It has now been almost 4 months since the Iphone 3GS entered my life and it has certainly changed it. It has changed the way I do e-mail, the way I do work, and the way I drive- yes, even affects the roads I take at rush hour! The Iphone is amazing! Here are the top Apps four months into its use:
Email- obviously, the E-mail button is priceless. It beeps and shows the number of unread emails I have in my inbox and this tool is invaluable.
Voice Control- Did you know you can hold the button on your iphone and get Voice Control - You can say "Call 1 - 800 - (and the number)" and it will dial it for you- nice!
Google Maps- the best App you can have in a busy city like Denver, LA, Chicago, and the list goes on- it tells you which roads are "RED" or "YELLOW" or "GREEN" so you can determine which roads you take to get home or to work. It is my best friend as I leave work and let me tell you, has saved me minutes to hours! Of course, if you are in a city where there is traffic everywhere, this App may not help you but a helicopter may. There's gotta be an App for that :-)
Vlingo- this is a great tool to update your social status without typing on the road or anywhere you are- voice recognition software takes care of it and you can proof it before posting on twitter or facebook. You can also do voice dial here and search the Internet (like Google or Dragon) and even search for an address or location. If you search for an address or location, then it will take you to Google Maps. From here you plot where you need to go and voila! You are on your way!
Shopper Lite or the Premium- This is a great tool for all you bargain hunters and shoppers out there. I just discovered it. It gives you all the local stores, the hottest deals in the area, and sale flyers for each store. You can even do a search for a specific item. So, if you are looking for a specific product, type it in and it will give you the best place to get it in the area. Nice!
The Weather Channel- This is obviously a useful App as you make your plans for trips or just how to dress for the day and more importantly, how you dress your kiddos.
Peekeez- this is a webcam "peeker" (AKA- the Nanny Cam) - you specify the webcam to use through software on your computer, and then you can view that webcam and if you go premium you can even record what is going on at home while you are away. Used appropriately, this is a great tool for parents who need to see their kids. You can share your webcam with friends and family too!
Emoji Free- is a great App which lets you add smiley faces, other symbols and just have fun. You have to make a change in your settings under Languages to make it work but then it incorporates into your keyboard. What a fun tool to have- text away!
Google Voice- if you are the lucky few to get invited to have Google Voice, you can send texts, receive texts (straight to your email if you want). This is a great thing because if you are about to exceed your monthly text or minute limit, you have an option to call people without worrying about paying extra. Along with Google calendar and Google Search engine, this is another great tool to have.
Phone Flicks- if you have a netflix subscription, Phone Flicks for free lets you keep track of your queue, add movies, and conduct most transactions on netflix with your account.
Starbucks Mobile card- I love this - you can instantly keep track of your mobile cards, rewards, and add cards/remove them, add money, and at some Starbucks, even scan the card on your iphone instead of whipping out the card. Nice!
Kayak- If you have heard of the travel search engine, it now mobile and you can compare airlines and costs side by side with ease from your iphone. I can't believe the flight I bought a month ago is now $40 cheaper- DERN IT! But yes, Kayak can send you notifications too!
PrinterShare- great app if you want to print from your iphone to a network printer - with the proper permissions you can print anywhere!
Jotnot- Yes, you can scan and fax documents. They give you an allotment for free ones and then you have to buy per page. But, not bad!
IRelax and Sleep ELite- These are noise machines and relaxation sounds to sleep - it is like travelling w/ sound spa or noise machine w/o actually packing it in your $30 per bag checked luggage. I love mine and it drowns out the hotel noises.
All in all, I am very pleased with the Iphone and while AT&T sucks with phone service, I do like the Iphone.
In the Game arena, I enjoy Uno, Drop Four (connect four), Words with Friends and Sudoku, but there is so much more out there to do and learn
