Barely a month into its existence, the iPhone App Store is, quite possibly, the greatest invention of the digital era, surpassing even the iTunes Store in scope, potential and mobility. It’s put a wealth of information at our fingertips and turned the iPhone into much more than “a widescreen iPod with touch controls,” “revolutionary new mobile phone” and  “breakthrough Internet communications device.”

Part-PlayStation Portable, part-BenQ MID, the App Store-powered iPhone has gone from must-see to must-have, a gadget that’s hard to keep in your pocket for more than a few minutes at a time -- and that’s when it’s not ringing. Sports scores, poker, minesweeper, solitaire, Monkey Ball, Mahjong, movie times, restaurant reviews, Lego whips, lightsabers, bubblewrap, violins, cowbell, mazes -- there’s something for everyone, and a constantly growing catalog keeps us coming back for more. It’s the ultimate reference tool, the ultimate blogging tool, the ultimate let’s-go-out-to-eat-and-catch-a-movie tool ... and the ultimate time-waster.

The iPhone at Work

This brings us to the iPhone’s No. 1 enemy: your boss (followed closely by your co-workers). And they know what you’re up to.

“In a lot of ways, monitoring the use of cell phones, whether it’s to talk on the phone, or to text, or to use gaming applications or anything else, is easier than a computer,” said Jennifer Berman of CBIZ Human Capital Services. “Because when you’re sitting typing at your computer, unless (your boss) is behind you, looking at your screen, they don’t know what you’re doing; whereas looking at somebody hunched over a phone, it’s a little easier to know that they’re probably not working.”

If you’re like us, your finger is never far from your touch-screen, your daydreams are set in Roppongi, and the glances from your superiors are becoming more and more menacing. Thanks to Apple’s flair for unique design, people can spot an iPhone user from across the room, “hunched over,” as Berman observes, and wrapped around their multi-touch screens. That being said, it’s hard to inconspicuously add More Cowbell when we’re frantically tapping our phones to the beat of Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl.”

And that’s not to mention, well, the cowbell.

“Most organizations have already well-recognized the potential distraction of having cell phones in the workplace and are already creating policies to limit that conduct where it’s not business-related,” she said. “If an employer doesn’t have a policy for cellphone use, they’re very behind the times. And one component of that policy is that the volume should not be a distraction to others in the workplace ... and that would go for the gaming applications as well.”

iPhone = Productivity?

While Berman didn’t have any specific advice for Tiny Violin addicts, she did have a message for managers at their wits’ end: lighten up.

“My advice to employers is to focus on results. If (employees) are getting their jobs done and they are productive, and they are working to the capacity that you believe they need to work to, then you don’t have a problem with what they do for five minutes here or there.”

Of course, that’s not a license to start up a no-limit, round-the-office Texas Hold’em tournament, but a little App Store freedom might actually be good for the overall mood and productivity of the workplace, according to Dr. Donald E. Wetmore of the Productivity Institute.

“The rule is, everything in moderation. There’s nothing wrong with playing some games and getting a distraction during the day; in fact, it’s healthy for productivity. It’s similar to the concept of having vacation time. People who do not take advantage of vacation time tend to not have as high a level of productivity, so a little vacation during the day -- play a little game on the iPhone -- there’s nothing wrong with that at all.

“So, (employers) have to allow (their staff) some freedom... 15 minutes a day or half an hour a day, or certain times when you can have a fun break and... play the iPhone, that’s going to work a whole lot better” than sneaking around behind “unrealistic ground rules.”

So, instead of Drum Kit or Zxilophone, a better option for the workplace might be Brain Challenge or Crossword Light, or some other game that exercises more than just your finger.

“There’s a real plus to (the App Store): skill development, analytical development, some of the games stimulate a lot of real thinking,” Whetmore said. “I think it’s a very good alternative, certainly to a cigarette or just chit-chatting around the water cooler.”