The iPhone is an extraordinary device, but Apple gives it to you naked. It’s full functionality comes from the apps you find in the App Store. And with over 1,000,000 apps to dig through, chances are you won’t find the good ones. But luckily, we’ll do it for you! These applications make your iPhone a one-stop-shop for all reference information. With these best iPhone apps, you’ll become that guy with all the answers. And if somehow you can’t find the answer to your question…it’s 42.
1. Wolfram Alpha Mobile
There’s been a lot of talk about Wolfram Alpha in the tech world lately, and rightly so. The site redefines search engine, and allows you to immediately get answers to almost all of your questions. For example…
Seriously though, this site can do incredible things – and it can all be done through your iPhone (in a neat webapp format.) Go here to learn what Wolfram Alpha can do.
2. Google Mobile App
If you’re an iPhone user, chances are you have this application already. But this list would’ve been incomplete without it. The Google Mobile App does everything Google does and more. Features include voice search, google suggest, search history, and automatic location awareness.
Price: Free
3. Dictionary.com
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This application does just what the title tells you. It also has a thesaurus with more than 80,000 synonyms. Features include alphabetical indexing, simliarly spelled words, spelling and audio pronunciation, example sentences, non-standard uses, word origin and history, editable recent word look-up, and no internet connection requirement.
Price: Free
4. Wikipanion
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Wikipanion is a Wikipedia browsing app, with intelligent features such as: table of contents, in-text search, dual language search, bookmarks, history, wiktionary, category browsing, font resizing, image saving, and Ogg vorbis audio playback.
Price: Free
5. Your Rights
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This application serves as a useful guide as to what rights you have when you are stopped, questioned, arrested, or searched by the police. While this info won’t make you a lawyer, it’s great for some quick legal reference…especially to end an argument with friends. All info is from the ACLU.
Price: Free
6. WebMD Mobile
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WebMD mobile allows you to look up symptoms, find drugs, browse treatment information, and learn about first aid all on your iPhone. The application is essentially www.webmd.com turned iPhone app (and as usual, the app is better.)
Price: Free
7. How To Videos from Howcast.com
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Howcast is a “how-to” video site founded by veterans of Google and YouTube that joins user-generated content with professional video to provide free instructional videos. For example, the site can teach you “How to Look Great in Photographs”, “How to Roast a Perfect Chicken”, or “How to Jump-Start Your Car”. The app simply turns howcast.com into a native iPhone application.
Price: Free
8. Epicurious
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Epicurious is the ultimate app for culinary reference. It allows you to browse recipes, search recipes by keyword, save recipes to favorites, email recipes, and create a shopping list. This app is a must for anyone who uses a kitchen.
Price: Free
9. White Pages Mobile
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This application allows you to search for people and businesses. Search for individuals and automatically add their information to your iPhone’s contacts. You can also do a reverse phone lookup, which allows you to get a person’s name based on their phone number. The application also includes maps and dierections.
Price: Free
10. YP Mobile
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This app is packed with useful features:
- Yellow pages style business search
- Event search
- My plans
- Favorites
- Add to contacts
- Share via email
- Popular business locator
- Built in maps and directions
- Ratings and reviews
- Search nearby
Price: Free
11. ASL Ultimate
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This application is for both learning sign language, and looking up meanings of signs on the go. There are 1400 signs in this application. There’s also a quiz, so you can test your knownledge of the American Sign Language.
Price: $4.99
12. World Factbook ’09
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The World Factbook application is a source of information on all the nations of our planet. It’s the place to go for up-to-date data about natural resources, industries, GDP, religion, ethnic groups, legal system, and more. The app also features information about our changing planet and oceans. No internet connection is required.
Price: $0.99
13. London Tube Subway
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London Tube Subway is a comprehensive guide to travelling through london via the infamous underground. This application is officially licensed by Transport for London, and provides fresh data daily. Features include latest official map of the London Tube, precise location of each station, bookmark manager, trip planner, interactive map, locates nearest station, locates station nearest to designated address, and live travel news.
Note: There is a similar application for New York, called iTrans NYC Subway.
Price: $0.99
14. Linguo – Multilingual Translator
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Linguo can translate in 25 languages, and has 400 audio clips in French, English, German, Spanish, and Italian. You can send translation results via email, or save them in the application. The app has a database containing over 350,000 directly available to you.
Price: $3.99
15. Zagat To Go ’09
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This Zagat application features GPS wary searches, reservations, famous Zagat top rated lists, and lots of filters and sorting options. Zagat has built a name for itself in rating restaurants over 30 years, and if you’re a frequent restaurant goer, there’s no better reference guide than Zagat.
Price: $9.99
These 15 apps (or 14 apps and 1 webapp) will not only increase your iPhone’s smarts, but they’ll probably boost your overall IQ. If you know of any quality reference apps that haven’t made our list, drop a comment.
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I love the Dictionary.com app, it has all the good 4 letter words and it will speak them for you.
I can’t seem to find the WolframAlpha app anywhere on iTunes or on the site… can someone help me out with that? I love it!
@Meredith: it’s Web App only
Good reference list. Thanks for sharing.