iPod Touch Apps I Can't Live Without

If you're like me, then you are always on the lookout for the most useful iPod Touch apps. I don't know how many times I have downloaded an app only to find out that it wasn't really what I expected or didn't quite accomplish what I wanted it to do. As an example, I downloaded half a dozen shopping apps before I found the one that worked for me. That can add up to a lot of dough!

I know what you're thinking, and yes - I do read all the reviews before I download an app. The issue with reading other people's opinions, is just that - it's their opinion, not my own. What works for you and your grocery shopping habits may not work for me.

So why am I offering you my opinion? Why should my opinion count more than anyone else? Boy, you sure ask some good questions. I guess it's because I am the Knower of All App Knowledge! Yeah, okay...I'm just kidding about that, so don't beat me up in the comment section.

I have downloaded and played around with more than 500 applications in the past six months. Some of them are pretty good, some of them are awesome, and most of them sucked worse than a bladder infection on your wedding night.

So here goes - a list of some of my 'Can't Live Without' apps (in no particular order):

Madden NFL 11 - If you are a football fan, this is a must have. Not only are the graphics amazing, but the game play and controls are intuitive and easy to learn. This isn't one of those games with made up players either...these are the real players at your figertips. I love the fact that you can enter the Madden Store and download free updates to the roster of every NFL team. So when Randy Moss rejoined the Vikings, my Madden NFL 11 made the update for me.

Let's Golf 2 - If golf is more your game, then you can't go wrong with Let's Golf 2. Sure, it's not as graphically pretty as Real Golf or Tiger Woods, but it's just simply fun to play. Just enough difficulty to make it challenging, but remain fun. Don't you hate those games that are so hard you don't enjoy playing? I love connecting via Bluetooth with my son so we can play a round or two together.

Text Free - Okay, I have to admit that I don't have texting on my cell phone. Sad, isn't it? It's not that my phone is incapable of texting (it has a slide out keyboard and everything), it's just that I'm a cheapskate. Of course there are times that I need to be able to send or receive texts, and Text Free is a must have. The big reason I love this texting app (besides it being FREE), is that you get your own telephone number. I have used other texting apps that gave you some weird number (38874) instead of a real phone number. This made it difficult for some of my family and friends to add me as a contact. Text Free solved that problem, so now all my other texting apps are gone.

Shopping List - As I mentioned before, I tried a bunch of shopping list apps, and this one is the most effective and most simple to use. You can sort your lists by sections of the store and add in details such as quantity, price and any other details you want to put in. If you enter in the prices, it will add up your list so you can tell how much you are spending. Pretty handy for those of us on a budget. Once you have the item in your list, just tap it and it goes to the bottom of the list - out of the way so you can see only those items you still have to pick up. Items you have purchased remain in the system, so the next time you have to pick up peanut butter, you don't have to re-enter all the details.

Nightstand - This is a great clock app that includes current weather details. It looks great and is extremely functional. Unlike many clock apps, this app does not need to be running in the background (taking up valuable memory) in order for the alarm to sound. I have a reoccurring alarm that is set up to go off Monday through Friday to let us know it's time to get the kids on the bus. I have tried at least 20 clock apps, and Nightstand is by far my favorite.

iWeather - If you like weather apps like I do, then this is your all around best best. It's good looking, gives you a lot of information (including sunrise/sunset, humidity, dewpoint, pressure, wind speed, ect) and has an accurate animated radar screen. Now I don't put much stock into weather forecasting beyond what is happening outside my window right now, but this app's 7 day forecast is pretty darned accurate.

CraigsPro+ - You should see all of the things I have that I found on Craigslist. Everything from a perfectly working 36" TV for $20, to 6 pairs of skis for my family (free), to my iPod Touch 32gb 3gen for $200 (back in February 2010). CraigsPro+ makes finding anything easy. You can customize your search for certain cities or counties and save them so you can check new listings as often as you wish. Myself, I'm still looking for a great deal on a 32gb 4gen iPod Touch. CraigsPro+ has pictures as well, and you can reply to the person posting the ad with just one easy click.

Modern Combat 2 - Black Pegasus - This is the follow up to Modern Sandstorm, which was not very impressive at all. Modern Combat 2 on the other hand, is the best first shooter game in the history of iDevices. I'm not joking about that either. Now let's be clear...this is a total ripoff of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2...yea! Why wouldn't you try to copy one of the best selling games of all time? The story mode was fun, but the online feature is what sets this game apart from the rest of the crowd. You can play Team Battle (Team Deathmatch), Battle (Free for all), Capture the flag and Detonate the Bomb. For a first person shooter game on the iDevice, this one just can't be beat. The online play is smooth and not 'glitchy' like one would expect. If you are a COD fan and don't have this one yet - what are you waiting for??

So what do you think? Do you have some must have apps that I don't have listed here? Let me know in the comment section below.