Since I got word of my ideaLab selection, I have been paying more attention than ever before to what people think are some of the most useful mobile applications for Apple's iPhone and iPad devices.

With more than 250,000 apps to choose from, this is far from a comprehensive list of the best tools available, but rather a small number of apps that I'm anxious to try when Journal Register Company sends out our tech gear to experiment with.

Do you have suggestions for great apps that aren't on this list? Leave a comment below with your suggestion and why you think the app is of particular interest or value.

My top choices so far:
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There have been some major changes happening at the Journal Register Company over the past few months.

The news organization, which owns The Record in Troy, N.Y. as well as 17 other daily publications across the country, recently adopted a "Digital First - Print Last" way of thinking under the leadership of its new CEO, John Paton.

For July 4th, Paton challenged all daily newspapers in the company to produce a publication online and in print using only free web-based tools as part of The Ben Franklin Project, a major step for the news industry and a company that has had a troubled past.

In May, Paton announced the ideaLab as a way to embrace the future of journalism.

Made up of 15 members from across the company and its properties, the ideaLab is charged with experimenting with the latest technology and tools to help the company think differently about our daily operations. Each member will soon be equipped with either an iPhone or Motorola Droid, an iPad, and a netbook. They will also be provided with 10 hours of paid time per week to experiment with the tools and a $500 per-month stipend for the work they'll be do doing on company time as well as their own.

On July 11, I was honored to learn I had been selected as a member of the ideaLab.

This is a great opportunity to be able to use some of the latest and most-talked-about technology available today, as well as have the chance to try and influence how a major media company works to move out of the past and into the future.

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