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 A vast body of reference material is freely available online and can be accessed via Safari on the iPhone or iPod touch. Unfortunately, a lot of this material is optimized for desktop computers and is poorly suited to the iPhone’s smaller display and simplified user interface.

Fortunately, reference applications are popular, currently accounting for over 1,300 of the programs listed in the Apps Store. Some of these require an Internet connection, but many are standalone apps that are installed with the data you need. Among these titles you’ll find traditional dictionaries, religious references, language translators, medical references, formula lists, food and drink databases, and much more.

Back when the iPhone SDK was still a gleam in Mr. Job’s eye, the bookstore’s shelves were devoid of programming books for the iPhone. Now, you need a wheelbarrow to carry all of them home. The increase in the number of books is great news for developers—learning a new platform can be more than a little daunting. But it also means that you have to spend time finding the books that are right for you. If you are considering developing for the iPhone, here are three subjects you need to know about:

It was Sunday—game day. Beer and pretzels would soon be placed on the table, and five of us would gather to cheer on our team, scream about bad calls, and trade insults among friends. But in advance of being exposed to the obligatory car commercials that are a part of every game, I pulled out my iPhone and took a 360-degree look at Ford’s new Flex crossover, customized the paint job on a BMW Z4 Roadster, and had some fun with the Audi A4 Driving Challenge. More engaging than any commercial I’ve ever watched.

How many login IDs and passwords do you have? How often do you register for a new Internet or iPhone app service by filling out registration forms with your name, e-mail, address, etc.? Earlier this year, Facebook released the Facebook Connect platform to developers. When incorporated into an app, it would allow you to use your Facebook account to log into a growing list of participating Web sites and services. In addition, Facebook Connect would allow iPhone users to bring their Facebook information to iPhone apps and share app information with friends.

So you’ve come up with an idea for the next big iPhone app, but you’ve never written a line of code in your life. Not to worry! There are app developers out there looking for good ideas and willing to partner with you.

Walt Disney liked to remind everyone that it all started with a mouse. He wasn’t talking about a peripheral that controls your computer, and he wasn’t really talking about a furry little rodent. He was talking about an idea.

Less than a year after the iPhone OS 2.0 made it possible for developers to write native apps for the iPhone, Apple has released a major new upgrade of the iPhone OS and software suite. iPhone OS 3.0 provides developers with a significant collection of enhancements to the iPhone SDK that enable many new capabilities and even new categories of applications. In addition, they allow the creation of completely new business and economic models for generating revenue with iPhone apps.