This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business. One of the keys to small business success is managing money. Whether it’s cash flow, credit or expenses, having money when you need it keeps the business going. More importantly, it can enable owners to make the investments necessary to grow their businesses. With today’s smartphone technology, it’s easier than ever to keep track of financial indicators. Here are 21 iPhone apps — all free — to help you stay informed and monitor your finances. Let us know which you use in the comments below. Name your bank, and they probably have an app. Most offer similar features, however a couple have some different options that, depending on your situation, could be valuable. Bank of America, Wells Fargo Mobile and PNC Mobile Banking have mobile banking apps Read More

A week ago we asked you, the TUAW reader, to help us tell Apple what you want in the next iPhone: the OS, the apps, the hardware. Within two hours, I had over two hundred emails in my inbox. Within four days, the email total topped 1,100. As I was shifting and sorting through all your suggestions, one thing became clear: you love the iPhone, but you want to see it better, more intuitive, and more versatile – and you know how the iPhone can accomplish those goals. This is the first of a series of letters to Apple on your behalf, telling the gang in Cupertino what would make their wonder-phone even more wondrous. This letter strictly focuses on the iPhone OS in general – the home screen, navigation, and settings. Future letters will deal with hardware and applications. There were so many suggestions, I needed to whittle them down. Read More