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Apple has made an unprecedented move and announced it is relaxing the rules for applications on the App Store.

In a statement, the computing giant announced that it is "relaxing all restrictions on the development tools used to create iOS apps, as long as the resulting apps do not download any code.

"This should give developers the flexibility they want, while preserving the security we need."

Apple has always been a tad cloudy on what it will or won't allow on the App Store, so this is a move that will please developers looking to get their applications on to the iPhone.

It also means that third-party developer tools for iOS apps will be allowed - which is a huge turnaround for Apple.

Listened to devs

"We have listened to our developers and taken much of their feedback to heart," Apple explained in its statement.

"Based on their input, today we are making some important changes to our iOS Developer Program licence."

It continued: "For the first time we are publishing the App Store Review Guidelines to help developers understand how we review submitted apps.

"We hope it will make us more transparent and help our developers create even more successful apps for the App Store."

There's no word on when the review guidelines will be published, but this is an important step for Apple and shows the company is listening to the myriad devs who have contributed to the App Store – which currently houses over 250,000 apps.

Think about your most-used Mac apps. You might choose Safari, Pages, iPhoto or iTunes. However, an app that might escape your furious list-making is Finder, largely because the Mac's file-browser is so ubiquitous that people often forget it's an application.

Finder is designed to be sleek and efficient, providing you with various ways of accessing and viewing documents on your Mac. But like many Apple apps, it's also multi-layered, having by default a simple setup, but offering extra options 'under the hood'.

We'll look at some of the best options, show how to access and activate them, and detail how they can speed up your workflow.

If you find the current Finder a little too cluttered and pine for the simpler days of Mac OS 9, windows can be changed to resemble those from Apple's older system. Click the pill-shaped button at the top-right of a Finder window and the toolbar and sidebar vanish.

This also reverts Finder to a more 'spatial' model; when accessed from within Icon view, clicking folders opens them in a new window, and you cannot open the same folder in multiple windows – instead, Finder reveals the window that's already displaying the folder you're trying to access.

01. The default setup

If you've not made any changes to Finder's setup since you've had your Mac, it will resemble what's shown in the grab above.

Finder window toolbars will show the Spotlight search field and eight buttons: Back/Forward, the four views (Icon, List, Column, Cover Flow), Quick Look, and Actions. On the desktop, icons for files and folders will be scattered around, positioned wherever you left them, and only some volumes will be visible.

02. Tidy your desktop

There are two steps to a neater desktop. First, go to Finder > Preferences. In General, uncheck volumes you don't want to show on the desktop (bearing in mind mounted volumes can be accessed from Finder window sidebars). Then go to View > View Options and set Arrange by to Name to force items to be listed alphabetically.

03. Show and hide item info

Leave the View Options window open. Keep an eye on the items on your desktop and check Show item info. You'll see that for certain document types, additional information is displayed. This option can in fact be set for any folder (via the View Options window) when you're using Icon view.

04. Tweak icon mode

On the desktop, icons are restricted to a maximum size of 128x128 pixels (adjusted by using the slider in the View Options window). However, open another Finder window, change it to Icon view (via the toolbar button) and drag the slider to the right. At its maximum setting, icons are 512x512 – handy for PDF and image previews.

05. Control column sizes

Column view also has some handy resize tricks, this time relating to column widths. You can drag each column's widget, but a double-click stretches a column to fit the longest item's name. Option-click a widget to expand all columns in this way. Shift+Option-clicking expands all columns to match the widest. Option-drag to resize columns manually.

06. Customise Finder windows

Finder windows can be customised. With the sidebar, system-level items are toggled using the Sidebar section of Finder's preferences, but you can drag any file, folder or app there as a shortcut. (Drag a link out of the sidebar to remove it.) You can also drag items to the toolbar; To remove an item Ctrl-click and select Remove Item.

07. View path information

View > Customize Toolbar offers access to more buttons. Path is useful for rapidly moving up a folder hierarchy. Use View > Show Path Bar for an always-onscreen equivalent at the bottom of each Finder window. Path-bar folders can also be dragged and dropped, and items can be dropped into them.

Yup. Apple's decided it's been at least a few months since it screwed with the iTunes UI, and so it's made some changes with iTunes 10.

Some of them actually work. There's a decent 'hybrid' list view, and the main interface pane offers more clarity. However, two changes are mind-boggling:

1. iTunes previously coloured its sidebar items. This enabled you to - without thinking - associate certain items with certain colours; even if you didn't do this, each item was differentiated. Now, you have to think before you click, and the usability of this area of the app has been substantially reduced.

2. The close/minimise/zoom buttons are now aligned vertically in the full window mode. In the mini-player window, this was always the case, but in the full window mode, it's a baffling decision.

Even though Mac OS X's hardly a bastion of total consistency these days, these three important buttons usually stay put, and people's muscle memory enables quick access to them.

Now, iTunes 10 chucks Apple's Human Interface Guidelines (the ones Apple seemingly expects every developer but itself to follow) out the window, in order to save a little horizontal space. However, this again reduces usability - not only are these buttons now in the wrong place, they're also much smaller and harder to hit.

In the past, iTunes has foreshadowed subsequent updates to the look and feel of Mac OS X.

I seriously hope that isn't the case this time, because the iTunes 10 UI is a botch job - a collision of fairly good ideas (which are incremental updates) and the very worst in interface design.

To that end, I wonder where all Apple's best UI designers have gone. They're certainly not on the iTunes team.

UPDATE: In the comments on the original post, mr_phillip writes: "For what it's worth, defaults write com.apple.iTunes full-window -1 restores the default close/minimise buttons". So at least Terminal-savvy Mac users have an option to deal with the second of Apple's UI disasters.

This article was first posted at Revert To Saved.

We've been promised video calls for years, but they've never really taken off - but thanks to last night's Apple announcements, we might need to smarten ourselves up whenever the phone rings.

Apple changed music with the iPod - and it looks like it's going to use the same bit of kit to change the way we talk, too.

Adding the FaceTime video calling system to the iPod touch means that FaceTime may be heading for prime time.

Until yesterday FaceTime was brilliant and largely pointless: it was only available for the iPhone 4, so if all your friends weren't early-adopting free-spending latte-sipping hipsters who hold their phones really, really carefully then FaceTime suffered from the Only Fax Machine In The World problem: who do you call when no-one has the kit?

FaceTime on the iPod touch changes that. Steve Jobs reckons Apple is activating 230,000 iOS devices a day, and a good proportion of those devices are iPod touches - which means that over the Christmas period hundreds of thousands of people will end up with FaceTime-enabled iPods in their stockings.

The odds are that while you might not know many iPhone 4 owners, you'll know plenty of iPod touch owners - and increasingly, you'll be able to talk to them via FaceTime.

FaceTime everywhere

The next step for Apple is obvious: FaceTime in everything else.

There's no technical reason it can't be in OS X - FaceTime's really just iChat AV in different trousers - and the widely expected cameras in next year's second generation iPad mean it should come to Apple's tablet, too, ushering in a whole new world of chinny videos shot from unflattering angles.

While Apple is at it it could easily add it to the Apple TV: an add-on camera wouldn't be that expensive, even with Apple's massive profit margins, and FaceTime on your HDTV would deliver some of the wow factor Apple's telly box desperately needs.

Don't forget that FaceTime is supposed to be an open standard, too. In the long term, that means it should appear on all kinds of devices, not just ones with the Apple logo.

The big question is whether people want to see one another on the phone. I think the older generation hate the idea. I certainly do, but that's because I have what's best described as a face for radio and some really ugly friends.

Phone networks won't like it, either, because if it takes off it'll mean massive data demands over networks that often struggle to cope with Twitter.

But I reckon The Kids - that is, the constantly videoing, texting, chatting, oversharing Kids who can't take a breath without videoing it and uploading it to YouTube - will love it.

Apple isn't the first firm to try to take video calling into the mainstream - but it wasn't the first firm to make an MP3 player, either. That worked out OK, didn't it?

Future Publishing has announced the launch of its first full bespoke digital magazine, with T3: iPad edition scheduled to go on sale in autumn 2010.

Future, which also publishes TechRadar, has launched a number of iPhone apps, and is now looking to take one of the UK's biggest tech magazine brands and turn it into a T3 iPad interactive magazine.

"As Future's flagship consumer technology brand in the UK, with a highly tech-literate audience, T3 is a logical choice for the company's first fully bespoke paid-for digital magazine for Apple's tablet," explained the company's release.

"Future is the UK's leading consumer electronics publisher and T3 is one of its biggest multi-platform brands with 23 international print editions, a fast-growing T3.com website and live events including the annual T3 Gadget Awards."

Autumn

The magazine will launch in the autumn, and go on sale on iTunes at the same time as the magazine arrives on newsagent shelves.

Nial Ferguson, Publishing Director for Future's Entertainment & Tech Lifestyle portfolios, said: "The natural synergies between T3 and the iPad create a dream union for both consumers and our commercial partners.

"Our research tells us that T3 readers are high-spending early adopters, who are already voraciously consuming media on the platform.

"We've worked very hard and liaised with Apple to ensure that T3: iPad Edition will give our readers the quality and authority of the print magazine, combined with the unique interactivity and functionality the iPad platform provides.

"Early testing among consumers and commercial partners has been very positive."

Badly dubbed adverts really annoy me. Faintly sinister firms make an advert for shoes or yoghurts or incomprehensible children's toys in Germany, and instead of filming a new version for the UK they just do a half-arsed bit of dubbing that doesn't even attempt to match the mouths to the sounds they're supposed to be making. "Oh, who cares," the advertisers think. "It's only the UK."

The Apple TV is a bit like that.

I like the idea of the Apple TV, but like those European adverts something goes horribly wrong when it has to cross the sea to get to Britain.

The price goes up for starters - $99 becomes £99, which either means VAT went up to 50% last night when nobody was looking or Apple's taking the mickey - but more importantly, many of the good bits disappear.

If you look at the US page for the Apple TV, there's a whole section dedicated to HD TV Shows: "Instant TV rentals. Just 99c." On the UK page, there isn't anything. That's because Apple doesn't have the UK deals in place to deliver TV rentals, so there's a big hole in the Apple TV's feature list.

Film rentals aren't much better. Fancy renting Chris Morris's Four Lions? You can't: it's buy-only. Hot Tub Time Machine? Buy only. Zombieland? Buy only. Anchorman? Buy only.

Paying more for less

Apple isn't the only firm who doesn't have the right deals in place for the UK - while things are improving, Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace, now Zune Video, spent a long time with a selection of films that would look rubbish on petrol station shelves, never mind a flagship video service - but it does mean that Apple is charging UK customers considerably more than US customers for a device and associated service that does considerably less.

Video on the Xbox 360 is a handy optional extra on a games console, but the whole point of the Apple TV is to be a home entertainment hub.

I know it's not really Apple's fault - the deals or lack of deals is down to negotiations between Apple and the various film studios and TV companies - but I don't really care: no matter who's to blame, the result is the same. It doesn't even have iPlayer, which rather bizarrely means that for me, my iPhone is a better TV device than an Apple TV is.

What's really frustrating about this for me is that I really want a home entertainment hub: the day I can throw my Sky box in a skip and enjoy high definition television at a reasonable price with an interface that doesn't suck giant monkey balls will be one of the happiest days in home entertainment history.

I really want an Apple TV: it's just that I don't want the one Apple is currently making. In the UK at least it's a Windows Media Center rival, a channel changer instead of a game changer.

Speaking at a press event in Cupertino earlier today, Apple CEO Steve Jobs revealed the latest plans for Apple TV

Jobs is adamant that people don't want a computer on their TV, they don't want to manage storage and that they just want HD Hollywood hits at lower prices.

"They just want to watch movies and TV shows," says Jobs. "They want whatever hardware we have to be silent, cool and small."

Apple TV in your hand

Jobs reveals the latest Apple TV, the second-generation of Apple TV, which is less than a quarter of the size of its predecessor.

"It is a fourth of the size, you can hold it in the palm of your hand," says Jobs. "That is it! It has the power supply within it and one HDMI connector to connect it to your TV. It has built-in Wi-Fi. It is really simple."

The new Apple TV is all rentals, which Jobs claims immediately eradicates the storage problem. Content can be streamed from your computer if you want. There is no confusing sync'ing required.

Stunning photo slideshows

Apple promises "stunning photo slideshows" and the largest online library of movies to rent in the world - both standard def and high def - which can be rented for £3.49 (in HD) the day and date they come out on DVD.

To rent HD TV shows will cost US viewers 99 cents. ABC and Fox are already on board and Jobs hopes the rest of the studios will soon "see the light."

You can also stream your Netflix movies, should you be a Netflix subscriber, view YouTube and stream your music, videos and photos from your Mac or PC.

The new user interface for the second-gen Apple TV is demonstrated by Jobs, who shows how easy and user-friendly the UI is. "It really is a great way to watch movies," enthuses the Apple CEO.

Lots of background movie info is provided by Rotten Tomatoes to help you decide which movies you want to rent via Apple TV. Once you've made your choice, the movie starts almost instantaneously.

When the new Airplay feature arrives with iOS 4.2 in November, you will be able to stream movies and other content from any iOS device straight to your Apple TV.

The new Apple TV is available in the US later this month aggressively priced at only £99 in the UK.

For more head to http://www.apple.com/uk/appletv/

iTunes 10 is revealed by Steve Jobs at this week's Apple presser in Californa, with a new logo and a host of new features to help you enjoy the albums you have and to discover new music.

The biggest new feature is something called 'Ping' - which Jobs describes as like "Facebook and Twitter meets iTunes."

Ping lets you share your favourite music with others in your Ping network.

The Circle of friends

"Ping is super easy to use," claims Jobs, "it is a social music discovery feature that lets you follow people or be followed."

"We've made it even more elegant and simple," says Steve Jobs. "It looks even better."

Jobs demos how you can quickly create your 'Circle of friends' and get "as private or as public as you want."

Ping features over 17,000 live concert listings and is open to over 160 million iTunes users worldwide immediately.

"It is that simple," says Jobs. "It's a social network all about music. Make sense?"

Ping will also be made available on the iPhone, in addition to iTunes on your PC or Mac.

Apple has announced its latest gen iPod touch, a notably slimmer-looking device than its predecessor, featuring the Retina display currently only seen on the iPhone 4.

Apple's latest gen iPod touch also gets two new cameras and will run Apple's FaceTime video calling app.

Users will be able to make FaceTime calls between other iPod touch owners, as well as with friends and family with iPhones.

Most popular gaming handheld

Steve Jobs announced that over a billion and a half games and entertainment titles have been downloaded to the iPod touch alone.

The new iPod touch launches next week and will be available for pre-order over on Apple.com shortly.

"It is the strongest line-up of iPods that we have ever had," enthused Jobs.

Cost to you? £189 for the 8GB model, £249 for the 32GB model and £329 for the 64GB model. Hands on details to follow.

Apple has revealed its latest generation of its iPod shuffle music player, featuring playlists, voice-control and buttons and a new smaller, multi-touch controlled iPod nano.

The new iPod shuffle will let you listen to your music for up to 15 hours, according to Apple.

In addition to featuring iPhone and iPod touch-style multitouch control, the tiny new iPod nano is almost half and small and half as light as its predecessor.

It also features a clip, so you can wear it, as you can with the iPod shuffle.

A full day's worth of battery

Perhaps the most impressive claim is that the new iPod nano will allow 24 hours of music playback.

Jobs also demonstrated how photos looked on the dinky new iPod nano.

The new iPod shuffle will cost US consumers $49. The new iPod nano will sell for $149 for 8GB version and $179 for the 8GB version in the US when it launches later this year.

UK pricing is as follows - the 2GB iPod shuffle is £39, the 8GB iPod nano is £129 and the 16GB iPod nano is £159.

Steve Jobs revealed a sneak peek of iOS 4.2, which is all about the iPad, bringing a selection of new features to Apple's tablet PC.

The Apple CEO demonstrated a number of these new iOS 4.2 features - including wireless printing, new streaming features from the new 'Airplay' option and more.

It is the new music streaming features arriving with Apple Airplay that are by far the most interesting aspects of iOS 4.2.

Jobs announced that the next iOS update will be due this coming November.

Stay tuned for further details.

If you are the owner of an Apple Mac, iPad, iPod touch or iPhone then you might want to tune in to Apple's livestream of its press event later this evening.

The event starts at 10am PDT (6pm UK time) later today and Apple will be streaming a live video feed to Macs running OS X 10.6 and the Safari Web browser, or on an iPad, an iPhone, or iPod Touch running iOS 3 or higher, according to a media alert posted on Tuesday by Apple.

Apple news as it happens

If you don't happen to have any of those devices, but want to know the main news announcements and get some first impressions of the new products announced by Apple then never fear, because we will be bringing you the news as it happens as well as detailed hands on first impressions of any new Apple kit we get to play with.

Those with any of the aforementioned Apple devices that want to see the video should head over to Apple.com just before 6pm.

Safari only has around 5 per cent of the global browser market right now, compared with 60 per cent for Microsoft Internet Explorer, 22 per cent for Mozilla's Firefox and 7 per cent for Google Chrome.

Expectations and rumour

In terms of what we expect to see announced at Apple's presser, it is highly likely that we will see a new iPod touch featuring a camera and Apple's latest retina display, currently only available on the iPhone 4.

We should also see a number of new features for iTunes, such as sample clips of tunes that run up to 60 or 90 seconds.

Whether or not we will see or hear anything more about rumoured plans for iTunes music or video streaming services remains to be seen.

Either way, we'll be there to bring you all the main news announcements just after 6pm later today.

Buzzwords and phrases are part and parcel of the IT industry; they come and go at an incredible pace.

Those of you who were using Macs back before OS X was released will remember, no doubt, this one: UNIX underpinnings. It's one of those phrases that, all in one, tells you something and nothing. It sounds grand and clearly it's meant to be a good thing.

Mac OS X is built on UNIX – that's really as much as any end users should ever need to know. In fact, you probably don't even need to know that. However, those underpinnings are what make the Mac OS more stable and reliable.

UNIX stirrings

Every now and again, the dark underbelly of OS X bubbles up to the surface and this happened to me just the other day. Go and check the top level of your hard disk, I'll wait here while you do.

Right, now you're back, did you discover a folder there called lost+found? If there was, this is those UNIX underpinnings at work. This is nothing to panic about; well, it might be, but don't do anything radical just yet.

The lost+found folder is created for a variety of reasons, and all of them loosely connected. Most often the lost+found folder is created after a forced shutdown or a power cut. The OS loses track of what was going on and instead of dumping any files or folders it has lost track of, it puts them in the lost+found folder.

But before you work yourself into a frenzy, check the contents of the folder – if there's not much in there and the creation dates are old, you can rest easy.

If, however, there are lots of files in there and they're all recent, this might indicate a problem with the file system or even your hard disk. The appearance of a folder called lost+found on your hard disk can also point to a physical issue with your hard disk.

To be frank, it's likely any issue with a hard disk will have manifested itself in other unusual behaviour and/or crashes long before the appearance of said folder. Now, you still don't really need to panic because you have at least two recent backups of your data safely tucked away somewhere, don't you? You do? Good.

A simple format and reinstall of OS X should solve this issue and though it's time consuming, it'll save you from larger problems the sooner you do it. If you want, use a third-party disk tool like Disk Warrior to assess the heath of your file system. This will let you know if anything is amiss and will alert you to any major issues.

You should also regularly check the S.M.A.R.T. status of your hard disk in Disk Utility, which is handily built-in to Mac OS X.

Miscreant folders

It can be a bit disconcerting to find a folder created by your Mac without your knowledge, and perhaps it's a shortcoming of the UNIX underpinnings that it isn't highlighted whenever it happens. A lost+found folder on your hard disk isn't the end of the world, but you should have a check to see if it's the harbinger of potential future problems within your system.

However, the single most important pact you should maintain with your Mac is to have a regular and systematic backup regime. That way, even if the file system has a senior moment or your hard disk annihilates itself in spectacular fashion, you won't lose anything other than time.

New figures suggest that 5 per cent of all users of Valve's Steam download to a Mac.

Steam's monthly hardware and software survey showed that in July Apple is starting to make an impact to the Steam user base, with the survey showing that a number of its downloaders are Mac based.

Steam for Macs was announced back in May so it is interesting to see two months on what the take-up has been like.

In the drop down for OS Versions used, it shows that MacOS 10.6.3 (64 bit) is used by 4.30 per cent of Steam users and MacOS 10.5.8 (64 bit) 0.77 per cent.

The results also showed that 46.78 per cent of those with a Mac are gaming with a MacBook Pro, while just 3.44 per cent are using a Mac Mini.

Steam punks

Obviously, the PC market is still the most dominant user of Steam, with Windows XP being the most popular version of Microsoft's OS used.

Windows 7 (64 bit) is starting to gain more traction, though, with the OS being used by a total of 29.77 per cent of PC users.

The Steam survey is an optional one, so it may not paint the truest picture of what machines (and their specs) are using Steam but it does offer some interesting insight into what the popularity of kit is that people are using.

And it also makes for a handy checklist to make sure you are up to scratch spec-wise with what the majority of Steam users have in their computers.

Go to http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey to check it out for yourself.

Thanks to Apple's build quality, old Macs rarely die – they just end up on eBay. You can get a usable machine from under £100.

To cope with modern life it'll need a G4 or higher processor and Mac OS X. Check the system requirements for any apps you want to run. Macs with PowerPC processors can't run Intel-based software, such as Windows under Boot Camp.

You can look up Mac specs at Apple's site; if a part number such as M8950LL/A is given, type it into the search box.

Wikipedia and LowEndMac.com are good for unofficial info such as known problems. Confirm with the seller that the OS X discs are included, as you'll need them in emergencies.

It's good if the OS has been upgraded to the highest compatible version – Mac OS X editions cost £25 to £75 on eBay – but do ensure the discs are supplied, and the same goes for any installed apps.

All non-prehistoric Macs have USB ports, but if they are USB 1.1 your iPhone, iPad or recent iPod may fail to connect: officially they require USB 2.

Check if Wi-Fi is installed: AirPort means 802.11b, and AirPort Extreme will be 802.11g; if not, search eBay for the appropriate AirPort card, or try a USB adaptor. Alternatively, all Macs have Ethernet ports to cable directly to your router or to an AirPort Express (£81), which then connects wirelessly.

Here's our pick of the sensible buys. Prices are for eBay; dealers will charge more but should offer some warranty and support.

iBook G4

Before the name was recycled, iBook was Apple's cheap laptop. The 1999 G3 clamshell model was wacky, but the white version (May 2001 to 2006) resembles today's MacBook. Of the 12-inch and 14-inch variants, the former is handier and has the same 1024x768 screen resolution.

Don't pay more than: £225, working down according to spec.

Will run: Mac OS X up to 10.4.11 Tiger.

Advantages: Affordable modern-feeling notebook – as long as you don't need demanding apps.

Disadvantages: Avoid G3; go for 256MB RAM or more; batteries can be replaced (Apple £89, eBay £20-ish).

eMac

Aimed vaguely at the education market, the eMac (2002-2006) was built around a CRT, like the original iMac, but with a 1280x960 17-inch display and a nicer white polycarbonate case. Even the internal speakers are good.

Don't pay more than: £75.

Will run: Mac OS X up to 10.5 Leopard (although 700/800MHz models officially go up to 10.4).

Advantages: With a G4 processor and proper graphics chips, performance is quite decent; April 2004 and later units have USB 2.

Disadvantages: CRT screens are good quality but dim over time and can't be replaced; many eMacs have no optical drive or only a CD drive.

Power Mac G4

Apple's plastic towers, with their flamboyant corner handles, are fantastic value now. It's as much about finding the best spec as the best price. Ignore the first-generation Graphite G4 and the Bondi Blue G3: you want the Quicksilver (2001- 2002) or Mirror Door (August 2002-2003).

Don't pay more than: £100 (Mirror Door), £50 (Quicksilver).

Will run: Mac OS X up to 10.5 Leopard; Mac OS 9.2.2 (not FireWire 800 models).

Advantages: Good performers for their age; easy internal access to components, plus space; fast Gigabit Ethernet.

Disadvantages: No USB 2 ports to connect recent mobile devices (but a USB 2 PCI card will fix that).

G4 Cube

We admit we've included this largely for sentimental reasons: units don't come up for sale very often and aren't necessarily a great buy, with limited performance and upgrade potential, and glitchy tendencies. But – well, just look at it!

Don't pay more than: £100, unless you're as sentimental as us.

Will run: Mac OS X up to 10.5 (Leopard), though officially only 10.4.

Advantages: Unless modified, the Cube has no fan and is almost totally silent; great conversation piece; uses desktop components, so some upgrades are possible.

Disadvantages: Cult status means sellers may overprice; compare Mac mini. Plastic can crackle – ask seller; most units CD only, none burn DVDs.

Power Mac G5

The predecessor of today's Mac Pro, this sleek aluminium tower (2003-2006) was the last Mac before the switch to Intel, coveted by aficionados of old-school software. Available with one processor (SP), two processors (DP), one dual-core processor (DC) or two dual-core processors (DP DC, aka Quad).

Don't pay more than: £150-£400 according to spec.

Will run: Mac OS X up to 10.5 (Leopard).

Advantages: Best performance from a pre-Intel Mac; at reasonable prices if you shop with care; can take 16GB RAM; USB2.

Disadvantages: Some single-core models had noise issues – check with the seller.

iMac G4

Known as the Anglepoise iMac (after the patented desk lamp), this unique model is said to have been inspired by Luxo Jr in the short film that launched Steve Jobs' film company, Pixar. LCD isn't as bright or sharp as today's displays, but it's still on a cool Mac.

Don't pay more than: £100 (15-inch), £150 (17-inch).

Will run: Mac OS X up to 10.5 (Leopard), though officially only 10.4.

Advantages: Striking and sturdy design with highly adjustable screen position; good Harman Kardon external speakers – check they're included.

Disadvantages: No way to add USB 2, though some users report iPhone will connect, with occasional glitches; RAM and hard disk can be small.

PowerBook G4

The G5 chip never took a portable form, so the G4 was the last Apple laptop before the switch to Intel. It resembles current MacBooks but has a more traditional keyboard. Numerous models were produced in 12, 15 and 17-inch formats, so studying the specs is essential to get the right deal.

Don't pay more than: £125-250 according to spec.

Will run: Mac OS X up to 10.5 (Leopard).

Advantages: Good-looking; 4-5 hour battery life (though original battery will tire if not already replaced); most units have USB 2 – check.

Disadvantages: Avoid titanium cased version; beware quality issues with certain batches.

Apple has confirmed it will be holding an event on 1 September and has sent out an invite to the press.

The company was earlier today rumoured to be holding an event on 7 September to launch a new Apple TV, but the 1 September event is clearly music related...

There is no teasing tagline alongside the image this time but we'll surely see the new 4th generation iPod touch- probably with a camera and FaceTime.

The event will happen at 18.00 BST on Wednesday.

Next week will certainly be a busy one on TechRadar - the Apple announcement is the same day as the initial press conferences at IFA and we'll be hearing what Panasonic and Sony will be announcing that same afternoon.

Thursday will bring the remainder of the announcements from the Berlin tech show.

Read: What to expect from IFA 2010

With the iPad, the larger screen and extra clout from Apple's A4 chip creates a gaming experience markedly superior compared to that on the iPhone, and there are plenty of fantastic titles available.

• Apple iPad review (Wi-Fi version)
• Apple iPad 3G review

Those games marked 'universal' will work on both your iPad and iPhone. So ere are our favourite iPad games.

1. Plants vs. Zombies HD (£5.99)

PopCap's bonkers tower defence game Plants vs. Zombies HD should appeal even if you're sick of the genre. On iPad, the graphics are fantastic, and the multi-touch screen perfect for positioning your plants to battle the undead. There's also an iPad-only minigame, 'buttered popcorn', where you 'butter' multiple zombies and fire corn-cob cannons at them.

2. Flight Control HD (£2.99)

Firemint's line-drawing classic Flight Control HD brings its iPhone baggage to iPad, offering all the original airfields in big-o-vision. However, new stuff makes the game worth three quid, including improved controls and three 'HD' airfields. These feature two landing areas and are like juggling two Flight Control games at once.

3. Pinball HD (£1.79)

Gameprom cornered the iPhone pinball market with three great tables, which are compiled for the iPad release of Pinball HD. Each table now gets three viewpoints (overhead, 3D, dynamic) with optional 'camera tilt', along with a major boost in detail and performance. For the record, The Deep's futuristic, feature-packed table is our favourite.

4. Civilization Revolutions for iPad (£7.49)

This action-packed 'Civ lite' works much like it does on other handhelds, but Civilization Revolutions for iPad hugely benefits from the iPad's large screen, enabling you to rampage around a virtual world, conquering your foes. The iPad version also boasts a customisation feature, enabling you to adjust parameters and create almost limitless scenarios and game types.

5. Real Racing HD (£5.99)

If you've played Real Racing for iPhone, Real Racing HD is basically the same game with a few upgrades (replays, ghost racers, car skins). However, what was a little fiddly on an iPhone suddenly becomes immersive and far more exciting on iPad, with you using your device as a virtual steering wheel, careering round courses to take the chequered flag.

6. Labyrinth 2 HD (£4.99)

Roll a marble to the exit. It doesn't sound exciting or even good, but Labyrinth 2 HD is a surprisingly compelling iPad game. Part of the magic is in how tactile it feels—your view updates using a subtle 3D effect as you tilt your device. The rest is in the excellent course design—things start simple, but levels soon resemble an explosion in a pinball factory.

7. Strategery (£1.19, universal)

Strategery is a hugely addictive simplified Risk. Conquer countries by tapping and automated dice rolls, and be mindful of the fact that since there's no stockpiling (each country can hold a set maximum number of army units), you need to think ahead to win. Online one-on-one play is also available.

8. Zen Bound 2 (£1.79, universal)

Zen Bound for iPhone was a surprise hit, with many thousands of people infatuated with tying bits of rope around sculptures. Along with offering superior visuals and a 45-minute soundtrack, this iPad-exclusive sequel, Zen Bound 2, provides even more tactile controls, and a bunch of new levels and features, such as paint bombs.

9. Geometry Wars: Touch (£2.99, universal)

Although we'd like to kick squarely in the goolies whichever idiot placed the bomb button in the middle of the screen, Bizarre's dual-thumb shooter Geometry Wars: Touch for iPad is a triumph on iPad. Including seven gameplay modes (one exclusive to iPad), the game provides ample short bursts of adrenaline-fuelled carnage for any wannabe destroyer of vector-based alien scumbags.

10. Let's Golf! HD (£2.99)

Tiger Woods has yet to make his way to iPad, but Gameloft's Let's Golf! HD effort is a suitable alternative. In some ways, it's actually more fun than EA's stalwart, the cartoonish graphics bringing some Nintendo-like vibrancy to what's otherwise a somewhat serious sport. Customisable players, 63 holes, Wi-Fi multiplayer and optional advanced controls ensure you get a lot of game for your three quid.

11. Osmos for iPad (£2.99)

If there's a game likely to convince someone to buy an iPad, it's Osmos. The simple physics-based gameplay tasks you with absorbing smaller 'motes' and avoiding larger ones that will absorb you. The environments feel alive, due to the lush visuals and ambient soundtrack; and the finely-tuned controls (including the ability to warp time) ensure that even tougher levels are a pleasure to play.

12. Mirror's Edge for iPad (£5.99)

In gameplay terms, Mirror's Edge isn't a million miles away from 59p iPhone classic Run!, tasking you with swiping your 'runner' around an environment in vaguely Parkour fashion. But whereas Run! goes for cartoon aesthetics, Mirror's Edge wraps Hollywood-style production values around its core gameplay, marrying fluid controls to an exciting, engaging futuristic landscape and dystopian storyline, thereby justifying its price tag.

13. Denki Blocks! HD (£2.99)

Rarely do puzzle games get the balance right, but Denki Blocks! HD looks great, has a smooth difficulty curve, and offers enough challenge to baffle even the brightest of iPad users. The game's mechanics are simple - swipe to move all the blocks, aiming to join those of like colour—but achieving your goal (and each level's 'master challenge') most certainly is not.

14. Scrabble (£5.99)

Aside from the odd dictionary issue, this is a successful iPad version of Scrabble. The graphics are clear, the solo game is challenging, and the app happily connects over Wi-Fi to the iPhone version.

15. Broken Sword: Director's Cut HD (£4.99)

Revolution's multi-BAFTA nominated title comes to the iPad with newly rendered graphics, along with Easter Eggs that when found unlock a Dave Gibbons comic. Broken Sword itself otherwise mirrors the classic PC original, rapidly drawing you into a globe-trotting adventure full of mystery and murder.

16. Moto X Mayhem for iPad! (£0.59)

Fans of Trials HD (or, if you're old enough, Kikstart) should lap up this side-on motocross game. The ragdoll physics sometimes irks, but the game's controls can be tweaked to assist you in shaving seconds off your course times. Three islands are included in Moto X, and frustration is lessened with infinite 'lives'—although each fall costs you an extra second.

17. N.O.V.A. (£3.99)

Gameloft mashed all the Hollywood sci-fi clichés into a sticky pulp before shoving them into this action-packed first-person shooter. Forced out of retirement against your will, you play a (previously) retired marine, whose duty is to prevent mankind's annihilation - largely by annihilating plenty of aliens. 13 levels make up the single-player campaign in N.O.V.A., and there are local or online death-matches when you're done.

18. Polyhedra XL (£1.19)

Fill games are common on the iPhone, but less so on the iPad; luckily, Polyhedra XL is the best game of its type. You press to blow up shapes, with the goal of filling two-thirds of the screen. Enemies bounce around and destroy growing shapes, but you can use gravity to trap foes under shapes you've previously created.

19. Need for Speed Shift for iPad (£7.49)

Vroom! Real Racing owns the track, but Need for Speed Shift owns the streets, enabling you to drive 28 different cars in a suitably reckless manner around 18 city tracks. The handling's great, there's customisation if you want it, and you can race friends over Wi-Fi.

20. Zombie Infection HD (£3.99)

There's been yet another zombie outbreak in South America, and you've been dropped right in the middle of it. Your mission: rampage through 12 levels, blowing zombie scum to smithereens. And bear in mind: some of these guys can run! Minor control issues aside, Zombie Infection HD is a fun, exciting game—and, we admit, it made us jump a few times.

Perhaps you bought your Mac more than five years ago; if so, you're likely lusting over the newer models and their impressive specifications. But a new Mac doesn't have to be the answer if you want to improve performance or make use of the latest software that demands higher requirements.

A few simple hardware upgrades could offer an inexpensive way to boost performance and elevate your Mac to a more up-to-date state.

The first thing you need to find out is what upgrades are available for your specific machine. If you're a Mac Pro or PowerMac user, pop off the side of the casing for easy access when adding or replacing hard drives, new RAM or even new optical drives, such as DVD and Blu-Ray.

More advanced upgrades include swapping the processor, although this is a job best left to the professionals.

More compact Macs like the iMac and Mac mini have easily upgradeable RAM chips, but things become a little more complex if you want to swap drives or processors, due to the design of the computers and their tightly packed parts.

Laptops suffer the same upgrade issues, with only RAM and, in some cases, the hard drive being readily accessible. More difficult-to-access parts are best left alone or in the hands of a trained professional.

Ramp up your ram

Upgrading your Mac's RAM is one of the most effective and easiest upgrades to perform. Installing more RAM speeds up your Mac's performance by assigning more data to the chips and relying less on the hard disk, which makes launching and switching between apps quicker, avoiding the spinning beach ball.

Most systems provide a convenient hatch for you to remove and slot RAM into, however older computers may require you to remove a portion of the casing in order to gain access. Early iMac G5 models, for example, require you to remove the rear of the computer in order to locate the RAM slots, but the latest 27-inch models provide a small bay underneath the screen that can be opened using a screwdriver, with no need to open the whole computer up.

Mac minis are similarly simple to open and swap RAM, as are Mac Pros and PowerMacs. MacBooks, iBooks and PowerBooks all differ, with some requiring the keyboard to be removed. while others allow access via the battery bay beneath the laptop. Full instructions on replacing RAM for your chosen system can be found in the manual that came with your Mac and also online at www.apple.com/support.

Before you head out to buy your RAM there are a number of things you need to research to ensure compatibility. First you will need to know the maximum amount of RAM your Mac supports, as it's not a simple case of bigger is better with every model, especially older machines.

You'll also need to know what type of RAM your Mac uses and how many slots your computer has. Once you have this information, you can calculate how much RAM you need to buy and in what formation.

Older Macs normally offer two slots; more recent models have four and accept different amounts of RAM per slot. By default, an older Mac will likely have two small RAM chips in two slots, such as two 256MB chips for a total of 500MB of RAM; newer machines will have two larger chips, such as a pair of 2GB chips for a total of 4GB.

It is possible to mix and match chips if you're using a machine with two RAM slots, but it's best to replace both chips in a process called pairing, which will improve performance.

Again, information on compatible chips for your computer can be found by searching Apple's support pages, where you will also find available configurations to help you decide on the RAM you need to buy. To make things easier for DIY upgraders, websites like Crucial.com help you find the right RAM by asking you questions about your Mac or by scanning your system.

Drive dilemmas

Beyond RAM, available hard disk space also plays a large part in the speed of your computer. Macs make use of free hard drive space as virtual memory, so the more of it there is available, the more it can use. It's a good idea to keep at least one quarter of your total drive space free for this purpose but, with smaller hard drives found in older Mac's or laptops plus ever-growing media libraries, it's not always an easy thing to do.

In order to make more space available there are a couple of options open to you. The first doesn't involve any dissection of your system but merely the purchase of an external hard drive. If you have a giant iPhoto library or collection of music and movies, off-loading your media to your new disk could free up valuable gigabytes on your main hard drive and improve speed.

Alternatively, you could replace your existing hard drive which, depending on your Mac model, isn't always as scary as it sounds.

PowerMac and Mac Pro users have the option to add an additional hard drive into one of the available bays, whereas all other Mac users will have to perform the slightly fiddly task of replacing their existing drive.

The cost of storage, both internal and external, has dropped dramatically in recent years and for under £100 you can pick up a 1TB hard drive to double, if not triple the storage space on your existing hard drive.

Copying data across

The first thing you need to do when opting for this method is to make a copy of your original hard drive in order to transfer it to your new disk. This can be done using a FireWire connection to another Mac, an external hard drive or a variety of applications, such as SuperDuper! which creates a clone of your hard drive, ready to be copied to your new drive.

Once you have your files securely backed up, the choice of drive and the process of upgrading is, once again, dependent on your Mac model. Apple's support pages will offer all you need to know about the upgrade options available, as well as the dimensions of the drive you need to buy.

Most desktop Macs use 3.5-inch SATA hard drives, while laptops use 2.5- inch versions. If you're in any doubt, some retailers have sections of their website dedicated to selecting the right drive for your computer.

As an alternative to a standard hard drive, a larger cash outlay will provide you with a solid-state drive that uses less power and is far faster than a traditional drive. Capacity and cost are the compromise here, with a 128GB drive costing around £200 or more.

If, however, a solid-state drive is compatible with your Mac, the performance boost is worth investigating.

While hardware is a significant factor, it's not the only cause of sub-par performance from your Mac. There are a variety of settings and applications that can make even simple tasks take an aeon to complete.

A lot of the time you won't even know these resource-draining apps or processes are running until you start wondering why a task that once took seconds now leaves you twiddling your thumbs for minutes.

Changing the way your Mac boots up, which applications you leave running and which you keep closed until needed will make a big difference to your Mac's performance and won't cost you a penny either.

Limiting login items

The first place to investigate is your Mac's System Preferences pane, which can be a stronghold for system sappers if you don't keep on top of things. Start by heading to the Accounts section and clicking on the Login Items tab.

The list that appears includes all of the software that launches when your Mac boots up. Do you really need all of them to fire up automatically and begin eating away at your precious RAM? Did you even know half of them were there in the first place?

The cunning checkbox next to each name hides an application at startup so you won't see the app launch, but it will still sit in the background slowing things down without you even realising. During installation, some applications add themselves to this list automatically when they really don't need to be there, so simply click on the app's name and then click the minus button to remove the app from your startup items.

Of course, there are some apps, such as antivirus tools, that you might want running from the get-go, so think carefully before removing an app from the startup list.

Punishing preferences

Moving back to the main System Preferences pane, take a look at what appears in the Other section. This is where third-party, non-Apple apps find a home for their preferences and, again, rarely ask your permission to set up camp.

You'll likely spot a few apps that you use all the time, but perhaps there are some that you rarely use or installed as a one-off and they are now merely wasting space and potential speed. If you're lucky, the app's preference pane will include an uninstall button but, more often than not, they don't. In this case, simply hold down the Ctrl key or right-click on the pane you want to remove and then click the Remove Preference Pane button.

This not only removes the pane from System Preferences but also the prefPane file from your Mac's hard disk, so double-check that it's not an essential item before removing it entirely.

Resource hogs

Preventing apps from launching automatically is one thing but, of course, you do need to run them sometime, so it's always handy to know which software demands the most attention from your system.

Launching Activity Monitor (via the Applications folder or Spotlight) while you're running a bunch of programs will tell you the exact percentage of your CPU being used by each. You can also sort the list of processes by CPU percentage so the most draining apps appear at the top, and you can also see how much real and virtual memory each process is using.

The list constantly changes as each application requests more processing power, but you can build up a pretty decent picture of the apps that ask a lot of your Mac and close them down quickly between uses. Apple's own iTunes is, sadly, still quite a memory hog, as is Microsoft Office, so make sure you close them each time you're done before moving on to new tasks.

As we mentioned before, some apps need to be run constantly and, as a result, frequently demand a portion of your Mac's available memory and CPU. Even so, investigate whether limiting options are available, such as scanning the system less frequently or setting backups to run when you're not using your Mac.

When Apple introduced Mac OS X Tiger, everybody loved the new Dashboard feature with its clever little widgets. This euphoria managed to hide the fact that these Dashboard widgets, especially those created by third parties, are essentially a bunch of little apps that are constantly running, often accessing the web for data, and launch whenever your computer is turned on.

Jump into your Dashboard and see how many widgets you currently have running and then limit yourself to the essentials, using the Widget Manager (the plus sign) to disable the rest. You might be surprised at the speed bump you get.

Clear out your apps

Cunning tips for speeding up your Mac may make a world of difference, but there's a tried-and-tested method for sprucing up your system that has worked on almost every computer ever made and still works today – deleting unwanted apps.

It's all too easy to spot an interesting bit of free software, download it and then forget about it, or to try out a bunch of new web browsers, decide on one and leave the rest languishing in your Applications folder, wasting space.

Space isn't the only problem here either, since when each application installs it spills out a whole mess of preferences and support files into different directories on your Mac, meaning simply deleting the application itself won't remove them.

Where possible, use the app's uninstall option or try out App Zapper which quickly and effectively clears out any reference to an application on your Mac, including all its related files dotted around your system. The basic version of the app is available for free and can get rid of unwanted software in a single click.

Keep OS X lean & mean

So far we've covered upgrading your system, cutting down on resource-hogging apps and freeing up space on your drive, but there are a few more bits of housekeeping left to guarantee a smooth-running Mac.

As well as some very simple rules to adhere to, we've also included some more drastic solutions if you're looking for the ultimate in Mac detoxification.

Desktop icons

Kicking off with a simple one, did you know that every icon on your desktop uses system resources? That's right, even that folder with nothing in it that you keep meaning to delete is sucking up valuable bytes. Everybody knows the value of a tidy desktop but not everyone realises that it could improve your Mac's performance as well.

Try to keep desktop icons to a minimum and use the Finder's preferences to prevent Mac OS X showing hard disks, external disks, CDs, DVDs and iPods or connected servers on your desktop. Obviously, a completely clean desktop is best but a few essential icons won't hurt.

And while we're on the topic of very simple tips, when did you last empty your trash? It seems crazy to think this could make much of a difference but if you don't clear out the trash on a regular basis you can soon rack up hundreds of megabytes hanging in limbo waiting for their demise, all of which are wasting valuable space.

Make sure you at least empty the trash at the end of each day to avoid an unwanted build-up of throwaway files.

Ask permission

Hidden away in the Utilities folder, within your Mac's Applications folder, is a little app called Disk Utility. You may have used it before for restoring or formatting drives, but it also offers a pair of useful tools to keep your Mac in tip-top shape, namely the Verify and Repair Disk Permissions options.

Over time, these permissions can become confused as you install new software, leading your Mac to slow down and, in some cases, prevent apps from launching at all. While it sounds like a complex task, repairing permissions is a very simple process.

Clicking the Repair Disk Permissions button is all you need to do; then wait as Disk Utility does all the work. Any permissions that aren't as they should be are made right and your system should purr along nicely after this quick but effective fix that should only take around five minutes to complete.

Switch off non-essentials

Apple includes some great features in its operating systems, but some do push slower Macs a little too far and therefore need to be tweaked in order to maintain system harmony.

One such feature is Spotlight, the handy search tool that sits at the top-right of your Mac's screen and finds files, folders and applications for you in a flash. In order to work this fast, Spotlight needs to continuously index your Mac's hard drive so it knows where everything is at all times. As a result, it takes up memory and accesses the disk while it does this.

If you head to Spotlight from the System Preferences pane you can stop Spotlight indexing categories of files and folders that you don't want to search for and in doing so can prevent quite so much work from going on in the background.

The Dock is another pretty but unnecessarily draining OS X feature that can be customised in order to free up a few resources. Turning off Magnification, changing the Minimize setting to Scale effect rather than Genie effect and unchecking the Animate opening applications box in System Preferences should offer a small but important performance boost to older Macs.

Let's face it, they might look good, but what do these little animations really do other than slow you down?

Stay up to date

If you're using an older Mac, you may not be able to enjoy all of the performance enhancing goodness of Snow Leopard, but Apple hasn't forgotten about you just yet. Apple still releases software updates for older Macs and their software – even for PowerPC machines – and installing them will bolster your ageing Mac's performance to the best of its ability.

The same is true of the applications you have installed and the drivers for your printers, scanners and other software. Make sure they're all up to date to keep them running smoothly and free of bugs that are often ironed out with updates.

You can access Software Update from the Apple menu at the top-left of your screen; it checks for new updates when clicked. If nothing seems to be working for you or you're after the most drastic solution possible to enhance your Mac's performance, this is it. Wipe your Mac and start over again (we said it was drastic).

The benefit of performing this sweeping move is that all of the clutter, the erroneous files and the CPU-munching background tasks are wiped out, leaving you with a Mac as virginal and pure as the day you bought it. The downside, obviously, is that you'll have to reinstall all of your software, find a place to store your music, movies and photos and re-home all of your important documents while you refresh the system.

You can make a clone of your system, but you're essentially just putting the same old clutter back onto a clean machine. It's a far better plan to simply cherry-pick the essential items you need to keep and start afresh.

So there you have it – a selection of ways in which you can speed up your Mac, regardless of its age, and claw back some extra disk space while you're at it.

However, in the style of Steve Jobs, there is 'one more thing' you should remember to do at least once per week to keep your Mac running at its best. Restart. Yes, we've saved the simplest tip for last, but it's a magical technique that, thanks to the Mac's Sleep settings, is all too easy to forget.

Shutting down and rebooting is a rejuvenating process for your Mac that allows it to clear out the memory. Given how far we've come in terms of technology, it's funny, perhaps reassuring, to think that the old 'turn it off and on again' trick remains a proven solution to this day.

Although it's only been out for a matter of months, the iPad already has dozens of great apps available for it.

Some are universal, optimising themselves accordingly for your iPad or iPhone. Some are 'upgrades' of iPhone apps, reworked for iPad. And some are entirely new apps, designed specifically for Apple's table.

• Apple iPad review (Wi-Fi version)
• Apple iPad 3G review

We worked our way through the App Store and furiously tested a huge (digital) pile of apps, before coming up with our 30 best paid-for iPad apps.

1. 1Password for iPad (£5.99)

Online security is increasingly important, and it's recommended you use 'random', complicated passwords for logins. The thing is, they're tough to remember, which is why 1Password is a handy app to install. It enables you to store website names and passwords for automatic login.

Unlike the Mac version, 1Password for iPad doesn't integrate with Safari, instead using a built-in browser, but it's a no-brainer for safeguarding details you don't want anyone else to have access to.

2. Air Display (£5.99, universal)

If your iPad's sitting unused in your office while you work on your Mac, Air Display enables you to turn your tablet into a second display. It's likely using VNC, so updates aren't fast enough for video, but the app's fine for palettes, inspectors, IM apps and browser windows, and although you can move your mouse cursor to the iPad, you can also control Mac windows via the touchscreen. Developer Avatron promises Windows support "soon".

3. Air Sharing HD (£5.99)

Apple seems to think email and iTunes are the best ways to get documents on and off your iPad. If you want something better, Air Sharing HD enables you to wirelessly copy across files via Finder or Windows Explorer, or to grab attachments from email accounts. Items within the app can be managed, viewed, opened in another app, emailed, or printed via a shared printer on your network.

4. Air Video (£1.79, universal)

Air Video Free grabbed a slot in our best free iPad apps feature, but the paid-for Air Video release is even better. Lacking restrictions, it enables you to browse full playlists and folders from computers on your network running the free Air Video Server, enabling you to stream video. The app uses live conversion when necessary.

5. FlipTime XL (£1.19)

In our opinion, FlipTime for iPhone is the best clock app ever designed. The iPad version is pretty much identical, aping old-school flight info boards and including alarms and a 'flickable' calendar. Luckily, this means it's still utterly brilliant.

6. FTP On The Go PRO (£5.99, universal)

FTP On The Go PRO is used to view web and office files on a server, and to resize and upload images from your photo library. There's also a built-in editor and browser, making the app almost resemble a 'lite' iPad version of Panic's Coda.

7. GoodReader for iPad (£0.59)

If you want a good PDF reader for iPad, it makes sense to buy one called GoodReader! Luckily, the app lives up to its name. You can connect to various services (or dump documents into the app via iTunes file sharing), and the app is effective for reading PDFs (and also other text files, such as Office and iWork documents).

8. Instapaper (£2.99, universal)

If you often find yourself thinking "I'll read that later", but you never do, you need Instapaper. It enables you, with the help of a bookmarklet, to fling web content to the service, which then syncs with the iPad app. This provides you with a focused, high-quality reading experience on a device that's great for reading. A number of iPad and iPhone apps also offer 'send to Instapaper' support.

9. Korg iElectribe (£5.99)

If you're lucky, you might be able to pick up an Electribe-R on eBay for £100. By contrast, Korg iElectribe costs six quid and yet it's essentially the same piece of kit that's revered by dance musicians. While it's great fun for mucking about with, the app also has serious potential for live performance and recording duties.

10. LogMeIn Ignition (£17.99, universal)

Yet another universal app that suddenly makes sense on the iPad's larger screen, LogMeIn Ignition enables you to access and control computers remotely. Set-up is simple and the app is usable, assuming you've a reasonably fast internet connection.

The iPad version also helpfully includes Command+Tab and Command+' shortcuts for Mac users, assuming you have the slightly cryptic 'Alt=Command, Windows=Alt' setting selected in LogMeIn Ignition's 'Remote Control' preferences.

11. Numbers (£5.99)

The best of the three iWork apps for iPad, Numbers feels right at home on Apple's tablet. The intelligent keyboard is a joy to use when entering data, and you can create forms that make adding data to tables a cinch. If your needs are modest, this app can rival Bento for data management, and while its lack of Excel export support is baffling and irritating, Numbers nonetheless comes recommended.

12. OmniGraffle (£29.99)

OmniGraffle feels right at home on the iPad, using the touchscreen as a canvas. The diagramming tool - which you can use to create flowcharts, sketch out ideas, and even plan an office floorplan - is intuitive and straightforward, enabling you to make full use of multi-touch gestures to draw, drag and style shapes.

13. Pages (£5.99)

Another iWork app converted to the iPad, Pages is a successful word processor, offering some interesting multi-touch gestures for editing content. In combination with a keyboard dock or Bluetooth keyboard, it's possible to do real work on the iPad using Pages, even if the app lacks some features from the desktop version.

14. Photogene for iPad (£2.39)

Photogene is similar to the iPhone version in being a simple tool for making quick image edits: cropping, resizing, straightening, levels adjustment and sharing. Usefully, the app includes session restore and the ability to revert any section's edits, ensuring you can experiment without fear.

15. Pianist Pro (£5.99)

This upgrade of MooCowMusic's iPhone app is a useful tool for musicians. On the iPad, the piano keys on Pianist Pro are large enough to actually play a real song. There's a selection of sampled piano, organ and synth sounds included, along with an arpeggiator, a basic drum machine and recording functionality, making this a suitable app for laying down quick demos.

16. SketchBook Pro (£4.99)

We're big fans of SketchBook on the iPhone, and this high-def version, SketchBook Pro, makes it even easier to sketch out an artistic image. The tools are amazingly advanced, mirroring what you might see in Photoshop, Painter or in a real artist's shop. (Image credit: Michael Heald, fullyillustrated.com)

17. Soulver (£3.49)

It's hard to categorise Soulver - the app is a mixture of calculator, spreadsheet and the back of an envelope. It enables you to make calculations in plain English, using a multi-line display. The large, friendly keyboard includes useful features such as percentages and user-definable variables, and while Soulver for iPad lacks Soulver 2 for Mac's conversion engine, it nonetheless comes recommended as an alternative, superior take on a calculator.

18. Things (£11.99)

Things is a task manager for iPhone and Mac, well-regarded due to its innovative, efficient means of filing items, which helps you focus. New to-dos are collected in your inbox, and you define what you want to achieve today, soon (via the 'Next' category), soonish (via 'Scheduled') or at some point in the distant future ('Someday'). On the iPad, Things boasts an intuitive interface, making using the app almost effortless.

19. Twittelator for iPad (£2.99)

Twittelator for iPad is a Twitter client which makes full use of the iPad's screen space. On the left is your feed; on the right is everything else: messages, mentions, searches and drafts. This means you don't leave your feed to do other stuff. There are also loads of options for power users, but the default set-up's fine for anyone who doesn't like to tinker.

20. Weather Station Pro (£1.19)

It's not the most feature-packed weather app, but Weather Station Pro is one of the best-looking ones. It provides current conditions for user-defined locations; for one selected location, you also get a five-day forecast, sunrise and sunset times, and local time information, making the app suitable for use as a clock when your iPad's docked.

21. Comic Zeal Comic Reader (£4.99, universal)

Comics remains our favourite comics app for iPad, but Comic Zeal is great if you've comics in CBR, CBZ, RAR, ZIP or PDF formats, lurking on your hard drive. It deals well with large images, and the interface has useful customisation options.

22. Weather Pro for iPad (£2.99)

Without doubt the best weather app for Europeans, and still a good buy elsewhere, Weather Pro provides a great interface for at-a-glance forecasts for the week ahead. You can store as many favourite locations as you wish, and cloud and rainfall radars are included.

23. miniSynth PRO (£5.99)

miniSynth PRO is another app that shows the iPad isn't just for content consumption. This full-featured synth offers plenty of sliders and settings for retro-oriented keyboard players. The arpeggiator is particularly impressive, and the ability to save presets and output audio for the likes of GarageBand and Logic makes this app well worth the outlay.

24. The World Factbook for iPad (£1.19)

The CIA World Factbook, with information on over 250 countries, comes to the iPad. The content is updated regularly, but works offline, and the interface provides fast access to succinct, informative facts about chosen countries. Built-in comparison charts are also available, appearing in context as pop-ups.

25. Reeder for iPad (£2.99)

Not just the best iPad RSS reader, Reeder is the best RSS reader for any platform. Forget the gimmicky 'zoom to peek' gesture for checking out a feed's latest articles—where Reeder truly shines is in its sheer usability. So much care has gone into making navigation simple and effortless, and aesthetic decisions taken by the developer have resulted in clear, readable content throughout.

26. My Writing Nook for iPad (£2.99)

With Apple's Pages available, you might question the reasoning in buying another word processor. However, My Writing Nook takes things back to basics, concentrating purely on writing, not presentation; it offers auto-save, automatic word count, and a choice of font style, and keeps everything simple and focussed.

27. UK Traffic HD (£1.79)

We question the idea of an iPad as an in-car navigational aid, but it's good for planning journeys before you set off. The Maps app provides routes, but UK Traffic HD is a decent buy for checking out possible disruption during your intended journey. Give it start and end points and the app will flag roadworks and other issues.

28. OmniFocus for iPad (£23.99)

It's been a long time coming, but Omni Group's task manager has hit the iPad, and in style. As you'd expect, OmniFocus for iPad happily syncs with OmniFocus for other platforms, but it also works nicely as a standalone product. The interface is workmanlike but highly usable, enabling you to efficiently detail, edit and review tasks and schedules; a standout feature is the new 'forecast' view that bundles overdue items and provides an overview of the week ahead.

29. Photo fx Ultra (£3.49)

The iPad's fairly large screen makes it ideal for adding effects to your photos. Photo fx Ultra offers a wide range of digital optical filters, enabling you to enhance your images and add effects. Its layers feature is weak, but for applying one or two filters, straightening and cropping, this app does the job ably.

30. FlickStackr (£1.19, universal)

FlickStackr deals with two major concerns of regular Flickr users: browsing and managing photos. On the former task, FlickStackr makes it a cinch to browse Flickr as a whole, or view slideshows of your contacts' images. For uploading, there's a user-friendly interface for grabbing images on your iPad, adding tags and sending your selection to Flickr.

So you've got your shiny new iPad and come to the dawning realisation that you've no cash left to buy any games for it.

Have no fear, because the App Store offers plenty of iPad gaming goodness for the (unintentional or otherwise) skinflint. Our pick of the 30 best free iPad games are listed below.

• Apple iPad review (Wi-Fi version)
• Apple iPad 3G review

Note that apps marked 'universal' will also work on an iPhone or iPod touch, scaling down controls and graphics accordingly.

1. Air Hockey Gold (universal)

Air hockey games work much better on the iPad than the iPhone, simply due to the iPad's larger screen. Air Hockey Gold isn't the only free game of this type, but it was the one that felt best during testing, and the two-player mode works nicely.

2. Aurora Feint 3

Aurora Feint 3 is essentially Puzzle Quest (Bejeweled welded to a basic RPG). Slide gems and match three to gain energy or smack your foe during battles. The horizontal-only sliding combined with accelerometer-based gravity-shifting in the well means you have to think fast in this game, which is well-suited to the iPad.

3. Bub - Wider

This curious creation is a tranquil arcade game, where you tilt your iPad to guide a bubble around forests. The aim of Bub is to snare strangely named seeds and avoid foes. There's little new here over the iPhone release, and the fuzzy graphics desperately need an upgrade, but Bub works well on iPad due to the precision the larger device offers.

4. Checkers Free HD

It's checkers. On an iPad. For free. What more do you want to know? Oh, OK, then – Checkers Free HD is a pretty decent version of the popular board-game, with a variable difficulty level, configurable player names, an 'undo' function for wusses, and a toggle for forced captures.

5. Cliffed: Norm's World HD

This race-to-the-bottom vertical platform game lacks depth but Cliffed is fun for a quick high-score blast. Use the chunky controls to make your guy dash left or right to avoid rocks and leap down holes. If the screen catches up with him, it's game over. Cliffed XL (£1.19) adds characters and power-ups.

6. Compression HD

Compression HD is roughly what you'd end up with if you used a hammer to smash Puyo Puyo into the garbage compactor scene from Star Wars. Pieces fall, and you move and rotate them to fashion lines of three. All the while, the walls are closing in.

7. Dizzypad HD

Dizzypad is a one-thumb game which has you tapping the screen to have your frog leap between rotating lily pads. If he falls in the drink, he dies (pollution, eh?), but extra lives can be gained by munching bugs or bravely skipping lily pads. Extra modes are available via in-app purchase.

8. Escape - Norm's World XL (universal)

IUGO's puzzler Escape has you swiping to make your silhouette leap between circles, which vanish when you leave them. The idea is to jump on every circle, whereupon you move to the next level. 59p in-app purchases are available for tougher levels and two-player modes.

9. Frotz (universal)

Although it works on an iPhone, Frotz isn't great on the smaller screen. But on the iPad, with its larger keyboard, the interactive fiction player is a revelation. It uses the Z-Machine format, and you can download a selection of freely available text adventures (including the original Zork) using the app, or upload your own files to the app via FTP.

10. GodFinger for iPad

There are quite a few open-ended god games for the iPad, but most are pretty charmless affairs (we're looking at you, We Rule). GodFinger takes you in close, enabling you to interfere with your subjects in detail. The interface is interesting, the game is full of character, and while it doesn't last forever, it'll provide you with plenty of entertainment.

11. Harbor Master HD

This game might look like Flight Control in the drink, but the gameplay mechanics are subtly different. As with Firemint's effort, Harbor Master is a line-drawing game, this time with you drawing paths so boats can dock. However, once they've unloaded, they must leave the screen or sometimes visit another dock, ensuring things rapidly become complex and frantic.

12. Hole-in-a-wall HD

Hole-in-a-wall HD is pretty much the space-age equivalent of that Saturday evening TV show where daft people try and fling themselves through holes in a wall. Here, though, you swipe to rotate a shape, aiming to fit it through a very specific gap. The game doesn't come off flawlessly (it's often hard to judge alignment as the wall zooms towards you), but perseverance reaps rewards.

13. Implode Nature! (universal)

Effectively a taster for IUGO's full Implode game, Implode! Nature nonetheless gives you ten buildings to blow up. The chalk-themed physics-based destruction looks great on the iPad, and although there aren't that many levels, achieving perfection on them all is a challenge.

14. Labyrinth 2 HD Lite

Another demo for a paid-for title (and one that made our top 10 best paid-for iPad games), Labyrinth 2 HD Lite's definitely worth downloading if you don't have the full game. It's the digital equivalent of tilt-based marble games, but with varied, crazy designs. You get 15 mazes here, and there's always a high-score to beat.

15. Loco Railer Lite

Draw tracks to guide your train to 'stations' (directional arrows) in this simple action game. The tracks don't always do what you want, and Loco Railer Lite is a basic, slightly clunky game, but it's nonetheless oddly compelling and endearing.

16. Pocket Legends for iPad

Most iPhone OS MMOs are dreary text-based affairs, so it's nice to see Spacetime Studios creating something a bit more ambitious with Pocket Legends, providing us with an iPad-specific 3D world populated by the usual motley collection of fantasy characters. As always with MMOs, the game demands you invest plenty of time to get anything out of it.

17. Solitaire Ace

After a few hands of Klondike, we actually ended up preferring this free app to several of the iPad solitaire apps with hefty price tags. Solitaire Ace might be simple (no undo, only one theme, just three solitaire variations), but it's fast and responsive, with intuitive controls and extremely clear cards.

18. Tap Blaster HD

Tap Blaster HD currently comes off like a demo - it's silent, and it's not terribly polished. However, in two-player mode Tap Blaster HD is a lot of fun. Ultimately, it's Pong, but you fire up to three projectiles at your opponent, in 'first to five' matches. There's also a reasonable single-player mode.

19. Tap Tap Radiation

The Tap Tap rhythm-action games are popular, but they're also a little staid. Tap Tap Radiation takes the game off the rails, with hit zones meandering around the screen, occasionally snapping into new formations. The result is a much more exciting and fun game that will excite long-time Tap Tap fans and newcomers alike.

20. 10 Pin Shuffle (Bowling) Lite (universal)

We're big fans of 10 Pin Shuffle, a universal app that combines ten-pin bowling and shuffleboard. Of that title's three game modes, the best one is included here in 10 Pin Shuffle Lite, for free. Called 10 Pin Poker, it adds a card game to the mix. Get a spare or strike and you're given one or two cards, respectively. At the end of the tenth frame, whoever has the best hand wins.

21. Pilgrim's Punch-Out (universal)

Become a 1980s NES-style Scott Pilgrim in Pilgrim's Punch-Out, a movie tie-in that isn't at all a massive rip-off of (sorry, tribute to) Nintendo classic Punch-Out!! Decent controls enable you to fight your way to glory, and although the game's over pretty quickly, there's always a high-score to beat.

22. Fowlplay HD

If you ever wanted to poop on someone's head from above, Fowlplay HD is the game for you. Taking on the role of a pigeon that should really cut back on fibre, you zoom around a stylised forest that appears to be populated by refugees from Minigore. Aim your deposits at their heads, avoid the trees, and grab any power-ups that come your way.

23. Tetari (universal)

Tetari is a lovely puzzle game which plays a little like a claustrophobic Tetris. Using familiar pentomino pieces, your aim is to clear coloured squares from the board through making solid lines, which vanish. Higher levels start with more 'debris', forcing you to think hard about where to lay each and every piece.

24. Choice of the Dragon (universal)

It might look like it's been repeatedly beaten with an ugly stick, but luckily the magic of Choice of the Dragon is in its witty prose. Playing as a multiple-choice text adventure, akin to an extremely stripped-back RPG, this game is an amusing romp that perhaps lacks replay value, but you'll enjoy it while it lasts.

25. Lux Touch (universal)

There are several Lux games on the App Store, but the original is now free and works very nicely on the iPad. Essentially, this is Risk, and while the computer AI isn't terribly bright, Lux Touch should nonetheless keep fans of the original board game quiet for a short while.

26. New York 3D Rollercoaster Rush HD Free

Six of the full game's 40 tracks are on offer here, in New York 3D Rollercoaster Rush HD Free, a simple arcade title. Tilt your iPad to control the coaster's speed, aiming to keep it on the track, and take risks to ensure the crazy riders have a great time (and, presumably, give the health-and-safety guy a heart attack).

27. iLifeGame (universal)

John Horton Conway's famous Game of Life cellular automaton exists for practically every platform, and this simple iOS version, iLifeGame, gets things right with clear graphics, the ability to draw your own starting points, and a small collection of predefined patterns.

28. Pukk HD

Given that it's another Pong clone, Pukk HD isn't the best game to play if you've no friends, because the single-player mode is extremely dull. However, with another player, it becomes an exciting battle of digital tennis - and it looks a lot nicer than Tap Blaster HD, too.

29. SLS AMG HD

Yes, this is ultimately a car advert, but then so is You Cruise - and that's one of the best iPhone racing games. SLS AMG HD isn't in the same league, but there's plenty of fun to be had flinging your car at breakneck speeds down tunnels, avoiding obstacles and driving on the ceiling in a manner not entirely dissimilar to Atari classic S.T.U.N. Runner.

30. MixxMuse Arcade HD

Part Looptastic, part Tap Tap Radiation, this DJ game provides four levels that are a taster for Pulsar's other MixxMuse titles. However, there's enough entertainment in MixxMuse Arcade HD to engage music fans for a few hours, dragging mix components in time to the beat and dealing with the frantic tap-based minigame.