 |
 |
 |
|
04.22.09 The iPhone Is All About Functionality  By Neville Hobson
I said that a few weeks ago: iPhone is all about the apps and I’m more convinced of that than ever. As I was scanning the Wall Street Journal on my iPhone, I got to thinking about some of the other apps I have installed on this mobile device. 54 in total so far (click the image to see the larger detail). That seems an awful lot yet it also illustrates just how compelling this platform is, for developers to develop and users to use. I don’t use all those 54 apps. In fact, many of them are ones I’ve installed to try out and haven’t used since. So they’re just cluttering up the iPhone. (Heh, how desktop PC bad habits are so easy to transfer to other platforms!) Of those 54, though, many really stand out for their utility, their functionality and, in many cases, the sheer fun of use. The vast majority are free. Here are my top ten favourite apps, the ones I’m currently using more than any others, in alphabetical order (I’ve marked with an asterisk * the apps that you have to pay for): • Audioboo: Record audio up to 5 minutes in length, publish on the web. Astounding audio quality. New service features include commenting on boos and following other audiobooers (must find a better descriptor than that). • Boombox: Stream music from Blip.fm. Search for tracks and create playlists. • Google Mobile: I especially love the voice search feature. It always works when I use it.  • Shazam: This app is so cool – hold the iPhone up to any music you’re playing or hearing and Shazam will try and identify it and give you a link to it on iTunes.
• Skype: Make and receive free phone calls whenever you have a wifi connection. • Trace: This game is so absorbing (you have to see it to understand that), perfect for quiet moments or when your train is delayed. • Tweetie*: I think this is the best Twitter app for the iPhone. Run multiple accounts, retweet, follow/unfollow, just about everything you want to do with Twitter. • WiFi Checker: It looks as though this app isn’t available any longer. That’s a pity as I find it immensely useful in discovering wifi connections. • WordPress: Write blog posts, upload photos, edit pages, manage comments – do it all from your iPhone. • Wall Street Journal: Free access to WSJ.com content via ad-supported iPhone app. Includes excellent audio and video content. What iPhone apps do you like – and that you’d recommend? Comments About the Author: Neville Hobson is the author of the popular NevilleHobson.com blog which focuses on business communication and technology. Neville is a UK-based communicator, blogger and podcaster. He helps companies use effective communication to achieve their business goals. Visit Neville Hobson's blog: NevilleHobson.com. | ||||||||
|
| ||
|
