Brand New List of Fave iPhone Apps
It’s been a while since I talked about apps for the iPhone, eh? And seeing as several friends have jumped on the iPhone bandwagon lately and all I have been doing is sending recommendations around and around – some consolidating seem to be in order. Many of these I am sure you have heard of, some maybe not. Presented in alphabetical order.
Brightkite – The fact that these guys are first has NOTHING to do with the fact that I know them, they are from Denver, and I love my Brightkite t-shirt. It has everything to do with the fact that they have made a really elegant extension of their web application, and I think it’s a PERFECT example of when usability goes right.
Bump – Remember how great it was to infrared transfer your contact info from Palm to Palm? So, if you aren’t using the web site Contxts, then Bump is another way to replace that high-tech, exchange info through the air feeling you have been missing. And you get to tap hands in the process.
Cool Iris – A really slick way to connect with and display your Flickr account (or other photo source). Slide through thumbnails quickly, bring up large versions, download (via a fake scanner type action) pics into your Photo Library, email links of pics out to others, etc.
Fake A Call – I swear to you IRL friends, I have never personally used this app in a IRL situation, but it just makes me feel better to have it. Where I can ask this app to call me, and it will talk to me in a Peanut’s Teacher voice, and I can get out of whatever I am doing, because, hello, there is this EMERGENCY SITUATION I have to handle. Hilarious!
Glucose Buddy – I have to admit, I mainly downloaded this app because Manny Hernandez, the founder of Tu Diabetes, my diabetes Ning group, was the highlighted reviewer. But he was right! This app is simple, easy and I’ll say it, kind of fun. If tracking your diabetes can be counted as fun.
Kindle for iPhone – I have completely changed my book reading habits. I used to sit in the dark with with my iPhone propped on my chest, it’s blue glow lighting my paper books as Bryan snored away. Now I have cut out the paper middle man and read straight from the iPhone blue glow with help from the Amazon Kindle shop.
Ocarina – Personally, I think Smule is one of the most ingenious iPhone app creators EVAR. Just look what we did for Neil’s holiday concert last year with this Ocarina app. Seriously. A pan flute on the iPhone, networked around the globe in real time? Who’da thunk it.
Pocket Aid – Yeah, there is the whole section with First Aid and CPR instructions that is great and all, but what I love is the personal info part. Bryan is always freaked about my meds. What do I take? How much? My doctor’s names? I can store it all there for him or anyone else that needs to give me medical treatment in an emergency.
Pocket God – At first I totally did not get this game. What was the fricking POINT? Then James from work weaseled around in a bit. Did you know if you tap the moon, vampires came out and kill people? And you can pull the people out into the water and let the sharks eat them all? And? And? And? Ding ding ding! I can screw around with all these little electronic islanders and make their little electronic lives a living hell???? AWWWWWESOMMMMEE!
Pop Math – The simplest ideas are usually the best, aren’t they? This is like math Flash Cards on steroids for little kinds (and errrm, adults like myself who still can’t add). My son LOVES playing this game, where you tap two bubbles that “pop” as the question and answer in a math problem. And some of these are REALLY HARD!
Recorder – Allows you to record voice memos to yourself just like Michael Keaton in Night Shift, then upload them via WiFi in high quality, or email them in low quality, and post awesome things on your blog like your hilarious husband as he talks about celebrities on Twitter.
Shake It Photo – Did you SEE my photos from Keane? I LOVE THIS APP. It adds saturation, contrast, crops the photo square and basically makes your iPhone pic look like an old Polaroid. You even have to shake your phone to “develop” it. Which gives you some weird looks in the middle of a Keane concert. Even though you aren’t supposed to shake Polaroids. But whatever. Awesome app.
Spell Check – Anyone who reads this blog knows I suck at spelling. And typing for that matter. So, to have an offline, not have to be hooked to the internet, Spell Checker at my fingertips at all times is downright AWESOME.
Springball – I realize I am not all Galaga-fingers like some of you guys, but I find this game just hard enough to be challenging and just easy enough to be fun. You tap the screen and bounce the iPhone to try to keep a soccer ball above the line. But hey, I am easily amused.
Squeeze It – This is like the advanced version of Face Melter. And it’s main purpose is to draw a circle around a face and make it bounce like Jell-O. A fine purpose indeed, if you ask me. And yes, Bryan immediately made me do it to a specific part of my anatomy in a photo, so don’t bother asking.
Twitterfon – Yes, yes, yes. We all have an opinion about which Twitter app to use. Here’s why I like Twitterfon. It has almost all the features I want in a very simple user interface. When I use an app on my phone, my key thing is simplicity, even on an iPhone. Yes, a few of the original Twitter apps were TOO bare bones, but for me, I like how Twitterfon separates Friends, Mentions and DMs into 3 distinct, easily viewable categories… how I can quickly bump out to the right to follow a trail of a conversation or a link, I have my faves easily accessible and I can easily search. I can easily follow someone when I get to their profile, and I can easily reply, DM or retweet them. It’s all I really want to do with Twitter [on my phone].
So that’s it from me. What are your faves right now?
* P.S. As a matter of blogger transparency and FTC pre-protection, I promise none of the above have paid or coerced me to write this post. Except for the case of the Brightkite t-shirt, of which I snagged from a table at SXSW and STILL had nothing to do with this post.
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We are FINALLY getting AT&T service in Wyoming – in ONE YEAR!!!! So, a year from now i can get one!!
Great list! Thanks.
EREADER!! I discovered it a few months before the kindle app came out. So much more user-friendly than the kindle app! Has night-mode right on the disappearing menu thing, so it’s super easy to turn on when I need it. I love being able to read in landscape mode! You have to buy books through ereader.com, but they have a great rewards program where you receive a 15% credit based on the purchase price to use later. They’re offering triple rewards right now! The only downside is they don’t have the uber-selection Kindle offers, but they still have a ton of books.
Twitterfon is my twitter app of choice too. If they offered groups and tinyurls, I would marry it. Just saw there will be a pro version coming out in the next day or two. I wonder if they’ll be included and how much it’ll be…
I *just* bought a Blackberry. I wish it had pop math. 🙁
AND ereader has a thingamajig you can download to read your books, and save them, on your computer too. I just really wish I could sync it with my phone so I wouldn’t have to go searching for my new spot. Admittedly, it’s been awhile since I used this feature so maybe they updated it by now. I’ll shut up now.
This is chuck to remind bill to shut up (rewind) to shut up (rewind) shut up (rewind) ut up..
Bill, Bryan and I both just CRACKED UP reading that!
I am planning to bite the bullet and get an iPhone when the new model (hopefully) comes out in June. We’re supposed to be getting 3G service in our town.
One reason I want the iPhone is for the diabetes apps and to have access to Calorie King and restaurant websites on the go. Nothing worse than trying to guess carb content!
I may have to add some of those apps to my husbands Touch.
Thanks for the list. I’ll definitely come back to it when I get my precious new phone.
ha ha – a list of techie things I can actually understand! THANK YOU! 😉 – m
I just got an iphone and was going to ask you this very question! Thanks for being so forward thinking, so on target, that i didn’t even need to ask! 😉
I am NOT getting Springball because I love those type of games and end up so sucked in that I have to delete them. iPhysics and Just Fillin’ – oh, I miss them.
Thanks for the list. I’ll def. be adding some of these! I was wondering about Kindle for the iPhone. Good to read that it’s a good app.
I really like the kindle app. I put it on my phone while I was at school. It was nice to be able to read when I got to class early and not have to bring a book. Twitterfon is the only other app that you listed that I have. I tried a few other ones, but this is definately my favorite.
*madly downloading apps*
I keep waiting for another iPhone user to have the Bump app because I WANT TO BUMP IT WITH SOMEONE!
Other apps I LOVE…
1. Shazam. Holy cow that app is so cool.
2. Lose It. It makes me eat less because I don’t want to have to input the cheeseburger, fries, and ice cream sundae and seeing that I’m 950 calories over my daily limit, so I end up eating a salad.
3. Pandora. Love my radio!
4. Vlingo. Fun voice app to search web or update Twitter status.
5. Shop Shop. I’m going green with this app! No more paper grocery list for me!
6. AllRecipes. Love the Dinner Spinner feature!
7. Urbanspoon. It’s fun to spin and see where to eat.
8. Brain Teaser. Can’t get past Level 5, but it’s fun!
9. NPR Mobile. I love NPR!
Peggle…
that is all.
~S
Found you via Stumble. Great list!
Bump is a great concept, but on the first test run it realy jacked up an entry in my contacts. Let’s hope they have an update soon.
Just discovered Glucose Buddy the other day. Very cool app. The new TwitterFon Pro has left me flat. The two Twitter apps vying for a spot on my home page are Twitterlator and Twitterrific. Much more bang for the buck.
I love how, 2 days after I posted this, 3 of these apps had updates with major interface changes!
I love my new iphone. I am addicted to hipstamatic and songify. I love making a song out of anything I say. It cracks me up!!