We've gathered together a collection of free and paid-for apps that can help you to work smarter and faster.

Even if you have resisted the allure of Apple's iPhone so far, the surprisingly large quantity of 3D apps out there may prove useful enough to make you look twice at the ubiquitous shiny fruit-marked touch-phone.

We've got offerings from the likes of software heavyweights such as Autodesk and Luxology, and a whole host from unknown developers. If there isn't something here to help you with design, workflow or even just that ever sought after inspiration, we'll eat Steve Jobs' hat.

Most of the links provided take you to the relevant product page in the App Store. Please note that you'll need to have iTunes 9.

There are lots of practical apps for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, that could aid help your productivity, and there's plenty of eye-candy too.

1. Autodesk Fluid - Free

Take the technology that drives the Fluid Effects module in Maya and squeeze it into the iPhone: the result is Autodesk Fluid, a showcase for Maya's real-time fluid dynamics wizardry. Most people don't appreciate the perfectly simulated swirls of smoke that this Autodesk Fluid app is capable of displaying – because that's all it does. The graphics are a little rough around the edges, but there's some interaction to be had by adjusting the gravity or changing the colour palette. As a tech demo for those in the know, this app amazes. But judging by the one-star ratings in iTunes, most iPhone users have missed the point.