Every week a few of us from team TiPb will bring you our current favorite, most fun and useful App Store apps, WebApps, jailbreak apps, even the occasional accessory, web site, or desktop app if the mood strikes us. As long as they’re iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch related, they’re fair game.

To see what we picked, and to tell us your pick, follow on after the break!

GTA 3 – @chrisoldroyd

I don't play many games on my iPad however the release of GTA 3 has got me hooked. I used to play this a few years back on my PS2 and PSP; so hearing it was now available for iOS, I just had to get it.

The game plays amazingly well, the graphics are true to the original PS2 version; which in my opinion is some feat on a 9.7" handheld device. The key to the success with games like these on the iPad is the controls system. Rockstar appears to have this just right, even I can control things and that's saying something. All in all this game is streets ahead of anything else that I have played on my iPad, it is utterly brilliant!

• $4.99 – App Store link

Action Movie FX - @Alli_Flowers

JJ Abrams is nothing short of brilliant. I love his movies and tv shows, and now his iPhone app - Action Movie FX. Meant to highlight the explosive effects used in his latest endeavor, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, it gives you the ability to...well...blow things up.

Action Movie FX leverages the camera in your iPhone (or iPad 2), and allows you to take live footage and then apply an explosive effect. The app comes with a missile and a car roll. I'm not crazy about the car effect as it has limited use. The missile, on the other hand, is very practical, and kept me incredibly entertained on Christmas eve as we drove around the neighborhood looking at all the festively decorated yards. "Stop here!" I would shout, and my brother would pull over. "I want to blow up that yard!" I'm sure the neighbors were tickled to death that we were spending so much time admiring and photgraphing their displays. If they only knew....

You can purchase two additional effects packages, one of which I got for $.99 that includes a fire (gun) fight and an air strike. If you ever wanted to direct expensive movies with huge special effects (or just wanted to blow things up), I highly recommend Action Movie FX.

• Free - App Store link

Batman: Arkham City Lockdown - @reneritchie

I'm not a huge fan of Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins and Dark Knight movies. He simply doesn't understand the core of the character (nor is he capable of producing good endings.) Bruce Wayne doesn't dress up as Batman. Batman isn't his secret identity. He is Batman. It's Bruce Wayne that he dresses up as; that's his secret identity. And it's his job to save everyone, from the citizens of Gotham to the Joker to Ras Al Ghul. It's his job to make sure no one ever dies the way his parents died, not ever again. It's those simple, essential truths that Frank Miller nailed so transformative-ly in Dark Knight Returns in the 1980s and Paul Dini and Bruce Timm realized perhaps best of all, detective and all, in Batman: The Animated in the 1990s, that Tim Burton touched on though ultimately stumbled all over in his attempt at the Batman franchise, and that Nolan missed completely, despite the great acting and production values of his soon-to-be completed trilogy.

There's nothing wrong with Gotham that Batman can't fix with his brains and his fists. Which brings me, circuitously, to Batman: Arkham City Lockdown, the latest attempt to bring the Batman franchise to video games and the first to hit the iPhone and iPad.

It looks great. It uses the same Epic Unreal 3 engine that powers Infinity Blade, and the designs are modern but true to the spirit of the characters involved. Control is good given the limitations of multitouch, and Batman: Arkham City Lockdown takes pains to walk you through them from the get go. Gameplay is a tad repetitive -- you go from area to fairly similar area and box your way from bad guy to fairly similar bad guy. Early hyper-swiping (is that the multitouch equivalent of button mashing?) quickly stops working, however, as badder guys require more precise counters and attacks, and you need to build your skills if you want to make it past anything other than the early stages.

In general the Arkham series is an extreme take on the Batman -- ultra-violent, with female characters whose, to quote Bill Watterson, powers seem to primarily consist of keeping their costumes from falling completely off. But it's well executed (no doubt thanks to having Paul Dini involved with the franchise), with good atmosphere, and has more than enough to please both longtime Batman fans and those who just want some gritty gaming fun over the holidays.

• $5.99 - App Store link

Golden Axe - @skeetobite

It's retro day as we enter the last day of 2011. My choice for the pick of the week is Golden Axe, by Sega. This is an import of the classic arcade game from the late 1980's. You are a mighty adventurer, trying to save the King and his daughter from the evil Death Adder. Just like the arcade version, you can play as a Gilus Thunderhead, a dwarf; Tyrus Flare, an amazonian; or Ax Battler, a sword wielding barbarian. Pick up food and potions, ride dragons, and of course fight enemies along the way to the main battle to defeat Death Adder. Just like the arcade version, you can play mutliplayer here as well, using bluetooth. There are sequels (Golden Axe II and III) but this game is the real thing from the arcade. For anyone who played this game in the arcade, you MUST pick this game up asap and give it a try.

• $0.99 - App Store link

Bejeweled - @iMuggle

The new version of Bejeweled adds not only more awesome graphics but new game play modes. I've always been hugely addicted to Bejeweled Blitz so I already knew this was a purchase I wasn't going to regret.

The newer version has a Zen mode as well as a diamond mine mode. While one is timed and you have to attempt to blast away the earth and dig deeper, Zen mode is not timed and is just endless gameplay.

If you're a Bejeweled fan, make sure you pick up the new version.

• $0.99 - App Store Link

1Password - @sethclifford

I'm not much of a believer in the usefulness of New Year's Resolutions since many people make grandiose claims they'll never complete and end up feeling terrible about it, but if you make even one this January, make it to be more secure and efficient in your computing life and know outright that you can do it. 1Password is the key to unlocking success with this resolution. I chose it as one of my most-used apps of 2011 this past week (as did many of the TiPb staff), and I can't say enough about it.

It is simply put, my single most valued application on both the Mac and iOS. We've talked about it at least a zillion times on TiPb, so I won't go into everything again. But understand this: I couldn't manage my life, our office, and the feeling of control over the myriad bits of information we all interact with on a daily basis without it. You might look at the prices of the apps and balk, but to me, there's no price I can put on either security or knowing that all the important data I need to access is always at my fingertips. You can always make more money, but you can't get more time, and an app this good is worth your time.

Ok, I'll dial down the hyperbole now. But seriously, if you're not using it, why not? Don't you like making your life easier? Isn't it worth a few bucks to support fantastic software development and simplify things for yourself in the process? I think you know the answer to that. Go forth and learn a new way of living with your tech. Seriously. Go. Now.

• $14.99 for iPhone and iPad - App Store link
• $14.99 for Mac - Mac App Store link

Navigon -- andrewwray

Doing a lot of holiday traveling, and want to make sure you arrive at your destination on time? Or maybe you're going out of town for the New Year, and want to make sure you don't get lost along the way?

I've been using Navigon as my main GPS app all year, and then some. It's one of the best GPS navigation apps available for the iPhone and can even run on the iPad 3G. Navigon provides quick access to Google search, subsequently making it a breeze to search for your desired location (restaurant, gym, grocery store, gas station, whatever) and it also offers in-app purchases for things like 3D terrain mapping in a panoramic view, live traffic and even police radar location information. I'm sure some of you have personal prefecences for other GPS apps, or maybe even prefer a standalone device, but for me, Navigon does the job perfectly.

• $38.99 (North America Only) - App Store Link

Your pick?

You’re part of the team as well, so we will be choosing one reader to make a submission each week! Just look for the announcement on twitter or our Facebook page each weekend for a chance to be picked! In the meantime, jump into the comments and let us know your pick of the week!

It has taken me so long to write up my most used apps of 2011 because - how was I supposed to choose just five apps? However, I've managed to narrow it down. My first home screen page is dedicated to my most used apps. This list isn't in any particular, so here we go!

1Password

I live and breathe this app 24/7. I can't live without it. My entire life is stored within it. It's way more than a password manager to me. 1Password has the best customer support and it's a well designed, easy to use app.

• $14.99 for iPhone and iPad - iTunes link
• $9.99 for iPhone - App Store link
• $9.99 for iPad - App Store link

Echofon Pro for Twitter

I love Twitter but trying to keep up with my timeline was killing me. It wasn't bad when I was only using Twitter via my iPhone. Then I added my iMac to the mix and it got a tad bit more complicated. And, well, I was completely done for once I got an iPad. Echofon is my Twitter app of choice. Echofon had tweet syncing long before other apps and Tweet Marker. Tweet syncing is my number one priority when it comes to any Twitter client. But that's not the only thing I love about Echofon. It's a universal app and it's inline photo/video preview is topnotch! It's not the prettiest Twitter app but it is one of the most function. I'll take function over pretty any day of the week. The Mac app is full of awesome too.

• $4.99 for iPhone and iPad - App Store link

Downcast

Oh how I love this app! This is app is AMAZING! It doesn't get the credit it deserves either. This app does so much. You can customize it as little or as much as you like because it has a TON of features and settings. I'm pretty hardcore when it comes to my podcasts because I'm subscribed to so many. I like to be as efficient as possible so I love how I have control over every feed individually. This app is universal and the iCloud syncing rocks.

• $1.99 for iPhone and iPad - App Store link

iBooks

I still adore this app. The latest update has fixed everything I didn't like when I made iBooks my Pick of the Week many months ago. 'Nuff said!

• Free for iPhone and iPad - App Store link

Reeder

What can I say about this app that hasn't already been said by Rene, Ally, Andrew, and Chris? So I'll just say, "Ditto" but I'll also say the Mac version rocks too.

• $2.99 for iPhone - App Store link
• $4.99 for iPad - App Store link

These are Seth's most used apps of 2011. Others have their own most used apps, but these are Seth's.

Tweetbot

I've come to rely on Twitter for far more than the occasional distraction from my day, and Tweetbot has been the only app to deliver all the features I want in a package I like to look at. With support for TweetMarker syncing between clients, it's become my go-to place for news, conversation, and everything else Twitter has to offer.

• $2.99 - App Store link

Kindle

With a bigger selection than iBooks and a library I can share easily with my wife, the Kindle app is my reader of choice. Kindle delivers apps on almost every other platform you can think of, perfect syncing of reading position, and a simple, clean reading environment of which I never seem to tire.

• Free - App Store link

1Password

Couldn't run the office without it. I store everything in this app: passwords, software licenses, notes, screenshots of web pages - and so on. Absolutely the most indispensable app on my Mac, and always with me on my iPhone.

• $8.99 - App Store Link

Instacast

The winner in the great podcast client war of '11. I've tried almost everything available, and Instacast, though not perfect, is the best client for my needs, which consist of downloading podcasts quickly and playing them with minimal physical interaction required on my part. The addition of iCloud syncing and the appearance of Instacast HD late in the year definitely helped cement its place on my phone.

• $1.99 - iPhone App Store link
• $4. 99 - iPad App Store link

Pandora

This seemingly ancient app (in App Store years) is still one of my favorites. There are a million different music services on iOS, and there's something for everyone. But more often than not, all I want to do is hit play and let the app do the work, and Pandora still works better than most other things for me. Again, my wife and I share an account, so we are always discovering new stuff based on what the other person's given a thumbs-up to, and the removal of the 40-hour free account listening limit is the icing on the cake.

• Free - App Store link

Some of my most-used apps have managed to stay the same year after year, but app updates and new contenders are always finding their way onto my device. While there are tons of great apps in the App Store, these are the apps that currently earn a place on the homescreen of my iPhone or iPad, or even both.

BiteSMS

I can not even express how great of an app BiteSMS is. While iOS 5 made several much needed improvements to the messaging app, I still need my quick reply. I desperately miss this functionality on my iPhone 4S and can't wait for a jailbreak for A5 devices to be released so I can have it back. Until then I'll have to enjoy using it on my iPod touch.

• $9.99 - Cydia Search Link

SBSettings

SBSettings is by far one of the most useful jailbreak tweaks ever created. It's made my list year after year ever since its conception. I realize how much I miss it every single time I have to launch the Settings app on my iPhone 4S just to change the brightness level on my phone or toggle off wi-fi. If you jailbreak and haven't picked up SBSettings, what are you waiting for? It's free.

• Free - Cydia Search Link

Reeder

Reeder has been one of my all time favorite apps on both my iPhone and iPad. While apps like Flipboard are great for casual reading, Reeder allows me to read when I want without missing anything. I can set up options for how many days worth of content I want to see when I load it and know I'm still up to date. More importantly, Reeder is a surprisingly beautiful client for one that provides so much functionality. Often times you see a great UI go bad when too many options are added. Reeder is a shining example of an exception to this rule.

• $4.99 - iPad App Store Link

• $2.99 - iPhone App Store Link

Google Currents

While Reeder is the app I'd turn to when I actually want to sit down and catch up on my news for the day, Currents is the app I turn to when I just want to view headlines or pick and choose what I want to read. It has one of the most beautiful interfaces I've ever seen in a news app and it really is a joy to browse through, especially from the iPad. I think Currents will give Flipboard a run for its money. I actually already prefer it due to blogs being able to customize how their content is presented.

• Free - App Store Link

1Password

1Password has a well-deserved spot on every single device or computer I own. Lets face its, most people are terrible at remembering passwords. We all know it isn't safe to have the same password for everything but who can remember all those passwords? Enter 1Password. Not only does it remember all your passwords or generate impossible to guess random ones for you, it does it across all platforms seamlessly. I have 1Password installed on my iPhone, iPad 2, iPod touch, iMac, and MacBook Pro. Never again will I forget a password or have to worry about not having the one I need nearby. While you can purchase them separately for iPhone and iPad, I suggest picking up the Pro version to cover all your iOS devices. It's currently on sale for the holidays for only $8.99, down from its normal price point of $14.99.

• $8.99 - App Store Link

My most-used apps of 2011 are probably the built in iPhone and iPad Safari browser, Mail client, and anything and everything Siri can now easily and instantly manage for me like Reminders, Calendars, Alarms, etc. But that's mundane, boring, and way too Spock for a list like this. So if I take the defaults off the table and focus only on the App Store fare, here's what I spent most of my time with this year.

Tweetbot

I use Twitter a lot. I try every new client that comes out and I use several at a time for different things. I read a lot in Twitterriffic due to the unified timeline. I still occasionally compose in Birdhouse for things I'm mulling but haven't completed yet. I love just scrolling through Twittelator Neue for the sheer eye candy of it. Instagram is also good for sharing pics to Twitter. But for most of the year I stuck with Twitter for iPhone for my heavy lifting -- checking @mentions and quickly firing off replies. Recently, when Twitter remodeled for what I can only imagine is the new, Britney Spears-following user, I remodeled as well -- to Tweetbot. While it looks significantly different from Loren Brichter's Tweetie, the original basis for Twitter for iPhone, Tweetbot works in a similar enough way that's it become my go-to Twitter app.

Netflix

I've always watched a ton of TV. I leave it on while I work as background noise, and if there's anything that competes with gadgets for my geek love, it's story -- characters through conflict coming to conclusion. Like many others, I cut my cable TV off this year and went all in on apps. I use Air Video to watch almost everything I already have on my hard-drive, automagically transcoding it on the fly and beaming it over AirPlay to my Apple TV. I use a bunch of Canadian TV network apps for watching new shows, namely Global, CTV, and Citytv. Despite their inexplicable spiral into business insanity this year, however, I've been watching more and more Netflix. It's older stuff, but it's a lot of stuff, with no annoying ads, and a lot of complete seasons of shows. In addition to re-watching the best of Buffy and Angel, I've plowed through Mad Men, The Unit, and a bunch of other great shows.

Instacast

I don't listen to as many podcasts as I used to. The more time I spend writing the less time I have to read, and now the more time I spend producing and hosting podcasts means the less time I have to listen and watch them. That's not entirely a bad thing; several of the shows I used to listen have grown to the point where they now seem a tad out of touch with the subjects I enjoyed, or the personalities have somehow decided that interrupting with lame jokes is more important than letting the interesting, informed guest actually finish a sentence. (And yeah, I'm as guilty of all that as the next podcaster -- we often find most annoying in others the traits that we find most annoying in ourselves). But I do have to keep track of all the Mobile Nations shows and make sure all the feeds have the right episodes, all the downloads are working, all the art is showing up, etc. etc. and when I do have time to listen to something like Hypercritical or The Sci-Fi Cast, I use Instacast and now Instacast HD

Reeder

Twitter has replaced a lot of what I used to use RSS for -- finding interesting stuff to read and post about -- but it hasn't replaced everything. I still check RSS daily. I'll use The Early Edition when I want to sip latte and skim the news, or Flipboard when I want to check out a social stream of news. For churning through a ton of feeds, however, Reeder for iPhone and Reeder for iPad are still my workhorses. They sync with Google Reader quickly and the interfaces are nearly frictionless. Anything that's super-interesting gets mailed off or saved to [Instapaper], and I get back to work.

1Password

Whether it's on iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Windows, whenever I'm setting up new a device or computer -- which I do often -- the first thing I do is log into iCloud, then install Dropbox, then install 1Password, and then I'm pretty much done. 1Password hooks into Dropbox to keep all my logins, credit cards, accounts, and other information secure yet easily accessible. It also generates super-strong passwords when I need them. I have to keep track of so many accounts that there's just no way I'd be able to do it without 1Password. Once that's done, I'll get Screens, Skype, and my other go-to utilities up and running.

Since I began using smartphones in 2004, they've become an indispensable part of my daily workflow. When I bought my first iPhone (a 3G in 2008), that workflow changed immensely, and for the better. The wide variety of apps available for the platform and the connected nature of the tools Apple provides make iOS a very compelling choice for managing many aspects of our business.

Systems and Information Management

At Nickelfish, I do a lot of different things, but a large part of my daily routine is maintenance of all our systems, both user desktops and laptops as well as our online accounts, backups, and services. I use a combination of apps to manage all of this easily. 1Password syncing to Dropbox means I have all the information for everyone's accounts as well as software licenses and secure notes at my fingertips. I use Screens to monitor a few different machines via VNC around the office, making sure backups and updates are running and completing, and test machines are still testing the way we need them to. I use a variety of Dropbox-linked text editors to take and refer to notes throughout the day, notably WriteUp and Elements on iOS and nvALT (a Notational Velocity fork by Brett Terpstra) on my MacBook Pro.

Mail, Calendar and Contacts

I'm currently using iCloud for my contacts, personal calendars and a personal email account. But we synchronize our company mail, contacts, and calendars with a Google Apps business account, so we're set up with the standards on everyone's Macs. Apple Mail and iCal run all day, and we all have those accounts hooked into our phones too. We used to run iCal server off of our Xserve internally and had our mail hosted externally, but we made the decision to bring everything together into Google Apps several months ago because of the availability of apps plugging into it. iOS has a ton of different calendar apps that can either sync with Google or with the iOS calendar accounts, as well as apps that tie into Google Docs, so people can choose how they want to hit those services, and there's definitely something for everyone.

After Hours Communication, Tasks and Alternatives

When I'm out of the office, I rely on a few of the iPhone's heavy hitters - Mail and iMessages - to stay in touch, as well as a few fantastic third-party apps. I use Verbs for IM when I'm away from the computer, since work doesn't always stop at 5pm each day, and I've begun using a combination of Captio (see my Pick of the Week) for dropping to-do items in my inbox and the new Reminders app with Siri when I either can't or don't want to use my hands to remember something. I'm currently using WeekCal in place of the iOS default calendar because of a few great calendar views I prefer, but that seems to change on an almost weekly basis (no pun intended).

Ultimately, the best thing about using iOS to keep everything moving is that there are so many choices and so many ways to get things done, I can always switch things up if I get tired of an app or need new features. My 3G use is relatively modest, so I've also recently made the jump from a grandfathered unlimited AT&T data plan to a 4gb Data Pro with tethering, so that I can more easily stay online when we're out at meetings with limited or unavailable wi-fi access, which happens all too often. Hopefully this allows me some more freedom as I continue to rely on iOS to make all the things I'm currently juggling stay in the air.

Every week a few of us from team TiPb will bring you our current favorite, most fun and useful App Store apps, WebApps, jailbreak apps, even the occasional accessory, web site, or desktop app if the mood strikes us. As long as they’re iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch related, they’re fair game.

To see what we picked, and to tell us your pick, follow on after the break!

LIFE for iPad - @sethclifford

I love photography, and in particular, photos that transport me to other times and depict life as it used to be. I'm fascinated by our changes as a culture, and always love comparing what we see now to the way things looked decades ago. I completely stumbled onto LIFE for iPad this week, and instantly fell in love with it, tweeting out how great it was. I've been spending a lot of time with the app this week, and I'm still enjoying it immensely.

Life magazine has been a staple of photojournalism for almost a century now, and has gone through some transitions in that time. But one thing that hasn't changed is the incredible quality of the images it brings to readers. The iPad app is a wonderful way to browse some of these libraries, both from the past and present. Much of the app focuses on current events and color photography, but for me where it really shines is with the historical archives you can page through. I spent hours poring over pictures of New York City from the 30s-50s, and gazing at pictures from the 1939 World's Fair and the construction of the Empire State Building. The captions and the summaries for each picture provide a little more insight into the moment of capture, and allow you to really immerse yourself in the scenes.

There are, unfortunately, some jarringly intrusive ads that sit within the photo sets, but you can skip them easily enough. I would really prefer if the ad content was served some other way, because it takes you out of the frame of mind in which you're viewing the content, but for now it's not so annoying that it would prevent me from using the app. There are also some sharing functions (email, Facebook, Twitter) if you want to post photos or tell friends about the app.

If you're a student of history (and you should be) and appreciate great photography, it's worth the few minutes to download. I can see this being a "must-install" whenever I restore or change my iPad out in the future.

[Free - App Store link]

Frogger Decades – @chrisoldroyd

I am showing my age here but I remember the original game and used to play it in the arcades when I was young. Anyway to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original, Konami has released Frogger Decades. It follows a similar theme to the original game but is much more colorful and has a more varied back drop than the original. It has loads of levels and even carries Game Center support!

It does look beautiful and is one of those games that you pick up instantly and enjoy forever. It is only $1.99 in the App Store so stop messing about and go and get it. It's pure gold!

[$1.99 - App Store Link]

Tangled - @Alli_Flowers

I'm not a big game player, and I hate games with a soundtrack that distracts me. I stumbled onto Tangled, which is normally $.99, but the developer is giving it away for a limited time. It's minimalistic (no soundtrack - yay!), simple, beautiful, and neither too simple nor frustrating.

The object is to untangle the lines by grabbing the round handles and moving them around. Of course, the tangles become increasingly difficult, but not impossible. You won't "die" if you don't untangle them inside 60 seconds, and you can always reset and start over if you get things more tangled than they were when you started.

This is a peaceful brain exercise that you can catch onto quickly. Go get it while it's still free!

[Free - App Store link]

1Password (Mac App Store edition) - @reneritchie

1Password has just hit the Mac App Store. Repeat, 1Password has just hit the Mac App Store. This is not a drill. Deploy. Deploy. Dep... What, too over the top?

Listen, there's a few things I do whenever I install or re-install a Mac. I a) Type in my Apple ID and start syncing down my Preferences, Keychains, etc. (which iCloud won't be doing in the near future, frakdammit), b) install Dropbox and start syncing my home directory, including the library I'll use to, c) install 1Password.

And then I'm most of the way done.

Now if you bought 1Password directly from AgileBits in the past, you might hesitate on buying it again via the Mac App Store. Don't. It's on sale for $20 and comes with a free upgrade to 1Password 4 when it launches.

If it was any more of a no-brainer, it'd be negative brained. Seriously. Especially because it's also available for iPhone and iPad as a universal app, and Windows if you swing that way (or both ways). It also plugs into Safari, Chrome, Firefox, etc. to autofill your password hassles away.

There's supposed to be a continual conflict between security and convenience. 1Password does a great job of mediating that conflict. It lets you have gnarly, strong, pseudo-random passwords without having to remember them.

Get it now.

[$19.99 - Mac App Store link]

Your pick?

You’re part of the team as well, so we will be choosing one reader to make a submission each week! Just look for the announcement on twitter or our Facebook page each weekend for a chance to be picked! In the meantime, jump into the comments and let us know your pick of the week!

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Marc, Seth, and Rene iterate through the Grid UI, Adobe’s new Muse, ellipses in app names, exporting hundreds of images, Retina graphics for iPad 3, and new Foursquare and LinkedIn looks, and talk with Dan V. Peterson of 1Password maker AgileBits. This is Iterate!

• Show notes

Passwords are an important part of having an online presence. I always tell friends and family that you should never ever have the same password for all of your accounts. (Do they listen? Probably not.) Either way, having the same password means if someone gets hold of one of your accounts, they could potentially have access to all of them. Having separate passwords is the best idea but then comes keeping track of all of them. Apps like 1Password and DataVault set out to solve that problem.

I took a look at both of these popular password management apps and pitted them against each other. Follow along to see which one came out on top!

Management & Syncing

When it comes to password management, I want to have easy access to my passwords regardless where I'm at. Both of these apps seem to provide that. Both 1Password and DataVault have iOS apps, desktop apps, and syncing services. So if you need to reinstall your desktop client or iOS client, you won't have to re-enter all your passwords.

I'll have to give the edge to DataVault on this one simply for the fact that they offer many more ways to sync your data than 1Password does. 1Password currently offers wifi syncing and syncing with Dropbox. DataVault offers the same but also offers syncing with MobileMe, iTunes file sharing, ad-hoc, and sync servers such as Box.net. So if you don't feel comfortable syncing with Dropbox or over wifi, DataVault may be a good option.

Features and control

Both apps have tons of features. You can create any kind of entry imaginable from logins, credit card accounts, bank accounts, and more. The desktop clients also offer a ton of profile options to auto-fill forms. Even though we are talking about the iOS version of these apps, I think it's still important to talk about their desktop counterparts since they do work together for one single solution.

In my testing, both seemed efficient and did their job well. Feature-wise they're about even.

Interface and ease of use

I'm the type of person that doesn't want to spend an hour learning to use an app before actually being able to utilize it. (I'm a Mac user for a reason!) I somewhat felt this way while using DataVault. The interface felt uncoordinated and clunky. I had to figure out what exactly I was supposed to put in each field and a lot of times, I was entering things in the wrong fields. DataVault is definitely a powerful application but I just felt as though entering information was a task in itself.

1Password seems a lot simpler. Entering a login or password is easy and doesn't require much work. I also like that I can set two passwords. One being a 4 digit number and the other being a master. I can easily require a master on sensitive passwords and only a 4 digit code for passwords that aren't so sensitive. I use the 4 digit code option on things like forum passwords or membership passwords that don't have any financial data attached. It allows me to access those passwords much quicker.

From a user experience standpoint, I much prefer using 1Password.

Pricing

DataVault and 1Password for the iPhone are both $9.99 at regular price. The desktop clients will vary. As of now, DataVault for Mac and Windows is on sale for $9.95 (regular price is $19.95). 1Password for Mac and Windows is a bit steeper as it starts at $39.99 and goes up from there if you'd like to purchase bulk or family licenses. The setup was a bit easier on the desktop version of 1Password opposed to DataVault.

Conclusion

When it comes down to it, DataVault may be a cheaper all-in-one solution if you want a complete password management solution but 1Password is definitely just as appealing. For me, I prefer the ease of use of 1Password over DataVault. Some users may want to save the $20 difference on the desktop client and spring for DataVault. The features and syncing capabilities are present in both apps. I do wish 1Password would add MobileMe syncing but for now, Dropbox syncing has always worked just fine. Since Dropbox is free, I somewhat consider it a non-issue for most.

If you decide to try one of these apps out (or already use one or the other), let us know which you prefer. If you prefer a different password management app, let us know why in the comments! Also check out the gallery below for more screenshots of both applications!

DataVault for iPhone - iTunes Link

1Password for iPhone - iTunes Link

Every week a few of us from team TiPb will bring you our current favorite, most fun and useful App Store apps, WebApps, jailbreak apps, even the occasional accessory, web site, or desktop app if the mood strikes us. As long as they’re iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch related, they’re fair game.

To see what we picked, and to tell us your pick, follow on after the break!

Alli's pick: Virtual Guitar Free

It has been said that all the great hits can be played using the same 3 chords. There was even a youtube video proving the point. So now you can play all the hits and then some!

I found this thread in the forums and gave it a try. I used to play a bit of guitar, so I was interested. You are limited in your choice of chords in this free version, but you can actually pick individual strings on the virtual guitar so that you can do some nice effects - works really well for songs like House of the Rising Sun.

So if you've ever wanted to play guitar without the headache of learning which fingers go where, or lugging around the guitar, or miss playing occasionally - you'll love this.

[Free - iTunes link]

Ally's pick: 1Password

I have a LOT of passwords. I never use the same password for more than 2 sites. Things that are super sensitive, they have their own. It can get tedious keeping track of them. Enter 1Password.

1Password not only saves passwords and identities, but can auto-fill forms for you. I use the iPhone and iPad app in conjunction with 1Password for Mac, which also has auto-fill. When it comes to saving your password data, it can sync with Dropbox to create a backup file or you can manually save a copy to a computer. So if you ever need to restore, you're critical password data is safe.

There are several price points for 1Password, so I won't list them all but the iPhone only version currently runs $9.99 while the iPad and iPhone universal binary (1Password Pro) runs $14.99. I also own a Mac license (which is a great investment). The Mac single license (and PC) is $39.99. There's also family packs available as well.

[$9.99 - iTunes Link]

Andrew's pick: Fast Food Calories

Fast Food Calories is a great nutrition guide for the iPhone that has over 9,000 menu items from a huge selection of restaurants. The app delivers nutrition facts for just about every item on the menu from places like Wendy's fast food to the Olive Garden restaurant, and it even has my favorite - Denny's!

If you're trying to keep track of your intake or want to make sure you're sticking to your new years resolution to lose a few extra pounds in 2011, this app will definitely help you along the way. It has a familiar interface with icons and pages similar to the iPhone springboard, and selecting your menu item is as easy as 3 or 4 taps. You can get the free version now, or upgrade to the pro version ($1.99) to get features like search and to remove the ads. Check it out!

[Free - iTunes link]

Chris O's pick: SoundTouch

This week I have chosen an app that my 18 month old daughter loves to use on the iPad. SoundTouch is a relatively simple application that has a grid of cartoon icons representing various animals, forms of transport musical instruments etc.When your little one clicks on one of them, a real picture appears and an actual real life sound plays. Each selection has a number of different pictures and sounds attached to it.

This app provides a great way for your little ones to identify everyday objects by the sounds they make as well as how they look. The app is a universal binary; so looks great on the iPad as well as the iPhone and iPod Touch. Trust me, your little ones will love this!

[$2.99 - iTunes Link]

Chris V's pick: The Simpsons Arcade

I just downloaded the classic Simpsons Arcade game, by EA. I remember playing this arcade game in..well, the arcade back in the 1990's, and the version of the game in the iPhone is pretty faithful to the original. The game is a classic 1990's "beat 'em up" scrolling screen game (like that classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game), where you travel from level to level (and world to world) beating up opponents as the screen scrolls by. Along the way you can pick up various things like a health boost (a donut) or even use parts of the background (like a mailbox) as weapons. The best thing about this game is the use of the Simpson's characters and locations. There is nothing like playing Homer and beating up Chief Wiggum or Krusty the Clown. And just like the arcade version, there are small minigames in-between some of the levels that are fun to play!

Unfortunately the game doesn't include the option to play as other characters (as you could do in the arcade version) or to have multiple people play (the original version could have four players at a time). But even playing by yourself can be fun for a real Simpsons fan. The controls are smooth, the graphics are good (in the classic 90's arcade sense), and the sound is direct from the Simpsons TV show. It's a fun game for any Simpsons fan, even if it is lacking a little bit from the original arcade version.

[$2.99 - iTunes link]

Leanna's pick: White Noise Lite

Sometimes the only thing that will put my 4 month old daughter to sleep is white noise. Those are the times I am extremely grateful for White Noise Lite and the 10 different noises it includes. My daughter isn't particularly picky, but for adults who have trouble sleeping, you can mix and match these sounds to make a new sound customized just for you. If 10 sounds aren't enough, check out the full version of White Noise which comes with 40 sounds - that's thousands of different noise combinations you can create. White Noise Lite also has timers to turn off the noise, set off an alarm, or exit the application. If you or your infant benefit from white noise for sleep, check this one out!

[Free - iTunes link]

Rene's pick: LockInfo (Jailbreak)

Sometimes you don't realize how much you'll miss something until it's gone. That's me right now following the loss of my Jailbreak and hence my Jailbreak/Cydia apps like LockInfo. I updated to the iOS 4.3 beta and haven't had any luck re-Jailbreaking with the unofficial pwnagetool so I'm stuck on stock and it's made me realize how much I'd come to depend on glance-able data like the mail and message icons in the status bar or the list of events and email on the lock screen.

Yes, it is a little WinMo Today screen. Yes you could choose to set it to pull down like Android's notification curtain. And yes Apple hired the guy who designed webOS' superb notification system and we just might see something official at the iOS 5 sneak preview event in a couple months. But damnit I want my LockInfo back now. Today.

Check out Ally's LockInfo how-to for more on this amazing app. Now here's her screenshot because mine is gone so I can't take one of my own.

(What, you thought I was going to pick the Verizon iPhone?

Your pick?

You’re part of the team as well, so jump into the comments and let us know your pick of the week!

Just a quick update on some freshly released iOS 4 goodness today. As you know, Ally has been watching the App Store for iOS4 compatible updates and if you guys find anything especially awesome, feel free to leave it in a comment or send it to her in an e-mail (ally (dot) kazmucha (at) tipb (dot) com) and if we think it's awesome too, we'll include it in our next roundup!

1Password Pro

If you're a 1Password desktop (Mac or Windows) user with a Dropbox account, 1Password Pro's latest version is nothing short of a revelation. Just open it up, log into your Dropbox account, and all your passwords and secure data are automagically synced to your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch over the air (OTA). This is the big one. This is what all Todo, Notes, and every other app that should be everywhere needs to do, with every major online storage option. It's the future.

Oh, and it looks great on Retina Display and works great with iOS 4 fast app switching as well too.

(And yeah, there's even an Android version now for those who dual-wield).

[$14.99 - iTunes link]

Dragon Dictation

Sure, iOS 4 still lacks universal voice integration but luckily... wait for it... there are apps for that. Dragon Dictation is one of the big guns and it's just updated to include Facebook and Twitter support, send text to the clipboard and paste into SMS. It'll also be coming to the UK soon. (They've figured out brogue, apparently).

[Free - iTunes link]

BargainBin

App Advice's BargainBin lets you set a price for an app (including free) and then alerts you when the app drops to that price. So, for example, if you know holidays usually beget sales and there's a game that's been just a bit too expensive for your tastes, you set it up in BargainBin and if it drops to your sweet spot, you'll know about it and you can go get it. (And if you're cheeky enough to have set BargainBin itself to free, here's you're alert -- it'll cost you nothing for a limited time).

[Free on sale - iTunes link]

During WWDC 2010 I had a chance to sit down with the team from Agile Web Solutions -- Roustem, Dave, Jamie, Dan, and Chad -- to talk not only about their newly launched 1Password for iPad, but about the big news of the show including official browser extension support from Apple in Safari 5, and of course iPhone 4 and iOS 4.

Apple called Agile about their new Safari 5 extensions before they debuted in hopes of having a demo ready for the show. Dave found the preview was polished and well documented and it took them only a few days to put something together. That sounds like good news not only for developers but for Safari users as well.

Agile also said making the iPad version was a chance to start from scratch and figure out how users were going to interact with the larger, wider display, and with the ability to do things like scrolling independently with each thumb.

While I used 1Password on Mac long before the iPhone debuted, Roustem pointed out they now have a whole new user base introduced to their product via the iPhone and iPad and with no Mac-based preconceptions. While the iPhone and iPad versions [iTunes link] are great for Mac or Windows users as an extension, Agile is also working to help iPhone and iPad-only users get more out of it as well.

As for iPhone 4 -- they want it. (Even if Dan has to re-render his artwork at higher resolution to support it). Chad's also looking forward to iOS 4 multitasking and like the way it runs select API rather than full apps in the background.

(Though I suspect they were just humoring me when I asked for Game Center integration so I could see where my 63 character pseudo-random passwords place on the leaderboard compared to Leanna's!)

You can find out more about 1Password for Mac, PC, iPhone, and iPad, and the newly acquired Knox, via Agile's web site, below. Video after the break.

[Agile Web Solutions]

YouTube link

David Chartier, Chief Media Producer for Agile Web Solutions, talks to TiPb's Rene and Leanna about 1Password [$4.99 - iTunes link] and 1Password Pro [$7.99 - iTunes link] for the iPhone... and iPad!

Watch along after the jump, and for more on 1Password for iPad, see David's just-blogged mockups of their initial UI concepts at SwitchersBlog.com!

Every week a few of us from team TiPb -- bloggers, forum crew, and occasional friends alike -- bring you our current favorite, funnest, most useful App Store apps, WebApps, jailbreak apps, even the occasional accessory, web site, or desktop app if the mood strikes us. As long as they're iPhone (or iPod touch) related, they're fair game. Well, as 2009 winds to a close, we figured it's time for the staff to bring you not just picks of the week but -- PICKS OF THE YEAR!

So who's on deck for the very best iPhone apps of 2009? What are our picks? Find out after the break!

Chad's Pick: N.O.V.A. -- Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance

This game demonstrates what is possible on the iPhone from a 3D shooter. This game has set the bar. [$6.99 - iTunes link]

Chris' Pick: Navigon MobileNavigator

Pick of the year, pick of the year...how do I choose a single app as my pick of the year? A game with which I have had lots of fun? A utility that I simply use all the time? A twitter app? After much debate and flip-flopping, I decided to go with Navigon as my pick of the year. Navigon (with the recent updates and improvements) is as close as I have seen to a turn by turn app done right. It has a plethora of features, has clear voice guided turn by turn directions, and really is one of the two or three utility apps that I use on a regular basis and gives the iPhone a feature that almost everyone was clamoring for from the beginning. [$59.99 until Jan. 11 - iTunes link]

Derrick's Pick: Simplytweet

Simplytweet is not only my Favorite app but its my app of the year also,. It's a great twitter app that has many features, including Multiple Accounts, Push Notifications, Photo Search, My favorite features are Landscape, retweet or quote tweets (via @theiphoneblog instead of RT @theiphoneblog), and Themes. [$4.99 - iTunes link]

Dieter, SPE Editor-in-Chief's Pick:

Since the iPhone has become my secondary device, I'm finding that my go-to apps on it have changed a bit. The one I use the most: the Kindle app. I love that I have my books with me all the time now and that I can read it in bed without a light. Amazon really nailed the 'just works' aspect with the way they have sync set up - just a few seconds of data access is enough to get myself synced up to the last page I was reading on my actual Kindle. [Free - iTunes link]

Georgia's Pick: Skype

Skype gives you the ability to call anyone else who uses Skype, anywhere in the world, for free. You can also call landline or cell phones for a small fee, and send out IMs. Anything that combines "call anyone" and "free" definitely gets my vote for app of the year. (And if the 4th generation iPhone gets a front-facing camera, maybe we will even be able to have two-way video calls next year). [Free - iTunes link]

Jeremy's Pick: Twitbit

Twitbit has been my Twitter app of choice for some time now. Is it perfect? No, but then again the perfect app does not exist. What really makes Twitbit stand out as my favorite app of 2009 is the hard work that goes into it and the frequent updates to the app (and the updates are free unlike some other over rated Twitter app who's name I won't mention because it would hurt Rene's feelings). The developer, High Order Bit, constantly is striving to improve this app and it has evolved very well. I highly recommend you check it out. [$2.99 - iTunes link]

Leanna's Pick: 1Password Pro

iPhone + Mac + 1Password for iPhone and Mac = best combination ever. Before my discovery of 1Password, I used the same 3 boring passwords for everything. Now I have a different randomly generated password for each login and 1Password makes this simple and hassle-free. When I first started using 1Password for iPhone, I was nervous that it was going to be a pain to have to launch 1Password to copy a password each time I needed it but the process is actually rather quick and worth it knowing that I have secure passwords. This combination is a serious must-have for iPhone and Mac users. [$7.99 - iTunes link]

Matt's Pick: Appigo Todo

Deciding which app I feel is my Pick of the Year was immensely hard. I immediately thought to myself "well it's my most used application..."but then I realized, that wouldn't be it. It had to be something that filled in the gap where the iPhone OS left out, revolutionize the way I worked on the iPhone. Was it easy to use? Could I customize it to fit my work? Finally I came upon the conclusion of - Appigo's Todo application. One of main things I missed coming from the Palm to the iPhone was a todo application. Appigo's Todo, goes above & beyond what the normal todo application should go. With several options to sync & push notification reminders, this is a killer app & an app worthy as a pick of the year [$9.99 - iTunes link]

Mickey, the Cell Phone Junkie's Pick: All-in-One WiFiRemote

WiFi Remote is one of the coolest apps I have. For $5, it allows me to control my Windows 7 media center that I have connected to my living room TV over my WiFi network without having to deal with a keyboard and mouse. It is like having a pocket control for the computer with me all the time. I can sit on the couch and either surf, or simply control the media I want to watch. The best part is that both my wife and I have it installed on our iPhones, so either of us can control it. [$4.99 - iTunes link]

Rene's Pick: Boxcar

And here's why -- iPhone 3.0 introduced a couple innovations to the iPhone app space, namely (and finally!) push-notifications and in-app purchases. Sure, augmented reality like Gunman is coming on strong, we're all looking forward to Unreal Engine 3 powered games, and one day we may see the fruits of app accessory access, but for today, for 2009, Boxcar is delivering. Not only is it an innovative example of push-notifcation and in-app purchase, it uses both fill gaps both in other apps (like the PNS-challenged Tweetie, Twitterrific, and yeah, Facebook), for Apple and Google who still haven't delivered push Gmail without taking up the lone ActiveSync slot on the iPhone (which GoogleSync requires), and in the latest version, for Growl and RSS notifications as well. Bottom line, Boxcar has leveraged iPhone 3.0 to make great apps and services better, and that makes it my pick of the year. [Free + in-app purchase - iTunes link]

Your Pick?

You're part of team TiPb too, so what's your pick of the year? In 2009, what was your most used, most eye-popping, most "this changes everything" iPhone app?

Apple has updated their MobileMe News "blog" with a helpful tip for added security, and for when that security necessitates the need for a helpful little reminder.

First up, Apple reminds everyone that even good passwords, left static for too long, grow old and stale.

One simple way to increase the security of your life online is to change your account password periodically.

You can change your MobileMe password via the Account icon, and Apple provides some suggestions for picking good passwords. (Here's ours -- use something long and with lots of numbers and symbols thrown in. Pseudo-random is the best. Use GRC.com to generate it, or use a good password manager (I use 1Password on the Mac, my PC friends recommend RoboForm) to both generate and store lots of logins).

Next up is what to do if you forget your MobileMe password, and it's fairly standard stuff, involving a secret question:

Should you ever forget your MobileMe password, go to the MobileMe login page at me.com and click the Forgot password link. You'll be taken to a page and given the option of resetting your password by answering a secret question to establish your identity.

Pro tip: If you're even a semi-public figure, or just "don't trust anyone" make up a fake history, with fake maiden names, pet names, etc. or anyone who knows your background can hack your account as easily as they did Salma Hayak's.

A former pick of the week for me, and one of my most-used Mac and iPhone apps, has just seen the latter, mobile version updated. I had a chance to try out 1Password touch 2.0 [Free - iTunes link], and the new ability to sync Wallet Items, along with an entirely new, very robust way to sync over Wi-Fi, work the way such things ought.

If you loves security, and want the ability to take your super-strong, pseudo-random passwords, as well as credit cards, debit cards, and all that new goodness, with you, give it a try.

Every week a few of us from team TiPb, bloggers and forum crew alike, will bring you our current favorite, funnest, most useful App Store apps, WebApps, jailbreak apps, even the occasional accessory, web site, or desktop app if the mood strikes us. As long as they're iPhone (or iPod touch) related, they're fair game.

So who's on deck this week and what are our picks? Find out after the break!

Chad's Pick: G-Map US East

I have been using G-Map US East for the iPhone now for a couple of months. Why wait for FULL GPS Navigation with Turn-by-Turn with Software 3.0 when you can have it now. All that is lacking is the audible cue to turn, but it has excellent visual cues. Easy to use and fast calculations make this one a winner! The developer says they will add Audible Turn-by-Turn with Software 3.0. Did I mention that Internet access is not required? That's right, all of the maps are on your hard drive with no subscription! [$24.99 - iTunes link]

James' Pick: Lose It!

Now that it's time for swimsuit season, I need to lose my winter layer that has accumulated over the past few months. Lose It! is a free application that allows you to set your weight loss goals with flexibility. The app counts your calorie intake (with a pretty robust food database), tracks your exercise and progress towards your goal. [Free - iTunes link]

Jeremy's Pick: UFC Undisputed 2009

[Ed: Since we couldn't pull Jeremy off his Xbox 360 in time to get a pick in, we tapped out and made his new affliction a rare exceptional pick ] 10 second knockout. On advanced difficultly I might add... I'm gonna be a beast in this game. [Free-ish Demo - official web site]

Leanna's Pick: F-MyLife

This little app lets you see the stories posted on http://www.fmylife.com/. There was a recent update to F-MyLife that has made the user experience even more enjoyable. This is a great time-filler app when you've got a few minutes to kill, or if you've just had an FML experience, make a post directly from F-MyLife. [ Free - iTunes link]

Matt's Pick: Geodefense

Current favorite for this week is GeoDefence. I was a bit hesitant in getting it as I had fieldrunners, however, this game is just as cool. It has more upgrades and towers also the main thing is that the path is created for you and you have to set up the towers along the path. [$3.99 - iTunes Link]

Rene's Pick: 1Password

1Password is an app I use so often I've almost forgotten it doesn't come standard on OS X -- Mac or iPhone. Until I re-install or restore, then I try to login to a secure website and -- Boom! -- where's my 1Password? I can't think of higher praise than that. It allows you to store gnarly, pseudo-random logins for websites, providing security, yet use them with the minimum of hassle possible, providing convenience to boot. And it syncs between multiple Macs and the iPhone. Swoon [Free - iTunes link]

Special Guest Pick from Editor-in-Chief Dieter Bohn: Kindle

What's great about it: used to be that if you needed information instantly, you hit up Google to see what the internet says. That's great and I use it every day (heck, every hour), but while that's great for breadth of information, it's not always great for depth. Now that I have the Kindle app on my iPhone, I can 'queue up' deeper research quickly and easily. [FREE - iTunes link]

Your Pick?

Yeah, you're part of team TiPb too, so what's your pick of the week? What app was your absolute fav last week? Let us -- and everyone -- know in the comments!

I know Dieter hearts 1Password and it's probably the first thing I load up any time I install -- or re-install -- a Mac. They've got a great FREE iPhone app, but you really need the big desktop brother to get the full functionality, which includes Keychain password filling integrated right into any Mac browser, as well as wallet storage, and a personal favorite -- super-strong pseudo-random password generation.

They had a great special on Halloween, but Thanksgiving? Frankly, they're blowing us away. Anyone who currently has a 1Password license can GIVE away up to 3 FREE licenses to their friends! Those who haven't got 1Password, or friends with 1Password to give them this awesome gift, can buy a license for 15% off, and still get in on the FREE give away!

Offer's good until Sunday, November 30th, so if you want it, go grab it.

One of our favorite apps on the Mac -- and the iPhone -- is on sale for today only:

First, we have partnered with macZOT! to bring you a special deal! This Thursday, Oct 30th, for one day only, 1Password will be available for an incredible 50% off its regular price: 1Password Halloween Special!

The 1Password iPhone App is, of course, free, but the Mac app is usually $39 bucks, so this is almost a full $20 off. Of course, some people will complain it's not "free" as well, but then these same people typically don't work for free either, as trying to feed a family doesn't work for "free". Support great software and great developers will be here to support us with even more great apps.

Typically among the very first apps I install when I'm setting up a system, flawless password management and syncing make this not only a "just works" but a "must have". (Plus, their UI and general graphic design work is awesome, and that hooks me every time!)

Get it before the stroke of midnight!

Confession: I use 1Password on the Mac a lot. I just used it to login so I could write this preview. I use it (synced via keychain) to my desktop at home, and I've used the various incarnations of the 1Password javascript bookmarklet on the original iPhone 2G. But now they've gone native, baby!

Internet security is a a huge concern, and with mobile internet security we ain't seen nothing yet. Browsers the caliber of MobileSafari make it possible to do our transactions on the go, be it logging into our favorite social network, or doing some emergency banking on the road. But what if we get out of the cab and leave our iPhone behind? If it gets snatched? What if someone else takes possession of the tiny little device with all our precious logins on it?

Read on to find out!

The good: 1Password has us covered, proving as innovative on the handset as they've always been on the desktop. Breaking things out into 2 categories, they provide a simple 4-digit PIN to access lower security logins (i.e., for a forum), and a full blown master password for high security items (i.e. your credit card account). And the interface? Gorgeous.

If you haven't previously used 1Password, just start entering your credentials and you're good to go. If you've already built up a 1Password store on your Mac, setup looks a tad more involved, favoring security over convenience in the age old battle, but given the focus of the app that's certainly understandable. If you're familiar with how Apple's Remote app works, this isn't dissimilar -- search for networked 1Passwords on your Mac, establish trust, and then sync.

The bad: Due to Apple's SDK restrictions, 1Password doesn't work with MobileSafari the way it works with regular Safari on the laptop. Basically, Apple doesn't allow plugins. To get around that, 1Password has built in it's own web browser. That means you may end up using a different app to access your secure sites than you use for casual browsing. Not a deal breaker for some -- and there doesn't appear to be an alternative approach -- but it's something to consider.

Also, they apparently let their programmers sleep, so we won't get features like wallet items, identities, password history, folders, search, etc. until version 1.1. What about my pseudo-random password generator? I use that all the time on the Mac! (Or did I just answer my own sync-enabled question?)

The unbelievable: According to the fine folks at Agile Web Solutions, for a limited time the 1Password App Store app will be given away FREE!

Not able to try it out first-hand yet, I'll have to wait for Apple to clear 1Password for App Store launch to see if the reality lives up to the concept, but they've sure made it a no-brainer to download and try out.

Check out their Switcher's Blog for detailed screenshots and setup instructions.