15 Must-Have Apps for the New Verizon iPhone User
Angry Birds
Angry Birds has taken the iPhone app market by storm. It's already been downloaded 50 million times and rakes in over 200 million minutes of play-time every single day, making it the iPhone’s No.1 app. The premise is easy: Users catapult a series of cross-eyed birds at green pigs hiding under various building structures. By knocking down the structures and hitting the pigs, gamers earn points and move on to the next level. After playing a level or two, the addiction potential is apparent to all. Price: 99 cents. A free version is also available.
AroundMe
AroundMe comes in handy when you want to know what's, well, around you. This free app fills you in on your surroundings. If you’re out on the road and want to find the closest gas stations, hotels, restaurants, movie theaters or banks, AroundMe will keep you on top of what’s nearby and show you how to get there.
Calvetica
Sure, the iPhone's standard calendar works just fine. However, Calvetica's app is so organized and dynamic that it’s too good to resist. Adding events can be done in just two taps and it works well with other calendar programs, too, from Google to MobileMe, Exchange and Outlook. It also lets you color-code meetings, add notes and provides upcoming and past event notifications so you won't accidentally miss reminders. Price: $2.99.
ESPN ScoreCenter
ESPN ScoreCenter offers comprehensive sports coverage from around the world, whether you are into the NFL or cricket. Personalized scoreboards and live game details provide last play, in-game stats, box scores, game summaries and standings. You can easily follow your favorite team by getting score updates, breaking news alerts and analysis from ESPN writers. Price: free.
Find out what's playing in local theaters, watch trailers and interviews (many in HD), read reviews and even order tickets. When traveling, it locates where you are and tells you how to get to the closest theaters. Price: free.
Facebook, Twitter
Social networkers need no introduction to Facebook or Twitter, so downloading these apps will only make life easier. The apps are designed for a better viewing experience compared to visiting the sites via a standard webpage on the device. In October 2010, 150 million Facebook users were using their smartphones to update their status. Price: free.
iheartradio
iheartradio delivers more than 750 radio stations right to your phone, so even when you're out of town, it's easy to listen in on your favorite stations from home. Users can also tag songs for purchase on iTunes and view lyrics. Programming also includes syndicated stations from AT40 with Ryan Seacrest to Elvis Duran and the Morning Show to talk stations such as White House Brief and Glenn Beck. Price: free.
Kindle
iPhone users don't need a Kindle device to access the e-books in Amazon's robust collection. The free Kindle app lets you buy and read any e-book available on Amazon, and it allows you customize the experience with text sizes. Reading on the go has never been easier.
Reeder
This sleek app is a must for those that live by their RSS feeds. The app syncs up with Google Reader, lets you browse your feed and manage starred items and notes. Reading the text is an easy-on-the-eyes experience, and a new pinch to zoom feature gets you up close to images. Price: $2.99.
RunKeeper
Fitness fans will love this GPS-fueled app that tracks your workout, whether you’re running in the park or on a treadmill. The intuitive interface makes it simple to track distance, time, speed and calories burned. Once an activity is completed, the data is synced to the RunKeeper website (www.runkeeper.com), where running history and other stats are archived. This once-pricey app ($10) is now available for free.
Scrabble
Everyone's favorite word game is available via app form and lets you play up to 25 games at once, either against random opponents or your friends (up to four can play the same game). You can also play against your Facebook friends. An in-game chat feature even lets you smack talk along the way. Price: 99 cents. Shazam Shazam is perfect for music fans who want to know which artist is singing the song for that new car commercial. By pointing the iPhone toward the music source, Shazam identifies the name of the song, the artist and the year it was made. However, the free version of the app lets you track only five songs a month.
Shop Savvy
Smart shoppers go crazy for Shop Savvy. By scanning a barcode of an item with the iPhone's camera, users receive all the best prices for the product on the Internet and at local stores. It also comes with a "Deals" feature, which provides information on shipping promos, coupon codes, rebates, weekend sales and more. Price: free.
Wikipedia
Everything you ever wanted to know is now just a click away. The user-generated online encyclopedia is packaged nicely with this app and even gives information about things around you. So if you can’t figure out what that strange statue is outside your hotel, the Wikipedia app will clue you in. Price: free.
The Weather Channel
The Weather Channel app goes beyond the weather app that comes with the iPhone. It gives extended forecasts, provides weather alerts in your area and features interactive radar maps. Judging by the severe weather recently, this could easily become one of the most useful apps in your collection. Price: free.
