If you're giving an iPhone or an iPod Touch as a gift, like thousands of other people this season, you might want to think about personalizing it with apps that your beloved giftee would enjoy. The iPod/iPhone has become a failsafe present: you don't have to know someone particularly well to know they'll enjoy it. Throwing some music and a few choice apps on there adds a personal touch and gives them something to play with as soon as they unwrap the gift. Here are a few of my favorite picks:

Ocarina (iPhone only) is a functional musical instrument for the iPhone. Made popular by the Legend of Zelda series of games, an ocarina is a small, flute-like musical instrument. The virtual version for the iPhone works like the real thing, it's sensitive to your breath and finger positioning, and you're not limited to any kind of preset riffs or melodies. There's also a networking feature, so you can share your ocarina performances, and listen in on others'. (Currently $.99, special offer)


Spore Origins (iPhone or iTouch) is one of the big showpiece games for the iPhone. It encapsulates the first stage and the creature creator from the popular evolution-themed game Spore. You play the initial "cell" mode of the species you design, starting out in the primordial ooze. The iPhone is well-suited to creature creation, and the ability to drag and pinch makes the creatures more fun to play with than in the desktop version. Spore Origins has arguably the best visuals of any iPhone game so far, and it's a good value for what it costs.
(Thanksgiving special offer: $5.99, regularly $10)


Bloom (iPhone or iTouch) is a fantastic music generator, masterminded by world-famous producer Brian Eno. You can use it to create your own ambient music, or just hit listen and let it go. You can tap the screen to add new tones, represented by pulsing colored dots. Several different moods are available, setting the overall feeling of the music. Eno has been obsessed with music generators for years, and this is a functional one that fits in your pocket. I previously covered Bloom in more detail here on Download Squad. ($3.99)


Shazam (iPhone only) is a tool for discovering new music. You can let it listen to a few seconds of music, and it will identify the song with impressive accuracy. It's great for those moments when you fall in love with a new track at the coffee shop, and you need to find out what it is and download it immediately. Another great showcase for the versatility of the iPhone. (Free!)