I’ve compiled my Top 20 list of the best iPhone apps that will make your life easier, save you lots of time, make you smile, enrich your life, and simply astound you with wonder and amazement (How do they do that?). These apps exemplify what smartphone are really about - a personalised assistant and indispensable portable tool like a famous Swiss army knife. The only criteria for the selection of the apps is that they are all exclusive to the iPhone and other smartphones - You cannot run them on a computer.
Google app
This app is a wonderful time-saver. The voice search function is fabulous. Ask for "Starbucks" and the app engages the GPS tool to find the closest store location. The "Goggles" application inside the app, lets Google seek for information about a photo you have snapped. Lots of added features being developed and added to this app.
You can enter all your meals into this app and it keep track of all that facts and calorie numbers for you. You can see much sodium, carbohydrate, fat, protein, calories and fiber, you have eaten and monitor you weight.
Nike+ GPS
This allows you to track your walks, sprints and runs. It will keep track of what paths you took, how many calories you burned, the distance traveled and your pace.
Kayak
This app is a great way to flush out al those hidden travel deals for flights and hotels. There are a number of similar apps.
SoundHound (free + $5)
SoundHound is much quicker than Shazam at finding details about a melody or song, and it boasts a broader variety of extra features. You can hum a melody and this app will locate the song, get the lyrics for you can even run YouTube song performance videos.
Hipstamatic ($2)
This is one of the best photo enhancing apps there is. It combines ease of use, serendipity and fabulous art effects using digital filters to saturate, distort or change the color or your pictures - lots of addons for $1 apiece.
Evernote (free)
This is a wonderful personal assistant that you will make you wonder how you ever survived without it. Evernote is a virtual traveling notepad that links with your browser software and desktop (also free applications). Your iPhone tasks are copied seamlessly and sent to your desktop and vica versa. This includes images, voice memos, written notes, and it seems on your computer and vice versa. You can upgrade for higher data limits.
Angry Birds ($1)
This is a favourite game app checks your skill to shatter the barricades that defend the green pigs. The game is straightforward, yet demanding skill and experience to play well.
Urbanspoon (Free)
Helps you to select and find local restaurants. You can choose various criteria - such as 'Chinese', and the app provides users reviews and comments, contact and location information.
Hulu Plus ( $7 a month)
This great app allows you to stream numerous television shows and documentaries over Wifi or 3G to your iPhone or iPad.
Skype
This app redirects your Skype text and calls to your phone and you can make the call a video call using the iPhone camera, even if you're not on Wifi.
FlightTrack
This app stores your flight information and informs you about flight changes and sends you reminders about when its time to lese for the airport and to board the plane. It tells you about delays, gate changes, early departures, alternative flights etc.
Star Walk ($3)
This is a truly amazing app for providing intant information about the night-sky over head. Point your phone at the sky above and this app provides information about everything in view, stars, planets, constellations, satellites.
Firefox Home (Free)
This app is similar to Evernote in providing a way to seamlessly synchronize your desktop and wireless activity - including bookmarks and browsing history. It you interupy your reading of a long document at work and this app will allow you to pick up where you left off on your iPhone of home computer.
RedLaser (Free)
This app is the perfect shopping aid. Scan a bar code and it displays all the product information. It provides price comparisons with online merchants and local stores that stock the same item in your locality.
The Weather Channel (free )
Provides great forecasts at a glance - several other apps are available that provide similar information
Yelp (free)
Good for finding various local services including restaurants, nightclubs and bars, including reviews.
Glympse (free)
let friends track your location temporarily and easily.
Bing (free)
Many people regard this as the best of the best search app.
Converter Plus (Free)
A fabulous all-in-one converter and calculator app.
Dictionary.com ($2.99)
This app stores a lot of stuff locally so the information is provided instantly.
Google Translate (Free)
Includes more than 30 languages and the results are mostly very accurate. Great when traveling overseas.
HootSuite (Free)
Get all your social media under control with his great app. You manage up to five profiles on Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and others, all from a single central interface.
UPDATE: As expected the new iPhone 4S includes Siri a "personal assistant" application that Apple acquired. It is a very advanced form of speech-recognition technology found on other smartphones. It responds to a variety of spoken questions such as "Do I need an umbrella today?" and provides many of the function of a personal assistant.
