Favorite/Recommended Apps

[JustSkipIt]

I keep meaning to start this thread but then I forget. This is a thread for recommendations of apps that you've found useful or just fun for your devices: IPhone, Android phone, IPad, Tablet, ITouch... whatever.

Please let us know what the app is. What's it for? Did it cost anything? Is there a website or just in the app store? Is it IPhone/IPad/I... or Android or are there both?

I've got an Android Phone (Samsung Vibrant) and love it. Some of my favorite apps:

RunKeeper - GPS tracking of runs or rides. (Free) Market.

Livestrong - Calorite Tracking (1.99) Market.

Google Tasks - 1.99? Market. There is a free trial version but it doesn't have as many sorting options and some other issues. I sync it to my e-mail and also Rachel and I share an e-mail that exists just so we can share a list. We have it on both phones and her tablet.

NoLed - Free. Market. My phone has no notification light. This app puts a dot or icon on your phone when you miss a call, text, message, e-mail etc.

Stitcher - Free Market. Streams podcasts. Good app but drains your battery fast.

Netlfix - Free Market. Nuff said.

SwiftKey - There is a free trial version in the market. The full version is 3.99 but I just got it for .49 because they were nominated for and won some award. The predictive text is much better than the standard Android predictive text and blows swipe away. It also starts to learn about the types of sentences you write and predicts the next word for you. A few days ago I sent a 4-5 word sentence message. I typed the first letter of the first word and it suggested the word. I accepted it. It suggested the next word and I accepted that. Etc. until I had sent a message after typing one letter.

[Foomatic]

Great idea for a thread Deb! I'm an Apple whore, so I've got an iPhone 4S and and iPad. Some of my fav apps:

Day One - $1.99, iTunes

This app is a universal app, so it works for both my devices, and syncs all my entries. It's a journal app that's got a nice, clean interface. I'm trying to record my life in the hopes that when Madison is older she'll be somewhat interested in reading about her childhood. Traditional journals never worked for me, but - though I don't do an entry everyday - this app works great.

PBS Kids - free, iTunes

This is my go to app when I need to distract my daughter. It's got most of the programming from PBS that's watchable as long as you have a WiFi connection. She loves Curious George.

Machinarium - $4.99, iTunes

This app is only available on the iPad, but it's a gorgeous puzzle solving game in the vein of Myst. I was sad to get to the end of this one, even though some of puzzles drove me crazy that I had to cheat a little just to get further in the game. The game gives you no real direction, you have to relie on curiosity and keen observation to figure what to do and how to solve each puzzle.

Mint - free, iTunes

Mint.com is a great financial website that consolidates all your bank accounts, credit cards, etc, and has a bunch of cool utilities that organize your purchases and budgets. I love it because I can see all my accounts at once.

XFinity TV app - free, iTunes

For those of you who have Comcast for their cable provider, this is a must have app. The content available to watch is going to depend on your level of video service, but there's plenty of stuff there to keep you entertained.

[BeMyDeputy]

Deb, this is a great idea. I need to pour through my iTouch and my Android for some reccomendations.

But!

Machinarium - $4.99, iTunes

This app is only available on the iPad, but it's a gorgeous puzzle solving game in the vein of Myst. I was sad to get to the end of this one, even though some of puzzles drove me crazy that I had to cheat a little just to get further in the game. The game gives you no real direction, you have to relie on curiosity and keen observation to figure what to do and how to solve each puzzle.

This got me all excited, because not only is Machinarium totally awesome, but I've actually met Jakub Dvorský, the major guy behind the game. Adam and I met him at the Independent Game Festival a few years ago. It's always cool to see people playing games from independent developers; I've met a bunch personally, and am happy when they actually find success. Bonus note: one of the images Adam uses in his rotating backgrounds for his PC is one of the press images we got at the interview. It's super pretty.

[CrazyTaraWitch]

I have an Android. I have a few apps, but my favourite has to be the sonic screwdriver. It's free and fun! Serves no purpose whatsoever, but you can sonic things with your phone!!

[SJ]

I play a lot of games on ipad/ipod touch so here's just a few that I play.
Tiny Tower (free), Pocket Frogs (free),Lil Birds (Free),Dragonvale (free),Draw Something (free or 69p),Triple Town (free).These all have in app purchases.

[Finey_McFine]

Awesome thread! The apps I use the most, pretty much daily, are all photography related. Some are free, but most cost between $0.99 - $2.99 and some are a must have if you love iPhoneography or photography in general.

1) Camera +. This app gives you the best of everything. Filters (color, bw & retro), scene adjustment, cropping, frames, etc. and with one touch you can post to all of your social networks at once.

2) Hipstamatic. This app is a throwback to analog and gives you the look and feel of old plastic cameras. You can change camera bodies, lenses, film and flashes. It comes with standard packs (film, lens, & flash), but you can also buy additional packs. One touch upload to social networks as well.

3) Instagram. This is a photosharing app, is FREE and lot's of fun. Some of the images posted on here are amazing:) It's kind of like a FB for photographers. You can follow people, like their work and comment.

4) Snapseed. Is a set of really great filters made by Nik Software. Which by the way, is the BEST Photoshop plug-in suite available and is a must have if you are into photography, editing, etc.

5) Animoto. Another really cool FREE app. You can take the pics from your phone and put them in a customizable slideshow complete with royalty free music, themes, etc. and post them to FB, Twitter, Youtube, and so on. You can use pics and/or video. You can also sign up online and grab pics from FB, your computer or Instagram.

Here are some others:

-Camera Bag
-Best Camera
-Quad Camera
-Cinema FX
-Color Splash
-HDR For Free
-Photoshop Express

[meretricious]

Sleep pillow. The only app I have every paid money for (cause I'm cheap like that). There is a free version that has a rainstorm sound, but for 0.99 you can have over 30 choices. When we have a whining foster dog, I can turn on thunder storm, or moving train and I'm out in just a few minutes. If you've ever considered the white noise/nature sound machines at sharper image or brookstone that are 60-80 bucks, forget it. Sleep pillow is your friend.

[SJ]

Some great fun casual games for ipad/ipod touch that I play are Tiny Wings,Doodle Jump,Flight Control,Harbor Master,Diamond Dash,Safari Party,MiZoo,Zoo Keeper,Monster Flip.

[JustSkipIt]

SJ - My wife and kids love games (me, not so much although I have a good Andoku game on my phone). My wife is obsessed (by her own admission) with TrippleTown and my kids and she are all into Cut the Rope and Where's my Water?

[faolan228]

I've got an Android, so here's my list of faves.

Cleartune - Chromatic Tuner $3.99
Pretty useful. I'll have an actual tuner in one of my instrument cases, but as fate would have it, it's usually not the instrument I've brought along for that particular excursion. Having a tuner on my phone solved that problem, and this is the best one I've used. Most others I tried have trouble even picking up sound from the instrument, decided to shell out the extra 3 bucks, and..just, wow.

Hi-Q MP3 Recorder $3.99
Does exactly as it says. Records sounds at good quality. Like, 'better than one I've got on my computer' quality, which is great. I can link my phone to my amp's jack, or my soundboard during band practices as mp3 files. No file conversion needed!

Chord! Guitar Chord Finder $3.99
No matter what your experience level, it's always good to have references. This is a particular favorite, because it's not just for one instrument. You can find chords for guitar, bass, ukulele, etc.

And one non-music related one

Impetus Interval Timer FREE
A VERY good timer IMHO. Okay, so I pretty much use this for everything. Martial arts training, weight training, stretches, breathing exercises, etc. Originally recommended to me by an avid jogging friend, and also used by a swimming friend of mine, though how still eludes me.

[SJ]

Triple Town is very addictive
Ticket To Ride and Ticket To Ride Pocket on ipad and ipod touch are really good board games to play.

[JustSkipIt]

SJ - I love the Ticket to Ride board game. It looks like there isn't an android app though.

Starr - I just downloaded that interval timer. Thanks for the recommendation. The one I had is "free" but is constantly asking for donations and sometimes stops making beeps. It finishes the intervals you programmed but stops beeping.

[SJ]

I think Ticket To Ride has a facebook page (if not the company Days Of Wonder have) so maybe it's worth asking if they would consider the app for android platform.

[Foomatic]

I've been messing around with DJay for the iPad for the last few days. If you love music and want to try your hand at mixing and live out your imaginary DJ life, this is a great and fun way to get started. It's $19.99, but I managed to snag it during a 50% off sale.

[patzw]

I'm a Blackberry user, both for my phone and tablet. I'm not that much into apps for my phone, but I've found some that I really love for my PlayBook.

- Zinio, free app also available for iPad and Android tablet through the app stores. Brings your digital magazines to your tablet. I love how some magazines like National Geographic have extra multimedia content.
- Sketch with Friends. Since Draw Something isn't available on BB I went looking for a similar game that is available for BB devices, and I found Sketch with Friends. It is currently available for iPad, Android tablets and BB Playbook in both a free or paid version. I got myself the paid version, which was €1,50 (Not sure how much it would be in the American app stores)
- Groovy Notes. A paid app (€4,50) also available for iPad and Android tablets. It's pretty much a personal diary/note taking application. Has the option to record voice notes, to export notes to pdf, txt or mp3 and to back them up or recover them through your dropbox account
- Files and Folders, €2,50 but has a free trial. Only available for PlayBook. A great file explorer with options to easily send files to dropbox, box.net, sugarsync and googledocs.

And the one app that I do use (and can't live without) on my phone; Kindle. Available for Blackberry, i- and Android devices through http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/r ... 1000493771

[JustSkipIt]

Swiftkey that I recommended in my first post has won a webby for the best innovation. It beat google. I have to say that the more I use it the more brilliant it is. It continues learning my writing habits and makes better suggestions. A few weeks ago it told me that it had saved me 10,000 key strokes. Frequently if I need to write a sentence like "I'm on the way" or something I will type the I, it suggests I'm. Then it suggests on. Then the. Then way. I basically type one letter and hit the 4 suggested words.

I also recently downloaded a metronome app to use for running cadence.

[Finey_McFine]

Flipboard, it's FREE and pure awesomeness!!

Apple's iPad app of the year. It creates a personalized magazine out of everything being shared with you. Works great on your phone as well. Fully integrated with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more.

[JustSkipIt]

Amazon's free app of the day the other day was Cubistry. It's only .99 usually it turns out. So awesome. They also have it for Windows and Kindle and Nook and I don't know what else. I'm not into video games but this is totally addictive. It's a cube, maybe 10 x 10 x 10 of different blocks and you have to match 2 to make them disapear and you can spin and turn the entire thing any moment.

Woo hoo!