I split the list in 3 groups: Apps, which survived this update of my best of list, the new ones and those which are out. I am also making a difference between true iPhone applications and webapplications. So first let’s see which apps from the old list made it again on this list?
The Survivors:
NetNewsFire
NetNewsFire is my favorite RSS Newsreader and one of my most used apps. It syncs with my desktop reader and has just all features I need.
Instapaper
Offline Reader I am using often, especially now that i am in Spain without 3G data roaming. With Instapaper i allways have some interessting articles with me, which i can read in a spare minute.
Zenbe
One of many, many ToDo apps for the iPhone. It is very basic and thats what i like. You can create different lists and you can share them with friends.
Twinkle
My favorite Twitter client. Works just fine, so I stopped checking out other twitter clients.
Tuner
Internet-Radio application, where you can choose between thousands of streams. Just by searching for genre or artist.
Newcomer Apps:
Fring
Multi protocol instant messenger for Skype, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, Google Talk, AIM and SIP/VoIP. First app which combines all networks i need. In addition it allows me cheap VoIP calls outside of Germany, as long as i have WiFi connection.
Facebook (Me on Facebook)
The new Version 2.0 of their iPhone app is a huge step to the better. Now it’s truelly funny to log on while on the go.
Datacase
Easy and powerfull tool to convert your iPhone to your personal WiFi-storage. Connect with every device you want to your iPhone and access your files (after a security check). There is even a “dropbox” where your friends can copy files into, but no one can list this directory or download from it. It supports all major file formats from ms office to pdf, all kinds of pictures, music files and videos… so you not only carry all your documents, but you can open and read them anywhere you want.
WiFinder
WiFiFinder is a WiFi Scanner, which lists all WiFi Networks near you. It checks if they are open and when positive, it checks if there is internet access. Optional it scans every xx seconds and alarms you, as soon as it finds an internet connection. Perfect when traveling. Just leave this app running while walking through the streets.
HotSpots
This app is using an online directory of mostly german WiFi Hot Spots. It uses the GPS to show you the nearest WiFi from your location.
Last.fm (Me on Lastfm.de)
“Social Music Streaming Plattform”. It learns your music taste and after some listening time, it plays only music you really like. Awesome! The reason, why the the last.fm client for iPhone wasn’t on my first “best of list” was because this version was one huge bug and barely unusable. Allthough the idea and user interface were very nice from the beginning. And now with the latest update it runs smoothly and reliable. With Tuner and Last.fm there is no need to waste place on your harddrive for music.
Newcomer Webapps (not in App Store):
FriendFeed (Me on FriendFeed)
Friendfeed is a great service for sharing and discussing your online activities with your friends. Since they launched a special user interface for the iPhone you can use this service perfectly on your mobile device.
Flickr (Me on Flickr)
Flickrs new User Interface for iPhone is better then every other Flickr app, i’ve seen before. exposure might have some additional features, but i don’t need them most of the time.
Verkehrsinfo Free german traffic reports and alerts. You are getting real time traffic and general road conditions over a convenient, easy to use Web-UI. Very helpfull.
Kicked Out:
Evernote
Still an awesome application, which i still love to use. Very hard descission to put this app off the list.
Apple Remote
As long as I don’t have a static workstation or apple tv to control remotely, i don’t need it very often. My Macbook Pro is always close, so no need for Apple Remote. The value of this app defers extremley depending on your equipment and livestyle.
Palringo
Superseded by fring because of Skype support.
Truphone
Superseded by fring because of VoIP support.
Exposure
Superseded by new Flickr Webinterface. A native App would be nicer, but the new Flickr Webinterface extra for iPhone ist even better then Exposure.
Shozu
I liked the concept, but in the end i didn’t use it any more. Other apps do a better job.
Hope you can use this information. Let me know, if you have tried any of these apps and how they worked out.
Apple sent out an invitation today for a special event october the 14th and the invitation looked like this picture. So Steve is going to show us the new MacBooks and MacBooks Pro. Finally!
Hmm… looks like, i can’t hide, that i became an Apple fanboy. :-)
Fring is out and you can download it now officially over the App Store. Fring is the first Applications which supports Skype on the iPhone, besides many other networks:
ICQ
Google Talk
MSN – Windows Live Messenger
Yahoo Messenger
AIM
Twitter
and again SKYPE!
In addition you can call using 3 different options. Call by:
GSM
SIP / VOIP
Skype Out Call
First tests are promising. Everything I tested worked very well, but i will do extensive testing of all fring features tomorrow and update this article. Die interface is easy to understand. Everybody should be able to use fring in under 5 minutes.
As Sykpe is my primary instant messenger client, having no app on the iPhone for that service was painful gap. Thank you fring for this application, but especially for the Skype support.
[update]
Still, i am very satisfied. I don’t had any major problems. No crashes, no dropped calls. Till now, this is definitely the best multi protocol instant messenger for the iPhone. But there is also some potential to optimise:
I don’t see the network of the contacts in my buddy list. A small skype, icq or gtalk icon would do a perfect job.
It seems, that battery usage with running fring is much higher, than without.
Twitter is getting pretty annoying, because you can’t switch the “ring tone” for single channels off. I deactivated twitter, until this option is here.
No VoIP over 3G, because of the carriers. Jailbreak users can be happy, there is a 3G enabled version around.
Some other users report lag and echo when talking over Skype, SIP or in general VOIP. I can’t confirm that.
no Jabber support (beside of Google Talk)
an incoming gsm call will disconnect any fring calls.
[UPDATE] I have written an updated version of this post here.
I don’t like to write super-quick reviews, written just a few clicks after installing a new application. I rather take some time to try those apps seriously. After weeks of usage, it gets pretty clear, which apps i actually use, which one i like or what i miss. A lot of those apps just don’t make sense, are buggy or don’t work at all… so in the end, there are only a few real must haves :-)
so lets get started: (more after the jump) (weiterlesen…)
Just writing this post with the brand new wordpress app for iPhone, which was released just hours ago. I could not think of an easier installation, it just worked with the URL and the login. The UI is as simple as the installation…
This app instantly jumped into my favorite app list. Which reminds me of my plan of Sharing this favorite list here. Still at work I guess :)
The “iphone-dev-team” officially announced the new release of their new Pwnage Tool which now supports (partly*) the 2.0 software. For the first time, they make an important difference between “unlocking” and “jailbreaking“. “Unlocking” means, that you are able to use the unlocked iPhone within other carrier-networks, when “jailbreaking” means, that you are able to install other applications than from the original iPhone app store.
* explaining “partly”:
to figure out, what the Pwnage Tool is able to do with your device, it depends on what you own:
first generation iPhone with software 2.0: jailbreaking and unlocking
iPod touch with software 2.0: jailbreaking (no unlock needed)
iPhone 3G: ONLY jailbreaking (unlocking still in work)
I’m still waiting for some brave beta testers to share their experiences… Did you try it? Then leave a comment :-)
We can read a lot of news and blogposts these days about the new iPhone 3G. So why the hell another one? Perhaps, because there is so much writing happening right now, that it is just too difficult to select the right articles worth reading.
And because i had a special interest in those articles *smile* i read so much of them that I now want to share the very best resources with you.
