Many of these likely apply to the iPad...but I wouldn't know...you're on your own there (until I join you potentially with iPad v2)
I've actually yet to pay a single red cent for any app yet...but I'd be willing to pay $0.99 for one that came around. I'd love to hear your great mostly free apps you've found...and, in turn, will share mine here.
Note that any comments made here are January 28, 2011 and as all of these apps are subject to revisions, better or worse, don't take them as forever guidance in case these topic stretches out for weeks, months or whatnot.
NEWSUSA Today - Icons are 'sticky' and require a firm push - be forewarned.
Reuters News Pro - I like the worldwide slant here...from a premier news organization
NPR News - I know many decry 'political' when they see this, but it's a singularly excellent news organization with different perspective to me)
YAHOO - A mainstay for me as it has news, finance and sports neatly wrapped in one app
Globe & Mail - Canada's nationwide newspaper for free. Good stuff here and fresh perspective for me
NewsAusLite - News from all around Australia. Beats me why I downloaded it - different perspective again. Can't say I understand one word of the cricket and rugby reports, tho
COMMUNICATIONSKYPE - Seamless transition from laptop to mobile phone with this important service for me. PC or Mobile Phone to PC (or mobile phone) calls for free....cheap calls worldwide anywhere else. Video calls now made available in wifi areas from your phone. Wonderful and used daily.
Free Wi-Fi - A app that finds wifi sites in your area by GPS or zip code entry. Helpful to find that next Starbucks, etc.
Dragon Dictation - I cannot believe this one is free. This is the pricey Dragon software that allows you to speak into your phone and it transcribes it into words...which you can then email or sms text..or post to twitter or Facebook if this is your want. You can make any spelling or grammatical fixes with the handy keyboard they provide. I don't use a lot, but I'm shocked that this level of innovation is free
Hey Tell - Fabulous - used all the time and all day with my wife and company mates. It turns your phone into a walkie talkie and allows you to answer emails and texts while driving with voice messages instead of dangerous typing out answers. A cornerstone I use everyday...you may, too.
BUSINESS / INVESTING (I'm a businessperson and investor so I realize this section may induce yawns for many of you)
Fidelity Investments - My preferred 'bank' for 20 years and a first rate app like the organization itself. Really well done/ glitch free whether you have an account there or not, but obviously better if you have an account.
Vanguard - Not as useful as Fidelity site, but good perspective from this non-profit investment powerhouse
YAHOO Finance - Well done abridged version of YAHOO's great finance area online.
WSJ Mobile - Wall Street Journal mobile app...good, but annoying that half the articles are subscriber (ie, not free) content. Still, half the WSJ for free ain't a bad thing
Currency - As it states, a snapshot at currency values across the world and a handy currency calculator, too
Gold Live! - This is KITCO's mobile app....the folks that many rely on for up-to-the-second news and quotes on precious metals, copper, aluminum and crude oil...precious and basic materials that are leading edge indexes of prevailing inflation and deflation worldwide.
TRAVEL / MOBILITYAutoPilot - If you spend some time in airports...this app is a must. It tracks every flight across the globe and warns of delays, etc. Contact website, email and phone numbers for all major airlines and hotels and travel organizations are here, too for reference...as well as links to USA Today weather. Very handy to have for me.
MapQuest - Free GPS that works nearly as good as the best mobile phone GPS apps that cost $30+. Mapquest owned by AOL now...so costs are underwritten by them. Yes, spoken street names and all here. It shows airports, hotels, restaurants, gas stations, etc just like spendy GPS apps and standalones. It lacks things like telling you your average speed...but, that's what a speedometer is for. Phantastic stuff.
AAA Roadside - Now, AAA can find you via GPS coordinates rather than you describing the type of telephone poles and rocks you are stranded by
Real peace of mind if you are a AAA member (as I have been for 20 years) .
AAA TripTik - Features are sorta' replicated on AAA Roadside...but for non AAA-members, this may be neat to add (in place of of AAA Roadside)
eFax - Not worthwhile if you don't have an account...but as accounts are free if you don't need a fax assinged to you with your area code - why not apply? Very helpful indeed as this is my fax service and now I can seamlessly access it the world over
TripAdvisor - Hotel review site extraordinaire. 'Nuff said.
The Weather Channel - Greatly preferred over glitchy Weather.com
SugarSync - A great 'cloud' service device...I can now go away for a nite without my laptop and all my files, now stored in the sky, can be accessed and downloaded if need be. The service costs $100 yearly and is seamless, but this app is free.
Siri - Find restaurants, movies, events, taxi services and more....using keyboard or oral dictation. Good stuff here - for free.
HELPFULGoogle - Actually, much like Google online....an entire suite of neat apps to choose (Google Earth, GMail, Translate, YouTube, etc.
Zillow - Longtime renter looking for the right time to buy. Great and free.
Redfin - See above
Dictionary - Dictionary and Thesaurus in one.
Convert Units - Every conversion imaginable...angles, areas, data, energy, force, length, mass, power, pressure, speed, temperature, time, and volume. A cornucopia of helpful conversions to have at all times. This should be standard issue with the iPhone upon purchase.
Craigslist Pro - Find anything you want on Craigslists in the US and Canada
Yelp - Review site for local areas. Quite helpful to reference for restaurants, hotels and service providers. Started here in SF, so database is best here it seems.
CNET - A fine site to find near everything electronic reviewed.
Gazelle - Health storage database offered by Quest Diagnostics (one of the big 2 labs in the US...the other being LabCorp). A place to put any medications or allergies you have, doctor's info, emergency contact info and all your blood tests can be viewed here that you use Quest for.
Edmunds - Wanna' find out about that car you just saw....all everything is here...for free.
Decibels - Yes, a decibel gauge. Someone here at AC turned me on to it - thank you whoever you are.
GAMES (I'm not big into games, I have enough to do without game sin my life, too)
Talking Tom - This is for my 7yo...most of the kids games that she uses are on Mom's iPhone3. Every so often tho, I like smacking the cat here
iBasket - I'm addicted to this...you caught me
ENTERTAINMENTPandora - Dang, a friend told me about this service 2 years ago and I glazed my eyes over. Great stuff and now I stream into my car system with mini jacks accessory inlet it has. Love it!
iheartradio - FM radio all over the US...homesick? - connect with your favorite stations here
MISCELLANEOUSVillanova - You wouldn't care unless your an alumni, but I like to massage PM for my alma mater whenever I can work it in (teehee)
Let's hear/see yours - I already showed you mine!
John
