Following numerous Looptastic iterations on iPhone, Sound Trends compiled all its portable music creation knowledge (and loop sets) into Looptastic HD, an approachable music creation suite for iPad. Using a simple drag-and-drop interface, Looptastic HD lets you arrange loops from a variety of genres into original creations, with the ability to swap between song parts in separate zones, apply special effects, adjust the tempo, and even record your own loops with the iPad mic or a Bluetooth headset.

There was a time when listening to music meant sitting in front of a stereo and popping in your favorite CD--or maybe even an actual vinyl record. But these days, we do most of our listening via iPods or from our Mac at our desk. Which is fine, except for the fact that most computer speakers suck. But these speakers from Bowers & Wilkins are so good, you should just stop reading this review now and start earning some of the 500 bucks you’ll need to pay for them.

While not as meaty or fully featured as the actual newspaper (or its website), The New York Times' first stab at an iPad reader is a clean and easy-to-read digest of handpicked news stories, features, and editorials. Whether in portrait or landscape orientation, NYT Editors' Choice scales nicely to your preference, delivering clear text, sharp photography, and simple commands that let you quickly change pages with a single tap or swipe.

Ever since E.T. and Elliott bonded over a cut finger, we’ve understood the power of touch. Decades later, the electronics industry is starting to catch up. The Squeezebox Touch packs one of Logitech’s network music players into a slim, touch-sensitive device. The underlying player is practically the same as previous models--with the many benefits and several drawbacks--but the touch interface easily beats traditional button-based controls. We only wish that the 4.3-inch screen separated from the base--the device is a single unit, so you can’t leave it connected and tap the controller from the couch.