Tweetie screenshotThere are literally thousands of applications available for use on the iPhone. Determining what is and is not of value is a huge undertaking, especially if you opt to tackle such an endeavor on your own. Although judging apps is quite subjective, there are a few applications which I have found to be invaluable on the iPhone, almost to the point that my iPhone would not be an iPhone without these apps. In an effort to shed some light on worthy iPhone apps, here are a few of the iPhone apps I conceivably cannot live without.

Tweetie screenshotTweetie by atebits

Tweetie is the best Twitter client available on the iPhone, hands down. No other Twitter client is offers a full package anywhere in the neighborhood of Tweetie. What makes Tweetie stand out is the simple, straightforward interface coupled with its powerful use of iPhone gestures.

Some of my favorite Tweetie features are as follows:

  • Gesture usage. The functionality is brilliant – merely swipe across a tweet to reply, favorite or go to the users profile.
  • Replies. No need for unnecessary, rarely used buttons onscreen, cluttering the interface. Following a reply chain is just as easy as clicking the “in reply to” link on each tweet.
  • Image Integration. Complete integration with TwitPic allows for simple image posting as well as inline image viewing.
  • URL shortening. Built-in image shortening is provided by bit.ly, so sharing links without being concerned with the 140 character limit could not be any easier.
  • Multiple accounts. If you manage multiple Twitter accounts then Tweetie is a power users dream, offering the ability to login to an unlimited number of accounts with ease.
  • Themes. Tweetie comes standard with three interface themes, all of which are simple yet beautiful. One of the best aspects of Tweetie is that the app does not look odd on the iPhone – the interface fits perfectly within the OS.

Overall, for a mere $2.99 you could not ask for more. The developer is highly responsive to questions and inquiries, essentially living on Twitter day and night to answer questions. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better Twitter client offering a similar feature set to what is packed in to Tweetie. While Tweetie does have some downfalls, the positive aspects of the app greatly outweigh any of the negatives.

Facebook screenshotFacebook by Facebook

If there was ever a web-based application designed for the iPhone before the iPhone was conceived, Facebook was that application. If you use Facebook for anything at all, regardless of how deep, the Facebook iPhone app is simply a necessity.

While the application does have limitations, it certainly allows you to perform the most important of Facebook tasks – reading your messages and watching your beloved news feed so you can stalk your contacts. On top of that, it is rather easy to get lost in the application by endlessly clicking on links to user profiles, reading their walls and continuing on yoru click-journey.

One of my favorite features of the Facebook app is the ability to upload photos taken from your iPhone. While you are on the go it is a snap to fire picture after picture to Facebook so your friends and family can share in your excitement (or fear, whatever the case may be).

Byline screenshotByline by Phantom Fish

If you live and die by Google Reader, as I do, but have yearned for a native Google Reader iPhone app, then Byline is your ticket to heaven. Byline is designed to synchronize with your Google Reader account, relying entirely on what you have subscribed to in Google Reader. Mark items as read in Byline and they are later synced to Google Reader, so if you get back in a browser then you will not see the same items more than once.

Byline is a little pricey at $4.99, but if you find the Google Reader iPhone interface sluggish or not as powerful as you would like it to be, consider giving Byline a shot. Once synced with Google Reader, it is a breeze to run through all your subscriptions in Byline and a whole lot easier than relying on the Google Reader iPhone interface. As far as I’m concerned, it is well worth the price!

AOL Radio by AOL

Years ago I dreamt of a device which would allow me to stream my favorite online and terrestrial radio stations while I was on the go. Today, AOL Radio allows me to do just that. I live all the way in Japan but can listen to KROQ at will while driving through Tokyo or riding the train, all thanks to the wonders of AOL Radio.

Night Stand by SpoonJuice

When I travel I always have this fear that the alarm clocks in the hotels will never go off when I expect them to, causing me to wake up late and miss my meetings. I have that worry no longer thanks to the wonders of Night Stand and the iPhone’s built-in alarm system. I adore Night Stand because it makes for a beautiful, simple clock that offers characters large enough to see no matter how closed my eyes are!

Honorable Mentions

  • last.fm and SHOUTcast are additional apps offering exceptional ways to stream music to your iPhone. last.fm obviously interfaces with your existing last.fm account while SHOUTcast offers a number of streams not found in AOL Radio or through any other app. If you are a digitally imported fan you might consider checking out SHOUTcast.
  • Tap Tap Dance is a great time killer, especially when you have a few minutes to spare. Of all the Tap Tap games, Dance has the best music, by far. It also has the most impressive interface, which is finally available for free via Tap Tap Revenge 2.
  • Fieldrunners is one of the best Tower Defense games available on the iPhone. Stunning graphics and exceptional gameplay are what makes this one of the premier games.
  • Sportacular allows sports fanatics to be kept abreast of just about any sports score imaginable. If you are on the go and want scores quickly, Sportacular is definitely what the doctor ordered.
  • Ego is a simple app designed to display Twitter, Mint and Feedburner stats with ease. It is beautifully designed and performs flawlessly. If you are a stat whore, especially if you run a site like we do here at TechMiso, then Ego is an excellent way to get an ego boost while on the go. Plus, the developer is highly responsive about app related inquiries.

This list could go on forever because there are countless iPhone applications worth downloading. Unfortunately, only a few apps truly make the grade to be used every single day. Although I have six pages of apps on my iPhone, I really only use about ten applications on a regular basis.

There is just not a great deal of exceptional, every-day-use applications available in the App Store today. Hopefully this changes in the future. Until Apple fixes their App Store approval process dilemma, do not count on too many talented developers jumping on the iPhone development bandwagon.

What iPhone apps can’t you live without? Any hidden gems you’ve found to be worthwhile? Please do share!