Looking for the best iPhone apps of 2012? Here’s our list

While a little bit late in the best-of category, we decided to put together, even a week late, our list of the Best Five iPhone apps of 2012. They are: Google Maps Link: maps.google.com/help/maps/helloworld/iphone/index.html The iPhone user ommunity generally doesn’t like to dump on Apple products. But when Google unleashed its new Maps for iPhone, everyone, including the stoutest fanboys, knew that Apple’s own iPhone app was second-rate. This app has a number of clever improvements over previous versions. One nice feature is the option to customize the locatoins of one’s choice, to add them to the iPhone map terrain. Cost: free. Clear Link: http://www.realmacsoftware.com/clear If you like a smart, minimal interface, the current reigning favorite task manager for the iPhone or iPad is Clear. It’s unusually simple to use and elegant to manage. An update makes sure that the app works alongside iCloud, so you can share task lists between your MacBook and iPhone seamlessly. Other new features include the ability to switch lists quickly, and paste text into Clear and have it auto-format into a list. Love it. Cost: $1.99. Audiobooks Link: www.audiobooks.com. Most folks either grab audio books from Audible or from the iTunes store. Audiobooks has features that make it a compelling and attractive option. FIrst, it has a solid collection of more than 20,000 titles, and growing (which still falls well below the Audible collection that number around 100,000 titles). But I like the Audiobooks option that allows unlimited streaming for $29.95 per month, compared with Audible’s plans that limit your titles to two books.per month for $22.95. Another plus for Audiobooks: the app allows downloads of sample books of about three minutes in length. Audible however has a slightly better interface, allowing changing the speed of narration. Evernote Link: www.evernote.com. Technically Evernote has been around in Android and iOS for a number of years. But in late 2012 it introduced a revamped iOS version that makes it by far the smartest and best tool for gathering and collecting data, information, photos, whatever. Basically it lets one clip notes, text, full documents, whatever, and organize them into folders. There are a number of price options, but even the free version lets you create folders that you can access from any device. Cost: free to premium. Pocket Link: www.getpocket.com For many folks, Pocket has rocketed to the top of the read-it-later apps available for iPhone 4 and up (and for Android). It’s not the most intuitive interface, but once you get the idea, it’s smooth and sensible. I like the option of changing text size and fonts. Cost: free. Snapseed Link: www.snapseed.com This is my new favorite editing app for all things photographic. Options include auto correct, precision selective adjust, tuning, straightening, cropping and rotating. If you’re a filter fan, Snapseed has plenty to choose from. In fact, I find it almost has too many options. Cost: free.