Personal Top iPhone Apps for 2009

It’s been an amazing year for the AppStore this year. 1 Billion apps downloaded, over 100,000 apps approved and in the AppStore. We have seen absurd rejections, strange approvals, thousands of flashlight, fart, and semi-porn apps. The list goes on and on, but overall, Apple’s AppStore has been an amazing success. Both for Apple and the developers submitting apps.

I’d like to highlight some of the most amazing apps I have come across in the 1,126 apps I have downloaded so far. This list is a list of just that, the apps I have experience with. There are probably 10 times more apps out there that are just as good if not better. These are just ones I have found and can’t live without or enjoy playing more than my PS3/Wii/PC games.

Starting with games, there have been some amazing stuff published this year. None mark more headaches for the developer than Edge by Mobigame. Thanks to Tim Langdell, Edge has been removed from the AppStore more than any other application. Currently 3 times. It’s changed it’s name twice from Edge, to Edge by Mobigame, to Edgy and yet it’s still not in the AppStore currently. Yet, it’s one of the best games in/not in the AppStore.

I was lucky to have purchased it before the first removal. It’s truly a unique game and is very entertaining to play. The music to the game is done by Romain “Ninomojo” Gauthier, Simon Périn, Jérémie Périn, Matthieu & Richard Malot and is available for download here: http://www.mobigame.net/edge/iphone/soundtrack. You can download it for free, but donations are encuraged. I even sent them $10.

Edge by Mobigame is my “Game of the year” title, but it’s hard to have it be that since it’s not currently in the AppStore. If I had to pick another title that would qualify it would be:

Rolando 2: Quest for the Golden Orchid [$4.99] or Rolando 2: Quest for the Golden Orchid – Chapter 1 [Free] by ngmoco, inc. This amazing platformer stands right up there with Edge when it comes to unique games for the iPhone/iPod touch. Rolando 2 added depth to the first incarnation of the game making Rolando 2 truly astounding in appearance.

The free version or Chapter 1 gives you the game just like the paid version, but only the first few levels. When you are ready for more, just drop a dollar or two for the next “chapter” or $4.99 for all the chapters. A really nice way to incorporate in-app purchasing.

I played Rolando (the original version) for days and days. I haven’t finished it yet, but am pretty close. There are just tons of levels in the first version. Many hours of playtime. I started Rolando 2, played a couple of the levels, then put it aside so I could finish the first game. However, I’ve been so wrapped up with other games, I haven’t had a chance to get back to Rolando. I certainly will though. Both versions.

Other games worth mentioning are:

Space Invaders Infinity Gene [$4.99]

Soosiz [$0.99]

Flickitty [$1.99]

Mahjongg Artifacts [$2.99]

Mahjong Artifacts 2 [$2.99]

As well as countless others, but those I have played the longest and have been on my iPhone the longest.

As for non-game applications, I have found a few that I really and truly can’t live without. They sit on the first page of the Springboard for easy access:

Grocery IQ [$0.99]: This amazing application is probably the most improved since it’s release of the group I own. It was a pretty good time-saver when I first got it, but they have added barcode scanning (without the need to actually take a picture), barcode entry, list sharing, coupons, and much more. Making Grocery IQ an absolute killer app for me. Using Grocery IQ, I shave probably half an hour off my grocery shopping each week. Really! With this app, I only have to go through the aisles once. You would be surprised how efficient that makes shopping.

The fact that it’s only a dollar truly astounds me. I would easily pay a dollar or more for some of the updates they have introduced recently. Barcode scanning is really amazing. It works just like Delicious Library does with a webcam, but with the iPhone. No need to take a picture, just put the product in front of the camera putting the barcode between the arrows and beep, the product is scanned and an item appears that can be added to your list and/or favorites.

1Password Pro [$7.99] or 1Password [$4.99]: Anyone with passwords they need to remember or want to have a secure place to save credit card numbers and social security numbers would be foolish to put them anywhere other than in 1Password. There are other secure note keepers out there, but 1Password is the top of the heap.

If you use a Macintosh, using 1Password/1Password Pro with the desktop version of 1Password allows you to keep track of just about everything you do that uses passwords. Secure websites are easy to enter with 1Password on the iPhone/iPod touch. Just sync your 1Password desktop data with the iPhone/iPod touch version and you have access to everything in the palm of your hand. (Sorry for sounding like an ad, but its true.)

As I have said, I have well over 1,000 apps in iTunes right now. Most are 3 star or better (my ratings), most of the apps that are less than 3 stars are typically free or a dollar. It’s hard to know if an app is any good from the 5 screen shots that Apple supplies. Some have YouTube videos, but most I just took a chance with and was disappointed.

However, I would say a good 90% of the games I have downloaded/purchased have been well worth the purchase. Full price or on sale.

AppShopper.com is a great resource for keeping track of apps you have and want. They notify you of updates and when apps go on sale. Perfect for folks who want to buy apps when they are on sale. My list of apps are here: http://appshopper.com/user/vesperdem. Not all of them are in there, but most are. I have missed some and haven’t been able to figure out which ones they are. The list even shows my ratings.

Well, that’s my list. No huge amount of research was done to produce the list. I just posted a few of my absolute favorites. Enjoy and Happy New Year!