Developer: Anguria Lab
Category: Travel
Version: 1.0.4
Release Date: May 18, 2009
Size: 8.0 MB
Price: Free
Rating 10/10

Apple's app revue process is a thing of mystery. So is its process of selecting which apps to feature in its television commercials. So are its featured musicians for promoting the iTunes Store for that matter, like why Jack Johnson over Ben Harper? Probably because Ben is outspokenly pro-weed, J.J. sings about Curious George, and Apple is cementing it's reputation as a G rated company as it moves deeper and deeper into the mixed media world.

I digress. When Apple chooses an app for use in its televised iPhone commercials it's providing literally millions of dollars in free advertising for the app and its developer, which is great, especially when that developer is a small time indie app producer. But that action also has it's down side- it drives consumers to that app and that app alone, even if there is a better one that does essentially the same thing. That developer is basically S.O.O.L., hundreds of thousands will flock to the competition instead of being intelligent consumers and doing some comparative shopping.

The recent travel focused "An App For That" ad is a great example of this uneven scale. It shows a postcard create/sending app that costs $0.99. Well, Postino does everything that app does, has a prettier interface, flows more smoothly through the create and send process, and is FREE instead of a buck. Why is the other app on TV? Apple gets 30% of every sale, and 30% of a free app is zilch.

Developer: Sudobility
Category: Utilities
Version: 1.1.1
Release Date: August 8, 2009
Size: 0.2 MB
Price: Free
Rating 10/10

Do AT+T executives use Verizon and T-Mobile the same way that Ford and Chevy executives drive BMW and Mercedes Benz? Is the 3G Network just like fairies; if you believe in it hard enough then it's real?

While Signals can't answer either of the above questions, it can give you absolute, hard data on the signal strength of the AT+T network that surrounds you.  Depending on wether you are a glass is half empty or a glass is half full person, the data can either be heartening or completely depressing. Either way, it will eliminate all guesswork from trying to find the best signal strengths, you will always know where you will and won't drop out.

Developer: Critical Thought Games
Category: Games
Version: 1.2
Release Date: February 15, 2009
Size: 2.7 MB
Price: $0.99
Rating 10/10

geoDefense was recommended to me by a friend the other day. "Do you want the next app that you won't be able to put down?" he asked me, which I assured him I did, and he replied "geoDefense." He wasn't wrong. geoDefense is a tower defense game that stands out from all others in the genre.

geoDefense has some incredible vector graphics, it brings out the best from the iPhone screen. The explosions are incredible, the lasers and fireballs as cool and perfectly precise as a light-saber. The sound effects are great too.

Blast away at "creeps" as they move unceasingly around the track. Some are fast, some slow. Place any of four types of towers in strategic places to nail as many creeps as possible. The energy from the blasted creeps can be gathered in a Vortex, and in times of desperation you can let go with the big one. Upgrade the guns and make them more powerful as the game progresses.

Developer: Lucky Frame
Category: Music
Version: 1
Release Date: August 6, 2009
Size: 10.8 MB
Rating 10/10

I wasn't completely sure what Mujik was when I first decided to give it a review. Maybe that's the reason it attracted my attention, with so many uncreative and repetitive apps available, it drew my attention. I'm glad it did.

Mujik is a music application that creates trance/club/industrial music. It is really pretty amazing how such a simple app can draw you in for extended periods of time. Put the headphones on and prepare to self-dj yourself into the world of rhythm.

Developer: The Retronyms
Category: Business
Version: 10
Release Date: July 14, 2009
Size: 1.1MB
Price: $0.99
Rating 10/10

Recorder is another extremely high quality app from the developers The Retronyms. Recorder is the best audio recording app available in the iTunes store, hands down. It offers the ability to create extremely high quality audio files of voice memos, live music, and even phone calls. It is the only app in the App Store  that can record phone calls placed from your iPhone.