6 Top iPhone Apps for Voracious Readers

By Linsey Knerl (from Wise Bread) on June 3, 2010

Read any good books lately? Maybe you're actually reading MORE since you've gotten that new smart phone? We've got a few super apps designed to help you read more on the go, get more from the text you do read, and make each juicy word more enriching.

GoodReads
Platform: iPhone
Cost: Free

A mobile companion to one of the top social networking sites for the voracious reader, GoodReads free app does so much, it's tempting to spend all day using it (and not get any real reading done.) Users can access their GoodReads.com online account to do all the things they would normally do at the website (explore your friend's bookshelves, add status updates on the books you're reading, etc.), as well as view thousands of book reviews on popular titles. If your identity is firmly tied into where you're at on that next great book, this app is the perfect way to track your progress - and let the world know about it!

GRE and GMAT Vocabulary Builder
Platform: iPhone
Cost: $4.99

Let's face it. Sometimes, it's necessary to expand our reading lists, despite our vocabulary remaining a bit stagnant. Designed to assist students facing the vocab portion of the GRE and GMAT tests, the Vocab Builder app by AccelaStudy can assist anyone looking to beef up their word bank with just a few minutes here and there. With full pronunciations and definitions for 600 of the most commonly-used words on both tests, it's ideal for those who wish to fully master the English language. (There is also a lower-level app for those who may not be ready for this particular version.) You can now quiz your way to better speaking - and reading - before diving head first into that classic advanced novel that's been scaring you off!

SnapTell
Platform: iPhone, Android
Cost: Free

Book lovers are often book buyers. Why not get more text for the money by guaranteeing that you can find most any book at the lowest price from your smart phone? SnapTell is a free app that uses the camera function on your phone to "capture" the cover of a book (as well as any CD, DVD, or video game), and then tells you prices for a number of sellers that offer it. The best feature of this app is that is doesn't limit price searches to the most popular online sellers that we already know to search; it also hits up local shops to give you immediate satisfaction for whatever book you're jonesing for! (New updates now include book reviews and product listings for the UK.)

Local Books
Platform: iPhone
Cost: Free

This nifty search tool from book experts LibraryThing.com gives you a geographic report to all things bookish! Search for bookstores, libraries, book fairs, and clubs - either by distance or by name. If you're a big fan of author events and book signings, this is the app to download. And if you're traveling to a strange city, it can alert you to "hidden" book shops you won't find in the official travel guides.

Kindle App
Platform: iPhone, Blackberry
Cost: Free

What roundup of reading apps would be complete without mentioning the free app that completely redefines reading on the go? The Kindle app turned everyone with a smartphone into an on-the-go reader, and it's still one of the most popular apps being downloaded today. What makes it so appealing? In addition to giving those of us without the budget for a $200+ e-reader a way to check out new content while in the back of a cab, it offers access to hundreds of free titles ranging from brand new ebooks to literary classics. If you don't already have this app, you're missing a brilliant opportunity to expand your world!

Tales2Go
Platform: iPhone
Cost: Free for 30 days, then $24.99 per year

Kids enjoy audio books just as much as adults (or at least they could, if we'd give them the opportunity). The streaming audio service Tales2Go offers a wide range of audio stories appropriate for kids aged 3 to pre-teen, and they are accessible at the touch of a button! Choose from short stories that will be new to you (Cool in School, for example) or longer, more popular titles (Diary of a Wimpy Kid). With the free 30-day trial, you can decide how much use you'll get out of the service before you buy. With summer vacation sentencing parents to hours of bored kids on road trips, however, a literary reprieve may be well worth the $25 annual price tag.

[Headline Photo Credit: iStock]

What's your take on high-tech reading? Do you have an app that keeps you well-read and up-to-date on the newest titles?

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Linsey Knerl is the Community Manager for Wise Bread, a community dedicated to helping folks live large on a small budget. She loves savvy tech solutions that help her share the world with her children.

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