My Favorite Apps for Your New iDevice

Posted in Life, Technology

Did Santa bring you a new iPhone or iPad this year? Here’s my year-round favorite apps for Apple iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch). All these apps are free unless otherwise noted.

Because I Stay In Touch

  • Facebook
  • Foursquare – Sync it with your Amex card for discounts that don’t require coupon codes.
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter and Hootsuite – the official Twitter client gets better every few months but Hootsuite is the standard for more features.

Because I Have Too Many Devices

  • Dropbox – Makes it easy to have all the files you need with you all the time on any device. The first 2GB are free and get a bonus 250MB when you sign-up here.

Because I Travel

  • INRIX Traffic – Shows how bad the traffic is on roads in large cities.
  • TripIt – If you travel a few times a year, start using this NOW, really you’ll thank me.
  • FlightTrack Pro – Worth it for frequent fliers ($9.99).
  • Kayak – One of my favorite Apps for travel search. The iPad version is actually easier to use then their website.
  • GateGuru – Complete listings of all food and shops in each terminal with user reviews.
Because I Love To Eat Out
  • Yelp – The best directory of local businesses from restaurants to pharmacies.
  • OpenTable – Make restaurant reservations without making a phone call.
  • Seamless – Get delivery or pickup without picking up the phone.
  • Foodspotting – Pick your next meal with pictures of dishes. Plus support a women-founded startup.
Because I Live In NYC
  • iTrans NYC – Subway map and travel advisories. It’s worth it just for having a subway map that works underground ($3.99).

Because I Hate Carrying Around Loyalty Cards

  • CardStar – Allows you to upload your loyalty

Because I Have Business Expenses

  • XpenseTracker – Makes tracking all my expenses or mileage easy ($4.99).
  • Expensify – Is even better for create expense reports and getting reimbursed.

Because Making Phone Calls is So 1999

  • Google Voice – Get a free Google Voice number for, voice mail transcription, free text messaging, or just to have a single number that rings multiple phones.
  • Skype – free internet calls, perfect for international friends.
  • Meebo – IM on any service and support a women-founded startup.
  • ZocDoc – Find your next doctor, confirm they accept your insurance, and make an appointment without making a single phone call.

Because I Love To Read

  • Kindle – Reading Amazon Kindle books doesn’t require a Kindle at all.
  • Audible – Recently purchased by Amazon, these audiobooks is how I do a bunch of my reading while on the go.
  • Tumblr – For posts longer than Twitter but shorter than a blog. Confused? Just try it and follow me.

Because the iPhone Camera Kicks Butt 

  • Instagram – Take photos, apply effects, share.
  • Photoshop Express – Simple photo editing.
  • Cards – Turn your photos into real Greeting cards, printed and mailed for you by Apple for $2.99.
Because I Need to Relax
  • Netflix – the perfect gym companion.
  • Pandora – free internet radio tailored to your tastes.
  • IMDB – the internet movie database will solve the “what do I know that actor from” fight in any bar.
  • Shazam – listens to any song and tells you what it is, solving that “what the heck is this song” fight

Because I Love To Learn

  • TED – watch the best speakers of our time give the most important talks of their life in 20 minutes or less.
Because I Love to Laugh