Since the release of iPad 2, almost every app that first upgraded to iPad has now upgraded to use the enhanced features of iPad 2 – mainly the dual cameras and the fast processor. iPad has surely changed the way we used to read. With it’s slick easy-to-handle form factor, you can read with great ease and with it’s 10-hour long battery life, you don’t have to worry about recharging when on long journeys. I am going to list 5 iPad 2 apps that will make your reading experience pleasurable.
1. iBooks
iBooks has to be on the top of the list. iBooks by Apple makes helps you sift through volumes and volumes of books available on it’s store, download them and also read them. The interface is inspired by old 18th century libraries to give you a classic feel.
All the books that you download are arranged in your own personal library. The reading is definitely a very enlightening experience. For one, the perfect screen size allows you to hold iPad as if you’re holding a book and two, the app renders the pages of the book in a very real way. You can sift through the pages by sliding your finger just like you would in a real book.
iBooks from iTunes for free.
2. Kindle
Yes, instead of taking it up with Apple, Amazon, which markets Kindle which is a digital book-read
er, Amazon decided to keep it friendly and instead develop a Kindle app which gives iPad 2 users a Kindle like book reading experience. So if you own a Kindle you might just want to sell if off and use Kindle app for iPad instead. Unlike the classic-looking interface that iBooks offers, Kindle sports a more web 2.0ish interface. You can browse through the Kindle store for books and maintain your own library of books just like iBooks
Kindle for iPad is available on iTunes for free
(Addition) Google Books
I forgot to include Google Books app in this list and now since we already have 5 apps, I am 
just going to insert it where it should have been in the first place. For those who already know, Google Books is a service by Google which has over 2 million books in it’s library which you can browse through topics, categories or simply search your favorite title. The service is available on the PC, Mac and now they have this app for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch where you can do all those things like search through their library and download the books you want to read. The reading experience is definitely delightful. You can read in both vertical (normal orientation) and landscape, You can add bookmarks, turn pages in 3D mode (the page turns in much the similar way as it would in real). It is definitely a must have for book readers!
You can get Google Books on iTunes for free.
3. ReaddleDocs
If you maintain your own collection of books then this would be an ideal app to have on your iP
ad 2. It not only supports almost every imaginable format but there are some other really handy features too. ReaddleDocs can integrate with Dropbox which means you can sync your collection of books directly from your machine with Dropbox. If you don’t know much about Dropbox then I would recommend you google it right now and get it on your machine. It’s the best and most easiest way of syncing your data across multiple machine including your iPhone and iPad. It has it’s own iPad app and if you have it already then all you need to do is integrate it with ReaddleDocs.
- The PDF reader available in this app can show links instead of suppressing them and also has a search bar just like any PC or Mac based PDF reader.
- You can download PDF or other format attachment from your email using this app.
- You can not only sync with Dropbox but also with iDisk and a couple of other cloud based services
- To reiterate, it supports not only PDF but ePub and FB2 formats too
- You can copy your books over Wi-Fi, 3G and EDGE connections
ReaddleDocs is available on iTunes for $4.99
4. Instapaper
Instapaper for iPad 2 must have been on the top of this list but since I am specifically f
ocusing on apps that make “book reading” experience delightful, Instapaper is moved down to number 3. It allows you to save web pages for reading later. It’s best use-case would be at times when you have a limited internet connection and you sift through all the web pages you want to and keep saving them and then read them later even if you don’t have internet connection. The app renders the saved web pages in such a way that you won’t feel the difference between the webpage and a book’s page. This is the beauty of Instapaper which has set it apart from it’s competitors.
Instapaper is available on iTunes for 4.99
5. Pages
Pages is not strongly focused on just reading books but it’s actually a word processor designed specially for iPad. When I say “designed specially”, I refer to the special design requirements like the mobile-processor, the display size and the user experience that has to be taken care of by the software designers. You cannot easily fit a Word processor into an iPad but this app has beautifully done that.
You can not only read documents but also create them. Add graphics like graphs, clip arts, tables and charts into your documents with the ease of simply tapping your finger. It supports multi-touch and the documents just looks really awesome on the bright display of iPad 2.
Pages is available on iTunes for $12.99
You may also want to check out: