iPhone Apps
I've been using an iPhone for several months now. As you may recall, I wrote briefly on what an iPhone would need to provide before I'd consider a purchase and monthly bill. The decision was made for me when I was promoted at work and provided an iPhone at no cost. Here are the apps I'm using to increase my productivity.
Calendar, Mail, Maps -- As might be expected, I use these default iPhone apps more than any of the others. MoblieMe syncing keeps both my iPhone and iMac up-to-date, almost in real time.
CarbonFin Outliner -- For quick and dirty list creation, this is my favorite iPhone app. Sometimes a comprehensive task management system (see OmniFocus, below) is just too cumbersome--your Christmas or grocery shopping lists, for example. CarbonFin Outliner syncs with the company's free online web application, so your lists are also available on any Internet-connected desktop machine.
Delicious Bookmarks Pro -- Bookmarks Pro accesses your del.icio.us account on your iPhone. You can browse your bookmarks by tags, and even identify favorite tags. Adding and tagging new bookmarks is a breeze, even from the iPhone OS version of Safari (using a bookmarklet). I'm hoping for an update that will include tag bundles, which would make this a truly killer app.
Dropbox -- No need to remember my USB thumbdrive or to constantly email files to myself with this free service. Dropbox keeps a folder on my home computer, work computer, and iPhone all in perfect sync. Files are also accessible from any computer via the web app.
Evernote -- I'm testing the free version of Evernote as my "Everything Bucket." Using the service, I can access my notes from desktop applications, an iPhone app, and a web browser. I haven't used it quite enough to make it especially effective, however. Perhaps as I integrate it more into my daily routines, it will become invaluable. Of course, it would be nice if the most recent version of the iPhone app didn't crash most every time I use it.
NetNewsWire -- Like everyone else in the tech world who doesn't sit at a computer all day, I am struggling to make an RSS reader a useful part of my life. The common problem is that an aggregator doesn't provide any guidance on which feeds and articles are most valuable. This means, without fail, I have thousands of unread RSS items at all times. More on this rant some other day, however. I use NetNewsWire because it syncs with my Google Reader account and has a free Mac desktop application with a nice interface.
OmniFocus -- A GTD task management system. It syncs with the Mac desktop application in various ways. I use OmniFocus for all of my work and personal projects. It is robust and feature-rich. As iPhone apps go, it is quite expensive ($20) and worth every penny if you are responsible for many un- or inter-related projects.
Stanza -- A reader app with direct access to more than 100,000 books, some free and some for purchase. The look and feel can be altered significantly to a reader's preference. Bookmark and annotation functions are available to the reader. Dictionary entries for individual words are just a few finger taps away. Search functionality is also included.
I really thought I would miss having a laptop, but the iPhone is an outstanding substitute. I occasionally miss having my laptop (for instance, when I'd like to do some organization using a Mac-only app like Notebook while at work), and will probably buy a replacement eventually. For now, however, I am getting by quite well using the desktop-iPhone combo.
