Best Productivity Application: FileMagic

FileMagic from SplashData is a file transfer application that can convert the iPhone/iTouch into a standalone portable drive. While Apple's file transfer client, iDisk, continues to baffle iTunes Store as of now, FileMagic is the best of the lot in this niche with its present featureset.

Unfortunately, FileMagic relies on a desktop application (compatible with Mac OS X,  Windows XP/Vista) to transfer files to the iPhone/iTouch. This may be the only drawback of this powerful application.

The application can transfer files via Wi-Fi or mail, and the latest version (v2.0) is capable of file transfer between FileMagic-installed iPhones, within the same Wi-Fi network.

With an interface of a typical iPhone application, FileMagic is easy to navigate and use. Users can even preview .MP3, AAC, WAV, M4V, PDF, DOC, XLS, and PPT files, along with an option of locking the software with a password to prevent unauthorized access to data.

With a price tag of US$4.99, this is one of the best applications at the iTunes App Store at the moment.

Best Word Game: Chiktionary

Chiktionary from Blackdot is an award-winning application, which won the coveted “Best Word Game App” at the Best App Ever Awards Show last year.

It consists of a text-twisting game with animated chickens that cluck, toss feathers, and make chicken noises during gameplay. As with every text-twisting game, gameplay involves forming as many words as possible from the given set of letters.

With 300 levels and other competitive features such as eggchievements (achievements), Hot Wings (for completing the puzzle in less than 3 minutes), Egg-cessive (for gameplay in excess of 100 hours), and online score  uploads, Chiktionary will always maintain that competitive spirit for hardcore gamers.

There are a few features for amateur gamers as well as partial (Beak Sneak) and complete hints (Free Bird), and online dictionary support.

Priced at US$1.99, this is one of the best Word Games for the iPhone.

Best Finance App: Loan Planner

Personal finance applications are becoming increasingly popular on the iPhone platform. Loan Planner is one of the most intuitive and informative applications in this genre.

Loan Planner offers three main features: Credit Capacity, for calculating current debt to income percentage, and amount available for new loan; Loan Simulation, which displays a chart showing monthly payments, and interest paid over the given period, along with an amortization table; and Saved Loans, which saves calculated credit capacity and simulation. The application supports emailing calculated information in either HTML, PDF, or text format, directly from the application.

Although there is no help built-in into the application, most users will be able to understand the various terminologies used within it.

There are certain other drawbacks such as the present version only supporting calculations for loan terms in terms year (and not months, which at times may be the case), and the application does not link with the iPhone contacts for emailing. These issues are minor and can be fixed with an update.

Loan Planner is priced at US$3.99 and can be downloaded from iTunes.

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