My top iPhone apps list
My Dad got an iPhone 3GS today. He asked me to send him my list of favorite free apps. Since this was a post that I had in mind for a long time, now is the perfect time so here it is in no particular order:
Tap Defense
The best free Tower Defense game by far. The game play is endless if you switch all 3 modes and a 3 maps with all 3 scenarios. If you like Tower Defense games and hate a good nights sleep, this is the one for you.
Motion X GPS Lite
This is a great little GPS app in addition to the Google Maps app baked into all iPhones. My favorite feature is being able to record a track on a bike ride and then send it via email and open it in Google Maps. You can also Facebook and Twitter your maps but I rarely do that. The Lite version is limited to only one saved track. I never save more than one anyway because once you email the tracks they are forever in your email anyway. I haven't found a good reason to pay for the full version yet. If this app were to offer turn-by-turn on a 3GS I would pay for it. I just wish it worked inside Wal-Mart.
To Do's
A neat, simple little app that keeps track of things you have to do and assigns low, medium, or high priority. This app doesn't actually do the tasks it just sits there with a growing number and shames your laziness every time you look at it. Simple, easy, free.
Falling Gems
This is a great time killer game based loosely on Bejeweled. Great for long lines at the homeless shelter soup kitchen on Friday nights.
Zynga Deluxe 5K Poker
Play online with other people or play against your Facebook friends. Great free Texas Hold-em app. Kenny Rogers would be proud.
Zynga Mafia Wars
Yeah, I don't quite get this one yet but apparently everyone else does and it looks fun until I realize how far behind I am and that my mafia sucks.
Unblock Me Free
This is a great puzzle game that is also great for long lines. It's like the parking lot games where you have to slide pieces around to get the colored bar out. Throwing your phone against the wall does not help get the orange block out.
Blackjack by MobilityWare
Simple, free Blackjack app with some minor statistics. If you love Blackjack like I do, you gotta check it out. This app is free until you go to Vegas and think you are a pro and go home penniless because you bet your mortgage on a hand of Blackjack.
USA Today
Great app to do some quick reading while waiting for a meeting to start. My favorite feature is the ability to Tweet directly from the app. Now I can share the graphs about how fat Americans are and how bad we are with money with the whole world.
AP Mobile
Another app like the USA Today app but no cool infographics and no ability to Tweet. I only read this if the line is long enough to have exhausted all of my other tricks. Like on Black Friday.
Mashable
If you dig Social Media this app keeps you up to date on all of the news from Mashable.com but I think its kinda weird that the app doesn't offer any type of sharing. It gets minus DKP just for that.
Palringo
Free app to IM with all of your IM buddies who are chained to their desks.
Pandora
Awesome app for music surprises. I can't even listen to FM radio anymore. I just want to thumbs down the Jonas Brothers so bad.
Shazam
Ever wonder what that song is over the speakers at the grocery store? Shazam knows. Just let it listen for about 10 seconds and it (usually) returns the right answer. Now Hall & Oats will never go unidentified ever again.
9-Toolbox
Free app with 9 tools:
Currency converter
Date calculator
Days until calculator
Holidays
Inclinometer (level)
Loan calculator
My Girl's Day
Tip calculator
Units conversion
There is no 10th tool, otherwise it would have been called 10-Toolbox
GasBag
Simple app that allows you to find cheap gas and report your gas prices. You can also keep track of your own mileage. I have only recently downloaded this after being duped into using Gas Cubby for tracking gas mileage only to find out that the free version only allows so much data and then holds it hostage until you pay $9.99 for the full version. Uhh no, and thanks for making me kick the dog.
Speed Test
It's always nice to see how fast you are using up AT&T's precious, overpriced, bandwidth racket. It's also nice to see if your neighbors wireless is fast enough to steal.
Facebook
I only have this app on my phone so that people think that I use Facebook even though I don't. "Brian Hansen thinks that Facebook is for people who can't figure out how to use Twitter and get freaked out by the word "follower" because "friends" is a much better word to describe your connection to people in High School you could care less about now"
PAID APPS
I dont really like to pay for apps but there are a few that have been worth it. Here they are in no particular order:
ShakeItPhoto
Take pics with your iPhone that look like old-school Polaroids. Even makes the sound and you have to shake it to develop the picture. I always wanted to take pictures of a crime scene with ShakeItPhoto to make it more official.
Twittelator
A great Twitter app for iPhone. I paid for this app before the TweetDeck app (free) came out. The TweetDeck app doesnt have the ReadItLater service. Now that I am hooked on that crack, I cant put it down. TweetDeck is a better app. I am ashamed of my addictions.
Flight Control
Help planes land on their designated landing strip. If they crash into each other and everyone dies, you can start a new game without an FAA investigation.
Scrabble
My wife and my sister love this game. I'm just proud that I know that 'unkempt' is actually a word now, saving me much embarrassment for the rest of my life.
So there you have it, my list of the best free apps and a few of the best paid apps.
What app is your favorite? What app cant you live without?
