Guest Author

When Does Your 1st Gen iPhone Become Obsolete?

Guest Author ∙ April 3, 2010

I am still using my beloved 1st generation iPhone. I love it, can’t bear to part with it, and it’s been with me through thick and thin. It still looks like new, complete with unscratched original glass screen.

And I’ve never had any real reason to upgrade it, it’s still functioning the way I need it to and it does everything I ask of it. And with the iPhone 4G on the horizon I really want to wait before upgrading, it just doesn’t seem smart now. So I’ve persevered. Until yesterday…

When the iPhone was released I had a choice between a 4 or 8 GB. I went with the 8. At the time it seemed like a vast amount of space while today with 16 and 32 GB storage it seems small. But I digress. The question is, is it obsolete?

I use my iPhone as the primary source of music in my car. The majority of what I listen to is on there and I’m not a radio person so it’s always CDs or iPod. Plus I paid extra for the built in dock & Bose sound specifically for that reason. So I go to sync my phone and for the first time I see the dreaded message “Unable to sync iPhone because not enough space is available for iTunes library”.

What? Have I reached the end of the proverbial rainbow? So, I fiddle with iTunes for at least an hour. Deleting duplicate songs, getting rid of junk I never listen to, etc. Try again… no dice. I’m full. And it hits me, has my beloved 1st gen become obsolete?

I’m wondering if any of you readers have ever filled your iPhone to capacity, and if so, with what? For me the answer is as follows: 1476 songs, 87 apps, 127 contacts, 347 pictures, thousands (I haven’t counted) of undeleted text messages, an above average amount of saved calendar info.

So for me, that’s what it took to fill the 8 GB to capacity. At that point it was too full to take the sync which was about another 340 songs. Granted, I’m close, but even after cleaning up my iTunes account it’s not going to happen. And I could delete some apps & texts I suppose, but it’s the music that’s the storage hog.

So I am wondering, since everyones usage is different (hence the name “I” phone) what did it take for you to fill yours? Are you at capacity? Are you close? And will you modify your use, or upgrade?

Meet the new iPhone Killer: iPhone HD

Guest Author ∙ Updated March 27, 2018

Rumors about the new iPhone are mounting as June quickly approaches us. June is the month Apple traditionally hosts the annual Worldwide Developer Conference in which announcements of release dates for gadgets and software is made. This year is a little different as rumors mount about iPhone going to Verizon later this year, ending the choke hold AT&T has had with the iPhone.

Business Insider reports that iPhone HD, as it's currently dubbed, is slated to have twice the resolution of current iPhones checking in at 960 x 640 (compared to the current 480 x 320), a 1GHz processor and a front facing camera. There has also been mounting rumors that Apple will finally permit 3rd developers to hook into the multitasking API allowing 3rd party applications to run in the background.

Other sites have posted claims that iPhone HD will be a few millimeters longer. This may or may not be true but it is possible since the iPhone is purported to be developed for Verizon and Sprint, both use CDMA networks which may be a larger cellular chip.

Thus far, iPhone HD sounds great and it looks like it's already on it's way to killing current iPhones. But why, exactly, is the device dubbed "HD"? Is the screen high definition? If so, will high definition really make a difference on such a small screen? Or does the device output video in high definition? I'm inclined to believe the rumor caters the latter. There's simply no point in making a screen that small output in high definition resolution. But then again, I could be wrong. What are your thoughts on the new iPhone and this high definition rumor?

So Long iPhone Screen Protectors and Thanks for Nothing

Guest Author ∙ Updated November 25, 2016

We've learned from iLounge that Apple is pulling the plug and banning the sale of film based screen protectors and removing them from their retail and online store fronts. This includes all stand-alone screen protectors as well as film-based screen protectors that come as part of a package. The ban will affect all iDevices ranging from the iPod Touch to the new iPad due out early April 2010.

iPhone screens are made of durable glass that nearly impossible to scratch. This move comes as no surprise but it should make one wonder why Apple decided to sell these screen protectors in the first place.

Most screen protectors are nearly impossible to install and, with time, collects dirt around the edges. Not to mention the cost. Most of these screen protectors are $20 or more, depending on where you go; online markets are usually cheaper.

Just because Apple has banned film based screen protectors from the retail outlets, we are not completely without screen protectors. Film based screen protectors will still be available at 3rd party stores such as Best Buy, Fry's or other electronic superstores. Odds are you'll find them cheaper at an electronic superstore too.

Since the purchase of my iPhone [3GS] last July, I have invested roughly $100 on different screen protectors in hopes of finding the perfect one. Today, I swear by not using screen protectors since the iPhone screen has proven itself to be very durable and nearly scratch resistant. I do have a small scratch towards the bottom right corner but it's nearly unnoticable except when screen is black. I can even recount how it happened and, to this day, I am still amazed the scratch is as small as it is.

Do you use a screen protector? If so, will this move affect the future of your iDevices? Please share you opinion.

US Army and Apple Consult, iDevices For Combatants

Guest Author ∙ March 25, 2010

War? You bet. There’s an app for that and Ground Zero is Cupertino, CA. The US Army’s IT department paid a little visit to Apple recently to consult using Apple products on the battlefield. While there are some huge advantages, one can probably guess there are just as many disadvantages.

Imagine the situation of a battalion of kids with their sergeants and commanders carrying iPhones. There’s some downtime and some soldiers are ordered to stand guard at certain posts. Hours and hours drag by with no action, boring some soldiers. One soldier walks over to an empty chair, drags it back to his post, sits down and starts playing games. Or perhaps he launches his favorite Twitter app. Or maybe Facebook. As the illumination of the iPhone grabs his undivided attention, an enemy combatant sneaks past him.

OK, OK. So the odds of that scenario are slim, but this is an interesting venture for Apple nonetheless. Apple is known for developing revolutionary devices so it’s impossible to tell whether the Army will use existing devices or have Apple build a custom device from scratch.

“The Army is moving away from big-green-box solutions and toward those that will adapt along with our Warfighters on the battlefield,” says Major Gen. Nick Justice.

Given that the iPhone is chipped for cellular communication, comes packed with GPS, is razor thin and ultra light, it makes for an enticing and ideal device for soldiers already adapted to the device. Even if the soldier has never held an iPhone, they can adapt to the device within a day.

While adapting the soldiers may be easy, there is still some cause for concern. Does the US Army expect our soldiers to place their trust in a device that can’t have the battery removed and replaced? If our soldiers are going to be putting their trust into a communications device such as the iPh0ne, the battery issue must be addressed or else we risk having soldier getting stuck in situations without means of communication.

It seems that world militaries should keep up with trending technologies especially when most militaries consist of the younger generations that do keep up with trends. It would be a shame for any combatant to get caught with a dead battery.

What are your thoughts concerning Apple mingling with the US Army? Please share your opinions.

Apple Develops iGroups, Applies For Patent

Guest Author ∙ March 24, 2010

Where would we be if Apple did not invent things. Between the mid-1970s and early 1990s, they blessed us with the Apple II in various releases. In the late 1990s they blessed us with the iMac. Fast forward to 10 years later, 2007 to be exact, and they bless us with the iPhone. But really, is the iPhone worth anything if you cannot communicate and collaborate with your friends, contacts and/or anonymous persons?

Enter iGroups. Not the application that's currently available in the App Store but rather Apple's iGroups. Whether the name is official or not, it's Apple's attempt at entering the SocNet world. iGroups attempts to socialize groups of friends or strangers, while attending events, so information can be shared as it happens.

Seems pretty simple and straight forward. Using Ad-hoc technology, a technology all modern celluar devices can become, users at the same event do not need to rely on wi-fi nor celluar service to communicate with one another. They do, however, need to be in close proximity of one another in order to broadcast anonymously and/or communicating.

Bluetooth has a weak encryption algorithm, so while in Ad-Hoc mode, is data protected? Is data encrypted? Can strangers eardrop? Apparently, data is protected. According to patent #20100070758 (originally filed in 2008) for which Apple has applied for, new encryption technology is at the front end of iGroups and not the SocNet application itself.

Cryptogaphic keys employed for sharing information are implemented to guarantee information shared remains encrypted and safe from prying eyes. Sounds good to me. I don't mind encrypted data as long as the battery tax is kept below 0.01%.

Over the past 4 years, we have seen social networking sky rocket humanity into new forms of staying in touch and has given us the ability to share information almost instantaneously. There are several SocNet sites available to us at any given time, whether it be from our desktop or our mobile devices (hopefully iPhones). So why does Apple feel the need to enter the SocNet competition? It appears they have invented a new bluetooth encryption algorithm and they want us to use it.

What Would You Pay For An App?

Guest Author ∙ Updated January 23, 2016

I will admit, I’m a free app lover. A real cheapo when it comes to my apps. I currently have a 5 row springboard with 4 pages of apps and a ton hidden with “Poof!”, and most are free. I have just found that most of the things I want apps for have one available for free. Or a lite version. However, I am an admitted (and proud) oldskool video game junkie.

So… when Square Enix recently released two Final Fantasy games for the iPhone I was in. I didn’t know what they would cost but I didn’t really care. I bought into the hype gladly. When the apps were released (finally!) I hopped into the App Store that day to buy them. $9 bucks! Wow!

Up until then my most expensive app was probably $1.99. And I saw that was for EACH game, not both. I went ahead and plunked down the $9.00 and I have to admit, it’s pretty great. Very authentic, not laggy, the graphics are old style & good.

However, I wasn’t willing to buy BOTH games at that price. Why? The fact that I couldn’t try them with a “lite” version first. Now I know that in the grand scheme of things $9 bucks isn’t a ton of money, but for me it’s an expensive app, especially since I’m still rockin’ a 1st gen and who knew how it would work?

I’ve seen several apps around the $5 dollar range that I could probably be persuaded to buy if only I could try them first. And I have certainly bought paid apps after trying the free version and liking it. So the question is… how much should an app cost to require, or at least desire, a free version first? Because I have no problem paying for it, I just want to see if I like it before I do. If it’s a good one I will definitely buy.

Are some of these app developers shooting themselves in the foot by not offering a lite version, or at least a few days trial period so us users can give it a try? I know for me personally, I would buy more if I could try more. Thoughts?

Circuitous – A Different Take On iPhone App Switching

Guest Author ∙ Updated August 24, 2016

This is a guest post by iDB reader Jeton Aliji. If you'd like to send your articles to be published on the blog, make sure to check out the guidelines.

In the ModMyI repo today we have a new package called Circuitous, which is another app switcher, but this one has a more different approach which some of you might like.

Dan Zimmerman, the author calls Circuitous a “custom app switcher”. Circuitous shows applications in a dock on the right side of your springboard.

The app activation methods are controlled by Activator, the superb centralized gestures and button management for iPhone OS which is developed by Ryan Petrich. It's good to see more and more apps who use Ryan Petrich's library.

Apart from showing the dock (with an activation method you choose from Activator), Circuitous has an option to cycle through open apps (both forward and backward) by letting you choose the activation method to cycle through the open/backgrounded apps.

From my own experience, I find Circuitous very user friendly and less obtrusive than the other apps, as it covers only part of your springboard and not the whole page.

For activating the dock I have chosen the Home Button double press ( used to be kirikae on that spot, but now I activate kirikae by double tapping on the status bar).

Circuitous joins the rank of apps such as ProSwitcher and Kirikae, and the best thing of all these is that they use Activator to manage their activation settings.

Try it for youself, it’s free and of course share you thoughts about it.

Jeton is a 28 y/o Albanian who loves to play and try new Cydia tweaks and apps. He believes that the jailbreak scene is a showcase of the creative geniuses and the beautiful minds of the people that make the iPhone more that it was meant to be. You can find Jeton on Jeton on Twitter where he also has an iPhone Dev list where he keeps up with all things Cydia.

Street Fighter IV Review

Guest Author ∙ Updated March 27, 2018

If you are in your 30s, you may remember the popular arcade game "Street Fighter II." I remember literally watching hours of people playing the game. (I rarely played the game; I mostly sucked but I wanted to save money). And now, you can get the latest version of the game right on your iPhone with Street Fighter IV [iTunes link] for $9.99.

Immediately, hardcore SF fans will see that there are only eight characters to choose from. In the normal SF IV game, there is a total of 19 playable characters. SF IV Producer Takeshi Tazuka says there are less characters because of the limited amount of CPU memory in the iPhone, 256MB of RAM for the 3GS and 128MB for the 3G.

Otherwise, this game really kicks (no pun intended). As far as onscreen controls go, this is one of the better ones. If you didn't like touch controls before, this will not change your mind but it is more than adequate. Here's a list of buttons: punch, kick, special attack and focus attack. The touch joystick is on the left. These are transparent on the screen and do cover up the players a little, but it hasn't affected my enjoyment of the game.

I have a 3G and the game is so memory-intensive that I do experience crashes. 3GS and newer iPod Touch owners will probably do better.

For those who are new to the game, there is a dojo that will help you to learn the moves. There is also a free-sparring mode and a training room mode to help you perfect your combos and special attacks.

Other features include Bluetooth support for iPhone head-to-head combat and the ability to save your best games.

I'd say at $9.99 this game is a steal. Some may want to wait for a price drop, but SF fans should get this one immediately.

Favorite Apps of the Month

Guest Author ∙ Updated March 5, 2018

These are actually my favorite apps of February but I'm a little late...

Power Downloader [iTunes link] - This is a free app that lets you download a host of files to your iPhone like JPG, GIF, HTML, MP3, MP4, 3GP and more. But, what I like to use it for is downloading YouTube videos for later viewing at full resolution. However, you can only watch the video from within the app and there's no way to get the video off your iPhone. Obviously, Apple wouldn't have an app that would pirate YouTube videos. Since YouTube videos don't stream on 3G at full resolution on the iPhone, this helps to watch your videos more cleanly. There doesn't seem to be a size limit when downloading on 3G.

Which location-based app has more than double the amount of users of Foursquare and Gowalla combined and is free? If the answer is MyTown [iTunes link] you'd be correct! Unlike other location-sharing apps, MyTown plays much more like a real game. When you check in to places, you have the option of buying them for your virtual town. The properties you buy give you constant income and to upgrade them you need money. To level up, you need points and you get that by checking in to more places. I have to admit I'm kind of addicted to this. However, the GPS locating on this app is not very good and I have to type in my location most of the time.

I used Beejive for the longest time to instant message on my iPhone. I loved it for the most part but the app loading time was horrendous. Plus, I paid $9.99 for the app. Then came Meebo [iTunes link]. It's free and I believe it does load a little faster than Beejive. I'm sure it's even more magnified for me since I have the older 3G. 3GS users may or may not see that much of a difference. Sure, Beejive has a lot more features. But, I don't use most of them. I just want to IM. Meebo supports push notifications and when you bring up Meebo on your desktop, push notifications are disabled on your iPhone. Nice touch.

Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock [iTunes link] - Apparently, we sleep in cycles of light and deep sleep. Every night, we set our alarm to go off at a certain time in the morning but many times it is when we are in a deep sleep cycle. So, we're very groggy when it's time to get up. The Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock is app designed to change that. The app will sound a soothing alarm when you're in a light sleep cycle and then you can gradually get up. Just as a warning, sometimes your light sleep cycle could come 30 minutes before you actually want to get up. The accelerometer tracks the movement on your bed and knows if you're in a light or deep sleep cycle. So, yes, you will have to sleep with your iPhone on your bed. And, yes, I have knocked my iPhone off my bed a couple of times. What I really like the $.99 app for is tracking how long I'm in light and deep sleep. I posted a sample of one of my night's sleep. I have a lot of peaks and valleys. I am a light sleeper.

What are your favorite apps of the month?

Adobe Flash and the iGeneration

Guest Author ∙ Updated January 23, 2016

This is a guest post by Polemicist, a loyal blog reader and commenter. If you'd like to guest post on the iPhone Download Blog, please see the guidelines.

What ever happened to this guy?

Developer Jonah Grant submitted an "Adobe Flash mobile" plug-in for the iPhone and iPod Touch's Safari browser on Friday, April 24 2009.

Maybe Jonah’s plug-in was only an urban legend but I do recall Adobe saying they were working on a new version of Flash for the iPod and iPhone and now over a year later we get to see the wonders of the iPad still with no Flash support. To top that off the mobile Safari browser doesn’t appear to be able to support HTML 5 so we are again left in limbo with a media rich field of HTML, JPG and maybe a few animated GIF's.

So why would Apple go out of its way to stop a product that has been around since the early 90’s in one form or another? Flash has become so much a part of the internet that it has been included in Windows CD's since Windows 98.

Yes OK there have been security risks with Flash and Apple can say that those risks are the reason they do not allow Flash content. They can even block it due to the fact that Flash can execute arbitrary code. But if that is the case then they had better not let QuickTime run on the iPad or iPhone as it allows arbitrary code execution as well. Anyway both Apple and Adobe patch their security holes quite quickly so again not a good enough reason for saying no to Flash.

Apple can say that Flash content doesn’t run quickly enough on iPhones. That might actually be correct and in some cases a Flash enabled iPhone user might have to turn off Flash support so they can bypass for example an intro screen that is freezing their browser (wouldn’t that be inconvenient). The iPad on the other hand could easily cope with massive Flash content so that crosses that off the list of reasons.

Why do they take fast processors then underclock them?

Original & 3G: Samsung 32-bit RISC ARM 1176JZ(F)-S v1.0 620 MHz underclocked to 412 MHz PowerVR MBX Lite 3D GPU[8]

3GS: Samsung S5PC100 ARM Cortex-A8 833 MHz underclocked to 600 MHz PowerVR SGX GPU

I wonder if they are going to do the same with the iPad?

All things considered the only logical reason I can see for Apple to ban Flash content is that they might lose money. Because of this attitude from Apple I now want to see the iPad hacked so badly that a version of Snow Leopard can be installed on it.

But I digress. So let’s take a look at the issues here.

On the Official side of the fence we have:

Adobe determined to put Flash onto mobile devices. Apple determined to keep Flash off all of its mobile devices. Developers more than capable of porting Flash to Apple mobile devices. Apple not letting Developers put Flash onto the App Store.

On the Jailbreaker side of the fence we have:

Dedicated hackers capable of making iPad do whatever they want. Homebrew developers with vast experience in iPhone Software. Adobe apparently porting Flash to other mobile devices

Looks to me like the JB community will win. Once a version of Flash is made that will run on Windows Mobile and Android devices the Homebrew guys I’m sure will take great pleasure in putting it onto iPad and maybe even the iPhone. Adobe would have to make the mobile version of Flash capable of being used on Apple products so they can show it off to Apple. Maybe (if we are lucky) that version might “leak” from Adobe.

I’m sure the JB community will happily pay a dollar or two for the Homebrew developer’s effort to port the mobile Flash to the iGadgets. I for one would donate to that cause. Picture just how annoyed Apple will get if this happens and how smug the looks would be on the Adobe team (at least while Apple wasn’t looking).

Imagine now an iPhone/iPad that can browse Flash based websites and then take that website and run it full screen. Going online and finding a few SWF games, downloading and playing them using an updated version of iFile. Watching a Flash based movie or TV channel right from the palm of your hand.

What a wonderful world that would be. I look forward to this Utopia. If not (like many Mac Fanboys) I will look forward to Windows Mobile 7.

What do you think?

A Developer Insight on Apple and the App Store in 2009 [Sponsored]

Guest Author ∙ Updated January 29, 2016

This is a sponsored post by the developers of Star Walk, an amazing iPhone app that I completely endorse and recommend. Star Walk devs are looking for some feedback and I encourage you to help them out because they really deserve it.

We are all immersed, surrounded, bombarded by everything that involves Apple, iTunes, the App Store, the iPhone and the iPod Touch. 2009 has seen the App Store phenomenon growing exponentially and people are confident enough to say that it will never stop, or at least not for a long time. But what kind of year has it been for the developers of the 100,000+ iPhone apps that are available in the App Store?

Today on the iPhone Download Blog we are writing an open letter as developers to tell you about our experience dealing with the App Store: the highs and lows, the great achievements but also some disappointments and problems encountered, things that are still unknown and that we are trying to get our head around.

A little more than a year ago we decided to start the iPhone adventure. We worked hard on an idea and submitted it to Apple with some hopes, fears, and a lot of expectations. How is it going to be received? Will people like it? Those are the main questions for every developer. It is still a new world, which is fast and sometimes harsh. If people don't like what you have worked on for months, you will soon find out that you have worked for nothing, and nothing will hurt more than not appearing at least in the top 100 apps of the category you are in.

Our idea was based on our passions, astronomy and stargazing. We are lucky enough to live close to the forest and have a lot of clear skies that allow us to admire the sky in all its beauty, and so Star Walk was born following our own inclination. But how many people have the same passion as us? Well, it was soon the be found out...

It turns out that apart from the passion for the Apple world, iPhone and iPod Touch users need beauty, smoothness, intuitive features, and only if your app has those features, people will get closer to it. So we discovered that the customers out there, you guys, are passionate as much as we are about astronomy.

It seems like Star Walk has pretty much all of those characteristics and as our first app, it has been so far (for the whole year) very successful, never leaving the top 10 in the Education Category.

Now comes the difficult part... What's next? What would people like from us? Are they waiting for something more from us? Do we already have a fan base? Are we still an anonymous company in the crowded App Store? Is following our passion the key to success? It seems like it is not so easy to find out answers to those questions. We tried! In fact, we have now 4 more apps in the App Store but only Star Walk has reached the top.

Obviously we are not doing everything right but it isn't really easy to understand what's right and what's wrong. Therefore we started some small marketing research to become more knowledgeable about the App Store world and to make more successful apps.

We are convinced that in the near future this market will become more and more sophisticated, demanding and targeted. We know where we want to be, we are good at Education (we hope) and we want to stay there and for this, every feedback helps.

To do this properly we need your help.

It would be great if you could answer a few questions for us to help us understand you more! Click here, take our little survey (it is only 5 questions) tell us you have taken the survey on our twitter page and a random selected group from those who have answered will win Star Walk promo codes, iTunes gift cards, and an iPod Touch! Winners will be announced on Twitter @StarWalk on January 5th. Thanks a lot for your time and for making us one of the best educational application in the App Store.

Top 5 Gay iPhone Apps

Guest Author ∙ Updated January 20, 2022

This is a guest post by Tyrone Ford. If you want to guest post on this blog, please check out the guidelines here.

The Apple App Store just hit 100,000 apps which is an amazing statistic within itself. If you take a look at the App Store Metrics on 148Apps.Biz you will find that Games make up 16.9%, Entertainment makes up 13.86% and Books come in at 13.69%. These three are responsible for the top selling categories in the App Store. Buried within apps where you can accomplish nearly anything from running your own virtual Spa in Sally's Spa or for those in the medical field there is STAT ICD-9 LITE which provides all 13,677 ICD-9-CD diagnosis codes to the user’s iPhone.

With so many different options it's no surprise whatsoever that various Gay related apps would not only be created but thrive within the community. There are some good and some bad ones but a few stand out from the crowd so here are the top 5 Gay related iPhone apps you may want to take a look at.

Number 1: Edge Gay News Reader

I would have to say the top GLBT iPhone app would have to be The EDGE Gay News Reader. The iPhone version of the hugely successful EDGE.com which is "largest network of local Gay, Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) news and entertainment portals in the world, serving 500,000 dedicated readers from a variety of metropolitan areas around the United States and beyond."

Per EDGE.com and iTunes here is what comes along with this free app:

The world's largest network of gay and lesbian news and entertainment portals is now available on your iPhone and iPod Touch!

Headlines EDGE publishes news, entertainment, business, technology, style, health, fitness, travel and nightlife information to readers around the world. For the LGBT community, staying connected on the go has never been so easy.

Columnists Read fabulous commentary from individuals from within and without the LGBT community about life, relationships, and the issues facing gays and lesbians the world over.

Photos Flip through photos taken by EDGE's team in cities around the nation. Did we catch you or your friends at a nightlife or community event? Find out - even when you're not at your computer.

Business Directory Find out where to eat, drink, stay and party with EDGE's list of community-maintained, LGBT-friendly businesses in each of our target markets - including Boston, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Providence, Orlando, Provincetown and Fire Island.

Number 2: Grindr

"Whether he’s Mr. Right or Mr. Tonight, your man is hanging out on Grindr, a killer location-based social networking tool for the iPhone or iPod Touch." I would have to agree with the people over at Grindr's site, this handy little app is definitely a well put together social networking tool for gay men.

Grindr, unlike many other social network sites was made for the mobile world we live in. Grindr uses your iPhone or iPod Touch’s built-in technology to map out which guys are closest to you—but how much info you share with them is entirely up to you. This will help find who's around or if you're traveling to maybe help find a local to show you around.

Grindr has no complicated registration process, nor do you need to enter an email address, or validate your account. Grindr is quick, convenient, and discreet. Trade your stats, show off a photo, instant message any guy you like. Share your location on a map and make plans to meet up right away. Or just browse the local scene.

Grindr is a free app.

Number 3: Gay Internet Radio Live (G.I.R.L)

Playing today's hottest dance, club and remixes 24 hours a day, GayInternetRadioLive.com is a blend of party, dance, club, and circuit sounds that will keep you dancing. Unlike terrestrial radio, you'll hear remixes of popular mainstream hits that have been remixed by internationally known Dance Mix DJ's and producers.

This free app is pretty straight forward with no directories to search, providing immediate access. Artist and song title information is displayed for each track. Instant feedback link to email station DJ's, "one click" button to the request lines and two stream choices 128k and 64k. For best sound quality listen to Gay Internet Radio Live using a WiFi connection. Visit GayInternetRadioLive.com for more information or get G.I.R.L from the App Store for free.

Number 4: Gay Cities

Gay Cities is a free app that comes in very useful when either traveling or if you're new to your city. Instantly access gay-friendly restaurants, gay bars, hotels and beaches over 95 cities worldwide. Gay Cities provides up-to-date info. One click for phone number, web site & directions. Instant access to reviews by like minded travelers. Quickly find nearby bars, restaurants & hotels. Search for features that suit your taste. Find the setting that's right for you. Easily access favorites and recent searches. Get Gay Cities on your iPhone for free.

Number 5: My Gay Agenda

I couldn't help but include this functional yet very tongue-in-cheek humorous app. My Gay Agenda is tagged as a "fabulous calendar application" and that's exactly what it is. With a few extras that will definitely make your day. The good people over at Cerebral Itch greet you by saying:

We've always suspected what your plans were: destroy marriage, recruit children and do lots of cardio. Well, here’s the proof: My Gay Agenda is a first-class personal calendar application and hilarious take on what the well-organized "Velvet Mafia" operative would carry.

My Gay Agenda is a powerful personal calendar app complete with ubiquitous event features for all-day events and events that span multiple days. MGA also has a stylish and robust Notes feature and "Today In Gay" - a daily historical synopsis of key "historical events".

You also may occasionally come across handwritten notes unveiling nefarious plans to take over the world (or make it a bit more fabulous).

My Gay Agenda comes in both a free version, which only allows you to schedule events within the month you are in. There is also a $2.99 paid version, which opens up the full scheduling capabilities.

Tyrone Ford is a blogger based out of Washington D.C. who focuses on LGBT issues, pop culture, technology and social media. Find Ty's personal blog at http://BetterCallTyrone.com/.