iPhone Apps: What are your "Must-have" helpers?

[E. John Thawley III]

Finally got an iPhone last week.

Amazing.

I've spent every waking hour since compulsively scouring the net to find "the" apps that would change my life. There are a few. Thought it might be cool to start a thread to share ideas, apps and life management solutions. No doubt the needs of everyone on this forum have more in common with the code-warriors who seem to start these threads elsewhere...

Here's my list so far (divided by photo-related or not):

Photo-related:
Sol (http://sol.avalys.net/): an evolution of one of my favorite Mac widgets (http://captaindan.org/sw/Sol/) for sunrise/sunset times.
WeatherBug (http://weather.weatherbug.com/mobile/iphone-weather-apps.html) is my favorite weather app so far. REALLY like the one-touch radar maps feature.
Hotspots: Haven't really spent much time with this one, and the lack of a web site is unnerving. But it looks to be an ideal app for location scouting. Everytrail (http://www.everytrail.com/iphone.php?PHPSESSID=8a83ecbae01eb5f36d17f15d43c41 436) looks interesting also, but its backpacker/geotagger bias may prove limiting. Google maps should be the hot set up for locations, but I'm not seeing the all the features I need from that yet. Anyone have better suggestions for location scouting apps?

Misc. Apps for Life & Business Efficiency:
Jott (http://jott.com/jott/jott-apps.html): Converts voice to text in 15-second bites. Perfect for to-do list stuff while driving or anytime you'd rather speak than write. This is what computers are all about. SAVING me time/energy more than requiring it.
Maps (http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/maps.html): I'm not seeing everything I'd like on this yet, but its ground-zero for surface navigation on the iPhone. Looking forward to seeing it evolve.
OneTrip (http://onetrip.org/onetrip/?pass) is a bitchen web-based app for grocery shopping. Again, this is more like what computers ought to do. If everyone eventually needs toothpaste or toilet paper, why should they have to type it onto a list. OnTrip already lists common items you can just add to your list when needed.
Stitcher (http://www.stitcher.com/iphone/) is an iPhone formatted portal for web-based apps like OnTrip above. Looks like we'll be seeing more and more of this sort of thing for the iPhone. Its nice to not have to sift thru all the standard format web sites to find them.
Recorder (http://www.recordertheapp.com/). Yet another app that allows me to toss something I already own: my hand-held digital recorder. Can't you just feel my camera bag getting lighter?
Save Benjis (http://www.savebenjis.com/): Turn every shopping trip into a research expedition. Enter the item you're looking at and even its bar code, press search and you're soon looking at what it costs everywhere else you can buy it.

That's it for now. LOVE to hear what you guys have found. Think maybe we can make this (or another thread) a sticky for iPhone app reviews and tips?

[Mike Ditz]

VelaClock has more info than Sol, I need to know where the sun sets or rises, not just when.
Urban Spoon for finding places to eat.
Vicinity to find places to eat, coffee, banks and other places around your location.
NBC Traffic cam makes me feel like Jack Bauer on 24...

[Jeff Kapic]

I just got mine not too long ago. I love it so far.

I use a calculator a lot in my regular job. I really like H/P calcs for what I do. The problem is, I set it down and can't find it or don't have time. I do have my phone on me all the time though.
i41CXp (http://alsoft.dyndns.org/) is an old version of what I use. I have been using an RPN calc for so long that I have a hard time using a regular calc sometimes. They only had the $7.99 version when I got it and it came with the printer. I see it is 14.99 with the printer now.

Bankarama (http://www.bankarama.com/) : I am terrible about balancing my check book. But, I am good about playing with my phone. I use my debit card a lot and this has made it easier to keep my accounts balanced (no account #s or anything like that, just dollar amounts). It's pretty quick too, I can usually get my phone out and at least input the amount to subtract before the cashier gives me my card back. You can also keep track of what has or has not cleared the bank. I got this when it was on sale (1.99, looks like it's gone up).

Wikipanion (http://www.wikipanion.net/) : Because I like to know things.

To Do's : Simple check list if you have a lot of stuff to do or remind yourself about. Sorry no link to it.

Pandora Radio (http://www.pandora.com/) : Very cool "personal radio station" No commercials. Type in a song or artist that you like and it will play similar types of music by that artist and others. You can pause and play when every you want, almost like tivo.

Midomi (http://www.midomi.com/) : Another very cool (and free) music app. Hear a song on the radio that you like but don't know who it is? Midomi will sample the music and search for you. You can see the music video on youtube or buy it from iTunes, or book mark it and buy it later. You can also type in the song or artist, if you don't want to type, you can speak or sing and it will do the same.

Always looking for more.

Jeff