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Every diet needs a staple. And every iOS device needs these five irreplaceable apps.
Load up your documents or photos from your Mac and read them on the go with your iPhone.
You can hardly flip a page in our magazine without reading about how much we heart Dropbox. That’s because Dropbox changed our workflow in a huge way. When you put a file in your Dropbox folder on any Mac or iDevice, it quickly syncs to all your other computers and devices with the Dropbox software. You’ll never have to remember to bring a file--or a thumb drive--with you again.
Opera's home screen beats Mobile Safari's every time.
Mobile Safari is fine for getting around, but if you’re looking for more pizzazz, Opera Mini is a must. This sweet little browser utilizes Opera servers from around the world to do all the browsing for you. It’s easier on the eyes, loaded with features Safari doesn’t have, and is unquestionably faster.
There's a review for every restaurant in Yelp.
Whether you enjoy fine dining or just want to find a hole-in-the-wall with great pizza, Yelp is a necessity. With over 12 million local reviews, nearly every restaurant you can imagine patronizing is here--and so are their addresses and phone numbers so you can make a reservation while you’re on the way.
Your iOS device just might be the world's best remote control.
Let’s say you’re at one side of the room playing music from your computer, but you want to change the song. You can get up, walk over and physically change the song on your keyboard. But that’s awfully 1995--and besides, physical exertion is for the weak. With Apple’s Remote app, you can control iTunes with your phone from the couch. Pass the Cheetos, would ya?
Progress bars like these take the mystery out of your remaining minutes.
If you’re on an iPhone in the U.S., you’re generally tied to AT&T. In that case, myWireless is an absolute must. This app tells you if you’re coming close to your monthly 200MB or 2GB data limit, how many minutes you’ve used, and when your next bill is due. It’s a total wallet-saver.
Our favorite site for losing an hour or 10 is Kongregate.com. We love the user ratings on the games, and the selection is exhaustive. Newgrounds.com and flasharcade.com are pretty great too, and of course there’s always Facebook and its infernally addicting Bejeweled Blitz.
Tons of downloadable Mac games are free or free to try. We found great selections at downloadfreemacgames.com, apple.com/downloads/macosx/games/, and thriftmac.com/games--mostly casual titles, but there’s definitely something for everyone.
Find ultra-creative titles from indie developers, including contest winners and finalists, at udevgames.com and Independent Games Festival (igf.com). The Indie Games Database at db.tigsource.com lets you filter for Mac freeware games as well.
To go beyond casual games, dip into the world of open source, where you’ll find high-quality shooters, strategy, racing, and everything else. A great place to start is the AppStorm’s amazing list of the 50 best free games (bit.ly/d4rppq).
Classic games no longer in development can still live on in emulation on your fancy, newfangled Mac. Start with Macintosh Garden (macintoshgarden.org), which keeps a meticulous archive of “abandonware” that is now free to use. You’ll need an emulator, but you’ll find lots of help and advice here too. Relive the glory days of Marathon, Monkey Island, and more!
Next page: Free Phone Calls & How to Avoid Freebie Scams »
dnstevenson
November 16, 2010 at 10:21am
Speaking of free credit reports - we review iPhone apps that help you manage your credit. Check the reviews of both free apps and paid apps at www.creditreportappreviews.com
redfalcon5
November 12, 2010 at 9:06pm
I am currently using 'netTALK'. There are no adds and you don't have to coerce friends to sign up. It works just like a phone. It works off of Wi-Fi with my iPod Touch.
wfurlong
November 10, 2010 at 1:09pm
this has been one of the most informative articles you've ever posted....because i'm super cheap! Thanks!
Rebelord
November 10, 2010 at 10:56am
Now here's an interesting dilemma. uTorrent merged with BitTorrent, and both apps look surprisingly the same for the Mac OS. And since they're merged, what's the difference really between the 2 applications. It would be nice if you did an article comparing the 2 Torrent clients, and seeing what the differences are, if any.
