The lines at Apple stores everywhere are around the block for the new iPhone 3G. The new iPhone applications store is generating the most excitement among iPhone fans. You can buy the apps from the iTunes store, and their costs range from free to $10. Below is a roundup of the apps that are creating the most buzz:
Valleywag loves the AIM instant messenger, FileMagnet and MLB.com At Bat:
Sure, my Sanyo phone has an AOL Instant Messanger app. But it takes two and half minutes to send a message and then another two and a half to see if I got one back. Here's a new version for the iPhone, which could put an end to expensive text messaging. An alternative: Facebook's new iPhone app integrates the site's new chat feature...
...FileMagnet lets you load and view PDFs and Office documents from you desktop. Such a nice convenient way to keep you working all the time...
...This Major League Baseball app would be better if it streamed MLB.tv straight to your iPhone. It doesn't. But it does show game highlights not too long after they actually happen -- which won't be a bad way to get through graduations, weddings and PowerPoint presentations.
WebMonkey is into MooCowMusic's Band, Light and UrbanSpoon:
Why just listen to music on your iPhone? Start your own jazz combo with MooCowMusic's Band ($10). The app comes pre-loaded with a guitar, bass, drum kit, keys and a metronome. It also has a tiny recording studio that lets you assemble tracks through overdubbing...
...The free application Light is super-simple -- it turns your iPhone or iPod's screen into a flashlight by generating a bright white screen...
...Stop arguing and choose a place to eat already. The iPhone is location aware, so finding nearby restaurants is as simple as a local search. With the free app UrbanSpoon installed, shake your iPhone and it will randomly display a nearby eatery in its "slot machine" interface. If you don't like the results, shake again.
The Independent recommends Mobile Flickr and Twitterific Premium:
Flickr dominates the online photo-sharing market and the iPhone app brings users more of the same. As well as viewing your own and your friends' pictures online, photos taken with the iPhone's 2 megapixel camera can be uploaded immediately to the Flickr website for online viewing. The applications page makes no mention of it, but as an aside pictures taken with the new iPhone can also be geotagged so that you can sync your photo library with a map and work out where each of the shots were taken.
The new favourite way to keep in touch with friends, family and compelling strangers online, Twitter helped bring 'microblogging' to the masses. The iPhone app makes the practice mobile, and with the premium version you get an extra theme and don't have to endure any ads.