I was asked about what exactly is on that short list of iPhone applications I use. In no particular order:

I Love Katamari

Just what it sounds like: iPhone Katamary Damacy. On the one hand, the motion control is frustrating and the game is one of the few to ever make me feel motion-sick. On the other, I now have Katamari with me whenever I am stuck in the Boston T!

Remote

Control your iTunes library from anywhere in your house through WiFi. I recommend using it to surprise your friends with unexpected dramatic music when they come over.

Sudoku

See above comments about the MBTA, and being stuck

Boomshine

Ditto… addictive, addictive game, with pretty sound effects.

Brushes and Colors!

Drawing applications. I like neither of them as much as I liked Colors! in its Nintendo DS incarnation, but that may just be because I don’t have a stylus for my phone.

TouchTerm

SSH terminal. Free. ‘Nuff said.

Pandora

Pandora internet radio, in a form where I actually use it!

FlyCast

Similar to Pandora: Stream internet radio channels through cell connection. Best of all, the music runs in Safari so you can background it and use the FlyCast browser to surf without interrupting your groove.

Flashlight

It seems stupid, but I’ve used this application to find my keys in the dark, entertain my friends with the strobing light modes, and wave traffic away from black ice with a flashing warning pattern. Very handy.

In other news, Jason Rohrer’s high-concept game Passage is now available for the iPhone for $0.99. A computer version is available for free. The Penny Arcade blog also reported a while back that Crayon Physics is out for the phone… although Penny Arcade have also roundly criticized the little iPhone for its delusions of being a viable gaming platform.