Robot

Now, I'm no Apple fanboy.  I admire their design ethic, but I think you get a lot of style over substance. In terms of value, inter-operability and sheer customisation, a PC is always going to be your best bet.

But the iPhone is a thing of practical as well as aestheticl beauty.  In spite of my self, I can't fault it.

So the camera isn't great and doesn't record video...okay.  As an mp3 player, a smart phone, a browser and futuristic gizmo from beyond the stars, it wins.

These are 10 Free Iphone apps that I would highly recommend, search for them at the App store:

1. Stanza

It's suprising how quickly you go from thinking that a solid, old school, paper book is the only way to go.  The charm of being able to carry several weighty tomes around in your palm, and have your phone remember where you are for you, not to mention being able to light up the screen should you need to, soon wins through.  Stanza is the best free ebook reader I have found.  You can download books for free from the Gutenberg project and feedbooks, as well as buy books from publishers.  A fantastic app.

2. Urban Spoon

Slightly gimmicky, but fun.  It uses GPS to see where you are, and then you can 'shake' your phone and it will spin the reels of a fruit machine and come up with suggestions of restaurants and bars nearby, with user votes and professional reviews attached.  Only works in big cities, from what I can tell, but quite handy.

3. Mini Piano

Does what you think. You can play along to songs you are listening to and work out the key and chords while you are on the move, if that's the sort of thing you like to do.  

4. Google Earth

The whole world in your hands...nice version for the iPhone

5. iTalk/Evernote

Enables you to record using the iPhone as a mic, very handy - marred by the fact you have to use a wifi connection to transfer files. But very useful nonetheless. Currently trialling an alternative 'evernote', which may be even better...it is certainly more comprehensive, offering a range of notation possibilities, including audio, photos and text.

6. Shazam 

Hold your phone up where some music is playing and it will sample it and tell you what the song is. 

7. Facebook / Twitterfon 

Very useful means of interacting with these social media sites, two streamlined apps that do what they need to.

8. Last.fm 

Only really works over wifi, but a good service, will play you music you already like and suggest music you might.

9. Shape Writer

Extraordinary input method for the iphone, you drag the connecting lines or shapes between letters on a keyboard and it comes up with an accurate prediction of what you are typing, speeds up the process when you get used to it.

10.  Remote/Snatch test

Remote lets you control your itunes via wifi, snatch turns your phone into a wireless mouse.  Cool.

Last update : 03-02-2009 20:59