Everyone has their favorite applications for their iPhone or other similar portable device. Here are five on my favorite iPhone applications. Some are great entertainment or use for me, others for keeping children entertained while they are learning. I am not including the applications that come preloaded, such as w-mail access, because those are pretty much a given, but the applications that users would need to download on their own. I have linked to the description of each application in the AppStore in each description so that you can see all the technical information.
The application that I use the most is the Facebook application. I am a Facebook junkie, and I admit it. It is the one place where I can tell my family, coworkers and friends the same thing without having to send a series of emails, make phone calls, and possible send out regular mail. The Facebook application is simple to use, and follows the same basic format as the website, which is not always the case in websites turned mobile or into applications. I really like the quick access to notifications and the ability to filter the type of information that comes up in the news feed, as you can on the website. The mobile application for smart phones is not nearly so user friendly.
Pandora is a free personalized internet radio application. note what songs they like, and do not like. It also allows you to choose specific artists or genres as stations. The information you offer allows Pandora’s algorithm to suggest other music that you might like. If you really like a song, you can rate it as thumbs up and signal that you want more music like it. If you select thumbs down Pandora will never play that song for you again. Pandora allows users to this free service can also be accessed on any computer connected to the internet, and the information is shared between any location that you log in with the user name and password. The only downside to Pandora is that since it is a free application and service, they need to make money and pay music royalties somehow. This means that there are advertisements played between songs on occasion. However, it is not excessive, so if you can deal with the advertisements on terrestrial radio or on television, you should not be bothered by those on Pandora.
Bluefire Reader is one of my most used applications. This e-book reader works with PDF’s and Adobe eBooks. I use Bluefire to read the majority of electronic galleys that I request through NetGalley. It is easy to use, with the ability to make type larger or smaller with simple, logical icons. There are several available options for purchasing books through Bluefire, and most books that you might download directly onto your device from other sources can be read with Bluefire. I have occasionally read using the iBooks application, which is also user friendly, but that is a rare exception. If you prefer reading Kindle style, there is a free Kindle application as well. However, I have yet to actually use the application so I cannot attest to its usability.
Feed Me! is a game application for preschool aged children from PencilBot. I originally downloaded the free version, but eventually upgraded twice ($.99 each) to the full version because my two kids liked it so much, and they were learning as they played. The application offers a series of games that reinforce learning in letters, colors, counting, spelling and more complex concepts. My our year old learned fractions while playing this game, and surprised me at how much he and his little sister gained from this game. No matter what else I download or offer to them, this is still one of their favorite games. Any combination of fun with learning is fine by me. For parents that want to teach another language, or speak another language at home, Feed Me! is available in Spanish, Chinese and Russian as well as English.
Words with Friends from Zynga is another game application, but this one is for me. This game is basically a one on one game of Scrabble with any of your friends that play via a mobile device or on Facebook. The challenge of each game can depend on whom you are playing against, and the tiles that come your way. You can have several games running at the same time, in fact I often have a couple games going with one person as well as more against other opponents. I enjoy stretching my vocabulary skills and often lacking spelling ability. You have the choice of downloading a free version, which has advertisements, and an ad free version that costs $1.99.
There are some other applications that I downloaded and use daily, but could not make it into my top five. Some of the other useful applications that I recommend are Twitter and Overdrive, an application for downloading materials available from library collections. For fun and games I recommend Hanging with Friends, Unblock Me, Doodle Fill and Angry Birds. For parents with young children that want some educational games, I recommend Preschool Memory Match, ShapeBuilder, iTouchiLearn’s Words and the series of Disney Puzzle Books.