The runaway success of the iPhone (and to a lesser extent, the iPod touch) has opened the floodgates for developers both large and small to create incredibly useful and wildly entertaining programs. Unfortunately, the sheer number of apps available means wading through the crap to find the gems–which is where we step in. We’ve dug through the slush to recommend a handful of the best free iPhone and iPod touch applications available. Here are some of our favorites.

The recession is in full swing. The stock market is staggering. In these tough financial times, penny-pinching is en vogue, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun to meter the grim forecasts. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite low-cost activities that are sure to bring a few smiles and take the pressure off the wallet or pocketbook.

We loves the iPod. We really do. I’m an immensely satisfied owner of the first generation iPod Touch (seriously, it’s all about the apps), and Lauren’s iPod nano 3G never leaves the purse. Apple’s success in the digital audio player battlefield is directly attributable to the various iPods’ sexy, minimalist-chic designs, silky smooth interfaces, and tight integration with iTunes.