I got an iPhone

[jedishampoo]

Thanks to everyone who chimed in on the various pros and cons of smartphones! I couldn't resist the siren call of Internet in my hand any longer, and headed to the AT&T store last night and picked up an iPhone 4 named... Pumpkin!

That's the name of my iPhone. I don't know why. Pumpkin was the first thing that came to mind, no matter how much I asked if it wanted to be called Sylvia or Isabella or something more... glamorous. Here is Pumpkin in Pumpkin's pink-and-lavender cheap-o plastic case:



And let me say: I LOVE THIS PHONE. Now to get the cell-phone charm straps and glue-on hooks recommended by smillaraaq, YAY.

AND... pre-existing users, please tell me what apps I absolutely need! I have the Kindle app already, and the Google app, because both were free. What else is there? Any free games? Anything so handy you don't know how you lived without it?

Comments

app suggestions

[pheron.livejournal.com]

My essential apps include MyFitnessPal. This is an app for tracking the calories I consume and the exercise I do. (Too little of the second I am afraid) As I am losing weight right now I find this app a requirement. Once I go to a weight-maintaining diet I will still be using it. (this is NOT to say you need to change your weight. You're cute as you are, but it might be this also makes it easy to maintain.)
WISeID is a useful app for keeping track of passwords and log-ins so I can keep my passwords above the 123abc level
Ringtones I use to make custom ringtones from music on my itunes library. My default ringtone is therefore the sound the old Star Trek Communicator made. lol
Spending - an app I used to keep track of all my money, income and expenses so I don;t spend too much and so i meet my savings goals.
AccuWeather - a great free app for weather that uses your GPS location to find your weather forecast.

[lawless523.livejournal.com]

I'm amused that your phone's name is Pumpkin even though it's not orange. XD Don't mind me.

[athena8.livejournal.com]

I KNEW YOU WOULD LOVE ITTTT! \(^O^)/

And what do you know, I just saw this link today for 40 Best iPhone Apps of 2010.

My recs:

⇒ Echofon: My go-to Twitter app. I use the paid version, I love it. I've poked around with lots of Twitter apps, including the official one before it became the official one, but Echofon still beats all.

⇒ Beejive: IM program. A little pricey at $10, but it's really good.

⇒ Crosswords: Also pricey at $10, but definitely very good if you like Crosswords. You can download new ones everyday for free. (Some, like the NYTimes, I think you need to subscribe to).

⇒ Awesome Note: I think this is about $5, I don't remember. But well worth the investment if you use iPhone to take any kinds of notes. Can also attach pics to your notes. Syncs with Google docs. Organize your notes into different colored folders with icons. Different note styles and fonts. Password protect designated folders. Try out the free version first. You'll never use the iPhone's crappy notepad program again.

⇒ What's On: TV listings. Used to be free; might charge now.

⇒ Flixter (free): Movie listings, with reviews from Rotten Tomatoes, in-app viewer for previews, link to buy tickets. Also connects with your Netflix account, with ability to manage your Netflix queue.

⇒ Netflix (free): Stream your instant view queue from your phone. No ability to add DVD-only movies to queue, however. (Use Flixter for that).

⇒ Epicurious (free): Recipes, searchable by all kinds of categories. Save favorites, adds ingredients to shopping list that you can check off.

⇒ Open Table (free): iPhone version of website, make, modify restaurant reservations.

⇒ Yelp (free): Pretty useful if you're searching for something near you. Links to your maps if you need directions.

⇒ Kotoba (free): Japanese/English dictionary. Fabulous.

⇒ Goodreads (free): iPhone version of website. I use this a lot when I'm adding books to my to-read list, or if I'm at the library and need to know what's on my list.

⇒ Google Translate (free): New! Haven't tried yet, it's that new.

⇒ Livejournal (free): I don't really use it much, but you might wanna check it out.

⇒ Bust-a-Move: I think I paid for this, but I don't remember the price. It's an adorable game that I used to play on game console, and was thrilled when they finally made an iPhone version.

If you listen to podcasts, NPR, streaming music, etc., there are definitely apps for those out there as well!

I'd also search to see if your favorite websites/blogs have apps. E.g., Pop Sugar has a pretty good app. Most of your major newspapers will probably also have apps.

[rachel-reicheru.livejournal.com]

You should get one of the saiyuki covers for it :P there were heaps out for the Gaiden OVAS and blast~ :P theres also so wonderful sites that let u create ur own!

[twilatee.livejournal.com]

a bit obvious...

lj app.


and I use everyday:

Facebook
Netflix
urbanspoon
publicradio
angry birds
cut the rope
gmail
ebay

[econopodder.livejournal.com]

Ooh, cool. I will be getting an iPhone on Verizon, but haven't decided whether to wait until summer or not to see if a new version comes out. (I did decide to wait no matter what until after this initial big craze of customers storming the doors of Verizon.)

[rosiewook.livejournal.com]

I wish my iTouch were still working. I'd give you my list.

There are a lot of good coupon apps. You just let them scan your iPhone and it rings up.

I also like wandering through the Free Apps section of iTunes. Wastepaper Toss is absurdly fun.

If you need to calm down, there's one that's a Koi Pond. And there's one that has something like fifty different kinds of white noise. Great for traveling.

Like Diane, I'm going to wait to see how things shake out before deciding on iPhone or iPad.

[cyndisuesue.livejournal.com]

Congrats!!

Welcome Pumpkin, I see you being good friends with Priscilla soon enough!

Go you! I am so a 'scared of these touch phones! I can barely manage all that the Blackberry can do! ;)

[scribblemoose]

My everyday apps (can't remember which were free and which I bought, sorry! But none of them cost a lot.):

social networking:
twitter
lifejournal
facebook

writing:
dropbox
simplenote

general:
iBooks
kindle
Toodledo

games:
scrabble
word search
sudoku
angry birds
cut the rope
doodlejump
bubbles lab

also rec. zen timer (great for timing and journalling meditations)
+ I don't know if the do star tracker for the ipod - I have it on the ipad and it's brilliant fun. :)

[clytemnaestra.livejournal.com]

Oooh, so you did go for the iPhone, eh? :) I ended up getting a Samsung Continuum, which is an Android phone. I LOVE it! My sister ordered herself an iPhone today, though.

You must try Angry Birds, it will hook you! Obviously all my apps are for Android, but I'm sure there's iPhone versions. I use CalorieCounter for my food/exercise tracking. I use Fandango for movie times, and a bunch of Google apps like Google Listen (for podcasts and such). NinjaKaka/Fruit Ninja is also a really fun, simple game.