A computer magazine advocating ditching your laptop for an iPad? It’s not just possible -- it’s awesome!

If hotcakes were selling like iPads, IHOP would be the hottest investment on the block. But hold the maple syrup -- despite the higher price tag on most Macs, Apple’s making more money off iPads these days. Its Q3 2011 iPad earnings were $6.05 billion, up 179 percent since the previous year. Meanwhile, Mac sales raked in $5.1 billion…representing gains of only 16 percent.

What’s driving the iPad’s explosive growth? The “cool factor” is certainly part of it, but the iPad’s utility is the foundation of its success. It’s terrific as a second computing device (the first being a Mac or PC), and for many of us, it’s taking the spotlight as our primary platform for work, email, browsing, and beyond. Thanks to the cutting-edge offerings in the App Store (15 billion downloads served!), it’s even more practical than ever before to handle all your productivity needs with an iPad. We’re talking photographing checks to deposit them, piping video calls to your TV, and loads more. But how?

That’s the beating heart of this story. Whether you want your iPad to become your work machine or you simply want to be sure you’re wringing every last drop of productivity out of it, we’ll show you how to set up the apps and accessories you’ll need to put your iPad front and center.

The Best Productivity Money Can Buy

These must-have apps will help you work smarter with your iPad.

When switching to an iPad as your central computing device, the biggest adjustment from a traditional computer may be typing up documents and staying productive; after all, the App Store is always there to tempt you with a large number of amazing distractions. That’s why we’ve unearthed several well-designed apps that’ll keep you focused and working.

Apple’s own iWork suite -- comprised of Pages ($9.99), Numbers ($9.99), and Keynote ($9.99) -- is considered the gold standard for productivity on the iPad, and its polished apps take after the Mac originals while also taking into consideration the touchscreen and form factor of the device. Pages puts easy document creation at your fingertips and includes support for Microsoft Word files, while Numbers lets you create spectacular-looking spreadsheets and Keynote puts snazzy presentations within reach. All three apps also now work on the iPhone and iPod touch, giving you easy access to documents wherever you are.

Cut the noise with iA Writer’s excellent Focus Mode.

But if you’re seeking worthwhile alternatives to Apple’s apps, fear not -- stellar substitutions are plentiful. For writing, we love iA Writer ($4.99), a no-nonsense option that includes hugely helpful additional keyboard functions, along with a Focus Mode that only displays the last couple of lines for distraction-free, stream-of-consciousness typing. And if you’re a power user looking to take control of your data and present it with stylized graphs and diagrams, consider OmniGraphSketcher ($14.99) and OmniGraffle ($49.99), which both put a lot of creating power on the iPad’s touchscreen.

But let’s say you’re just looking to take quick notes instead of writing out an entire paper or document. Evernote (free) is an excellent way to jot down text notes and quick audio recordings and have them be automatically transferred between devices. So you can write up a quick shopping list at home on your iPad and then check it on your iPhone without thinking about syncing. The core service is free, but premium subscription options are also available for heavy users.

If you prefer to physically write down your notes, however, be sure to snag Notes Plus ($4.99), a well-produced app that gives you virtual notebook pages upon which to scribble your every thought and sketch. Thoughtful features like undo and redo functions and natural palm-led scrolling make this app easy to love. Be sure to grab an iPad-compatible stylus to make the most of the experience.

Bento is a gorgeous all-in-one productivity app.

And since staying on point can be difficult when the iPad offers so many entertaining diversions, we dug up several worthwhile task-management apps that can help you stay on target. One of the best is Things for iPad ($19.99), which lets you easily build a detailed to-do list (as well as larger, multi-step projects) and check off items as they’re completed. Things also syncs wirelessly with the Mac version, in case you’re also using it at home or work. But if you want something a bit more affordable, Bento for iPad ($4.99) is a smart and attractive option, and it also provides note-taking and contact-listing elements alongside its basic to-do list functionality.

Utilize Those Utilities

Bridge the gap between iPad and computer with apps for everything from security to printing.

A few choice utility apps can help ease the transition from a traditional computer to the iPad, especially if you need to stay both productive and protected. The handy 1Password for iPad ($9.99) stores and encrypts all your private information and lets you automatically log into websites without racking your brain for user names and passwords. And with its auto-lock feature, you don’t need to worry about spreading secure data if your iPad is ever lost or stolen.

You can rest easy when your iPad’s encrypted with 1Password.

If you plan on regularly using your iPad to read PDF documents and other files, GoodReader for iPad ($4.99) is an absolute must. This robust app effortlessly displays a wide variety of file types -- including PowerPoint presentations, books, and even audio and video clips—and it supports a large number of PDF annotations, so you’ll generally lose little in translation.

GoodReader is aptly named.

And while many apps print directly to the select line of AirPrint-compatible printers, you’ll want PrintCentral for iPad ($8.99) if you have an older or incompatible wireless printer -- it makes printing a snap on most such models. Even older wired printers can get in on the mix, though you’ll need to download a free program on a nearby computer. Still, it’s a lot cheaper than buying a whole new printer just for the iPad!

Communication is Transactional

Keep your friends close with the right App Store purchases.

Keeping up with all your friends and work contacts is easy as pie on the iPad, and you don’t need multiple apps to juggle your IM conversations across different networks. Simply use BeejiveIM for iPad ($4.99), an all-in-one option that supports AIM, MobileMe, MSN, Google Talk, Facebook, and other services, making quick chats a breeze. And since push notifications are built in, you’ll never miss an important message when you’re typing up a document or surfing the web.

BeejiveIM supports almost every IM channel and looks gorgeous doing it.

But if visual and vocal communication are needed, turn to the old standby Skype (free). The recently released iPad version delivers video-chat functionality using both the front and back cameras of the iPad 2, as well as VoIP voice calls via Wi-Fi or a 3G data plan. Plus, it’ll work with all your contacts on computers, iPhones, and other devices. And if you have a camera-less iPad 1, everything except video chatting works just fine -- you’ll receive incoming video feeds, but obviously you can only transmit audio.

Uploading clips to YouTube has never been easier.

You don’t have to look far to find unique communication options on the iPad 2, though. We all know about Apple’s FaceTime, but did you realize you can hook up your iPad 2 to a TV with the Apple VGA Adapter ($29) or Digital AV Adapter ($39) for large-scale video chats? Along those lines, Apple’s basic Camera app lets you upload your recorded clips directly to YouTube, giving you a quick and easy way to share home videos with friends—or the world!