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Article | 10 Ten iPhone Apps | Apr 2009 | M.McKennedy

I don’t claim to be an expert on Apple’s iPhone but I do have a top ten list of my favorite, most commonly used or ‘I just think it’s a cool idea’ Web Apps for the iPhone.

iPhone 3G (click for larger view)

Warning: If you do not know what an iPhone is then you might want to start here at Apple’s website. Also, I have been using an iPhone for about a month so for you ‘old schoolers’ out there this might not be for you, but read it anyway.

Here is Apple’s definition of an “App”.

“Applications designed for iPhone are nothing short of amazing. That’s because they leverage the groundbreaking technology in iPhone — like the Multi-Touch interface, the accelerometer, GPS, real-time 3D graphics, and 3D positional audio. Just tap into the App Store and choose from thousands of applications ready to download now.”

This list is ordered by use, where number one is my most commonly used iPhone web app (this does not include some of the iPhones standard apps (for example: Maps, Camera and Weather)). Some of these applications are free. The most I have paid for an App at the time of writing is $5.95.  The typical price is $.99 – that is correct, for under one American dollar you can buy something!

Facebook

Facebook – Free – I know…who the hell isn’t on Facebook? I never thought that I would be saying that a social Networking application is my most commonly used app but here I am and that is what just happened. Now you too can find out that your friend from second grade just updated his Facebook status with something like, “just got back from grocery shopping, got a sweet deal on potatoes” or “just ate too much, probably going to burp” or “has a cold, red, drippy nose, wants to die, now!” – and all on your mobile phone and at the tap of your finger (or two taps of the finger if you consider turning the iPhone on). If your looking to snoop in on the lives of people, and to allow others to snoop on you, then sign up with Facebook. It becomes habitual…you have been warned.

Twitterphon

Twitterphon – Free – Yes, another Social Networking tool. Only take a few seconds to check for new “Tweets” on Twitter (sounds a bit funny, doesn’t it?). It’s stalking in it’s simplest form! You decided who you want to stalk and bam! you are a stalker and right on your iPhone!  You can follow people you like, people you dislike, celebrities, authors, musicians, and on and on.  I must admit that receiving a notification stating that I am now being ‘followed’ by a complete stranger is a bit odd.  Should I ‘follow’ them back? I don’t! but that might be a simple way to try to figure out why he/she decided to followed me in the first place.

Google

Google Mobile App for your iPhone – Free – Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Talk, Reader, GOOG-411, News, Notebook, Photos, orkut, Translate, Maps, YouTube, Earth – instant access to all of these by clicking tapping the blue icon with Google’s famous ‘g’ on it on your iPhone.  If you are still using Hotmail and you have an iPhone you might want to consider a free upgrade called Gmail.  It’s just Google’s one of many free gifts to us all (and they make a hefty profit in the meantime by feeding us discrete ads).

Looptastic

Looptastic – $5.95 – “Looptastic is the performance remix tool for the iPhone and iPod Touch”, according to their website.  Basically it’s a rave in your pocket.  A party in your pants, if you may.  It allows you to remix pre-existing tracks.  Plug your iPhone into your home stereo system, grab the ol’ baby pacifier, crank up the volume and get ready for an all night party!  Don’t forget to ‘Tweet’ or update your contacts on Facebook and Twitter either.  Something like, “has a party in his pants” might cause some commotion.

pTerm

pTerm – $.99 – This one really isn’t my fifth most commonly used app but I think that it’s the fifth coolest app on my phone so it gets the five slot.  This one might be a bit too ‘geeky’ for most but if you are looking for an SSH client for your iPhone you should check out pTerm.  It’s entirely based on PuTTY and offers SSH, Telnet, and Raw Socket (TCP) support.  With this app you too will be able to login to the work server, anywhere (almost), anytime and right from the convenience of your phone!  Geek alert! (O’wait, I have this app on my phone…what am I saying?)

InstaMapper

InstaMapper GPS Tracker – Free – honestly…I haven’t used this one yet but it sure seems like a cool idea. InstaMapper is a free service that allows you to track a person or vehicle online in real time using a GPS-enabled cell phone.  Again…if you are into real-time stalking use your imagination…you will come up with some use for this one.

Labyrinth

Labyrinth LE – Free – “Labyrinth is the classic game where you control a steel ball by tilting a wooden labyrinth. It is available for iPhone/iPod touch and Android.” – it’s challenging, tilt your iPhone to control the ball, try to get it into the correct hole to move on to the next level.  The ‘LE’ version is the ‘light’ version (as in there is a full price version as well).  While I try to make it a rule that I don’t play games on my phone I still find myself starting up Labyrinth.  Plus I can still complete more levels than my kids so it gives me something to brag to them about

Regex Helper

Regex Helper – $.99 – I just installed this one today so I don’t have much of a review. “Use this handy pocket guide to learn about Perl-Compatible Regular Expressions. This app contains a reference for metacharacters and escape sequences to help build expressions in the tester. The tester will validate and execute your pattern against a subject string you supply. An optional replacement string may be specified as well.” Okay…so you thought pTerm was geeky…this is for those of us who are always striving to be a bit more geekish than before.

A Free Level

A Free Level – Free – I used this one once I think but c’mon it’s a level, on a phone!  Which means I had to mention it.

Flashlight

Flashlight – Free – can’t find a direct link for this one.  It’s not really that special anyway but my kids do love sliding their fingers across the smooth glass triggering a change of “flashlight” colors and/or effects.  Since my kids love it, other kids will likely have (5 minutes of) fun therefore Flashlight made it to number ten!

So there they are Ten iPhone Web Apps that I either use, like or think I like, or just want to write about for one reason or another.

What are you favorites and why?