If you’re like me you’re mostly a mainstream iPhone App user. Your iPhone is loaded with favorites like Facebook, Spotify, Angry Birds, and Evernote. But, there are lesser known apps which work great, or are tons of fun.
They either don’t get much publicity yet, or have just been released and therefore not used too much yet. Some of these are just plain fringe. This list is focused mainly on iPhone apps, but most have an Android version. Take a look and give a couple a try.
1) Next Issue (free, but needs monthly subscription)
Next Issue is a great idea that has received very little fanfare. Similar to Amazon, or Netflix, for magazines – you pay a monthly subscription rate and get access to digital versions of several major magazines. It works much better than Apple’s Newsstand app, but still not too many downloads thus far. Download it now before it fades into obscurity. If nothing else you’ll save paper.
2) Dog Whistler (Free)
You may have thought your phone has its limitations…but now it’s a dog whistle? The Dog Whistler app does just that, allowing you to play a vast range of frequencies for canine training, with oscillations ranging from a slow 500 Hz to a fast 5 KHz. Dog Whistler also features a motion-detection alarm that’s meant to be triggered when pets jump on the furniture. Ties in with Facebook, Twitter or email so you can share that new custom whistle you’ve created with friends. Worth checking out just to see it if it reeeaaallly works.
3) FatBooth (99 cents)
What would you look like with a few extra pounds? And what about your friends? Find out with FatBooth. FatBooth is an awesome photo altering program. It’s very realistic when it alters your photo to make you look like the “before” shot in a weight loss ad. Perhaps not the most useful app, but a barrel of laughs.
4) Horizon ($0.99)
For those who are tired of vertical iPhone videos, this app is for you. This camera app allows you to record horizontal videos in portrait mode, using your i
Phone’s gyroscope to keep your camera parallel to the ground at any angle. And, to instantly send your video to friends, Horizon supports sharing via Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. For only $.99 Horizon is a deserves a spot on any phot-Fred’s phone.
5) WeChat (Free) 
While most carriers offer unlimited texting, sending messages over your smartphone’s stock app is usually a plain and limiting experience. The free WeChat app offers a sleek all-in-one portal for sending texts, making video and voice calls, leaving voice messages, and partaking in group chats. It doesn’t end there, as WeChat packs loads of animated emoticons and a walkie-talkie feature that lets you tap to talk with up to 40 friends. WeChat uses your phone’s data plan, but you can enjoy all of its features for free over Wi-Fi.
6) Jelly (Free) 
Jelly is a better way to ask a question with photos, maps, friends, and more. Many people flock to the Internet to get their questions answered, and Jelly makes the process more fun and intuitive than ever. This free social app allows you to snap a picture of something, ask a question about it and receive help from anyone else using Jelly. Whether you want to know the name of a major landmark you just photographed or would like some advice on taking better iPhone shots, chances are, there’s someone on Jelly ready to help out.
7) CamDictionary ($4.99, free trial available) 
Got stuck in a totally unfamiliar language environment? CamDictionary is a professional instant translator application. This app allows you to translate between 16 languages by simply hovering your device’s camera over text. CamDictionary also supports text-to-speech translating, and gives you access to dictionaries so you can study Chinese, Japanese, German, Russian and more. Learn a new language, or just ask for directions from someone while traveling – this is a great app either way.
8) Wikitude (Free) 
Thanks to Wikitude, you’ll never be bored in your city again. This augmented-reality (AR) app pulls up information on bars, restaurants and landmarks based on what your camera sees. With Wikitude’s filters, you can set the app to only find you the best pubs or most interesting events going on in your area. And in case you get bored strolling around town, the app packs a variety of AR games, like “Alien Attack” and “Bubble Tap,” that let you have some fun with your surroundings.
9) Sleep Time ($1.99) 
If you ever have a tough time getting to sleep this may be the app you’re looking for. By using your iPhone’s accelerometer to detect your movement, Sleep time app detects movement during sleep and provides a soundscape to help you nod off. There’s also an alarm to wake you up in the morning when you’re in the correct sleep cycle, and the app also comes with an Instant Heart Rate meter to measure your pulse upon awakening.
10) SnapGuide (Free) 
SnapGuide is a free IOS app for those who like to create and share step-by-step “how to guides”. Let’s say you know how to bake a delicious cake or fix a fence and you want to share your process with others. Using Snapguide, you can use pictures, videos, and text to create a step-by-step guide that you can publish and send out to friends. Browse a collection of comprehensive how-to guides presented in a beautiful, easy to read, user interface. Definitely worth checking out.
Honorable Mention (ok that makes 11, but who’s counting):
Flight (free) 
Like the web version of this game, the iPhone app was released just recently. It’s basically throwing a paper airplane, however have several nuanced tricks that make it very addicting. Flight is the few games I’ve found that I enjoy because it’s deeper than you think at first. Free for a limited time so check it out soon.
