Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Quick, jump in the car, let's go app shopping!
Or don't. In the case of most software, buying a new program means
going to a store in the mall, or buying a box from an online retailer, or
even downloading it from the developer directly. But that's not the case
with iPad apps.
The only outlet to get apps is Apple's App Store, available on the iPad
itself or from within iTunes. Pricing varies among apps, naturally, but
most cost less than $15—in many cases, far less, with many apps avail-
able for free.
note
The App Store does not offer demo or shareware versions of apps, so
it's difficult to evaluate an app before purchasing it. It's not impossi-
ble, though: Many vendors offer free “light” versions of their apps, which are
limited in scope but give you a sense of what the paid version can do. Other
apps may cost as little as $0.99 and offer just a handful of features, with the
option to unlock others if you pony up some more cash.
Tap the App Store icon on the Home screen to launch the App Store. Since
it's a storefront, you'll see many new and featured titles (
Figure 2.1
). Tap
the What's Hot button at the top of the screen to view more featured
apps, or tap the Release Date button to see what has been added recently.
note
In an odd interface discrepancy, you must tap the arrow buttons at the
edges of the boxed areas to view more items, instead of swiping left
or right as in the Spotlight area at the top of the page.
