The 18 Best iPhone Apps

Illustration by Otto Steininger>Seeking the best productivity tools, utilities, and games for your iPhone? Here's our selection of the best apps exclusive to Apple handsets. To see multiplatform apps and titles made just for Android or BlackBerry, read the other articles in this package.

Productivity Tools

CalenGoo syncs with your Google Calendar and even has a similar look. Other neat features include the ability to invite people to events, plus an integrated task list. $7

Re-creating a desktop browser on the iPhone's screen, Atomic Browser has tabs, ad blocking, multitouch gestures, a passcode lock, Facebook/Twitter integration, and more. Free basic version, $1 premium version

Through Instapaper you can save Web articles you browsed on your iPhone for later reading, using a browser bookmarklet. The Instapaper Website reformats your saved articles (sans Flash ads and clutter) for quick reading on the desktop. $5

Reference Apps

The WolframAlpha app is the ultimate tool for know-it-alls. Ask questions in sentence form ("What is Nancy Pelosi's voting record?"), and the semantic search engine returns the answer. Though it can already answer just about any question you ask, the creators are constantly updating it with new information, making it an ideal companion for pub trivia night. $2

In the Whole Foods app you can find creative recipes using what you have on hand, and see them in an easy-to-read interface. Free

The How to Cook Everything app, based on Mark Bittman's book of the same name, gives you access to 2000 recipes, as well as to no-nonsense cooking advice, how-to illustrations, ingredient information, built-in timers, and organized shopping lists. $5

Utilities and Timesavers

For keeping track of your caloric intake, Lose It is a handy tool. The app tells you exactly what you're eating during the day, and it gives you a chance to enter your food intake on the go, so that you don't forget to do so later. Free

Line2 brings a second line to your phone (with a special number). Calls on that line connect as free or cheap VoIP calls over a Wi-Fi or 3G data connection, but they can move to a cell network (which costs you plan minutes) when such connections are unavailable. This service is great if you have weak cell coverage in your home, or if you just want to cut down your cell-minutes usage. $15 per month

To maintain your usernames and passwords on your iPhone in one place, try 1Password. The mobile app syncs with the desktop version, as well. If you wish, you can use it to store other personal information, too, such as your Social Security number and credit card numbers. $10 basic version, $15 premium version

A must-have for travelers, Wi-Fi Finder is a directory of paid and free Wi-Fi hotspots in over 280,000 locations in 140 countries. You can filter results by provider or by location (restaurant, café, and so on). Free

(for more, see Blackberry's ongoing fight with India over secure e-mail messaging here)