Apple Addiction: The New AA

Hello, my name is Mary Beth and I am an iPad addict.  Actually that is false, but my sister, Katie, assuredly is, and since she cannot admit it I will for her.  Currently, I’m in Boston visiting with her before I head out to a college visit in Providence, she has talked about her iPad and its magnificent wonders for about 70% of the time.  As such, I have learned quite a bit about this Apple invention in the recent past and so I shall share our favorite iPad apps.  Sorry if this reads like an advertisement for Apple, but feel free to go out and buy these apps after reading, they will not disappoint!

·      Words with Friends: Available for the iPhone and iPad, this virtual scrabble game helps ensure that you do not say any words to the friends around you, rather play others in scrabble 24/7. Lovely. 

·      New York Times Crossword: A favorite of mine, the clues are stimulating and the iPad allows you to check your answers midway through finishing, a fantastic loophole. Also, there’s an almost endless supply of years of crossword puzzles, so you can feel free to simply finish Monday after Monday and feel so great about yourself!

·      Star Walk: Wow, I just learned about it and it blew my mind! You simply point the iPad up in the air and it shows you the stars directly above you.  Stargazing without even leaving the comfort of the warm indoors.  This app names and points out the constellations, stars, planets, basically a handheld astronomer, telescope included

·      Cut the Rope: Such a fantastic game! A piece of candy hangs by a rope tantalizing the green alien, Omnom.  As levels rise, new pieces are added, so the player has to use a knowledge of physics and logic to deliver the nom noms to Omnom, whilst collecting all three stars to achieve a high score.

·      Proloquo 2 Go: As a speech pathologist, my sister uses the iPad as an augmentative communication device. This app allows nonspeaking people, such as children with autism or cerebral palsy, or seniors with aphasia, to form sentences that the iPad reads aloud.  The iPad revolutionized the field because augmentative communication devices cost $8000 but iPads cost only $500

·      Angry Birds: Like Cut the Rope, this seemingly childish game is chock full of physics… and fun! Players try to knock over a structure that protects some green pigs, by sling-shotting various birds at it.  Wow. Non-stop hilarity

·      The Cloudy Shake: For the little kid inside you, users of this app choose food products from ice cream to hot dogs to broccoli, to blend into a milkshake.  They then shake the iPad to blend the virtual milkshake and a “gross-o-meter” measures the degree of deliciousness of your concoction.  At the end, you can even “drink” your milkshake by tipping the iPad toward your mouth, or over a chair, it's not like it's real.

     Now go forth and spread the good news of these splendid apps to your friends and neighbors! They will love you for it. Or get angry and jealous if they don't have said iPad.