There are over 500,000 applications for the iPhone. If one was to line up all of the app thumbnails, the line would stretch over three miles in length. With that many apps, how is anyone supposed to sort the good from the bad?
There is no way anyone is going to thumb through all three miles to tell people exactly which ones are garbage and which ones are great. However, these are four apps that range from okay to unbelievably excellent.

RedLaser
- Cost: Free
- Genre: Productivity
- Description: RedLaser is an all-around handy application which is designed to scan bar and URL codes. After the user scans a bar code with the iPhone camera, the app searches the Internet for all possible product matches. The app pulls up all of the matches and sorts them by price and location. It is extremely useful if you are searching for the best deal on a future purchase.
Unfortunately, it will not always recognize the product you are scanning. About 10% of the time the search will be unsuccessful. The URL code scanner is nice to have for obvious reasons. With the growing popularity of URL codes among companies, it is nice to have a reliable scanning device near by.
RedLaser provides an overall decent package when compared to other scanners of its kind, but the main issue is the lack of products in its database.
- Rating 3.8/5

Flashcards+
- Cost: Free
- Genre: Educational
- Description: Flashcards+ is an incredibly helpful study tool. This app makes it easy to create or download flashcards anywhere.
It has a straightforward user interface, wiping from side to side flips the note card over, while swiping up and down switches the card to the next in the deck.
The app is connected to the Quizlet database, providing the user with hundreds of pre-made study packs on a wide variety of subjects from an upcoming math test to the SAT.
Unfortunately, the app is still a little rough around the edges. It tended to crash from time to time and the swiping interface can be difficult to operate. However, for free, there is no better app for studying.
- Rating: 4.2/5

Osmos
- Cost: $5.00
- Genre: Game
- Description: Osmos is a very unique concept for a game. The player plays as a single-celled organism called a mote, floating in an array of other organisms like itself. The goal of the game is to become the biggest organism or to absorb certain targets.
The mote can only consume objects smaller than itself. If it runs into anything larger, the mote is absorbed, and the game is over.
To move the mote, the player taps the screen. A small glob is emitted from the other end of the mote, propelling it in the desired direction while also shrinking the mote in size.
While the player is questing to become the largest mote, the other organisms are free to bump into and absorb one another.
All of these concepts come together to create a fairly engaging game of strategy. The player can choose a slow or fast-paced experience.
The visuals are stunning, as is the soundtrack, which gives the game a submersive quality. As fun as the game is on the iPhone, it only truly comes to life on the larger screen of the iPad. Even so, this is a solid game well worth the $5.00 charge.
- Rating: 4.8/5

Alfred
- Cost: Free
- Genre: Food
- Description: Alfred is an excellent app to have around if you are looking for something to eat, but are a bit indecisive or just like to try new things and places.
Upon purchase of the app, Alfred asks the buyer for input such as: Where is your favorite lunch spot?, where do you often eat dinner?, what do you like to eat for breakfast? After each question is answered, Alfred makes a guess as to what other restaurants you may like.
The main problem with Alfred is the large amount of time the buyer must spend “teaching” it to work properly. If the app was not so time-consuming to train, it would be excellent.
- Rating: 2/5