Essential iPhone Apps

The typical iPhone owner usually has a large number of apps installed in his smart phone. There are apps for fun, for work, and for connecting online. There too are must-have iPhone apps to help with schoolwork, fitness or health maintenance, keeping organized, travel, and an endless number of other things. To start, we've included one essential iPhone app for a few of the most popular categories in the App Store: games, photography, entertainment and social networking.

Do You Have the Need to Tweet?

The official Twitter app allows user to view the latest posts from their tweeps, update their status and, generally, stay abreast of what is going on in the twittersphere. Get it on iTunes.

You've Never Read a Book Like This Before

The official Apple book reader is indispensable to those who use their free time to catch up on reading. It can be used for downloading and viewing books as well as pdf files. Get it on iTunes.

Get Your Fill of Fun!

If the whole world was tossing birds off a cliff, would you do it too? Heck yeah! One of the benefits of having a smartphone is being able to fill up formally mundane moments with thrilling bursts of gameplay. Angry Birds is a fun entry-level app for those dipping their toe into the App Store games category. Get it on iTunes.

Instantly Better iPhone Photos

Currently the app to get for iPhonographers (get it... iPhone photographers), Instagram is an essential addition to your mobile toolkit for spicing up pics before uploading them to Facebook and Twitter or shooting them off to friends via email. Get it on iTunes.

Essential Apps for Explorers

Where tells you just that - where what you're looking for can be found. Not unlike the "Points of Interest" feature in Garmin GPS systems, the Where app can answer any of your questions that begin with "Where is...?" From "where is the nearest place to get a cup of coffee?" to "where is my friend Mike right now?", the Where app allows you to connect with the people and places around you, all while you're on the go. Get it on iTunes.

Essential Apps for Music Lovers

Imagine this scenario: you're in a cafe having a cup of coffee, and they're playing a song that you really love. You think you've heard it before, but for the life of you, you can't figure out who sings it or what the name of the song is. This is where Shazam comes in. Just hold your phone as close as you can to the speaker, and record a short sample of the time. Shazam will figure out who sings the song, what its name is, and what album it's on. This app is essential for anyone who's ever said to themselves or to a friend, "Who is this singer?! Get it on iTunes.

Essential App for News Junkies

Instapaper is a free app for the iPod, iPod Touch, and iPad that allows users to save web pages from their computer and read them later on their iDevice. Instapaper also feathers social sharing, tilt scrolling, in-app dictionary, adjustable fonts, and the ability to organize your media and feeds. Get it on iTunes.

Essential iPhone Apps for Social Butterflies

If you're the type of person who doesn't like to stay at home knitting and watching television every night, Eventful might be the app for you. Eventful will tell you all about local events, including which performers will be performing where and when; in fact, Eventful tracks the schedules of over 130,000 performers, so the chances are, you'll find something good to do at night. You can also track what events your friends are interested in, making it easy to coordinate a weekend of fun with the gang. Get it on iTunes.