there are tons of affordable options that can be found in local brick and mortar stores or online venues like Amazon.com. For example, you can snag a Jambox for just $180, and that’ll keep the party going all night long. If you’re looking for an even cheaper option, Logitech has a great Mini Boombox for just $80, and Altec Lansing has a decent portable optionfor $30.
If you already have a speaker system but want to make it AirPlay ready, you’ll want to check out our list of AirPlay ready receivers, which includes offerings from Pioneer ranging from $379 to $2100.
Having a great iPad stand can also make or break your party. An iPad stand can be used for a wide variety of tasks, like as a tripod when using photo apps, as a recipe holder when cooking, or as a portable music center. If you’re looking for a jack of all trades stand, you might want to give the O-Stand a try, which we recently had a chance to review. That thing goes anywhere!
The iPad is incredibly versatile, and with just a few apps and accessories, it can do almost anything imaginable. We explored how to turn your iPad into the ultimate party tool this week, but we’d love to hear your own tips and tricks. What apps or accessories do you use with your iPad when entertaining?
