My Favorite iPhone Apps

Since getting my iPhone, I have become pretty addicted to the small handheld device that I hear can also be used to talk on the phone (something I rarely do with my iPhone). Here are a list of apps that I would have a hard time living without (unfortunately), and they are all free apps because I am too cheap to buy apps for my phone:

1. Pandora Internet Radio - I love Pandora! You can choose a station based on the artist. It is like having an almost unlimited supply of music on the iPhone. Pandora's controls are like an iPod. You can rate music, so it eventually learns your tastes over time. So far, my favorite station to listen to at work is John Williams (it is awesome to hear the Star Wars music while working). I use it as a radio on road trips and like to listen to the Chris Tomlin and Led Zeppelin stations. During Christmastime this year, I am enjoying the Chris Tomlin (holiday, Motown Christmas, and Mariah Carey (holiday) stations. This is probably my favorite app.

2. Kindle for iPhone - This app allows me to read books in the dark, and therefore, has become one of my absolute favorite apps. There are many classics that are available in the Kindle format for free, so I have only paid for one book on the Kindle app. There is immediate delivery of the book. The books are very readable on the iPhone. I often fall asleep reading books, and Kindle keeps my place. When I travel, I used to pack a bag almost entirely of books. Now I can just use my phone and always have a book to read with me. Already I have over twenty books downloaded and waiting to be read. Also, and this is a huge plus for me since I am always reading more than one book at a time, Kindle keeps your place in each and every book that you have started to read. It is awesome! I think that I might have to consider investing in a real Kindle at some point, but for now I can survive with just the iPhone version. If I do invest in a Kindle, the iPhone and the Kindle will sync to keep my place in my books whether I read them on the iPhone or Kindle. It is a book lover's dream!

3. Audiobooks* - Librivox is a volunteer run group that creates audio recordings of books that are in the public domain. Since almost all classics are now in the public domain, you can get approximately 1,800 audiobooks on your iPhone for free. Some of the quality of the reading is not the greatest, but it is done by volunteers and it is free. If you love classics and are going on a long trip, this app is great for listening to books. I also like to use it at night when I do not feel like reading a book but prefer to listen as I fall asleep.

* This link is not to the official site of the app because I could not find an official site. I suggest using the app store on the iPhone and typing in Audiobooks to find it.

4. Logos - I have the Logos software on my laptop and have found it extremely helpful for indepth Bible study. I was not expecting much when they came out with an app for the iPhone, but I downloaded it anyway and was blown away. It has many different versions of the Bible that I can now access from my iPhone. I can (sort of) do a word study on the go. I have access to the commentaries that are part of my package from my iPhone. I have access to other books that I have as part of my software on my laptop, and just like the Kindle app, it keeps my place in each book I start to read. I use Kindle for my fiction reading and Logos for my theological reading on the go. You can set up a Bible reading plan, compare versions, cross reference, and do a fact check when the preacher references a particular verse or Greek word (one was right, one was wrong) with this handy app.

5. Amazon.com - I use this app for price checking more than I should probably admit, and it is handy for ordering books or gifts. I can search for and order right from my phone even while standing in another store that has the product. It can be a dangerous app since it takes out the waiting period between the store and getting on the computer (since I am apt to forget), but since all that I have ordered from it are someone else's textbooks and gifts that I could wait to arrive, it has been quite handy.

6. DirecTV - I can set my DVR from my iPhone. No other explanation is needed!!!

7. NPR News - I can listen to NPR stations locally and around the country. Some of the most interesting news stories are told on NPR, and you can actually save a playlist of your favorite stories. NPR is becoming one of my favorite apps to listen to in the mornings as I am getting ready.

8. Lightsaber - My iPhone can become a sound effect lightsaber with a tap of the screen. I can even choose background music to go along with my lightsaber swinging. I am hoping that this app will allow me to fulfill my dream of wearing a judge's robe and walking into the courtroom to the Darth Vader theme. Or maybe I just need to invest in a black snuggie and walk around my own home with the lightsaber and background music. Either way, this app is one of my nerdy favorites and I cannot wait until I meet someone else who also has this app and we can engage in a virtual battle of good versus evil (I will even volunteer to be evil since Darth turned good in the very end).

9. BlogPressLite - I love this app for blogging. It is better for posting pictures than using a computer. Seriously. Since I have figured out how to make sure that my photos from my camera are transferred to my iPhone, it is great for blogging where pictures are needed.

10. Betty Crocker Cookbook - If anyone is like me and gets a sudden urge to bake periodically, this is a great app to have handy when you decide that it would be fun to make pumpkin cookies one day or muffins on a whim. You can save your favorites for quick reference. Plus it is easy to search and you can even search by ingredient. It is pretty awesome to have so many recipes at your fingertips!

I also use my iPhone to access all my social networking websites (almost exclusively), but most people with an iPhone probably already know about those, so there is no need to list them here.