A few months ago I wrote a post on my top ten iPhone applications for 2009 which may have been a bit soon to place judgement on future applications coming out in 2009. Now that we have reached the end of this last year I feel a little more equipped to provide a more substantial list of useful apps in the iPhone. So here’s my list for 2009:
Read It Later
Still one of my favourite applications. Such a simple concept of being able to tag web-pages to ‘read them later.’ A new update has just been released which see’s the app take on a new look and feel. The app also seems to run faster and smoother than before.
WordPress
The wordpress app was rendered useless once I move over to a self-hosted wordpress platform. This was because the self hosted API did not allow for the remote access that the app needed to mange the blogs from the iPhone. A recent update to wordpress now allows remote access and now this app is back in my good books. I am able to manage and reply to comments, fix spelling errors and even write an entire blog post should I wish (although my html skills are not that great so hyperlinking and rich-text editing becomes a problem.)
Hootsuite
Hootsuite as a web-based application has grown leaps and bounds in 2009. Starting off as a way to update Twitter and schedule tweets the software has now extended to faceook, linkedin, ping.fm and a host of other services. The only thing missing (for me) was the iPhone app. Today I installed the app, and although it only allows access to updating twitter accounts for now it is great to start scheduling tweets on the fly. This has already become a time saver for me.
Shovebox
My new found software friend is Shovebox. Shovebox allows you to shove you ideas into a box for use at a later time. Ideas come to me at any given time and it great to be able to store them in an organised fashion for use at a later time. An example is when I have blog post ideas – I can shove the ideas for another time when I am lacking inspiration. Of course the iPhone addition to this Apple software make my life even easier.
Things
The most useful application I have ever used on the iPhone. It’s desktop counterpart is also the most used software on my mac. Things is the best task management system simply because it allows for complete flexibility, task scheduling, and the classic GTD inbox used to make sure you don’t forget the little things. The iphone app has also seen numerous upgrades in 2009 and has allowed for more and more control over task management straight from the phone. I have actually got to the point where I no longer need to take my laptop into meetings because of this application.
News24
A direct feed of collective news in South Africa. The application allows you to customise your news feed choices and saves you having to buy a newspaper to stay up to date. In addition the app has included sharing links on the news items which brings News24 into the social media realm. Big thumbs up to the News24 team.
Tripometer
An easy to use and intuitive application that keeps track of my milage. I can control both the personal and business milage and there is no guessing the distance as it calculates the milage by using the odometer readings. What would make this app the best, would be if it could calculate your milage without inputting any data and simply measuring the distance in a GPS manner. One can dream can’t he?
Wikipanion
This app is more useful than google because of its focus on providing information rather than general content. Google search will bring you the most relevant webpages in its results, but wikipanion will link to directly to ‘encyclopedia’ type info. I also find that the addition of the ‘wiktionary’ has rendered all other dictionary applications useless.
Remote
This is the most convenient application when I am entertaining at home. I often set my laptop up to play music in the background through my home sound system. With the Remote app I can control the volume and choice of songs from anywhere around my house. Saves me getting up all the time to turn the music down when we start eating etc. Plus it always gets attention when people see it in action.
Spend
Still a great application that helps manage my budgeting needs. I have been able to keep better track on my financial status since using this application.
Logos
A recent introduction to my iPhone. Logos is a bible application that has a stronger search and study function than Bible (the app I was using previously). Logos also includes sharing fuctions to twitter etc which makes life easier in sharing thoughts with my twitter channel @onthingsabove
Look out for the next post outlining my top applications on the iPhone for social media!
