Cell phone apps are the rising phenomenon this year with developers creating tons of apps for various devices, with so many different apps out there for so many devices, we are totally clueless on how to differentiate between the good and bad cell phone apps out there that are useful. In this article, I will list some of the interesting cell phone apps that are useful and handy to users out there.


Platform: i-OS, Android and OVI Store
SoundHound

Similar to the Shazam app that does the same job, SoundHound can even identify songs that are sung out by you or by humming. Similarly, the free version has a limit of 5 songs per month. It does not only identify what song it is but also provides links to Youtube and Amazon for you to buy the song directly.



Platform: i-OS
Japan Name

If you want to get a Japanese name just for the kick, this is the cell phone app for you. Simply key in your name into the app in English and it will generate your Japanese name for you. Names will be displayed in Katakana characters.

Platform: i-OS
AVPlayer

Users who use their iPhone to watch videos will love this app.  There are a lot of video formats out there which are not supported by the iPhone’s built in player.  It can handle XVID,AVI, WMV, RMVB, ASF, H.264 and MKV.  If you have videos that include subtitles files, the subtitles will be shown as well.  You can transfer video files over Wi-Fi.


Platform: i-OS
Engagement Ring Finder

This cell phone app has got to be the best life saver for guys who are totally fucked when it comes to understanding the tech terms between the size of the carat, shape and design.  This app guides you through a step by step procedure by allowing you to begin with a shape and weight of the diamond you wish to get.  Then you can browse through the various designs that are available for that range which you can afford.  You can allow your wife to play around and mess with the app the whole day changing the designs and size until she is happy while you watch your TV.  You can then save the design and bring it down to the shop itself and have it created and produced.  Save you a lot of time wasted trying to come to the best decision at the counter.



Platform :  i-OS
The Photo Cookbook – Baking

This cookbook cell phone app is great for the novice and the pros.  Photos are presented in high resolution and great clarity. The recipes focus on baking fare like cakes and bread.  The instructions are laid out in a step by step manner with pictures and text.  At various stages, you can compare how your food looks to the pictures provided.  So if it looks totally off, you know you have messed up and do not need to wait until it enters someone’s mouth to find out.



Platform:  i-OS
Yoritsuki

This app is an cell phone app that is meant to allow users to get some form of relieve and relaxation.  It is just a simple app that displays a traditional Japanese inn with soothing music and effects.  You can customize the items you wish to set as the layout of the inn to your preference.  It even changes from day to night and also according to the 4 seasons.


Platform: i-OS
VLC

VLC is a very notorious name in the media player market for its impressive capabilities in support and playback for multiple video formats.  It does not support every single video format out there but it will play the most popular video formats out there.  Best part is that VLC is free.



Platform: i-OS, Android
Winamp

The very popular music player has not died due to market competition; this player has improved itself by being able to gather data such as photos of the artist, biography and information related to the song.  Winamp has a great feature that allows you to queue the music on the fly in the mist of playing songs.



Platform :  i-OS
Recipes – Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Pics & Videos

This cell phone app draws content from well known sites that have great recipes like Recipe Land and Epicurious.  These famous sites have new recipes added everyday and cover a wide range of cuisine.  This app has a image section and a video section so you can follow the steps on the video instead of just looking at pictures.



Platform:  Android
Platform :  In the Kitchen Recipes, Chefs

This is the cell phone app created based on the Food Network Asia channel on cable TV.  All the recipes are from the hosts Iron Chef Bobby Flay and you will get inspiring ideas and tips to cook western cuisine.  It also includes a feature to jot down a list of ingredients so that it will come in handy when you make a trip to the supermarket.

We have come to the end of the first part of the best smartphone apps out there. There will be more to come in future, so do stay tuned for more great recommendations. I hope readers enjoy surfing on this site.