Although most people think that the new Apple iPad is simply an Apple iPhone on steroids, its wide screen size, bigger hard drive and a larger keyboard easily make the iPad a better device when it comes to entertainment and usability. Because of this, a lot of the cool applications that people have enjoyed in their iPhones have been tweaked to make full use of the many different features of the Apple iPad. So what exactly are the best iPad applications to date? Read on to find out which ones should have a place in your new Apple iPad.

1. Collect and read books with iBook. Move over, Amazon Kindle, the Apple iPad allows users to purchase, collect and read books. Besides, of course, being a portable multimedia center, which the Kindle definitely can’t lay claim to. The iBook converts your iPad into an electronic book reader and opens up a library of as many as 60,000 (and counting) books to choose from. This may not be as large a library as the Kindle, but it’s enough to start your e-book library. There’s a nifty search and dictionary feature that can help you hone your vocabulary, while books can be read either horizontally or vertically. Of course, turning pages is as easy as a flick of the finger–just like reading a real book. The application and some titles are free, although other books may range from .99 to .99.

2. Check and update your Twitter from Tweetdeck. Let your friends and followers know where you are, what you’re doing or how you’re feeling through the Tweetdeck application for the Apple iPad. Check Twitter and Facebook streams, and upload photos with a swipe of your hand. Very similar to the desktop stream client, Tweetdeck for the Apple iPad can even show you a map showing all the geo-tagged tweets of the people you follow.

3. Star Walk. This is a gem among the iPad applications you may find online. Star Walk allows you to bring the beauty of the night sky, from its planets to its stars, straight to your Apple iPad. It’s your own personal planetarium that you can access anywhere you are. All you have to do is point your iPad up and tilt the device until the “Star Spotter” function is activated, which will then convert exactly what you see in the sky into a graphical representation on the screen of your iPad. You can even check the different moon phases, search for planets and stars and even save or bookmark what you see so you can enjoy the beauty of the night sky even during the daytime. The demo version of this app is available for both the Apple iPad and the Apple iPhone, while the full version is a steal at .99.

4. Share files with friends by using Air Sharing Pro. Ah, if only Apple could include features we actually need in their devices. The Apple iPad’s (and even the Apple iPhone’s) lack of USB ports and Bluetooth has inadvertently left out the most obvious use of both devices, and that is, as a portable, hi-tech hard drive. Avatron’s Air Sharing Pro allows you to send and receive files wirelessly to and from laptops, computers and other Apple iPads or iPhones. Air Sharing Pro also allows you to compress and uncompress files, as well as view, email and print documents on the go. At .99, this application is definitely worth it.

5. Satisfy your culinary cravings with Epicurious. Want to learn how to make Panna Cotta or do you want help creating a menu for a dinner party? With Epicurious, voted as one of the best Apple iPad and Apple iPhone applications of 2009, finding recipes has never been easier. Search for recipes by ingredients, style or cuisine. You can also create shopping lists and tick off items while in the supermarket. Have hundreds of tried and tested recipes, you’ve got the world’s best cuisines literally on your fingertips for only free.

Now that you’ve got your new Apple iPad, it’s time to make the most out of it by downloading all the cool applications available in the app store. With the list above, you don’t have to think twice about what application to get first.