There are thousands of applications (apps) that run on the iPhone. Some of them are downright silly and some are costly. As I write this two of the most popular apps are the Moron Test, and a game called Urinal Test. Both of these are pretty frivolous.

The idea, however, is that there are also hundreds of apps will let you do some of the things you need or want to do more easily and/or more conveniently. Most of the apps that I use on my iPhone are free. Some even save me money.

There is an app called Skype that lets me talk to my daughter in Sweden for free. Of course, I can also use my computer to do that, but when I call her on my iPhone, I have the convenience of not having to be sitting at my computer and talking over a microphone.

Another free app called Save Benjis, let's me enter the name of a product and see the prices for that product at several different stores. It saved a friend of mine from overpaying for a digital camera.

SnapTell is another app that I recently used when I wanted to learn more about a video game before I bought it for my grandson. While I was in the store, I simply used the iPhone to snap a picture of the cover of the video game. Within seconds I got a rating, description, and links to more information. You can do this with just about any book, DVD, DC, or video game. This little application let me make a decision of whether or not to buy the game while I was standing in the store, saving me time and aggravation, and avoiding the possibility of purchasing an inappropriate game for my grandson.

An app called Translator lets me quickly translate just about any language into English. I have also used it to look up Swedish words. I have also used it in a Greek restaurant to translate a menu item.

A Guitar Tuner app helps me tune my guitar. The Flashlight app lights the screen. As simplistic as this Flashlight app sounds, it has proved useful. Last week it helped me find a key that I dropped in a dark driveway.

The Google Mobile App on my iPhone has a voice search, so instead of going to a computer and typing in what I want to search for, I just speak into the iPhone and Google finds what I want. And this app is able to use your current location to help you find things. So if I am at home and say "Mexican restaurant", it will give me a list of Mexican restaurants in our area. If I am in San Francisco, it will give me Mexican restaurants in San Francisco.

I have also used my iPhone for directions. While it is not as full-featured as a dedicated GPS system, you can type in an address and it will show you how to get there. I used it quite a bit on a recent trip to Florida and saved money over purchasing a GPS unit.

Oh, and I do have several books and games on my iPhone to keep me busy when I have a little time to pass. Bowling Lite is a fun game that is very much like Skee Ball. I use the Wall Street Journal app to keep up with the daily news. The other day when waiting in a doctor's office, I used the free AllRecipes app to give me an idea for what to make for dinner.

These are just a few of the many tasks that my iPhone makes easier - not to mention the fact that I recently also used my iPhone to complete a business deal, to find my husband in a busy mall, and to call an ambulance for someone who had collapsed and needed immediate medical assistance.
So don't dismiss the iPhone or any other smart phone as a gimmick, they are useful tools that can make the life of an average person easier. Millions of people use their iPhones to better their lives and those of others. If you haven't yet tried a smart phone, you may want to give one a try.