While I’m not a huge iPhone super-fan, there is one feature I genuinely appreciate.  Anyone (almost!) can develop applications and market them to other iPhone users.

And that’s great for the field of ecometrics.  One recent offering lets your iPhone estimate wind speed through its microphone.  The developer realized that the volume of a wind gust in his camera microphone correlated with the force, and developed the app to boost his kite-surfing hobby.  It’s just a matter of time until a home-owner utilizes the same functionality to site his small scale wind turbine at just the right place in the yard.

Or how about an app that helps you find and cook fresh, local, and seasonal produce.  Are you a locavore?  There’s an app for that!

Or, my personal favorite, Green Meter, which uses the phone’s accelerometer to report how your driving effects fuel economy, carbon emissions, and engine power.  No Prius dashboard required!

You can find a lot more here or, of course, at your local iPhone app store. Know of a cool ecoApp?  Let us know in the comments.

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