1. Rdio - I have made it no secret that this is my favorite music service at the moment. I have tried most of the services and Spotify is the only service that comes close. However, Rdio has better search features, a better user interface, better artist radio features, and better discovery features..in my opinion. It also works perfectly with Bluetooth in my car and Spotify doesn't.
2. Evernote - I use the free version of this app and it currently works perfect for my needs. I'm am writing this post in Evernote on the iPad so that I can access it from my computer later. It is great for lists and for web clippings.
3. Pocket - I use this in conjunction with Evernote. It contains every article that I clip from the web and the articles I want to keep get exported to Evernote. While they are two separate programs, I always use them together.
4. Crashplan - I have the family version that allows you to backup several computers, but there is also a free version. The family plan costs a bit of money, but it is worth it to have music and photos backed up off site. They have aseed service that you can have them mail you a drive and you can send it back to them with about 1.5 terabytes of data. It would have taken months to back up via the web. Also, if you ever need all your files, they will mail you a drive back for a fee ( around 3.5 terabytes). Of course, you can go with the normal process of just downloading your files, but I like having the option of getting everything back in a couple days rather than rebuilding over months. For just a group of files you want to restore, it is easy just to pull them from the cloud.
5. Lightroom CC - for9.99, I get access to Photoshop and Lightroom. However, Lightroom has a teriffic mobile app that will allow you to share catalogs, rate, and edit photos.
6. IF (if this then that) - this is a web based service that automates tons of features. For example, when I take a photo with my iPhone, it automatically sends that photo to Google Drive. I also have it set to send me the final score of every Grizzly game. It now has "Do apps" that make things even easier. For example, I have a Do Button that will turn off and on a lamp connected to a WeMo. The amount of automation available is almost limitless. Also, somehow the service is free!
7. Flickr - a terabyte of photo storage for free. A huge community of talented photographers and feedback on your photos. It also has integration with Appletv and has a fantastic iPad app.
8. Next issue - a magazine app that has kept me from renewing most of my subscriptions on the Zinio app ( one of my top twenty apps). For ~$10 a month, I have acces to a wide variety of magazines. It has most of the magazines I read and it is one of the reasons I have an iPad. The main downside is that there is not a Mac app. However, they have a fantastic landscape mode that makes it more useful for smaller devices.
9. Paprika - We mainly use Wunderlist to keep track of our main grocery lists. However Paprika is a fantastic meal planner. For example, if you see a recipe on the web, it can usually pull in the recipe and even add it to its own grocery list. If it could export that list to Wunderlist, it would be perfect, but I guess they need to have some room to improve. For what it is, it is fantastic. Be aware that it is available on most platforms, but you pay for the app on each platform rather than paying a monthly fee (which is how some other services pay the bills).
10. Netflix - Not much needs to be said here. It is simply fantastic for movies and TV shows.
2. Evernote - I use the free version of this app and it currently works perfect for my needs. I'm am writing this post in Evernote on the iPad so that I can access it from my computer later. It is great for lists and for web clippings.
3. Pocket - I use this in conjunction with Evernote. It contains every article that I clip from the web and the articles I want to keep get exported to Evernote. While they are two separate programs, I always use them together.
4. Crashplan - I have the family version that allows you to backup several computers, but there is also a free version. The family plan costs a bit of money, but it is worth it to have music and photos backed up off site. They have aseed service that you can have them mail you a drive and you can send it back to them with about 1.5 terabytes of data. It would have taken months to back up via the web. Also, if you ever need all your files, they will mail you a drive back for a fee ( around 3.5 terabytes). Of course, you can go with the normal process of just downloading your files, but I like having the option of getting everything back in a couple days rather than rebuilding over months. For just a group of files you want to restore, it is easy just to pull them from the cloud.
5. Lightroom CC - for9.99, I get access to Photoshop and Lightroom. However, Lightroom has a teriffic mobile app that will allow you to share catalogs, rate, and edit photos.
6. IF (if this then that) - this is a web based service that automates tons of features. For example, when I take a photo with my iPhone, it automatically sends that photo to Google Drive. I also have it set to send me the final score of every Grizzly game. It now has "Do apps" that make things even easier. For example, I have a Do Button that will turn off and on a lamp connected to a WeMo. The amount of automation available is almost limitless. Also, somehow the service is free!
7. Flickr - a terabyte of photo storage for free. A huge community of talented photographers and feedback on your photos. It also has integration with Appletv and has a fantastic iPad app.
8. Next issue - a magazine app that has kept me from renewing most of my subscriptions on the Zinio app ( one of my top twenty apps). For ~$10 a month, I have acces to a wide variety of magazines. It has most of the magazines I read and it is one of the reasons I have an iPad. The main downside is that there is not a Mac app. However, they have a fantastic landscape mode that makes it more useful for smaller devices.
9. Paprika - We mainly use Wunderlist to keep track of our main grocery lists. However Paprika is a fantastic meal planner. For example, if you see a recipe on the web, it can usually pull in the recipe and even add it to its own grocery list. If it could export that list to Wunderlist, it would be perfect, but I guess they need to have some room to improve. For what it is, it is fantastic. Be aware that it is available on most platforms, but you pay for the app on each platform rather than paying a monthly fee (which is how some other services pay the bills).
10. Netflix - Not much needs to be said here. It is simply fantastic for movies and TV shows.
The Best of the Rest
I couldn't just stop with a top ten because so many of the service run neck and neck and it makes it hard to say one is that much better than the other when you use them all.
11. Wunderlist - I mentioned it above. It is the way we share the groceries for the week. It is a simple to use list manager. Unlike Evernote, I use this for stuff that will be completed within the week. When we run out of milk (for example), I put it on the grocery list for the week and we simply check it off when we buy it.
12. Vudu - An online movie rental place that will also allow you to upload some of your own DVDs and Blurays to their cloud for a fee (it is typically cheaper if you load 10 movies at a time). It is great for watching movies on the iPad on the go. You can even save movies to the iPad so you can watch them when you are offline.
13. Dropbox - great way to share files and have them available from any device. It is seeing more competition come along every day, but I still find it the easiest and most convenient to use.
14. Lastpass - a great way to have you passwords available from nearly any device. With Touch ID, it is even better than ever. This could have been in my top ten since I use it more often that ALL of my other apps. However, it has a lot of competition with 1Password and Dashlane, so I am not sure if it is still the best option for everyone. However, it works for my needs and it is inexpensive when compared to other services.
15. Zinio - the original magazine service for the iPad. It has a wider range of titles and can be accessed from more platforms than Next Issue, but you have to subscribe to magazines on an individual basis.
16. Amazon Prime - Music, movies, books, free shipping, photo storage, and more. A wide range of features for around $99 a year. If you shop with them very often, it may be the best bargain on this list. It is comprehensive and can replace some of the services on my list if you are willing to live with some of the shortfalls.
17. Lynda.com - learn just about anything for $10 a month.
12. Vudu - An online movie rental place that will also allow you to upload some of your own DVDs and Blurays to their cloud for a fee (it is typically cheaper if you load 10 movies at a time). It is great for watching movies on the iPad on the go. You can even save movies to the iPad so you can watch them when you are offline.
13. Dropbox - great way to share files and have them available from any device. It is seeing more competition come along every day, but I still find it the easiest and most convenient to use.
14. Lastpass - a great way to have you passwords available from nearly any device. With Touch ID, it is even better than ever. This could have been in my top ten since I use it more often that ALL of my other apps. However, it has a lot of competition with 1Password and Dashlane, so I am not sure if it is still the best option for everyone. However, it works for my needs and it is inexpensive when compared to other services.
15. Zinio - the original magazine service for the iPad. It has a wider range of titles and can be accessed from more platforms than Next Issue, but you have to subscribe to magazines on an individual basis.
16. Amazon Prime - Music, movies, books, free shipping, photo storage, and more. A wide range of features for around $99 a year. If you shop with them very often, it may be the best bargain on this list. It is comprehensive and can replace some of the services on my list if you are willing to live with some of the shortfalls.
17. Lynda.com - learn just about anything for $10 a month.
18. YouTube - I hesitate to call this a service, but it can be. You can learn just as much here as anywhere else. You just might have to wade through some junk along the way.
19. iTunes Match - they were the first to scan your audio library and make a copy on the cloud. The main selling point is that it provides Siri integration and AppleTV integration. However, they have also bundled it with commercial free iTunes Radio.
20. General Google and Apple services - Google Drive, Maps, iBooks, Newstand, iPhoto's, Siri, etc... A lot of features that are integrated so well that you almost forget they are separate services.
19. iTunes Match - they were the first to scan your audio library and make a copy on the cloud. The main selling point is that it provides Siri integration and AppleTV integration. However, they have also bundled it with commercial free iTunes Radio.
20. General Google and Apple services - Google Drive, Maps, iBooks, Newstand, iPhoto's, Siri, etc... A lot of features that are integrated so well that you almost forget they are separate services.
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