10 best free Apple apps

Apple has plenty of built-in apps in its iPhones and iPads that make your life easier, but if you take a quick visit to the iTunes App Store, you know there's more fun to be had.

But which apps should you get? Back in June, Apple announced that there are now 1.2 million apps available for download in the App Store. That's a lot of information to sift through, but it isn't the only obstacle.

You also don't want to break the bank filling up on apps. Fortunately, while there are a handful of expensive apps in the App Store, I'm a fan of the saying "the best things in life are free," and there are plenty of free apps to be had.

In other words, I've got you covered. I know what you want and what you need at the best price possible - free. From photo editors to fun games and useful resources, here are the 10 best apps you have to have on your Apple gadget.

1. PHOTOSHOP

The word "Photoshop" is synonymous with photo editing. So much so, that it's basically a verb now. The cost and complexity of the software made it impractical for many average users - that is until Adobe made Photoshop Express a free app.

The app brings what you would expect from Photoshop: Strong photo editing capabilities paired with easy sharing. What are you waiting for? Click here to get started with Photoshop Express.

Note: These apps might require to play around with them a bit before you get the hang of it, but once you learn, you'll be happy you put in the time and effort.

2. 5-0 RADIO POLICE SCANNER

Want to know what's really going on in your town? A police scanner can do the trick, but you don't need any extra hardware.

5-0 Radio Police Scanner is one of the most popular downloads in the App Store. It's been in the top 100 most downloaded apps since 2009 and has more than 20 million users.

That's because it's loaded with emergency and ham radio feeds from around the world. You can browse feeds by country, state or city, and save or share your favorites. This app includes a handy reference guide for police, EMS, fire and military codes so you know what's going on.

3. SHAZAM

We've all been there. There's a song playing in a restaurant and you just can't remember the name of it, or who sings it. You can ask your friends, but what if they don't know the answer either?

It's time to pull out Shazam, a must-have app for music lovers. Instead of asking friends, or typing in easily misunderstood lyrics to Google, simply hold your phone up to the music source and tap Tag. Shazam will then identify the name of the song, its artist and the name of the album. Wow!

Note: Apple has a habit of turning popular apps into features. With that in mind,Apple could be integrating Shazam software into the newest version of Siri as well as in an upcoming version of iTunes, making Shazam a built-in app much like Flashlight and Maps.

4. GOOGLE TRANSLATE 

One of the biggest obstacles to travel is the language barrier. I've often wished for the universal translator from Star Trek. Amazingly, we're almost there.

The free Google Translate app can translate 80 languages. That covers the Americas, the Caribbean, Europe, much of Asia, major African dialects, the Middle East and even countries in the South Pacific like Indonesia.

The app is very versatile. You can speak, type or hand write a phrase and then choose the language to translate to. The app does require an Internet connection, so if you are traveling abroad, make sure you have a working data plan or a Wi-Fi connection. Find free Wi-Fi anywhere with this cool app.

5. MEDSCAPE FROM WEBMD

Your health isn't something to take lightly. Maybe you can't sleep at night, have a persistent stomach ache, or have a cough that won’t go away. You want to make sure it isn't anything serious, so grab the Medscape app from WebMD.

Unlike most symptom-checking services, Medscape is a resource for doctors, nurses, med students and other medical professionals around the country. Medscape gives you access to the latest medical news, important journal articles, FDA announcements and more.

You can look up drugs and their dosing information, use medical calculators and information on health plans. Its database contains information on more than 4,400 diseases and more than 600 drugs in its drug reference center. Better yet, this information has been authored, reviewed and edited by experts in their respective fields.

Note: This app does not replace the diagnosis or opinion of a real doctor. Find a good doctor in your area using this app. 

6. KINDLE

Not everyone wants to spend money on an e-reader when they already have a computer, smartphone and/or tablet. That's fine because you don't actually need a Kindle to read e-books.

Just load up the Kindle app on your iPhone or iPad and the entire Amazon e-book marketplace is available. Even better, you can load the app on multiple gadgets. So when you switch from a tablet to a desktop, or your Kindle to a smartphone, you never lose your place. The Kindle app even transfers annotations and highlights you've made.

7. YELP

I love going out and exploring. I often travel for work and when I want to find a great place to eat, shop, relax or explore, one of the services I use is Yelp. It's is a handy user-generated guide to local restaurants and attractions. With the Yelp app, you can read reviews no matter where you are. There are more than 50 million reviews on businesses across the entire world!

Find businesses based on distance from you, price, neighborhood, or what's open. Read customer reviews and download daily deals. Make restaurant reservations through OpenTable, right from the app.

8. BATTERY DOCTOR

Does it seem like your phone or tablet's battery always dies at the most inconvenient time? It's downright frustrating, and it's happened to all of us. That's why the newly updated and redesigned Battery Doctor is such a handy tool to have.

Sure, these handy tips and tricks to save battery life help, but to pull them off, you need to know what's hogging the power.

Not only does it tell you how much juice your gadget has left, it offers dozens of power-saving tips and tricks, too. For example, it monitors your phone to see which apps are burning up your battery life. That makes it easy to get rid of or turn off power-hogging apps you don't need or use.

9. FLEKSY

If you have a hard time with the conventional smartphone keyboard, this may be the app for you.

Fleksy replaces your phone's regular keyboard and gives you much more room for error than the standard keyboards. Just type in the words and swipe to the right to add a space. It's that simple!

To change a word or punctuation, just swipe down. If you want to add punctuation, swipe right again after a space.

Fleksy even has the option to become invisible. You can still type on the invisible keyboard and watch Fleksy predict your message. It's not magic, but it will certainly look like it. You have to try it to believe it!

10. BONUS: MORE GAMES THAN YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH

We all love playing games on our gadgets. It's so easy to get addicted (click here to find out why) but finding the perfect game sometimes takes a little digging. Some of the most popular games in the App Store include the Angry Birds series, Candy Crush and 2048, but there's more.

Family Feud is fun for the whole family, Elevate is a fun brain game that exercises your brain, or you can try out 100 Balls, Match the Dots, and Piano Tiles. All have sat at #1 on the iTunes charts, so you know they must be fun.

Want even more fun and addicting games to play? Be sure to check out my app center for more fun games than you can shake a stick at.