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We knew yesterday’s run down of the first 50 in our all-time best iPhone apps: Top 100 wouldn’t be enough. You’re back for more, and we’ve got loads!
The second half of our top 100 iPhone apps isn’t lower quality than the first half. Far from it. You really should install as many of these apps as possible – they’re the best Apple has available, and you won’t find a single app in this list that duplicates the functions of any other. They’re unique, they’re fantastic, and a fair few of them are free too!
What are you waiting for? Get clicking!
51. UK Numbers (£free)
Got a missed call from a peculiar number? UK Numbers can give you geographical information from it, and even the company that owns it, if it’s a corporate number. It might not sound useful, but it could be enough to jog your memory and return the call, or let you deduce that it’s a call centre asking if you’re paying too much for your home phone and broadband, for the third time this week.
52. Cocktails+ (£1.79)
Whether you’re impressing a date, or just trying to get them drunk in the most flamboyant way, Cocktails+ is the tool you need. It serves up instructions for every drink imaginable, lets you change the measurements to suit your taste and mark favourites. You can even share recipes with fellow booze hounds through e-mail or Twitter.
53. Tweetie (£1.79)
Updating Twitter on the go is simple with Tweetie on your side, it’ll let you do everything you can on a desktop computer, including re-tweeting messages, holding private conversations and it even handles multiple accounts. If you’re tweeting on behalf of a company as well as yourself, it’s a certified must-have.
54. Touchgrind (£2.99)
iPhone games don’t get much more inventive than this. Touchgrind uses the iPhone’s multitouch screen to give you control of a virtual skateboard. You’ll need plenty of dexterity to pull off tricks, but once you’ve mastered them it’s seriously addictive, and you don’t need to hang around in parks to get your kicks!
55. Picture Safe 2 (£1.19)
Got some saucy pics on your iPhone? Maybe you’re just uncomfortable with anyone who plays with your fancy phone taking a peep at all your snaps. Perhaps you need to keep confidential snaps under lock and key for work? Whatever the reason to wanting to lock down your photos, this iPhone app will make sure they’re secure behind a PIN number. You can organise them into folders and even sync them wirelessly to a PC or Mac when you get home.
56. White Noise (£1.19)
Fire up this iPhone app and it’ll give you access to a wealth of well-made ambient noises. Whether you’re having trouble drifting off to sleep, or want some soothing sounds to drown out the noise of air or train travel, it’s fantastically made and perfect for the job. Sounds even perform well through the iPhone’s built-in speaker, while a timer and gradual fade-out mean the sudden lack of noise won’t wake you up if you do fall asleep to the sounds of rain, a campfire or waves crashing on a beach.
57. CameraBag (£1.79)
The iPhone’s camera doesn’t pack any special effects, but you can solve that with CameraBag. It’s a straight forward iPhone app that empowers the camera with a clutch of well-made filters. We’re particular fans of the retro-tastic Helga filter, which makes everything look like it was shot in the early 80s.
58. UK Tax Calculator (£0.59)
If you’ve just had a tax return dropped through the door, you’ll want to grab this iPhone app. If you haven’t, it’s due any day now (it is April, after all). Neatly handling all the sums for you, it’s a boon to anyone filling out their paperwork on, well, paper rather than the web. Charging for it seems a little mean, but then again if the developer never makes a profit, they’ll never have any taxes of their own to calculate!
59. Cooliris (£free)
Image searching gets a serious facelift with this iPhone app. Tap in a search and it’ll grab results from a range of search engines, including Google and Flickr. They’re presented as a shimmering wall of pictures, which you can flick through with a finger, or gently scroll past your eyes with a tilt of the iPhone or iPod touch. Tapping an image once lets you preview it. It’s tons faster than searching for images through the iPhone’s browser, and since it’s free you’ve got nothing to lose!
60. Howcast (£free)
Every day should be a school day! Install this iPhone app and you’ll get instant access to Howcast’s video tutorial library. They cover everything from hobbies to cooking and lifestyle tips, like how to polish shoes and how to build the perfect barbecue! They’re simple to follow too, and look clear and bright on the iPhone’s screen.
61. Night Stand (£0.59)
At first glance this iPhone app might seem pointless, after all, the iPhone already has a clock, right? Of course it does, but it switches off after a while. Night Stand automatically disables the iPhone’s screen lock, without you having to fiddle with settings each night. It also uses highly visible graphics that won’t strain your eyes in the dark and allows iPod contents to be played in the background too. Pair it with the Travelodge iBooker (number 43 in our list) and you’ve got the basics for a night away from home!
62. Spell Check (£0.59)
A spelling mistake isn’t just annoying to those who read it, it’s embarrassing to anyone who makes it! Cut your blushes by installing the Spell Check iPhone app. It’ll guess the word you’re looking for after you tap in your best stab at it, and an extra tool to give the definition of the word means you can check you’re using it in the right place too.
63. TED (£free)
TED is a fantastic institution, bringing together some of the cleverest people in the world to deliver impactful speeches full of insightful information. Now there’s an iPhone app to put all that knowledge in the palm of your hand. The TED app serves up audio and video from the TED website in a neat package. Install it now, and broaden your mind!
64. MultiLevel (£1.19)
Fancy yourself as a bit of a handyman, eh? Then stick MultiLevel on your iPhone or iPod touch and you’ve got the first part of your digital toolkit: an accurate spirit level that’ll work with the phone on its back or side. Now there’s no excuse for handing a wonky picture or sloping shelf.
65. Keeper (£0.59)
We don’t really advise writing down passwords anywhere, but if you really do have a memory like a tea strainer this iPhone app could help you out. It’ll keep all your passwords and PIN numbers safe and encrypted behind a master password. Just nip in, and you’ll be reminded of all your secret codes. What’s more, if a thief gets hold of your iPhone, the sensitive data will be deleted after they get the master password wrong five times.
66. AudioBoo (£free)
What? You’ve never heard of audio blogging? It’s the new craze sweeping the internet! Well, it soon will be. You can get ahead of the curve by installing AudioBoo to your iPhone and recording three minute sound snippets, then uploading them for the world to hear. You can add photos to AudioBoo posts too, and even geotag your location while recording them.
67. iTranslate (£free)
If you spend much time working with foreign languages, this iPhone app will already have you clicking the install button. It’s a snappy translator, turning text in one language into another. All the usual languages are supported, including a couple of unusual ones, like Hebrew, how exotic!
68. Wolfenstein 3D Classic (£2.99)
The original 3D shoot-em-up comes to the iPhone! It’s slightly more expensive than we’d like to see, but then again it is a faithful and official recreation by coders id Software. The iPhone control system is even crafted by id Software founder and gaming legend John Carmack!
69. A Sexy Chat Message Generator (£0.59)
It’s no coincidence that this saucy chat-up line generator is at this particular position in our list, but we’re not really being serious. Anyone who uses this iPhone app with any degree of success is invited to let us know the outcome. Seriously. We’re interested. See, the iPhone app is basically a library of seedy chat-up lines, each more hilarious than the last. Giggle-worthy? Yeah, but we doubt anyone’s going to kick off a lasting relationship with it.
70. Jackson Pollock (£0.59)
If the other arty iPhone apps in our list require a bit too much talent, try Jackson Pollock. As you’d expect, it’s a spatter-paint simulator, but the results can be surprisingly eye-pleasing, even by simply jabbing wildly at the screen. Philistines? Us? Never. You can also, of course, use it to create truly stunning works of digital artistry. You’ll need a bit of practice, but at least there’s no need for overalls.
71. iZen Garden (£1.79)
There are lots of iPhone apps that claim to help you meditate through sound alone, and plenty that let you play with sand and stones in a Zen garden, but few combine the two with such aplomb as iZen Garden. If you’re looking for a bit of portable relaxation, this iPhone app is the one to deliver it. Unfortunately, the extra quality comes at a small financial cost. Deep breath, now dig the credit card out.
72. Pedometer (£1.79)
Are you walking enough? The answer is probably not. Install Pedometer on your iPhone or iPod touch, calibrate it to your individual stride (and that step is important, if you’ll excuse the pun) and you’re away! You’ll soon be setting yourself targets and briskly strolling past them.
73. Pianist (£2.39)
The Pianist iPhone app is a fantastic achievement. It sounds great, works beautifully thanks to multitouch and looks the business too. So why isn’t it nearer the top of our list? Purely because the iPhone’s screen makes playing with much success a tricky business. Pianists with chubby fingers need not apply.
74. Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart (£3.49)
Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart might be getting a bit long in the tooth now, but it’s still one of the neatest iPhone games, with sticking power and cleverly designed controls, not to mention a character with real gaming pedigree and weapons to spice up the standard racing action. If you only buy one iPhone game, make it this one.
75. Parking Meter (£1.19)
It’s a problem that needs solving, and this iPhone app sorts it out once and for all. In case you haven’t already guessed, Parking Meter keeps track of when your parking meter needs feeding (or more likely, when your ticket is about to run out). It’ll also let you snap a picture of the spot to remind you where you’ve parked, and geotag your location so you’ll never struggle to find your motor again.
76. Bloomberg (£free)
If you’ve got a portfolio of stocks and shares, you’ll want to keep an eye on it. Bloomberg is the perfect app to do just that. It’s absurdly detailed, and ultra-reliable. It also helps that this is one of the best-made iPhone apps going, pulling in graphs, tables and news updates. Oh, and it’s free too. Investors will love that.
77. Google Mobile App (£free)
We’re not sure the Google iPhone app is much quicker than firing up the iPhone’s Safari browser and tapping in your search, but it’s certainly snazzier. Niceties such as local search (based on your location) and auto-complete make it a breeze to use, but the icing on the cake is Google’s voice recognition. So why’s it so far down the list? Voice recognition only works really well if you have an American accent, or like us, can pull off a half-decent impression of one.
78. WeatherBug (£free)
We Brits love the weather. Or at least, we love moaning about it. There’s really not much to love about gloomy skies and sodden streets. Still, this list wouldn’t be complete without a weather app, and WeatherBug is one of the best. Detailed reports include radar information and seven day forecasts. If you’re worried about a bit of drizzle, this iPhone app is seriously slicker than Apple’s built-in weather widget.
79. iPint (£free)
If you scoff at our inclusion of iPint in this list, shame on you! We know it’s getting a bit old now, after all it was one of the first third party apps ever made for the iPhone, but it still sports some of the best graphics around, and continues to amuse lager fans all over the world. It’s also free, and you know, just a bit of fun! Now, get over yourself, or get a round in!
80. Big Keyboard Email (£0.59)
Apple’s upcoming software update will bring the landscape keyboard to the iPhone’s built-in e-mail app, but if you can’t wait for that, or if you’re an iPod touch owner and don’t fancy paying for Apple’s upgrade, you can install Big Keyboard Email instead. It does exactly what you’d expect, serving up the iPhone’s larger landscape keyboard to make bashing out missives a bit easier.
81. WordPress (£free)
If you’re a blogger using WordPress, this is an absolute must-have iPhone app. If you’re not yet using WordPress, why not? It’s free to set up, just head to wordpress.com! Once it’s set up you can post to your blog wherever you are, including uploading photos. Twitter? Micro blogging? Audio blogging? Nah, proper blogging’s still where it’s at, and this is the best iPhone app to do it.
82. ShoZu (£free)
OK, so you don’t want to blog? No problem. But surely you want to share photos, don’t you? If so you should install ShoZu. It’ll upload pictures to pretty much any image sharing network you can imagine. The list goes on and on, including the obvious choices such as Flickr, Photobucket and Facebook, as well as less common services like Snapfish and Webshots. It’ll even upload pictures to CNN, the BBC and ITV News so you could be a photojounalist, just using your iPhone!
83. MySpace Mobile (£free)
Why is MySpace Mobile so far down the list you ask? Simply because, as iPhone apps go, it’s not nearly as snazzy as it could be. All the basics are there. You can send messages, see updates from friends and upload photos. It’s useful (which is why it’s on the list at all) but if we’re honest it looks a little like a mobile website, crammed inside an app. Still, if you’re a MySpace addict, you’ll love it regardless.
84. Lightsaber Unleashed (£free)
Everyone needs a bit of fun in their iPhone, and that’s all Lightsaber Unleashed is. It’s a noise-maker, albeit with some nice graphics to tie into the latest Star Wars game. Swing it around and you’ll make the obligatory whooshing and whirring noises. Like we say, silly. But it’s official, licensed by Lucasfilm, and guaranteed to raise a smile. Or a rival lightsaber for you to “duel” against.
85. Guesstimate (£0.59)
Is it a puzzle? Is it a game? We reckon it’s both, and an ultra-precise test of your mental powers and observatory skill. We’ve seen Derren Brown perform magic tricks (or are they mental feats?) very similar to these challenges. How quick can you count, or ‘guesstimate’ items on screen? This challenging iPhone app will tell you.
86. iTie (£free)
Smarten up your act with this handy iPhone app! It’ll teach you how to tie a tie properly and give you an instant status boost, or at least stop people sniggering at you in meetings. Clear graphics show exactly what to do, and it’ll even cycle through the steps automatically, leaving your hands free to grapple with neckwear. Unique, handy and very well made. Exactly the kind of iPhone app we like!
87. Cropulator (£0.59)
Yes, it’s got a silly name, but this iPhone app solves one of the iPhone’s most annoying flaws: its inability to edit photos. Large ‘handles’ let you crop images, or rotate them as you see fit. You can also fine-tune your alterations one degree at a time, or automatically straighten an image by drawing a line along an edge in the photo.
88. Laundry Pro (0.59)
Whether you’re a student figuring out how a washing machine works for the first time, or a long-time laundry master who just needs a gentle reminder, this iPhone app helps avoid mishaps. It’ll explain laundry symbols from around the world, and even tell you how to save a bit of money while still getting your grundies clean. Sadly, it won’t do the ironing for you.
89. Light (£1.19)
Image editing apps aren’t essential content for your iPhone, but if you’re keen on taking artsy photos, then this iPhone app is a must-install. It adds light effects to images in such a high quality way you’d struggle to believe they weren’t there before. Gently blending in with the foreground and fading into the background, the effects added by Light are incredible, and can really add feeling to a dull photo.
90. Flight Update (£2.99)
OK, so there are some flight tracking apps on the iPhone app store that’re cheaper than this one, but they’re not as well made, or as reliable. It’ll track planes around the globe, giving accurate take off and landing times, and even showing plans for the plane (so you can check in online and grab a decent seat) and whether there’s a meal being served on board.
91. AllRecipes.com Dinner Spinner (£free)
Cooking up a storm is easy with the iPhone in-hand… or at least, propped up nearby. This free iPhone app offers a randomised food-chooser, but its real skill is in the recipes it dishes up. They’re searchable, and you can even filter them by ingredient. Only got chillis, ketchup and a breadstick in the cupboard? This iPhone app will make a meal out of them. Maybe.
92. MagicSleep Lite (£free)
New parents will love this iPhone app. It’s designed to lull babies off to sleep by recreating the sounds inside the womb. Yes, it sounds a bit weird, but as any over-tired parent will attest, anything is worth enduring for the sake of a few extra minutes of sleep! Best of all, it’s free. When we tried it out on a grumpy two month old, it worked like a charm, although we can’t support the makers’ claims that it also works on adults.
93. Flick Fishing (£0.59)
Addictive, and much kinder to fishes than the real thing. Flick Fishing uses the iPhone’s built in accelerometer to challenge you to, well, go fishing! It really is as simple as it sounds, and while waving your arm around in public might make you look like a loon, it’s great fun and strangely rewarding.
94. Word Scramble (£free)
Playing games on your mobile doesn’t need to be a lonely affair, this iPhone game will pit your word-finding abilities against other players around the globe, using Wi-Fi, 3G or an Edge connection. Of course you can also play on your own, but that’s not nearly as fun. How many other free games can you name that put you head to head with real life rivals? Not many, which is why this iPhone app makes the top 100.
95. Airfoil Speakers Touch (£free)
This iPhone app won’t appeal to everyone, but for sheer ingenuity we had to include it in our top 100. It’ll let you stream any audio from a Mac or PC to your iPhone or iPod touch. Why is that useful? Imagine you’re listening to a podcast or tracklist in the bedroom, but want to go and make a cup of tea. No problem, fire up Airfoil Speakers and take the sounds with you without interruption!
96. Simplify Media (£2.39)
Another music app that might not appeal to the masses, but should be checked out by anyone who loves their iPhone or iPod touch. It’ll let you stream the contents of your iTunes library to an iPhone or iPod touch, no matter where you are! The tracks don’t download, but stream instead. It’s like giving your iPod (or iPhone) an unlimited storage boost!
97. iSteam (£0.59)
Yes, it’s completely pointless, but the iSteam iPhone app is so wonderfully made we couldn’t bring ourselves to leave it out. This steam simulator accurately emulates fog on your iPhone’s screen. You can wipe it away with as many fingers as you like, and even tilt the phone to send droplets running down the surface in different directions. When it’s all wiped away, just blow into the iPhone’s microphone to steam it up again!
98. WorldView (£free)
See the world from your pocket with this free iPhone app. It’ll offer up over 9,000 webcams all over the globe, ready to be tapped into and gawped at. Major cities are all covered, and you can bookmark favourites to show friends later, or attempt to track them down when you visit the city for real to wave at friends back home!
99. Remote Desktop Lite (£free)
If your computer at home is switched on, and hooked up to the internet, this iPhone app will let you see its desktop wherever you are. You’ll be able to tap into it, whether it’s a Windows PC or a Mac, just as if you were in front of it… only with a much smaller screen! Go ahead! Install it, and tap into all your files, e-mail and web browser remotely!
100. Chirp! (£1.79)
In the spirit of randomness upheld by the majority of iPhone apps, the last one to make the cut in our top 100 is Chirp! It’s a neat app that teaches you bird calls, and how to recognise them. Yes, it’s odd, but well made and lovingly updated. Download it, install it, and teach yourself a party trick that will amaze friends (or make them think you’ve gone loopy).
Still hankering for more top-notch iPhone apps? Check out the first 50 in our top 100!
