Apple’s iPhone is a remarkable device. There’s no end of things you can do with it, thanks to the wealth of free and inexpensive applications in Apple’s AppStore. Here’s what’s been on my iPhone lately that many writers will find useful:
Google Mobile App with voice is a must-have for everyone. The app translates spoken words, sends them to Google where they’re translated into text and entered into the search bar. Speak and ye shall find. No keys, no buttons. Google Mobile also is location-aware. For example, if you live in Boston, and you say “restaurants,” you’ll get a list of nearby eateries. Google’s search results page is optimized for the iPhone’s screen too. Free.
If you’re really into time and spaces, SaiSuke, is what you want. It’s a flexible schedule management app that synchronizes with Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook (via Google Calendar). Free.
I don’t write fiction, so I’m uncertain just how useful iStop Writers Block might be to some writers but I can see using it to get your mind in gear. Tap the “Plot” button and see what develops. $0.99.
If iStop Writers Block doesn’t do the trick, go for Idea Generator. Think of a slot machine. Now, replace the bars or cherries with words and you get something close to the way Idea Generator works. Instead of yanking a handle, shake your iPhone. $0.99.
Jott for iPhone will not only record your notes but also transcribe them. The process involves your recording your notes and transmitting them to a server at Jott, where they’re transcribed and sent back to your iPhone. The process takes a few minutes. You also can get your notes from the Jott site if you want to cut and paste them into an app on your desktop. It’s not flawless but worth a try. Free.
Looking to do a little bit of brainstorming or capture your grand ideas so you can refer to them later? Want to organize your random thoughts? iBlue Sky makes maps of your mind. $7.99.
TheMacBox converts currencies into dollars, centimeters into inches, Celsius into Fahrenheit and makes other conversions you can’t do because you weren’t paying attention when your middle-school teacher first told you how to do the math. This app makes it easy. Free.
WordBook English Dictionary & Thesaurus has 150,000 entries with more than 220,000 definitions–enough to fill an 1,800 page book, according to TranCreative who developed it. $7.99.
If you spend a lot of time on Wikipedia, get Wikipanion, which is designed to make it easier to search and navigate the popular social-encyclopedia site. Free.
Want to strengthen your vocabulary muscles? Give VocabDaily a try. Free with ads; $2.99 without ads.
Entering text on the iPhone in portrait mode is nearly impossible for my ham-handed digits. I use EasyWriter Pro so I can enter text for my emails in landscape mode, which gives me bigger keys to poke. The AppStore has several of these apps and they all seem similar. I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple included the feature in its next OS update. Meanwhile, this one is $0.99.
CameraBag gives you control over your iPhone camera shots using a variety of filters. There’s “1974″ (faded and tinted), “Lolo” (vibrant and colorful), “Cinema” (widescreen) and four more filters. It’s $1.99 now, but Nevercenter, the developer, says the next version will be more–how much more, they don’t say.
[Note: I've come across several more apps while doing reviews for AppCraver. Here's where you can find my latest update.]
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