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A new generation of mobile Applications are helping mobile users search smarter. In 2009, more than 90,000 new iPhone apps arrived in the iTunes App store.

I have downloaded many apps throughout the year. I deleted many of them, but also discovered apps that I use on a daily basis.

In this article, I will share some of the best web, travel, shopping and restaurants search apps that caught my eye.

Best Web Search Apps:

Bing (Free): As I am writing this article, Bing is the number four in the Top Free apps in the App store. Microsoft has done and impressive job with their Bing online search and they have done the same with their iPhone app.

As you open the application, you are presented with the Bing daily image and related trivia on the home screen. You can search using your voice or the keyboard. The App interface is truly impressive and easy to navigate. As you search, you are presented with web results, news, business listings, images all in one page. Business listings are accompanied by phone, map, and overall scorecard.

Google Mobile (Free): This app includes a bundle of Google web apps, such as Gmail, Calendar, Talk, Docs, etc. When you click on most of them, you will be directed to the Web version in Safari which can be annoying.

However, that is not the case with the Web Search App. The search app is very similar to Google’s web search results. The results are accompanied by images, maps, business listing and even their new live search. Voice search is also available and seems to work well.

Shopping Search Apps:

Shoppers have been accustomed to using the Internet when researching and finding the best prices. This trend is changing with the introduction of many new mobile apps. I have been testing many of them while shopping for gifts and personal gadgets this past month and these are my favorites:

ShopSavvy (Free)

This is a fun and great app. The app uses the iPhone camera to scan barcodes and searches its database for prices online and local stores. It will also provide you with a list of reviews.

When I first downloaded the app, I was obsessed with scanning every product with a barcode. You will impress a lot of people at parties or the office.

Unlike other comparison shopping search apps, ShopSavvy will provide you with local results which I find it to be very useful if you want to check if the item exist in any of the local stores.

You can either scan the barcode or type the product name or barcode number in the search box and you will be presented with the best price available online and locally. The app interface is clean and very easy to use.

TheFind (Free): Complementary to their online comparison shopping search engine, TheFind released their own mobile search app for the iPhone earlier this month. Just like their search engine, their mobile app allows you to type the item you are looking for and it will search their online database and present you with a list of online stores and prices. You can also specify the price you want to beat in your search box. Unlike other apps I have tested, the app doesn’t allow you to bookmark or email a listing. The app can be useful if you are at the mall and want to do a quick price check on a specific item before making the purchase.

Travel Search Apps:

Kayak by Kayak.com (Free): If you are looking to make flight reservation, hotel, car or manage your trip, then this app might be for you. Just like their online travel search engine, Kayak app allows you to make your travel arrangement through searching multiple travel and airlines web sites and allow you to sort your results in many different ways. If you have a Kayak account, you can login and manage your trips.

If you like to travel first or business class, Kayak has a different app for the that. The app is $1.99 and offers everything the free version offers plus first and business class fares.

Restaurants Search Apps:

Can’t decide where to eat? There is an App for that. 2009 featured many of the best local search apps. Bing and Google search apps are also great for finding local businesses but when it comes to food two apps caught my attention:

Urbanspoon (Free): If you are not sure where to eat, then shake your iPhone and Urbanspoon will pick a place for you. Or you can use the search or browse tabs to search for a specific place or type of food. Click on a listing and you will find contact information, ratings, critic reviews, and user reviews. If the menu is not available, then snap a photo with your iPhone and you can upload to Urbanspoon.

Now, if you want to have more fun finding a place to eat, or you are on the freeway going East and want to find a place in that direction, then just point your iPhone to your destination and “Scope” will show restaurants in your way. The Scope requires a GPS, a compass and a camera so it only works on the iPhone 3GS model.

Yelp (Free): This is a simple and a great app to use if you want to quickly find a restaurant, coffee house, drugstore, or just an ATM nearby. You can use Yelp to search for places to eat, relax, drink and read reviews from an active community of locals in the know.