Because the iPhone doesn’t allow for any type of app management or folder system, you are relegated to prioritizing your favorite apps on the first screen. Although I rearrange often, here is my current home screen.
You’ll notice I don’t have many of the pre-loaded apps left on the first screen. I’ve actually moved several of them to the last screen, which for me is screen six. So until the iPhone is pressured by Droid sales to add an app management system, among other things, the home screen is the best option.
Obviously, the most used apps get top priority. The bottom grey row is available on all screens, so that’s where the top 4 go. By default, the iPod app resides here, but thanks to a double tap home button shortcut, I can free up a slot. So with the remaining 4 spots, I have access to the phone (I know, imagine using the phone as a phone), SMS, the Internet, and email.
Since I navigate with thumbs, I work from the bottom up. I attempt to keep similar apps in the same row. I have my three main social networking apps first, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, followed by one of my favorite all around programs, Evernote.
The next row up is app light, with a homescreen bookmark for Google.com (I prefer it over the Google app, as outside of voice search, everything launches in Safari anyway), the phones settings, Midomi, and Sportacular. Midomi is an incredibly fast song recocgnition app, and Sportacular is a great app for sports scores.
Nearing the top are a two newcomers to my home screen – Instapaper and reQall. Instapaper is a handy program that stores web pages you clip from your web browser for reader later. As long as you sync the app while you are on wi-fi or a cell signal, you can read the pages offline. reQall is a great program covered in more detail here. The last two are fairly self explanatory in Google Maps, and the Weather Channel app. Having said that, Google Maps was made much more useful with the addition of a compass on the 3G S. I know, it sounds absurd, but having a compass really upgrades the GPS functionality of the map program for walking or driving.
Lastly, I’ve kept the App Store, and Calendar (syncing with google calendar) on top, along with the Camera and vlingo. I’ve moved the photo library away from the main screen since I can get to it through the camera app. Finally, vlingo is an app that allows you to search the internet, google maps, and your contacts, as well as update your Twitter and Facebook status ALL by voice. It is surprisingly accurate.
So that’s my home screen as it stands today. How about you? What apps do you keep on your home screen?
