Sure I’ve used a slew of apps, but who am I to be the best source of the best mobile apps? What would be best is if any one could add to one central list the best apps. And, let’s do this for journalists specifically (though others are free to use this list as well).

Thanks for joining in this fun mobile journalism project!

Used a smartphone for a while?

Pick a form and fill it out for an app other journalists should use. Explain why. If you have lots of apps to suggest, fill out the form several times – once for each app.

Did you just buy a smartphone?

Pick a results page and browse to find cool apps you should check out.

ANDROID

Form: http://bit.ly/journappsandroidform

Results: http://bit.ly/journappsandroidresults

BLACKBERRY

Form: http://bit.ly/journappsblackberryresults

Results: http://bit.ly/journappsblackberryresults

IPHONE

Form: http://bit.ly/journappsiphoneform

Results: http://bit.ly/journappsiphoneresults

PALM

Form: http://bit.ly/journappspalmform

Results: http://bit.ly/journappspalmresults

WINDOWS

Form: http://bit.ly/journappswindowsform

Results: http://bit.ly/journappswindowsresults

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New iPhones, if unveiled, COULD:  be “ultra-thin,” include a front-facing camera as TechCrunch suggests, a matte black finish, go on sale at WWDC – which would make tons of people happy, be available in 16GB and 32GB models, include a low-cost 4GB iPhone, the new phones would be a stand against the Palm Pre — which people say was modeled after the iPhone, AT&T is increasing its high-speed wireless data network that could help out new iPhones, the iPhones could be called iPhone Video and go on sale right after the WWDC keynote, or the iPhones could not be available Monday — and only announced Monday, they could include a glowing Apple logo — sure another battery life waster!, the camera may be beefed up to 3.2 megapixels (if this happens, I’ll sing out in joy!), oh yeah, and Walt Mossberg may ALREADY have the new iPhone!

Mr. Jobs could return with a rock-star like performance to lead Apple, because some senior managers are hinting that Jobs will return in time to unveil a new product. Also, he’s been sounding energetic lately, surely a good sign.

The App Store will likely steal much of the show — as pointed to by WWDC banners and Apple’s stocks since the app store went live.

iPhone OS 3.0 is a crowd and rumor favorite: iPhone OS 3.0 may surprise users and let them share or suggest apps, 3.0 could also include radio tagging – something needed for Nike Sport Kit, these blurry photos taken in China could show camera auto-focus and a compass to be added with 3.0, users may be able to download movies straight to iPhones — wirelessly that is, TUAW has several last-minute suggestions for 3.0 – including organizing apps for each screen on your desktop computer – something that would save me much frustration and time, votes in a poll at TUAW show most people guess 3.0 will become available right after the WWDC keynote, Safari with 3.0 could include location awareness (accessing the phone’s GPS functionality and something that could mean a soon launch of Google Latitude for the iPhone), and parental controls within the app store.

Oh yeah, and that Snow Leopard thing will be discussed. iPhones sure do steal the pre-WWDC show.

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Also, nearly half (48 percent) of phone owners report shopping for apps more than once a week. About the same number (49 percent) report using apps on their phone for more than 30 minutes a day.

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Mashable says developers can set their own pricing when submitting, with Google taking a 30 percent transaction fee.

Here’s some related links. Share your own thoughts on this move in the comments section.

Google lets programmers sell Android apps [CNet]

Google now accepting paid apps in Android market [Engadget]

Paid Android applications coming, says Google [PocketGamer.biz]

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According to Jason Boehle, co-founder of Free State Labs, LLC, the independent iPhone developer, Grocery iQ, has sold their successful  iPhone app to Coupons, Inc.

From the press release: Version 2 with mobile coupons is already in development and planned for a February release, and all current users will get the upgrade for free. The application comes preloaded with more than 130,000 items commonly found in supermarkets across America.

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“Irony is: Accidentally dropped my iPhone in a pint of Karl Straus while showing off the iBeer app. oops. It is now out for repair.” @ Jeremy Young, on Twitter

“This is funny – Google lets app on Android mkt which is supposed to optimize memory but is wiping storage clean – http://tinyurl.com/afmr59.” @amitgupta

“Haha, I have an app on my iPhone called ‘iZoo’ and It can make a cat sound, and it freaks the hell out of m y cat, so funny xD.” @ThomasGudgeon

“@ifart funny app and my mother use s it too.” @atownshorti

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Horowitz’s move means an integrated system for coupons on many mobile phones may happen more quickly. It also sets Google back as its application store has yet to take off.

Venture Beat speculates that this could create an integrated coupon system from ads to fridges to Android-based smartphones. That same article says that “the market for Android phones—and other Android devices—is likely to grow fast” because several phone manufacturers are jumping on the Android bandwagon.

The Wall Street Journal blog called Digits writes about Horowitz’s move, including his saying that Android is “at the beginning of transforming the mobile industry.”

Here’s why this is the most important time for development of Android:

1. Google must increase the quantity of applications.

As an Information Week article presents, Google plans to have a system in place for charging customers for applications in this first quarter. That Information Week article says that Google might attract big name developers such as Electronic Arts and lure those developers away from the iPhone. What the article fails to mention is that EA has already been developing for the iPhone since October, so the company being lured away to Google seems unlikely.

Also, luring developers away from the iPhone system could prove to be tough as recent analyst estimates tell AppleInsider that Apple sold 5.9 times more iPhones than Google sold of the G1 in the last quarter.

The third, and biggest challenge, in recruiting mobile developers will be the upcoming launch of other app stores as BlackBerry’s app store is expected to launch in March and rumors speculate on a looming Windows Mobile app store.

2. Google must increase the quality of applications.

The best thing about Google’s application system is that it is “open” and the restrictions places on developers are much less than those imposed by Apple. But that could also prove to be a challenge.

Silicon Alley Insider writes about the downfall of a free-for-all app store from Google: “While everything on Apple app store has the Steve Jobs seal of approval, Google’s shop is going to be a caveat emptor proposition. Which means that a bunch of Android users are likely to get some bum apps.”

Another potential problem is that people who download sub-par applications might be less likely to download more apps if they’ve incurred problems with previous purchases.

3. Google must maintain the quality of its operating system.

While Google works on its application offerings, it must maintain a quality operating system – which could prove increasingly difficult as more handsets come on the market running Android.

Google will have to answer to customer demands for various functions needed for various phone types. Into Mobile recently wrote about a survey showing how 85 percent of mobile phone users are stumped by badly-designed mobile phones, proving the importance of a well-designed phone system – which includes hardware functions along with the operating system.

At the same time, Google must meet the demands of cell phone manufacturers – as just this week the second planned Android phone launch was delayed because of Android’s application offerings.

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Ed Hardy writes on Brighthand that the Kogan Agora was scheduled to debut later this month as the second mobile phone running Google’s Android operating system.

The company’s founder, Russlan Kogan, released a statement explaining why the launch has been delayed indefinetely. In that statement, Kogan wrote:

“One of the potential issues is the screen size and resolution. It seems developers will be creating applications that are a higher resolution than the Agora is currently capable of handling.

In order to fully appreciate the feature-rich applications Android developers will be creating in coming months and years, the Agora must be redesigned.”

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