FREE apps anyone?

Posted in: Entertainment,FYI Articles,Shopping / Moneysavers/Gifts | February 12th, 2010

If your iPhone or iPod Touch resembled your closet, such as having dozens of shoes, would you have tons and tons of apps too? Do your friends have more apps than you? On average, iPhone or iPod Touch owners use five to ten apps regularly. That number pales in comparison to the number of available apps there actually are — about 140,000 and counting.

The recent announcement of the Apple iPad, a tablet device that runs iPhone applications has already spurred the development of more, including a version of a drawing app called Brushes; Nova; a shooter game; and Apple’s own app, iBooks, which will connect to its new online e-bookstore.

Regardless though, people aren’t going to change their habits. The next generation of gadget users might prove different but for now, iPhone and iPod Touch users clearly prefer fewer choices and gravitate consistently toward the same small number they like. They’re similar to the cable tv subscribers with hundreds of channels to choose from who end up watching the same half dozen.

So, for every person whose iPhone is loaded with little-known programs that predict asteroid fly-bys, there are far more Caroline Cuas, who seldom venture outside the predictable. Most say they’re too busy, too lazy or just plain overwhelmed by the choices.

If you’ve been feeling self-conscious about your apps list, or the lack there of, I’ve got a list for you.

These are a few free applications in selected categories that are downloaded most often from the iPhone app store as of recent:

GAMES ~

Kinetic Balls: Swing a suspended ball into a row of other balls to transfer energy.

iBomber: Drop bombs on targets at varying heights and speeds.

Rock Band Free: Play famous tracks with a band, emphasizing rhythm and timing.

MUSIC ~

Pandora Radio: Stream stations personalized with favorite songs and acts.

Shazam: Point the phone toward a song to identify the artist or even buy the track.

Virtuoso Piano Free: Turn the phone into a classical piano.

SOCIAL NETWORKING ~

Facebook: Stay connected with friends.