One of the best things about the iPhone is that it has a huge and ever-growing database of applications that you can buy or download for free.  These apps do a great job of taking full advantage of the powerful piece of hardware that is the iPhone, and it also helps you get the most out of your phone, enhancing its functionality and flexibility.  In this segment, we will go over some of the best pieces of software that we found for the iPhone this week.

Autopark

So you park your car along the sidewalk, put a couple coins into the parking meter, and go along your merry way to get done whatever it is you have to do.  An hour later, you return to your car only to find a parking ticket clamped under your windshield wiper.  Fifty dollars for being a couple of minutes late to your car and the meter that's running beside it.  Autopark is a handy little app that will help you avoid such situations.  Basically, this app keeps track of the time left on your meter, allowing you to set alarms at various times to remind you of your running meter.  You can also use the app to set the location of your car through the app's built-in GPS functions.  To be more precise, you can set the parking level and parking slot of your car to help you find your parking spot after a long day at the mall or any other place with a multi-level parking structure.  Finally, you can also use this app to find nearby public restrooms, banks, gas stations, and other services.  There are a bunch of other features in this practical app, but you better be ready to cough up $5.00 for it.

Sling Player Mobile

Sling Player Mobile is one of the more expensive applications in the app store, selling for about $30, but it's an app that packs quite a punch.  With Sling Player Mobile, you can use your iPhone to connect to a Slingbox machine, such as the SOLO, PRO, or PRO-HD.  The app makes use of either Wi-Fi or 3G to connect to your Slingbox, then the app streams whatever is playing on your Slingbox to your iPhone.  You can even use the app to control your digital video recorder, change channels on the Slingbox, and control video sources such as satellite boxes, cable boxes, IPTV boxes, basic cable TV, Apple TV, Tivo, home security cameras, and digital Over-the-Air broadcasts.

Plants vs. Zombies

For those who love using their iPhone as a gaming machine, Plants vs. Zombies is an addictive, fun, and easy-to-learn tower defense game that will have you playing for hours on end.  Basically, you build flowers as towers to defend against the incoming hordes of zombies.  At just $3, this game is a steal.

The mobile operating system known as Android has taken the world by storm.  The Android operating system has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a project by the startup company Android Inc.  Today, Android is owned by Google and it has become a big name among consumers who want a flexible, functional, and highly customizable mobile operating system for their mobile phones.  Here are five free Android apps that you might want to give a try:

1.  For gamers -  NESoid

This little application is a treat to all of those gamers who want to get their games on the go.  NESoid is an Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) emulator, which means it can run digital versions (ROMs) of NES games.  If you want to unlock extra features, you just have to pay $3, but you can still play games with the free version.

2.  For IM lovers -  Fring

If you love staying online and keeping in contact with your friends, relatives, co-workers, and the rest of the instant messaging world, then you should grab Fring.  This peer-to-peer Mobile VoIP application allows you to talk and chat with most of the instant messaging and Internet telephony networks.  Some of the networks you can use include Yahoo Messenger, Windows Live Messenger, MSN Messenger, AIM, Google Talk, ICQ, Skype, and SIP providers.  Fring allows you to stay connected while your on the go.

3.  For the proudly productive -  Documents To Go

If you want the ability to edit your documents on your Android-powered mobile phone, then Documents To Go is the best answer.  This application allows you to view, edit, and even create documents such as Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files.  The free version gives you access to features for viewing, editing, and creating Microsoft Word and Excel files.  Premium features include support for PowerPoint and PDF files.

4.  For tinkerers -  Astro

If you are a tinkerer who likes to see all the files, processes, and tasks on your phone, then Astro is a great application for you.  This app allows you to view, copy, cut, paste, delete, or move files on your phone and any storage card you have in the phone.  Astro can read zip or tgz files, as well as backup and restore many of your public applications.  This handy app also allows you to send files as attachments, view and kill open tasks, and take full control over your phone.

5.  For multimedia junkies -  FxCamera

Anyone who loves taking photos with their mobile will love the FxCamera app.  This free application gives you various effects so you can make the most of your phone's built-in camera.  Some of the effects that FxCamera can give you include normal, Warhol, SymmetriCam, Fisheye, Polaroid, and ToyCam.