iPhone apps - the 10 smartest and the 10 stupidest

One man's meat is another man's poison

No. 7

Smart: Pandora Radio They say: "Just drop the name of one of your favorite songs or artists into Pandora and let the Genome Project go. It will quickly scan its entire world of analyzed music...to find songs with interesting musical similarities to your choice." The Reg says: Like its computer and music-device counterparts, the iPhone's Pandora creates and plays "radio stations" composed of tunes it thinks parallel your tastes. Pandora knows the sonic landscape far better than you, and will generously lead you to new - and welcome - discoveries. If you don't like one of Pandora Radio's chosen songs, you can skip it - but only six skips per hour are allowed. Price: free

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Stupid: iStrip - Sexy Pen They say: "iStrip is a sexy 'Virtual Novelty Pen' for your iPhone or iPod touch!" The Reg says: Younger readers may not remember novelty pens that contained a small capsule in which a lithesome lass' garb would slip-slide away when the pen was tilted, usually leaving her attractively starkers. iStrip digitizes that genius idea, but with a couple of twists: sad-looking models, ludicrously amateurish graphics, and - of course, this being the App Store - no nudity. No strip. No sexy. No pen. No class. No way. Price: 99¢

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