12 Must-Have iPhone Apps for the Holidays

Grandma may have you cornered three rooms away from the TV, but that doesn't mean you can't keep up with the latest scores. Just pull out your Pro Football Live (Free) app and scope out the latest happenings. Pro Football Live gives NFL fans all of the information they crave: updates and scores, game schedules, stats, breaking news, and stunning game-time visuals. And if your family is the non-sports type, this app has a set of social features that'll keep you connected to other zealots across the States.

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You're standing in front of the oven and you have no idea what to do. Pull out your iPhone and load the Epicurious Recipes and Shopping List (Free), a comprehensive app designed to minimize stress and maximize awesome. Search over 25,000 delicious, professionally tested recipes from Bon Appétit, Gourmet, SELF, Cookie, and PARADE, plus recipes from cookbooks, chefs, and restaurants. Create shopping lists, save your favorite recipes, and e-mail recipes to yourself and friends. When you're ready to cook, simply turn your iPhone on its side to view recipes step by step. And you won't get stuck with the same ol' slop: Epicurious automatically updates with the latest dishes.

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Wines are important more so during than holiday season than ever. How else are you supposed to bear the brunt of repetitious stories? Drinking wine, of course! Um, I mean, knowing your wine makes you look super classy. So check out Wine and Dine ($3.99), an immersive app that pairs perfect bottles with what you're cooking/eating. The database, populated by expert sommeliers, handles red, white, and champagne, and even provides a cheat sheet for wine and cheese pairings. Break out the best!

Find more iPhone apps in PC World's iPhone App Guide.

Some families forego traditional holidays in favor of hitting up restaurants. If you and yours can't decide where to eat, the Urbanspoon (Free) app can help. It picks a restaurant for you. Just shake your iPhone and watch the wheels land on the site your next meal. Make sure to call first, though; these places might not be open during major holidays.

Find more iPhone apps in PC World's iPhone App Guide.

Need up-to-the-minute information on flights (if for no better reason than to know when not to be home)? Look no further than FlightTrack Pro ($9.99). FlightTrack Pro gives real-time statuses for flights from around the world, live weather radar updates, route maps, and other info, all without subscription fees. Inevitable delays and cancellations arrive via push alerts; itineraries sync with TripIt; and you get airplane information, like type, speed, and altitude, at your fingertips. And, if you're really bored, you can shake to track random flights. Now there's a way to kill time.

Find more iPhone apps in PC World's iPhone App Guide.

Let's say you're stuck in an unknown city for a long weekend of nothing. You might need a little savior to occupy your time. Scope out HearPlanet ($4.99), which turns your iPhone into an audio guide to the world. HearPlanet finds nearby locations of interest and then reads Wikipedia descriptions aloud, granting you the priceless opportunity to keep those earbuds in and block out the backseat squealing.

Find more iPhone apps in PC World's iPhone App Guide.

Then, of course, there's Google Earth (Free), the ultimate guide to our planet. Even if you're just swooping through majestic Rome whilst caught in a vicious Buffalo snowstorm, Google Earth has practical and entertaining uses everywhere. Though Google Earth runs a tad slow, its impressive features, such as geo-located Wikipedia articles, powerful search, and integration with Google Local Search, make it a more than worthwhile free download.

Find more iPhone apps in PC World's iPhone App Guide

It's coming, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. The maddening crush of crazy-eyed shoppers at 5:00 am, rampaging through department store aisles in search of the best deals. You can arrive prepared with a couple of Black Friday iPhone Apps. BF Deals ($0.99) eliminates the need for newspaper fliers and delivers all the latest price gouges directly to your phone. Push notifications keep you at the head of the line; a Twitter link allows you to brag about your conquests; checklists keep you organized amidst the chaos; and you can view other users on a map and spot stores in the area that are less crowded. Bring on the insanity!

Find more iPhone apps in PC World's iPhone App Guide.

Also check out Black Friday Wish if you need ultimate coverage. Either pair up the apps or go it alone with your favorite. Black Friday Wish has verified deals from major stores such as Best Buy, CostCo, Target, Wal-Mart, and many more. The Black Friday Wish team is scouring every scrap of loose leaf to nab rock-solid deals, so this is an app to keep an eye on.

Find more iPhone apps in PC World's iPhone App Guide.

Yes, we're in a recession. We don't need more apps that send our budgets plummeting; we need something that'll keep track of what we're spending while also organizing what we're buying. In swoops Christmas Gifts List ($0.99), an app that goes above and beyond basic organization functionality and actually tracks how much you're spending per person. Christmas Gifts List is unfortunately named since it works for every consumerist holiday, but I'm sure people won't be take offense for $0.99.

Find more iPhone apps in PC World's iPhone App Guide.

CompareMe Shopping Utility ($1.99) takes frugality to the hilt. Its comparison calculator lets you compare products in different sizes and packs, shows the percentage discount and the premium. CompareMe seems geared towards grocery shopping more so than holiday shopping, but with the enormous meals you'll be cooking, it could come in handy when buying in bulk.

Find more iPhone apps in PC World's iPhone App Guide.

I'm a stickler for routine and rarely wander from trusted sources. If you're on a similar wavelength, why change? Stick with the big guns and download Amazon Mobile (Free). Amazon Mobile does everything the Web site does but in the palm of your hand. Amazon customers have full access to their existing cart, wish lists, payment and shipping options, order history, 1-Click settings, and Prime membership benefits. All purchases made on Amazon Mobile are routed through Amazon's secure servers, so you won't find yourself dropping dollars on weird-looking sites.

Find more iPhone apps in PC World's iPhone App Guide.