I don’t know if everyone does this total nerd out when they get an iPod Touch or an iPhone, but I did. I went looking for the best free apps I could get before I paid for any. Here’re my favourites for whoever is looking next.
These are all the apps and bookmarks I have on my phone at the moment. I haven’t used them all yet, but some of them are really cool. The only one I’ve paid for is Fieldrunners, the rest are free.
Yep, I even made a bookmark of my site on the third page there, just to see how the icon works. I’d say it works well.
My favourites are:
- Sudoku — 10 puzzles for each of the four difficulty levels and the levels are good difficulties, the interface is very nice and it as a very nifty note feature.
- Fieldrunners — this game is totally addictive and the graphics are way cool.
- Calendar — okay, so this one comes with the phone, but with Google Sync Beta it is excellent.
- Files Lite
- Backgammon — this works really well and is so nicely made, I just wish the computer brain had better tactics; even the hardest level (which was only introduced with the most recent version) is a push over.
- Facebook — using this app is so much nicer than using the web interface. I use it pretty mch exclusively to check Facebook now.
- Twitterfon — apparently Tweetie is the best Twitter app for the iPhone, but I’m still on my computer most of the time, so Twitterfon seems like a good free choice.
- Shop Shop — I used it yesterday for my shopping list and then I looked up the recipe in Safari while cooking. Totally good.
- WordPress — the WordPress iPhone app works really well and even has some offline writing, if like me you’ve got the iPod, so not always connected.
- Drinks Free — very cute for a quick cocktail guide.
— more than half the reason I bought a Touch is to read eBooks. Files Lite makes that possible by allowing you to copy lots of document files types onto the iPod and read them, it remembers the page you’re on too!
The rest of the games are pretty great. My least favourites are Action Bowling Free — it’s really just a preview of how well the game works, you need to buy it to get much actionI discovered last night that you can play a whole single player game, so it’s okay — and iHearts, which works, but is not too stimulating.
What are your favourite apps?
Twitterfon, fontshuffle and wifi finder are my favorites – actually I 99% of all apps I’ve tried is pure crap that reminds me of apps on windows. I feel the iPhone/touch platform is broken, simply by providing windows users with a dev kit.
Hey Esben, FontShuffle looks cool! Thanks for pointing that out. Yeah, it’s true what you say about the dodginess of some apps. It’s why I’m so reluctant to buy any. I don’t want to spend even a dollar (although most are closer to $3–5 in the Australian iTunes store) on a crap app.
I love fieldrunners, rolando, and imov for the games. But the may fav by far would have to be RssPlayer. It is a podcast aggragator and player app. If your into podcast, it’s a must have.
Me too, I just don’t wanna support windows developer trying to take the money and run.
I have had the iPod Touch about two weeks and am very interested in a “good apps” list. My favs so far:
Sketches $2US, I did try Scribble which is free and okay but did a search and saw that Sketches got raves, so I bought it. Best feature (besides zoom) is that you can draw with 50% transparency, which allows me to “build up” a sketch with overlapping lines. It has more features than just drawing but that is all I am interested in….for now.
ShapeWriter is free. Worst part about the Touch is that I want to use it as a computer and data entry just can’t compare to the keyboard. ShapeWriter is more interesting than a solution, but since it is free, worth a look. Note: Please, somebody tell me how to copy and paste. That seems so basic but I don’t think it exists. I do believe that data entry will be made via voice. Maybe this year?
Twitterrific – works great for me. Haven’t tried Twitterfon yet.
Yelp! I live in NYC. The database is only 3 stars out of 5, but the best I have found so far.
Just downloaded CalTodo, $2US which my friend swears by.
NYTimes This has me asking “Why am I still paying for the print edition to be delivered?”
Fring allows me to have Skype on my Touch. Great for chat on both Skype and Aim which I use but also other IM apps. And after many contortions, I did get the VoIP to work. Of course it only works if I am around wifi and the voice quality is poor, but that may be for a variety of reasons not related to Fring.
Brian — that’s interesting. You don’t like to organise your podcasts through iTunes? I only have a few at the moment and haven’t ever thought I’d need another app for them.
Ken — interesting list! Quite different to mine. I’m intrigued by this whole VoIP thing on the touch. So, it obviously has a microphone? I didn’t know that and thought last night that I should really look that up. How good would that be for uni students taking notes in lectures?! Also means that Shazaam will work on the Touch too.
You’re right cut and paste seems basic, but it doesn’t exist in the Touch/iPhone yet. People have been asking for 3 years (or however long it’s been since the first iPhone came out).
Shazam doesn’t work with the iTouch. At least not with mine, but maybe with the latest generation? I don’t think it has a mic though.
The Touch does not have a microphone but if i recall reading correctly, iPod Touch 2G has audio input. The mic you have to add as a mic/jack. I bought my Philips mic/jack at Target. Do some searches. I ended up at YouTube, lifehacker and http://touchmods.wordpress.com/. Be forewarned. This is a “time sink.”
Ah ok, my misconception about the microphone. Ah well, that’s ok. I’m not that keen on VoIP. I’m glad the 2nd generation has a speaker though, makes games better, not having to use earphones.