I use my iPhone all the time when I’m in Ashland. I have apps that help me as an ABC staff member, a musician, and a tourist. Here are some favorites.

• At ABC and WIBC I’m constantly running standard iOS apps like Calendar (with all my clinic and rehearsal details, plus alarms so I don’t miss a special event), Notes (tech details and names to remember), Clock (my only alarm clock away from home), Contacts (how to reach all the clinicians and masters candidates), Find My Friends (fun to watch all the staffers traveling), iBooks (with EVERY manual and list in .pdf), and of course Camera (for live posting pix & vids to Facebook throughout the event).

• iTorch Flashlight by Pixelinlove Ltd. includes an adjustable strobe and automated SOS features. iHandy Level is a nifty little bubble level.

• Scanning and barcode apps come in all varieties. For QR code scanning I use Qrafter by Kerem Erkan, for scan/photo to PDF I use DocScan by IFUNPLAY, and for a backup of my barcode for the ABC scanners I use CardStar.

• Countdown to an Event by Phil Bevan gives me a customizable photo countdown to all my favorite events, from one-time happenings to annual rituals. For ABC that means lots of pictures of food and friends, recalling happy memories and looking forward to making new ones.

• I don’t consider myself a word nerd, but I hate walking into a classroom without a dictionary, so Dictionary.com Dictionary & Thesaurus is a must for me. Google Translate (for written language) is great for translating even obscure Latin lyrics, and iTranslate Voice by Sonico Mobile is handy for conversing with international guests (although it’s not much help translating from American English to Australian English).

• Business apps can also be useful for teachers. MileBug by Izatt International is great for tracking mileage for reimbursement or tax purposes (or MileBug Lite for occasional use). Square Register allows you to accept credit card payments for private lessons, ticket sales, or at ABC we use it for on-site CD and product sales for clinicians. Billings Touch by Marketcircle is great for invoicing services, and even has a timed billing option. FileMaker Go not only powers the Lit Up game, it can be used to take most FileMaker files mobile. Need to sign digital documents? Try DocuSign Ink. Dropbox is a must for collaboration and file sharing.

• I won’t go into all the camera apps that are out there, I’ve collected several fun and useful photo effect apps. For simple frames and captions I have Pic Stitch and Photo Collage Creator by Big Blue Clip and Photo Notes by Angry Chicken, but my favorite is InstaCollage Pro (or even the free version) by click2mobile because it’s much more customizable. For travel fun, InstaPlace and InstaWeather by byssmobile are perfect for “wish you were here” shots.

• I don’t have many video apps, but iMovie from Apple is great for editing clips into short videos perfect for recruiting or promoting programs on YouTube and Facebook. 8mm Vintage Camera by Nexvio can apply retro visual effects to clips from your camera roll or live as you shoot. Action Movie FX by Bad Robot Interactive can add a car crash, avalanche, or even sci-fi effects, with great on-screen guides to talk you through the process. Ustream allows you to broadcast a live internet feed.

• My all-time favorite dining app is Foodspotting (pictured above), which allows users to upload photos of the great dishes they find at any restaurant, and search others’ finds by location or food! Ashland is a Foodspotter’s paradise. Other helpful apps for recommendations are Urbanspoon (if you don’t want to make a decisions about where to eat it will choose for you or show you what’s closest to your current location), Yelp, and TripAdvisor Hotels Flights Restaurants. Six Ashland restaurants currently let you book reservations using OpenTable (listed as a subset under Portland).

• Travel apps come in every variety imaginable. My TSA gives all the latest security restrictions on carry on and checked baggage. Whether you’re flying or dropping off/picking up someone at the airport, flight info is at your fingertips with Kayak, GateGuru by Mobility Apps and SeatGuru by TripAdvisor. For convenient airport check-in and an electronic boarding pass, nearly every airline has their own custom app, many of which integrate with Passbook. Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder finds local, state, and federal parks anywhere in the US. MyAshland is a fledgling app with a very limited scope, but it has some great community links. If you’re a AAA member, they have an app with all the info from their travel books and maps. Although it’s not technically an app, TripCheck has a mobile version of their website with road info for all of Oregon at m.tripcheck.com. And whether at home or on the road, no driver can afford to be without GasBuddy anymore.

I could do a whole entry on the apps I use for teaching and practicing, and another on games. Perhaps another day.