The Best Apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch
The Top Paid For and Free Apps from Apple's App Store
Aug 11, 2009
It's widely recognised that while the iPhone and iPod Touch are leading the world of MP3 players and portable telecommunication, the software (or Apps) built by developers is what really makes these devices worth having.
Whichever App users choose, they can only get it from one place: iTunes. Apple's one-stop shop is set up to enable users to browse and buy music, films, TV episodes and Apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
Free Apps
Many apps are free - some are 'lite' versions of full-on versions that cost money, but many are fully functioning pieces of software that allow users to play games, read books, get the latest news, check how their football team are doing, see what the weather's going to do at the weekend... there's an App for just about anything.
Best iTunes Apps for Daily Life
UK iPhone or iPod Touch users have a good selection of apps to help them get by from day to day. The following are among the best for helping them get around on the roads, public transport and elsewhere in life.
Tioti TV+
Whether users just want to see what's on TV up to a week ahead, or they are away from home and wished they had set their Sky+ or Sky+HD box to record before they left, Tioti TV+ is the one of the best paid-for Apps out there (there's also a free lite version). It has an easy to use interface that shows what's on now or next, or as much as a week ahead. Users can create their own TV schedule, search for programmes, and can even download listings for when they don't have access to wifi or a mobile phone signal.
Tioti TV+ is reasonably straightforward to set up via the user's My Sky account on the Sky.com website, where the 'remote record' feature needs to be activated. Once that's done, it's a simple matter of making sure the Sky+ box is connected to a home phone line (users may also need to enter their mobile phone number via the box - the Sky website will tell you whether this is necessary when you activate remote record), then selecting the programme users want to record on the iPhone/iPod Touch.
Tioti TV+ logs in to an individual's My Sky account and sends the intructions to the box via the Sky website, so recording requests won't cost anything (unlike Sky's own App).
Tube Deluxe
Daily London Underground commuter or occasional visitor? This paid-for App currently costs less than a pound yet provides users with a huge amount of information. First off it provides the live status of the user's chosen line (Central, Circle etc). Can't find a Tube map nearby? There's one in this App. Need to work out an itinerary? It can do that, too. It will also show which trains are leaving from which platforms and when, and can reveal which station is nearest to the user's current location. The latest update to Tube Deluxe brings push notifications - users can customise these to select days of the week and specific lines. This needs to be set up both within the iPhone/iPod's settings menu (within Notifications) and within the app (at the bottom of the status screen).
Tube Boards Free
Users may not deem this one worthy if they already have Tube Deluxe, but it does exactly what it says on the tin by presenting a mock up of the boards above each platform. Tap once and it'll also tell users where the train currently is. Useful before entering a Tube station, not so great if already underground as it needs a signal to work. But it's free (there's a paid-for version).
Traffic Info
This App relies on information from the UK's Highways Agency, so there is no guarantee that the jam users are in will be reported, but it's a good place to start. Traffic Info is free and it simply presents users with a list of incidents (and details) - press 'Map' and a zoomable map of the UK appears with pins marking incidents - plus current location. Simple and largely effective.
Internet Radio Box
There are lots of streaming radio Apps out there but this is one of the better ones. It currently costs less than a pound and allows users to choose stations by genre or simply search for one and then add it to a list of favourites. The interface is slick and easy to use, but a wifi signal is required for it to work well.
Keep friends up to date with what you're doing while on the move with this App. Essentially a cut-down version of everyone's favourite networking site, it has the news feed, notifications and requests, and can upload photos and chat with others online. It's free.
Google Earth
A good 3G signal or wifi access is required for this to work well, as it's data hungry. But the graphics are very impressive and it uses the iPhone's inbuilt accelerometer to give different views depending on how the device is being held. Clever, slick and free.
Find more iPod and iPhone App reviews here.
Summary
New Apps are released on a daily basis, but those previewed here have stood the test of time and are updated by their developers on a regular basis to improve functionality - check them out now.
Please note: the author owns an Apple iPhone 3GS but has no financial interest in any of the Apps recommended, or their developers.
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