In celebration of the App Store's 5th anniversary, I'm writing this here's blog entry. So why TOP 15? Because TOP 10 is too mainstream! And yes, I can't narrow my favorites down to just 10 because I have tons of apps! While I admit to having jailbroken a couple of my iPhones in the past, I never did it because I wanted to get my hands on (paid) apps without paying for them. It was mainly for the SB Settings and of course, Cydia, WinterBoard themes, Bytafont, and customized ringtones/text tones. Having said that, let me just say that I do buy apps and I think I have spent well over $50 purchasing apps from the Appstore and via iTunes. Some apps I even paid for TWICE! How so? It's because I actually have 2 Apple IDs, one shared between our iPads (PH account) and the one for my iPhone (US account because I primarily use iTunes cards for purchases). Sometimes I forget I already bought an app with the other account and I end up buying it AGAIN with the other one. Ugh. What an airhead!

Back in 2009 when I got my iPhone 3GS, I created my Tumblr account for it to become "THE DIARY OF MALLORY". Mallory, being the name of my first iPhone. Ahem. I do give names to my gadgets, as you may already know. Initially, I wanted to create a photo journal with pictures taken by the iPhone. Suffice (it) to say, I'm a big fan of iPhoneography and so it's a given that a large number of my paid apps are cameras and photo editors. Although in the recent months, I've also purchased many games and education apps for the little NoodleLito. (I'll be posting a list of those at my M.O.M. blog!)

Low light shot captured by an iPhone 3GS in early 2010. Not bad!!!

Anyways, I've contemplated (and deeeply!) about making the switch to Android especially when HTC One joined the race. I was this close to getting it over upgrading to the iPhone 5 instead. Obviously, the Apple fangirl in me was screaming her head off and I couldn't shut her up. All bets off and it was game over. And so from the 3GS to the iPhone 4 and 4S and eventually succumbing to the 5. And I know, in just a few months I'll probably get the 5S/6 or whatever it will be called, mainly because of iOS7 and the amaaaazing features and updates it brings. People say it's not very innovative or "new" because it looks Android-y or Metro-ish. However, if you've got lots of paid apps that you know will be greatly benefiting from this major update, then you won't be jumping ship anytime soon either. And I can't wait to see what it lets me do with the iPad.

At Sabin Resort Hotel, taken by an iPhone 3GS

Also taken at Sabins Resort Hotel by an iPhone 4

Another shot at Sabin Resort Hotel using an iPhone 4S

Photo above was recently shot at Sabin's over the weekend with the iPhone 5.

Note: Every time I get or upgrade to a new iPhone, I always backup and restore my data so it's really great to have had apps from the start and having witnessed their developments through updates. Kudos to the developers! Oooh, I really wish there was a "proper" computer/IT school here so I could become one myself. #OhWell #DreamOn

OK, OK. Apple fangirl mode OFF. Let's get to my TOP 15 favorite PAID apps which has made my journey to the world of iPhoneography a real joyride.

1. HIPSTAMATIC or OGGL  - You're not a real iPhoneographer if you don't have these apps methinks. The ability to change the lens, film, and flash to capture a beautiful photo is priceless. And now with OGGL joining in the fun, everything is just so so so much better!



2. PICFRAME / DIPTIC  / PHOTOSHAKE - Essentially, they're all collage makers. (Hello, Instagram!) They function the same but I still purchased all three. Bite me. Tee hee.




4. CAMERA+  or PROCAMERA  - Both of these full featured cameras can very well replace the iPhone's built-in one. These offer a whole lot more! From stabilization, timer, effects, exposure, and other features a camera ought to have. Although the new camera in iOS7 that I'm hearing from the rumor mill is pretty damn good. So we'll see about that. For now, why don't you try these two instead?

5. SQUAREADY PRO  - Instagrammers love this. I, myself, don't like taking photos using the built-in camera in IG so the tendency is I would have to crop most of my photos taken from my favorite camera app before I could post them on IG. This app does the job fine in turning your photo taken from another app to a square format with a white background. It even exports directly to IG without needing to save on the Camera Roll.

6. SNAPSEED or ADOBE PHOTOSHOP TOUCH - For enthusiasts and pro photographers, these apps will really allow you to produce professional-looking photos just by using the iPhone. It's amazing how powerful these apps can be and let you play with your photos and tweak it until you get the brightness, contrast, saturation, white balance, sharpness etc. just the way you like it. These are photo editors in my iPhone that I just can't imagine being without.

7. NIGHTCAP or KITCAM - Nightcap is an app I use to shoot photos of my son while he's sleeping. Our room is very dimly lit but my night shots are really good because of this app. I also use Kitcam to shoot at night because it has the option or a slider that lets me adjust the exposure and white balance of my camera. However, I just learned that KitCam has been pulled out from the App Store recently since the developers, Ghostbird Software, was bought (by Yahoo!?). That sucks! Because it is one of the best apps out there! You can change lenses and films with it, too! It's like Hipstamatic/OGGL for beginners. So much fun to play with even if you are in a hurry to take a photo. Let's hope it shows up again in the App Store soon!


8. iANONYMIZE - Using mosaic to blur out details and protect your privacy is very important when the need arises and this app does the job extremely well. If you're one of those people with stuff to hide, well, you probably can't live without this one! :)


9. COMIC BOOK! - Let the creative juices flow. You must download this if you are a fan of making comics out of your photos! This is what I use to create comics of my NoodleLito.


10. iWATERMARK - If you're big on copyrighting your intellectual properties, this app is for you. Or if you just want to add some text to all your photos easily, download this app if you haven't already.



11. BIG LENS - It was NoodleBoy who found this app and said he wanted to buy it because you can adjust the aperture of your photos AFTER it has been taken. And of course, as a fan of blurred backgrounds, I gave the GO signal to purchase it! It also lets you do more tweaking to your photos until you're satisfied with the results. Check it out!


12. PERFECTLY CLEAR - Using an iPhone at night can be a challenge and if the built-in LED flash is not enough, there's always an app to remedy that. This is what Perfectly Clear is for. Night shots can be edited to become better with this app so I suggest you get it if you're big on taking photos at night or indoors.


13. 360 PANORAMA or AUTOSTITCH PANORAMA - For awesome panorama photos, you'll need this. The 360 Panorama app lets you shoot it in 3D and they'll upload it to their site/server where you can view it and feel like you're really there on the scene. The Autostitch Panorama is also one of the easiest panorama apps that let's you shoot bigger sized panorama and not just what you see on the horizon, if you get what I mean. If not, just download it. You won't regret it. :)



14. PATH ON - SWIPE TO TYPE / A BEAUTIFUL MESS PLUS / TYPIC PRO / OVER - All these apps allow you to add texts on your photos plus more. So many cool fonts included (you can even add/install your own!) as well as doodles and stickers. For me, these make photos even more interesting and let a picture paint, or in this case, say a thousand words.


15. PHOTOSYNC - Honestly, I don't see the need to get anything more than a 16gb iPhone because I don't listen to much music anymore. So before I fill up all the space with photos, I would need to transfer them to my computer. I really don't like to use iTunes for that because it's so tedious to do so. This is where PhotoSync comes in and it is heavent sent! I can even share photos between all my iDevices. Very convenient when I want to steal photos from Noodle Boy's device and upload them as my own! LOL



Now you may be wondering, "Why buy those apps when you can find alternative ones which are FREE and work just as well?" First, I don't like seeing those ADS on my apps. Second, I would like to support the developers, being a frustrated one myself. And third, because I'm an Apple fangirl. LOL. Heck, don't tell me you can buy an iPhone, but can't afford just a dollar or more for an app!?? Come on, people. Don't be cheapskates. These app developers have families and mouths to feed, too. And it's an honest living if you ask me. So let's support them!

Alright, what are you waiting for? Download these apps NOW! If you're lucky, they may be FREE today! You can click on the names of the apps in the list above to download directly from the App Store if you're on your iDevice. Just click the names or the download buttons and it'll go to your iTunes App Store.

If you don't have a credit card to use, you can apply for a SMART MONEY Mastercard, BPI's My ePrepaid Mastercard, Globe's GCASH Amex card or NTRUST Mastercard. These are debit/prepaid cards so it's 100%  approved. That's it for now and if you guys want to me to do any other TOP 5, 10 or 15 lists, do let me know in the comments section and I'll be happy to oblige. ;)





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