Are you one of the first 10 lucky Singtel iPhone 3GS owners in Singapore? If you are, you are probably a hardcore Apple supporter, and the iPhone 3GS may be your 2nd or 3rd iPhone …. which means you don’t need to read this post heh. However, for the people who recently got their first ever iPhone, be it the iPhone 3G (because of the reduced price) or the new iPhone 3GS, this post is made specially for you. =) I have selected 10 free apps from my iPhone 3G for you to download. Around half of the apps are local apps (Singapore) which I use often, the rest are apps that will satisfy some of your needs. There are 65 thousand other apps (and growing) out there for you to choose from and I’m sure you will have a fun time exploring the wonderful world of iPhone apps. Welcome to the club. =)
Note: All apps are available on iTunes App Store (Singapore). Install iTunes to access the app store on PC. After installing, the app store links I have provided will send you straight to the iTunes App Store.1. Facebook
Category: Social Networking
Version: 2.5
Application Description (from iTunes):Facebook for iPhone makes it easy to stay connected and share information with friends. Use your iPhone to start a conversation with Facebook Chat, check your friends’ latest photos and status updates, look up a phone number, or upload your own mobile photos to Facebook while on the go.
My 2 Cents:
Everyone’s on Facebook nowadays right? So this app is a must for Facebook users to keep in touch with the latest updates from their friends on the go. It has all the basic features of Facebook, status updates, newsfeed, chat, view and upload photos, view profiles, view inbox etc. Though it doesn’t support applications, there are other iPhone apps that are catered for those applications, like Mafia Wars and my personal favourite Live Poker (Texas Hold’em Poker). With these apps you can play with Facebook users anywhere you are!
The Facebook app version 3.0 is coming out soon, can’t wait =)
Category: News
Version: 2.0
Application Description (from iTunes):The Straits Time is one of the region’s oldest English-language daily newspapers. It is the flagship publication of the publicly-listed Singapore Press Holdings Group.
First published on July 15, 1845, The Straits Times is the most widely read newspaper in Singapore. The Sunday Times, which is produced by the same team of journalists, has a circulation of nearly 400,000 and a readership of 1.23 million.
The Straits Times strives to be an authoritative provider of news and views, with special focus on Singapore and the Asian region. It has nine bureaus in Asia and a worldwide network of other contributors.
What’s new in this version (2.0):
- New and improved UI (user interface)
- Added ST Forum Section
- Compatibility with iPhone OS 3.0
- Weather widget
- Regional stock indices widget
- Photo gallery
- Ability to share articles using Email or Twitter
My 2 Cents:
I really love this version of the Straits Times app. I like the user interface. It looks nice and is easy to navigate around. Articles are categorized into 11 sections: Top Stories, Singapore, ST Forum, SE Asia, Asia, World, Money, Sports, Tech & Science, Lifestyle and photos. There are also a weather forecast widget and stocks widget. It’s good that they added the weather widget, but I think there is no need for the stock widget since iPhone has the Stocks app which is actually much better than the Straits Times stock widget. I really like the photos section, where we can scan through pictures with captions below, good for lazy guys like me. I also like the twitter function which enables me to share articles through Twitter. I have been doing that recently since I discovered this function heh. Visit my twitter: www.twitter.com/boliaosia to see how it works … you can also add me if you want =) I will follow back! No need to buy Straits Times to read newspaper in the toilet?
3. The Straits Times Razor TV
Category: News
Version: 1.0
Application Description (from iTunes):The Straits Times Razor TV is an online video news channel that webcasts from Singapore Press Holding’s Multimedia Centre web studio. It offers videos on demand for those who want to control what they want to watch and when.
With a strong emphasis on hyper-local content, Razor TV is all about the latest happenings in Singapore. This free-access web TV service is an innovative convergence of both the internet and TV platform, a first in Singapore.
Our intrepid presenters cut to the heart of the matter to provide a wide variety of content for video on demand. What you get: Edgy and sharp coverage of current affairs and lifestyle trends.
Our programmes cover four areas: Singapore news and trends, Asian and Singaporean entertainment, Singapore lifestyle and Singapore sports.
On RazorTV, we call it as we see it.
My 2 cents:
This app is a mobile version of razor.tv, a site which I visit occasionally for my local news and happenings. The reporting is not as professional as the news channels you see on TV with a mixture of good English, okay English, Singlish and Chinese here and there, just like me he he. Some reports are quite interesting though, if you don’t mind the English. I usually scan through the Razor TV app on my iPhone to see if there are any interesting or relevant videos I can post at my blog.
4. Channel NewsAsia
Category: News
Version: 1.0.3
Application Description (from iTunes): The Channel NewsAsia app is both OS3.0 and OS2.1 compatible and offers the best of Channel NewsAsia and its website with your iPhone or iPod touch. View video reports on Singapore news, and get the latest news updates from Singapore, Asia and the World, Business and Sport. There is also a photo gallery for a quick, visual news summary.
Established in March 1999, Channel NewsAsia is an Asian TV News channel, fully complemented by online portal www.Channelnewsasia.com that provides news and information on global developments with Asian perspectives.
Based in Singapore, Channel NewsAsia is owned and managed by MediaCorp Pte Ltd which positions itself as a regional business, consolidating television, radio, print and new media operations.
My 2 Cents:
Personally, I prefer using the Straits Times app for my daily news updates, but you can try the Channel NewsAsia app to see which one you prefer, both are free anyway lol. Just download and leave them side by side and use them whenever you feel like it, like me heh. One function Channel NewAsia has which the Straits Times app don’t is the video function. You can view some of the reports shown earlier on TV on this app.
There is also a free iToday app if you are interested.
5. TweetDeck
Category: Social Networking
Version: 1.0.1
Application Description (from iTunes):TweetDeck is your mobile browser for staying in touch with what’s happening now on Twitter from your iPhone or iPod Touch. TweeDeck shows you everything you want to see at once, so you can stay organized and up to date no matter where you are.
Create groups, search Twitter, manage multiple accounts and easily post your tweets or share photo, link and much more. Plus sync your existing TweetDeck columns between your desktop and iPhone. Nice and easy.
Features:
- Tweet directly from your iPhone or iPod Touch.
- Manage multiple Twitter accounts.
- Stay up to date – view all new tweets in real-time.
- View notifications for new tweets received.
- Use columns to create your personal dashboard.
- Easy set-up – Sync with your existing TweetDeck columns.
- Create Groups to easily follow all your friends.
- Follow topics in real-time with saved searches.
- Reply to tweets and send direct messages.
- Easily re-tweet messages.
- Share photos with Twitpic and YFrog.
- Shorten and share links with your favourite URL shortener.
- Follow and un-follow people.
- Share your iPhone to refresh columns.
- Manage your favourite tweets.
- Twitter trends.
My 2 Cents:
I have 2 Twitter apps on my iPhone, Twitterific and TweetDeck. Both apps are free and are easy to use. I think TweetDeck has more features though. I like the ability to add columns, it makes it easy to navigate between different sections of my 2 Twitter accounts. With the new copy and paste function of OS 3.0, it is now easier to share the links on these Twitter apps. There is no push notification for TweetDeck at the moment, maybe there will be in the future. I not that hardcore of a Twitter user, so it doesn’t matter to me. For those who really needs push notifications for their tweets, you can try Boxcar which sends you push notifications anytime someone mentions you on Twitter, or send you a DM. It works with either Tweetie or Twitterific. For full-fledged Twitter clients with push, you can try iTwitter. Both apps are not free though.
6. eBuddy
Category: Social Networking
Version: 3.0.2
Application Description (from iTunes):eBuddy – Chat with all your friends, everywhere!
eBuddy gives you the best chat experience with reliability, speed and great features:
- One buddy list for MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, Gtalk, and Facebook
- Stay online when you exit the app
- Get push notifications for incoming messaged when you exit the app (OS 3.0)
- Reconnect automatically if connection is lost
- Get offline messages after reconnecting
- Get new messages alerts & typing alerts in the chat screen
- Easily switch between chats by swiping your screen
- Shake your iPhone or iPod Touch to send a buzzer
Other Features:
- Display pictures, personal messaged and status
- Emoticons & buzzers
- Sound & vibration
- Multiple IM networks
- Multiple accounts for each IM network
- Buddy list management
- Offline messages
- Group chat support
My 2 Cents:
I think this should be the best free instant messaging app for iPhone. I only use MSN and it works fine for me. It has push notification but it is only for 30mins after you close the app, not really useful I think. The user interface is rather plain too. You can’t add backgrounds or view the display pics of others. It’s fine for people who do not want to pay for apps, but if you are willing to spend some money on apps, I recommend using BeejiveIM. It has more features then eBuddy and the push notification last up to 24 hours after you close the app, which is more than enough for me since I use the app every day. The user interface is much better than eBuddy too. =) Beejive ftw if you are willing to pay =)
7. Wikiamo
Category: Reference
Version: 1.11
Application Description (from iTunes):Wikiamo is an intuitive, Safari-like Wikipedia viewer for your iPhone and Ipod Touch. It shows articles on Wikipedia with custom formatting, so you can read it comfortably.
The good points of this application are:
- Bookmarks
- History
- Page cache. It allows you to read articles offline
- Multilingual incremental search
- Table of contents
- Links to the other languages
My 2 Cents:
Wikiamo is a simple app that’s allows you to search for information through Wikipedia. Yes, you can use Wikipedia through Safari, but this app makes it easier to search and view information as it is optimized for the iPhone. I use this app for project research and to give people the impression that I know lots of stuff. Don’t know anything just ask Wiki. I can do it wherever I am.
8. Dictionary.com – Dictionary & Thesaurus
Category: Reference
Version: 1.0.1
Application Description (from iTunes):The Dictionary.com app delivers world-class reference content from Dictionary.com and Thesaurau.com including more than 275,000 definitions and 80,000 synonyms. No internet connection is needed. The app also features audio pronunciations, similarly spelled words and Dictionary.com’s popular Word of the Day that is enjoyed by more than a million users.
Features:
- Dictionary, Thesaurus and Word of the Day
- More than 275,000 definitions in the Dictionary
- More than 80,000 synonyms in the Thesaurus
- Alpahbetical indexing
- Similarly and audio pronounciation
- Example sentences
- Non-standard uses
- Word origin and history
- Editable recent word look-up
- No internet connection required for Dictionary and Thesauraus content
- Internet connection required for Word of the Day, audio pronunciations and similarly spelled words
My 2 Cents:
It’s an easy to use dictionary and thesauraus in your iPhone for those times when you encounter words you don’t understand. I like that it offers pronunciations and does not require an internet connection. No one can make me look stupid with fanciful words wherever I am now heh. No need to flip through thick dictionaries, just search and you get the definitions instantly. I wish they have an app for individual textbooks for easy searching. =)
9. SG 4D
Category: Lifestyle
Version: 1.0.8
Application Description (from iTunes):SG 4D is a software that checks the weekly 4D results from Singapore Pools. It gives you a better alternative to finding out the 4D results every Wed, Sat and Sun.
Not only does it checks the recent results, SG 4D has the following additional features:
- Check previous results (since 2005)
- Analyze 4D to find out when it last appeared as a winning number.
Good luck, have fun & play smart (:
My 2 Cents:
For 4D buyers like me, it’s a great app. With this app, I can easily check the 4D results wherever I am. I know you can actually use the Safari browser to check for results in Singapore Pool’s website, but this app make it much easier to check the results. Just open the app, tap on refresh, and the latest results will be shown! I also like the fact that it has previous results all the way to 2005 and the ability to analyze how many times a particular number was a winning number. It also checks the other combinations of that 4 digits all the way to the 1980s! See how many times your number has appeared and decide whether to buy it or not heh. Besides this 4D app, there are 2 other apps for other gamblers =) Download SG Toto for all your Toto results and SG Pools Soccer Odds for you the latest soccer/football odds from Singapore Pools. Huat ah!!
10. Tap Tap Revenge 2
Category: Games
Version: 2.6.2
Application Description (from iTunes):150 free tracks, including Lady Gaga, Asher Roth, Pitbull, 3Oh!3, Coldplay, and All-American Rejects. The latest Tap Tap Revenge 2.6 is ready for iPhone OS3, featuring notificaitions. Challenges are now more fun and easier! Songs can have their own themes. Import premium content. Faster, more stable. Points & battles!
Tap and shake to the beats of 150 awesome free tracks. Tap Tap Revenge is the most popular game on the App Store. Lots of new features, tons of themes, points and battles, an all-new catalog of more than 150 free tracks, and three awesome ways to play with your friends.
The download catalog features over 150 great FREE songs, including:
- Jackson 5 – ABC
- JET – She’s A Genius
- Lady Gaga – Love Game
- Daft Punk – Technologic
- Papa Roach – Lifeline
- Nine Inch Nails – Discipline
- Etc etc and free new tracks are added every week.
Frequent tournaments and contests, and weekly new songs by top artists mean that there is always something new to greet you when you boot up Tap Tap Revenge 2.
My 2 Cents:
It’s free and its great! One of the best free apps. Download now if you haven’t already! =)
Other free local apps you might want to check out
- buuuk (Guide to the ever-changing food and drink scene in South East Asia, Hong King, the Middle East and Austrialis)
- HungryGoWhere (similar to buuuk)
- Carpark@SG (Find parking rates and locations in Singapore)
- iCab (Numbers of all Taxi Companies from a single tap)
- iHealth Sg (Comprehensive guide to all healthcare facilities in Singapore)
- Locacity SG (find nearby points of interest such as ATM machines, 7-Eleven Stores, petrol stations etc.)
- SG Mall (Information on all the malls in Singapore)
- SG Transport (Information on Singapore’s public transport system – BUS and MRT)
You can download the iGV app or the Eng Wah app or go to this site (http://i.sh2sg.com/movie.html) on your Safari browser. It is optimized for Safari and has all the information you need to watch a movie in Singapore (theatres, timings etc.) I prefer going to that site as it includes all the theatres.
Want more after downloading these apps?
You can use either iTunes or the App Store on you iPhone to search and download apps.
iTunes
You can browse through apps in different category, search for apps, and see which paid and free apps are the most popular at the moment.App Store on iPhone
Similar to iTunes but you can use it wherever you are. See which are the top apps at the moment, featured and new apps, browse through apps by categories, search for apps, view descriptions and screenshots, and check out reviews by other iPhone users.For those who has limited data to use each month, its best that you download the apps over wifi or just use iTunes to download the apps and sync it to your phone.
Sites I surf for new apps to download, tips and tricks and the latest iPhone news.
- Appadvice.com (check out their app list for the best iPhone apps, app charts for popular apps and bargain bin for price drops of apps)
- iMerlion – The Singapore iPhone Guide (for latest news regarding local apps)
- modmyi.com (if you decide to jailbreak your iPhone)
- AppShopper (for all recent price changes for apps – great for cheapskates like me)
I’m sure in a few months time, your iPhone app collection will grow from these apps I have listed to hundreds or thousands of apps which will satisfy your needs. Go ahead and explore the wonderful world of iPhone apps.
More apps to be featured every once in awhile on boliaosia.com. =)
P.S: I’ve just changed my iPhone case to the one I mentioned in the I love my iPhone post. Will post pics of it next week =)
P.S2: Wow, over 1.5 Billion apps have been downloaded so far (1 year anniversary). 4 million downloads a day?
(Images Taken from: my iPhone, iTunes app store, CNET Asia)