Amid the launch furore for the new iPad Air (lighter, faster, smaller), it was easy to lose sight of the fact Apple was now giving its creativity suite to users free with every new purchase. For those who did not splash out on it before, there are some nifty surprises. Pages, Numbers and Keynote provide effective alternatives to their Microsoft Office equivalents, with the ease with which documents can be shared over the cloud a particular boon. GarageBand and iMovie provide basic tools for amateur musicians and film-makers respectively, but it's iPhoto that will be probably be the most heavily used.

It may not have the depth of Photoshop, but for a non-expert user the photo-editing options – from erasing red-eye to removing unsightly blemishes from a selfie – are more than sufficient. And one addition is particularly welcome – the ability to order prints direct from the app. Simply click, choose the size, pay with your Apple account, and they'll arrive in the post in a few days later – individually, or in a lovingly crafted (on the iPad) album. It's great for less tech-minded users and could make Christmas presents for distant relatives in need of a reminder of familial phizogs that little bit simpler.