iPhone: The Missing Manual

iPhone Application Launchers

With all the new programs popping up every week, all-in-one sites to manage or launch your iPhone applications are a great way to corral a bunch of them at once. Once you set up an account or customize an application manager site, you can bookmark it and easily bop around to your favorite programs from its main screen. Notable iPhone application launchers include:

• MockDock. You sign up with just an email address. Then, from a big collection of different programs, start filling your new home screen by tapping the icons you want to add. Among the offerings: Games (sudoku, chess), social networking sites (Twitter, Facebook), and plenty of great utility programs like a mileage tracker, the 101 Cookbooks recipe database, and news readers. (mockdock.com)

• iPhoneAppsManager. This site had 66 apps in place only a week after the iPhone arrived. It skips the little widget-like icons in favor of an elegant text-based interface that groups applications into categories like Games & Fun, News, Search Tools, Utilities, and so on. On the main screen, you can tap apps to add to a Favorites list. (iphoneappsmanager.com)

• AppMarks. A tip calculator, a cheap-gas finder, and Yahoo Mobile are among the useful apps here. And if you don't find enough to suit you, AppMarks lets you add any Web site to your personalized page. Just create a free account and sign on to see your chosen apps. (appmarks.com)

• Mojits. Big bright icons point the way to several popular iPhone apps, including ...