My most-used apps of 2011 consist of some of Rene's favorites, and for good reason. Like Rene and Leanna, I'd also prefer to list some of the great default apps included in iOS like Mail, Reminders, Safari Browser for iPhone and iPad etc., but that would just be boring. Instead, here's a list of some of the most-used iPhone and iPad apps I spent the majority of my time with this year.
Reeder
Reeder is how I consume my news day in, day out — it's really as simple as that. It's one of, if not the best news and RSS feed readers available for the iPhone and iPad (there is also a Mac version available in the Mac App Store). Reeder incorporates a stylistic ZEN-like design with multi-touch gestures making news consumption something I consider to be fun, when previously I used the default Google Reader webapp layout from the browser — and I think we all know what kind of experience that can be like. With Reeder, I can jump in and jump out and get the job done quickly and efficiently, while also having a fluid experience at the same time. I prefer the iPad app, but when I don't have my iPad handy, the iPhone app is top-notch and has the same look and feel of its iPad counterpart. If you're looking for a better way to consume news, look no further than Reeder for the iPhone and iPad.
Netflix
Netflix has definitely been a lifesaver for me on more than one occasion. Whenever I'm out and about or just at home in bed dying of boredom, I whip out my iPad and jump into the Netflix app to watch my favorite TV shows, movies or documentaries. The great thing about Netflix is the content, in that it has the best-of-the-best content (at least in my opinion) and beats out competitors like Hulu with ease. They've recently updated the iPad app with a better layout, making it easier to navigate to your favorite content and start streaming away. Diving into what I love to watch and forgetting about my worries wouldn't be possible in certain scenarios without Netflix on my iPad 2, and even when I forget to pack up my iPad with the rest of my gear, I always have access to the content they provide via my iPhone 4.
Tweetlogix for Twitter
I know there are a number of really great Twitter apps out there, but my personal favorite is definitely Tweetlogix for the iPhone. Developed by Onloft Software, Tweetlogix is probably one of the fastest Twitter apps I've ever used, which is probably of the main reasons I ended up switching back to Tweetlogix from Echofon Pro in the middle of the year. I wouldn't be able to say it's a straight-split between the two, because Tweetlogix excels in too many places where other Twitter apps are simply lacking. You have the ability to adjust font size, view inline images in your stream, mute people you follow who you don't want cluttering up your stream, and a whole lot more. And again, when I say this app is fast, I mean it's really fast. Sending a tweet — even over 3G or edge — takes what seems like milliseconds. Just tap the 'Tweet' button and you won't have to deal with the dreaded loading wheel ever again!
Navigon
I've been using Navigon as my main GPS app all year, and then some. It's one of the best GPS navigation apps available for the iPhone and can even run on the iPad 3G. Navigon provides quick access to Google search, subsequently making it a breeze to search for your desired location (restaurant, gym, grocery store, gas station, whatever) and it also offers in-app purchases for things like 3D terrain mapping in a panoramic view, live traffic and even police radar location information. I'm sure some of you have personal prefecences for other GPS apps, or maybe even prefer a standalone device, but for me, Navigon does the job perfectly.
Evernote
Want to make sure you never forget anything? Enter Evernote, the best note-taking app available for the iPhone and iPad. Just snap a photo of whatever you need to remember, add a label, tag or just leave it blank, and you're good to go. Evernote will sync that information across all your iOS devices (even your Mac!) making it easy to access no matter where you are or what you're doing, and they update the app with added value and additional features on a regular basis. Although the layout has changed significantly over the past couple of years since its debut in the App Store, the basic concept remains the same. iChadman put together a great How To on getting things done using Evernote, and after going through some of the pro-tips in that post, it's easy to see why Evernote is one of the best apps for getting things done (and remembering things, too!).
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