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Try these cool uses for your iPad - USA Today

When Apple released the iPad, many wondered how they would use the tablet. We've since discovered that it's great for reading, playing games and watching videos. Uses for the iPad are nearly limitless.

Marcio Jose Sanchez, AP

The Apple iPad.

Marcio Jose Sanchez, AP

The Apple iPad.

Restaurants are using the iPad in place of menus. Hyundai replaces the owner's manual with an iPad for some car models. Here are some of the more unique uses for the iPad. Find links to apps mentioned at www.komando.com/news.

Assistive communication

The iPad is a valuable tool for parents of children with autism spectrum conditions. In fact, it can help anyone with a condition that affects language. At $190, the Proloquo2Go app isn't cheap, but compared with similar solutions, it's a bargain — even considering the cost of the iPad.

Proloquo2Go is designed to assist with communication. Users build sentences by tapping images on the screen. The app can conjugate verbs automatically. Then, the user simply taps to have the sentence read out loud. It has a built-in vocabulary of more than 7,000 items. Sentences can be stored for later use.

Credit card processing

The iPad can also be used as a point-of-sale system. Some stores and restaurants have developed their own apps. The apps allow them to replace cash registers with iPads. Now anyone can use the iPad to process credit card payments.

The Square app works with a dongle that reads credit cards. Both the app and the dongle are free. Square charges about 3% of sales. You can customize the app by adding products. Then, tap a product to add it to a sale. Or, simply enter the information manually.

Second monitor

It never hurts to have a little more screen real estate, but maybe you don't want the hassle of adding a second monitor to your computer. The iPad can be used instead. It doesn't take much work. First, you need Air Display ($10) on your iPad. You'll also need to install a free app on your Mac or Windows computer. Both the iPad and computer must be on the same Wi-Fi network. Then use the iPad to view program windows. Or, use it as an input tablet!

Home automation

It's no surprise that the iPad can control your home entertainment system, but it can do much more than that. You can use it to control your home automation system. Turn appliances on and off. Control your lighting and your heating or security systems.

You'll need an app that works with your particular home automation system. Features will vary from app to app. Start at the manufacturer's site, or search Apple's App Store for "home automation" or the name of your system. You'll find many apps. For example, iHome Touch works with X10 devices; Indigo Touch works with X10 and INSTEON hardware.

Flight controls

There are plenty of iPad apps to help drivers with navigation and roadside assistance, but you probably wouldn't imagine that there are apps to help pilots. In truth, the iPad is a valuable tool for pilots. The iCub aircraft incorporates an iPad in its instrument panel. The iPad includes a number of apps to help pilots.

The apps can also be purchased individually from the App Store. For example, there's ForeFlight Mobile HD ($75 yearly), which provides access to radar, flight rules and airport maps. There's also MotionX-GPS HD ($3), which provides advanced GPS tools.

Of course, there are many other uses for the iPad. Doctors are using it to monitor patients' vital statistics. Attorneys are using it to select jurors. The list of uses grows every day. If there's something you might want your iPad to do, search the App Store. There's bound to be an app for that!

Kim Komando hosts the nation's largest talk radio show about computers and the Internet. To get the podcast or find the station nearest you, visit www.komando.com/listen. To subscribe to Kim's free e-mail newsletters, sign up at www.komando.com/newsletters. Contact her at C1Tech@gannett.com.

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