multichannel baroque: Ten apps for your brand new iPad 2 : Christmas 2011

Should you receive or if you?ve already received a brand new iPad or iPad 2 for the holidays here at the tail end of 2011, the first thing you?ll want to do is download a few fabulous and essential apps. What follows is a list your humble narrator has put together for you, the informed reader, detailing what a set of 10 may well be for your instantly impressive apps collection. Everything from high-powered music software to pinball and back down to news reading apps. You?ll be set by the end of this post!

UZU

An app that?s been the #1 app in the App Store and was voted 2010?s Best Generative Art and Sound App, this magic creation machine never gets old. Touch your screen and let the magic flow, lines of color spinning and exploding in front of your eyes, all controlled by your fingertips. There are several versions of this app, free and pay, the one we?re most interested in is the plain ol? Uzu. [Uzu on iTunes App Store] $1.99 USD

AC/DC Pinball

There are several pinball games available for the iPad made by the same group: Gameprom. This AC/DC pinball machine is hosted by a the same group that shows off SLAYER Pinball, an equally epic game, then the rest are hosted by Gameprom (shown in the iTunes App Store here). The AC/DC table is a great example of one that?ll instantly appeal to vast hoards of users because not only does it feature some excellent classic rock tunes, it?s one dern good pinball table as well. Gameprom is the current king of pinball in the mobile environment, no contest. [AC/DC Pinball on iTunes App Store] $2.99 USD

BONUS: Hands-on from launch day:

Soundrop

This absolutely impossibly simple application is so good, the developer was tapped to work with Bjork on her newest album because she wanted an app of her own. There?s nothing better for creating gravity-based beat music based on the dropping of digital balls and watching them bounce as they hit tune bars you place. Colors and sound assigning galore for one heck of a fun time for anyone and everyone. [Soundrop on iTunes App Store] FREE

Photo Transfer App

You can either go through the relatively laborious process of uploading all your photos taken with your iPad 2 to your computer with your cords and your apps and your waiting, you can connect both your iPad 2 and your computer to the same Wi-fi network and let it all work its magic with the amazingly simple titled ?Photo Transfer App.? It has literally never failed to work for me and I use it all the time. [Photo Transfer App on iTunes App Store] $2.99 USD

Multiponk

In this game you?ve got a multi-player interface and high definition graphics combined with simple gameplay and a host of challenging computer opponents. Basically it?s PONG but with a slightly more 3D interface and it?s on the iPad. Because the iPad, like most tablets these days, has multi-point touch compatibility, you?ll be able to play with up to three friends in a four-way tournament, best bumper wins! [Multiponk on iTunes App Store] $4.99 USD

Asphalt 6 : Adrenaline HD

This is the greatest racing game to be released for the mobile platform thus far, no contest whatsoever. The only thing that comes close is Asphalt 5, and that?s not got nearly the fun we?re experiencing here. Race your favorite high-class car copied straight up from the real world, except for extraordinary details such as Adrenaline afterburners, and decide for yourself who will be your worthy opponent and who will be run off the road by your mighty hand. Crashing into your opponents encouraged! [Asphalt 6 : Adrenaline HD on iTunes App Store] $0.99 USD

SampleTank

When it?s time to get going with music making on the iPad, there?s nothing more diverse than SampleTank. And now that you?re fully functional on the iPad at full HD resolution, taps become hits on instruments of so many kinds your head will spin. Pull out the pads if you like patterns, key the keyboard if you?re an ivory superstar. Combine this with a variety of SampleTank associated hardware for a full concert-quality performance. [SampleTank on iTunes App Store] $19.99 USD

Google Currents

For reading blogs, there?s really nothing better than a brand new project created by Google and a host of partners that included SlashGear! Check in the Tech section for SlashGear sitting front and center, and be sure to search for Android Community while you?re at it ? unless you?re a straight up Apple addict, of course, that?s your prerogative! [Google Currents on iTunes App Store] FREE

Shadowgun

There?s a third-person shooter adventure game on the mobile platform by the name of Shadowgun, and it?s the current benchmark in gameplay, controls, and graphics, to which all other similar games are compared. At the moment there?s no greater shooter game in the mobile world than Shadowgun, and it?s one whole heck of a lot of fun. Beware the zombie mutants around all corners. [Shadowgun on iTunes App Store] $2.99 USD

SlashGear

We?ve got our own app for the iPad and iPad 2 and yes, it does look and work pretty cool. You can get all your required reading in from an easy to navigate interface as well as check in on any new reviews we?ve done with futuristic projects from the gadgetsphere! Best of all, this whole situation is free of charge, of course! [SlashGear on iTunes App Store] FREE