iPhone apps, White Noise, apps for parents

Photo from PCMag.com

As you probably heard, the iPhone 3G S went on sale last Friday and sold a million in the first weekend.

 

Sigh. I want an iPhone so badly. I've been trying to justify my need for one for work (to no real avail), but now PCMag.com has gone and made a list of reasons of why the iPhone is helpful to me as a parent.

That's right! The iPhone and the right apps can help soothe your toddler to sleep, find nearby pit stops while potty training, locate a misplaced teddy bear in the dark, and get audio evidence that your 3-year old knows all the lyrics to Lady Gaga's "Poker Face."

I'm starting to think the iPhone might be critical to my parenting now!

There are more than 50,000 iPhone applications on the market. These apps can make our lives easier in so many ways, and now iPhone offers help for parents too!

Here are the 10 Best iPhone Apps for Parents from the editors of PCMag.com:

  1. Shazam: This app is able to identify whatever song is playing in the background wherever you are; use it to snag a sound bite from that new Top 40 hit your child loves, and get the details on whether it is in line with your family's listening standards.
  2. White Noise: Babies scream, toddlers pout, and parents can often lose their minds, White Noise is perfect for taking things down a notch.
  3. Kindle: One of the most exciting apps for the iPhone, Kindle lets you easily bring along most any book or magazine for you and your kids to enjoy on the go. Create your own family book club or read while stuck in a doctor's office, a book of your choice or read to your child.
  4. GoodFoodNearYou: When you're on the road with the kids, avoid the fast-food joint and replace it with the convenience of this app to help you find health-conscious dining choices. Input your location and it will return scads of sides, sandwiches, and suppers from every dining destination in the vicinity.
  5. AllRecipes.com Dinner Spinner: If the question is "What are we having for dinner?" this free AllRecipes.com-powered app will let you choose recipes based on main ingredients, what you have on hand, and how much time you can spare for food prep. Or let it randomly selected meal plan for you.
  6. Sit or Squat: When a parent hears "I really gotta go!" finding the nearest bathroom has to happen fast. Using your current location it gives you the nearest options, stats on cleanliness, changing tables and handicap-accessible facilities-mark your favorite toilets for quick returns.
  7. AirMe: You no longer need to wait until you get home to start sharing photos from birthdays, sporting events or school plays. Use AirMe to upload instantly to Photobucket, TinyPic, Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, or Picasa without the hassle of file transfer or e-mail, and without the cost of an external gadget.  
  8. myLite Flashlight: Never lose a pacifier in a dark movie theater again with this app that uses the screen to emit white light. This free app has a straightforward series of settings to control light color and brightness.
  9. Remember the Milk: This popular and effective list-making and task-management Web site, has a complementary mobile app free to the site's paying members to help keep things sorted when you're shuttling between work, home, and your family's numerous appointments and activities.
  10. iTalk Recorder: This limited free download allows you to record and store numerous sound files for later use. Files upload easily to your PC via wireless transfer, enabling you to customize your own ringtone, preserve a special memory, or just remind yourself why you go to work each day.

Oh, iPhone, you had me at "i." Thanks, PCMag.com, for the further justification for my constant and ongoing convet of the iPhone.

How CafeMoms are using iPhone apps: