It's no secret to anyone who knows me or reads this blog that I have a love/hate (but mostly love) relationship with Apple products. I currently own an iPhone, iPod Nano and MacBook Pro. The iPad is on my radar and one of these days I'm going to go all in and get another iMac.
Of all the Apple gadgets I own - frankly of all the gadgets I own period - my iPhone is the most used. It's like a growth; permanently attached to my hand. I eat with it at the table, I sleep with it on my nightstand. Sometimes I even take it in the bathroom with me. Too much information, right? Sorry.
I know that I'm not alone in my obsession. Hubby can't even find fault with this one. I think he might have figured out a way to implant his phone into his arm ( or at least he should).
There are all kinds of websites and magazines one can refer to for suggestions on the best, latest and greatest apps for your iPhone, iPod or iPad, but I've often found many of them too cluttered with apps that are too techie for most people or that are downright useless. Despite the fact that my desk looks like both an office supply and bookstore threw up on it, I like to keep my iPhone organized and practical with only the apps I actually use on a regular basis. Many of these apps have actually saved me time and money. Even the ones that are not free have paid for themselves several times over.
So in the interest of sharing and being a good web citizen, I present to you the best list of apps ever compiled. And just in case you're wondering, with your nosey self, I am not getting paid to endorse any of these (though I wouldn't be opposed to the idea).
I have several great apps I would like to share, so I'll break them down into 2 posts because, if you're like me, you'll lose interest if this thing drags on too long. And for those who have other smartphones like the Droid or Blackberry, don't worry. I believe a lot of these apps (or similar counterparts) are available for you as well.
Bejeweled 2 - It's the only game app I have. I'm not much of a gamer, but I like to have a good stress reliever on hand. I literally can play this game for an hour without blinking. It's also good for making you look busy when you're in a waiting room sitting next to an overly chatty person. Just put your phone on vibrate and get to sliding those jewels around. You'll have the most intense look of concentration on your face. Like you're running a corporation right from your phone. The other people will be thinking, geesh, she's a busy woman.
Moviefone - If you're a movie buff like me, this app will be your best friend. Once you set it up initially with your location, the latest show times and theaters within a 30 mile radius are right at your fingertips. You can also watch trailers and get the latest movie news. Remember those days when we used to look in the newspaper to get the show times? It was the most frustrating thing. Do they still print that information?
CBS Radio - I only have 3 songs downloaded on my phone, so this app works great for me when I'm out and about and have forgotten to pack my iPod. It's great for times when you just want to hear talk radio from other cities around the country instead of hearing the same old rhetoric from your local hosts. I'm not one of those folks whose migrated all of my music from my iPod over to my iPhone. I prefer to keep these separate. I know it would make more sense, and I was actually considering this strongly until I was presented with the best reason in the world to never do this. We had a Memorial Day party at the house and as usual everyone wanted to hear different types of music, so I plugged the audio cable into our stereo system so people could hook up their iPods and share their own playlists. One of our guests was playing the music from his phone. It was a song everyone loved. We were jamming. Hands in the air, arms swaying from side to side, hips gyrating. Then his phone rang and the music stopped. He was this close to being beat down. How embarrassing.
U-verse TV - AT&T U-verse is a lovely creature. Hands down, it's the best cable provider I've ever had. I cannot tell you how many times I've been at work or various other places and remembered a show I wanted to record. Many of these times I've not had a computer with internet connection handy. No worries now. I can get on my phone, pull up my handy U-verse app and with a few clicks, I have my show recorded. I can look at everything that is already on the DVR and delete some things if necessary. Maybe I had already scheduled that show to record? I can look at the scheduled shows to be sure. Genius.
AP Mobile - For news buffs like myself, you never have to be out of the loop. If you're hiding out in a cave and the sky is falling, you'll get a breaking news alert. When you don't feel like playing Bejeweled and you've caught up on all your email, you can read through the latest headlines while sitting in that waiting room trying your best to look busy. Local, national, international, outerspace. It's all at your fingertips.
