The iPad is probably one of the most amazing ways to browse through maps of the world because of it's large screen and touch capabilities. It already comes preloaded with maps app provided by Google which offers some great services and tools. World Atlas HD is a map application put out by National Geographic which provides 3 different types of maps including a satellite view from Bing as well as information about different locations.

The app uses the same controls found in the default maps application utilizing pinch to zoom and double tapping to achieve the same effect. The app offers an in-depth look at countries by tapping and holding a country which will bring up a small synopsis featuring many facts about the area. Places can be bookmarked and photos can be uploaded to bookmarked locations. But aside from the small snippets of information, there wasn't really anything more to this app. In fact, the basic zooming functions seemed to lag and weren't anywhere near as streamlined as the default Maps app.

One nice feature was the ability to download maps for offline viewing, but that didn't include roads or satellite views. The app crashed an awful lot while I was browsing though it would occasionally have a clean run. Overall, the app is unique and offered relatively cheap for an iPad app, but I can't really justify purchasing it when you have an excellent Maps application already installed on your device.

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