The 50 Best Apps of 2012

We've said it before, but it's worth saying again: Apps are big business. Last year this time, it was reported that 1.2 billion apps were downloaded from Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store in a single week. 509 million of those downloads came from the U.S. Apps are as big a part of the mobile fabric as the phones and tablets on which they run. This year, more apps than ever were released to the various mobile markets. We saw some big players snatch up smaller players; big networks retool their efforts to better compete with small networks; and apps we thought may be illegal. We even saw a dope app come from a site we're not too fond of. As we close in on 2013, let's look back at the best apps that dropped over the past 365 days.

Platform(s): iOS

This was the year Facebook got serious about mobile. If you couldn't tell from its purchase of Instagram and the roll out of its own Photo app, then the company's standard smartphone app should have been evidence enough. After fielding complaints about the programs slugging performance, the team completely rebuilt the app and optimized it for faster performance. Now hopping on Facebook on your phone doesn't have to be a chore.

Platform(s): iOS

FOH: Public displays of affection clogging up your Facebook News Feed or Twitter timeline. TenthBit, the people behind the Pair app, agree with our sentiment. To combat that trend, they designed an app for couples who are away from each other for prolonged periods of time. Through Pair, the couple can post photos, share messages, draw pictures for each other, and do everything else couples do, but in private. Bless them.

Platform(s): Windows Phone

The best audio book service is now available for Windows Phone users. All the features and functions available to iOS and Android users are here: bookmarking, sleep mode, and play as you download. And, thanks to the WP UI, it looks beautiful.

Platform(s): Android

For the few of you that use Amazon's Cloud Drive as your main photo storage service, the Android app is a godsend. If you're new to the service, you get 5GB of storage free, and let you upload, delete, and edit any images you want to store. The photo storage/sharing game is getting heated.

Platform(s): iOS

Amazon and eBay this year both discussed new services that would allow customers to get same-day delivery on certain products. EBay's offering, eBay Now, is available in San Francisco and New York City and lets you shop with local and big-name stores like Macy's, Target, and Home Depot and have the goods show up at your door before the end of the day.

Platform(s): iOS

Sure, iPhone owners can consult Siri if they run into an issue, but Apple's digital assistant will simply link you to a site that will then explain to you how to do something. If you want a handyman's guide in your pocket, we recommend FixYa. The app comes from the awesome FixYa.com which has solutions for nearly every problem imaginable.

Platform(s): iPad

NPR is one of the best ways to discover new music, and now that becomes even easier thanks to its well-designed app. On top of hearing new music, you can read articles, listen to interviews, and watch NPR videos like Tiny Desk Concerts. All for free. You can't beat that.

Platform(s): iOS

Despite its negative connotation, the term "burner" has been given new life by the folks at Ad Hoc Labs. The Burner app allows you to create multiple temporary phone numbers that you can later dispose of. We know the type of job that would require such an app, but Ad Hoc Labs says the app would be perfect for "dating, job searches, and Craigslist transactions."

Platform(s): Android, iOS

Before Instagram incorporated its Photo Map feature, GoHD was allowing people to broadcast what they were doing from certain locales around the globe. All of which makes for an interesting social network. If you want to see what type of sneakers people are talking about in London, you can go select London, search under the "kicks" tag, and boom. It's a true location-based network.

Platform(s): iOS

MavenSay is a new social networking app, developed by Jesse Dallal & Mike Wagman, aimed to share your lifestyle with a community of connoisseurs. If the items you post are shared with enough members, your status becomes elevated to Trusted, Loved or, if you're really good, Maven.

Platform(s): iOS

Love web video? You should download Frequency. Through the app you can aggregate videos from over 1,000 sources including ESPN, CNN, and The New York Times. You can also log into your social networks and see what your friends are currently watching. It's available for the iPhone and the iPad, but we recommend using it on the tablet.

Platform(s): iPad

Apartment hunting sucks. Straight up. Lovely aims to make it suck a little less. There are a ton of apartment searching apps available, but this one of the best we've used this year. The layout is clear and easy to understand so you don't waste your time looking at places that don't fit your criteria.

Platform(s): Windows Phone

One of the most popular cloud storage services finally made the plunge to the Windows Phone platform this year with an app that took full advantage of Microsoft's UI. You can view and edit files from your phone and organize your folders. You can also view the status of your files from the Windows Phone lockscreen. Sign up for the service and get 5GB of free storage. Even if you're #TeamSkyDrive, it's still worth a shot.

Platform(s): iPad

Yeah, we watch Cartoon Network. What of it? Instead of fronting like you don't watch it, too, you should download the network's iPad app which lets you play games and watch shows while on the go.

Platform(s): Android

In the event some Android users don't use Google Drive and instead opt for Microsoft's cloud service, there's now an app for that. Get access to all of your SkyDrive files, upload videos and photos from your phone, and manage all your folders in the cloud.

Platform(s): Windows Phone

Heavy Reddit users who own a Windows Phone device need Baconit. The app uses the clean WP interface interface to create a slick, fast way to digest all the top posts on the "front page of the Internet."

Platform(s): Android

The First Aid by American Red Cross app is a favorite because the easy-to-follow instructions that can help you in the case of an emergency. It comes with pre-loaded information in the event you're without cell service and even has videos you can watch to better learn how to handle a situation. The organization finally released the Android version this year. Hopefully the Windows Phone version is next.

Platform(s): Android, iOS

Just when we thought GoPro cameras couldn't get any better, the company goes ahead and releases an app that allows you to control their cameras from your smartphone. See what the camera sees, change camera settings, keep an eye on the camera's battery life, and even the GoPro video/photo of the day directly from the app.

Platform(s): Android

Similar to the way some hotel websites fill empty rooms at a discounted rate, Savor works with OpenTable and Zagat to the same with restaurants. Going with the notion that an empty table is a bad table, you can find out which spots have space available and save up to 40 percent when you book a table within the app. What's a Groupon?

Platform(s): iOS

Considering Facebook is the largest image-sharing site on the Internet, it makes sense for the company to chisel off its most popular feature into a stand-alone app. The Camera app added much-needed features like the ability to share multiple images. Users can quickly do some light editing to photos and easily tag friends in photos by simply tapping their image. It's not revolutionary, but for those who post a ton of photos on Facebook, it's much needed.

Platform(s): Android, iOS

Since Microsoft refuses to release mobile versions of its Office Suite, third parties will have to pick up the slack. One such company, CloudOn, Inc. did just that with its CloudOn app. Available for both Android and iOS, CloudOn allows you to create, view, and edit Microsoft Office documents on your iPad or Android tablet. The only catch is you need to be connected to the Internet while doing so, but if you need to handle Office docs, that's a small price to pay.

Platform(s): Android, iOS, Kindle Fire

It's impossible to get through all the videos, articles, GIFs, and photos that get sent to you during the day by friends and co-workers. Now you don't have to. With Pocket, formerly Read It Later, you can save everything in a central location for viewing either on your computer on your smartphone or tablet.

Platform(s): Android

We won't call Google Drive a Dropbox killer. However, we do think Google Drive is a Dropbox bully. Formerly known as Google Docs, Drive is a cloud-based storage service that allows you to also collaborate in real-time on documents. While the iOS Google Drive app only lets you view documents, the Android version allows you to edit documents directly from your phone or tablet.

Platform(s): iOS

The Simple Finance Technology Corporation wanted to make banking an easier, more enjoyable experience. To do so it started Simple, a new digital banking service that's working to be a viable alternative to brick-and-mortar banks. With Simple, you can do pretty much everything you did with your old bank, but on your phone and for less coin. Using the elegant Simple app you can view your transactions, pay bills, deposit checks, search through your transactions, and see your "Safe-to-Spend" balance. When you sign up, you get a VISA card so you can make purchases and take money out of ATMs. Next time you find yourself cursing your bank, consider this option.

Platform(s): Android

After finding success on iOS, the Turntable.fm team decided not to fix its unbroken formula. The Android version features the same dancing avatars, and the ability to go from room to room while still listening to music from another room. However, unlike apps that only let you sign in with your Facebook info, Turntable.fm for Android lets you rock with your Twitter handle.

Platform(s): iOS

There's very little harder than starting or breaking a habit. If you're having trouble getting into a routine for anything-exercise, writing, reading, struggle rapping-this app will help you. When you figure out something that you want to do each day, you put it in as a commitment and then each day you will get a message asking you if you completed the task. If you do, you will see the days begin to add up and that will act as encouragement for you to keep going. Is it worth $3? That depends. How badly do you want to better yourself?

Platform(s): Android

Finally made available on Android this year, NBA Jam will run on nearly every popular Android handset including the Nexus 4, HTC One X, Samsung's Galaxy S III, and more. The arcade gameplay is still there as are the three game modes from the iOS version. Our favorite thing to do is go head-to-head against a friend via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth in the multiplayer mode. The game is so fun you'll lose track of time. By the time you look up baseball will be winding down and it'll be time for the season opener.

Platform(s): Android, iOS

The social drawing game that had everyone attempting to draw firetrucks and Jay-Z made its way to Android this year. OMGPOP fixed the all the issues some users were experiencing when trying to play a game with a friend. Now it sails as smooth as its iOS counterpart.

Platform(s): Android

What do you do after your game racks up over 40 million downloads on iOS? Head to Android. That's what the folks behind the Indiana Jones-like adventure game did. The gameplay is the same, as are the power-ups and characters. If you have an Android phone and love killing time, do yourself a favor and download this game.

Platform(s): Android

Imagine having a Spotlight-like feature that, instead of searching your computer and phone for files, searched your online data. That's what CloudMagic is. The Android app indexes your Google, Gmail, and Twitter information so you can get instant results when you search for either an email or a tweet. Yeah, you need something like that.

Platform(s): Android

The people at TED realized it couldn't take over the world without first taking over Android. Like the iOS app, TED for Android lets you browse the library of over 1100+ videos, bookmark videos for later viewing, flag videos for offline viewing, and listen to audio streams of videos.

Platform(s): iOS

Realizing that most people were reading its articles on iPads, the folks behind Longreads, the website that curates great long form writing from around the Net, decided to come out with an app. How does it work? When you open it up, you'll be greeted with articles picked by Longreads from the likes of The New Yorker and the Atlantic.

Platform(s): iOS

Apple knew that if it ported its iPhoto software to iOS it would need come correct as it would doing battle against the already successful myriad of photo apps available in the App Store. Thankfully, it did. The iPhoto app allows you to quickly edit photos with simple-to-use, but powerful tools. You can also apply Instagram-like filters. But the real draw is the organization. You can flag photos as favorites and create journals of specific events so you no longer have to scroll through your whole catalog to find a photo. Is it worth the $5? Yes.

Platform(s): Windows Phone

The best instant messaging app available for Windows Phone supports damn near every messaging service out there: Skype chat, Facebook, Google Talk, Yahoo!, AIM/iChat, ICQ, Sina, Mig33, MSN/Windows Live, Jabber, VKontakte, Yandex IM, Odnoklassniki.ru, Mamba, Fetion, RenRen, Gadu-Gadu, MeinVZ and Mail.Ru Agent. What's more, you can multiple accounts for each service. Yeah, like we said, it's the best.

Platform(s): iOS

By now you've seen all the commercials touting Apple's iMovie app. It's pretty slick, with a bunch a templates that let you quickly string together videos taken on your iPhone or iPad. It's available for both, but the iPad version is the one to get.

Platform(s): iPad

Despite our thoughts on Pinterest, the company's iPad app is remarkable. Yes, Pinterest released apps for the iPhone and Android devices, but the iPad app is the best one. It's the one that most perfectly recreates the magic of the image-heavy social network that took the Net by storm this year.

Platform(s): iOS

Is there a an app more fun than GarageBand? We don't think so. You know how sick it is to have no musical experience at all and be able to tap out something resembling music? We imagine the experience is much better if you can actually play an instrument.

Platform(s): iOS

We've talked at length about how Navigon's navigation app is worth the $50 price of entry because of its unmatched design and graphics, and spot-on accuracy. If you're unhappy with the Map app on your iPhone and want something more serious, this is what we recommend.

Platform(s): iOS

OK, so no one figured out how to make the video version of Instagram in 2012. That's alright. Cinemagram came close. This year was the year of the GIF. This app let you easily make your own. It's similar to Instagram, but instead of still images, you can create little moving images and share them with friends. Trust us, once you get going, it becomes quite addictive.

Platform(s): iOS

Look, we know you don't want to spend $1 on a weather app that doesn't come with radars and live weather cams, but hear us out: WTHR is one of the most enjoyable apps we've come across this year. That sounds odd to say about something that just tells you if it's raining or sunny, but it's true. Aesthetically in line with you would expect from Apple, WTHR dose away with any extraneous information and design. We wish more apps were made with the same design philosophy.

Platform(s): Android, iOS

Unless you're from or have friends in a certain city, shopping is a crap shoot. Sure, you can Google the best stores to hit, but you won't really know where to go to get the great wares. That's where Goodstuff comes in. The city guide app indexed over 1,000 dope sneaker and street wear stores in major cities around the world. You find stores by the brands they sell, their proximity to you, the type of stuff they sell, and more. Each store and brand page is full of photos, information, and user reviews so you don't waltz into a store unprepared. Think of it as a Yelp for cool kids.

Platform(s): Android, iOS

For the third iteration of the Tumblr app, David Karp's team rebuilt its iOS app from the ground up. The result is a faster, cleaner, and more feature-filled app. There's now support for high-res images, Spotify, and offline access. There are also cool new gesture-based controls for thins like composing a post or taking a photo. They won't speed up your posting, but it's a nice, thoughtful touch. The same can be said for the app as a whole.

Platform(s): iOS

We have a thing for well-designed apps that carry out one job really well. Solar is one of the those apps. Beautiful, fast, and simple to use, it's not only one of the best weather apps, but one of the best apps available on iOS period. We particularly like the "slide up for the 24-hour forecast" feature. Give a try.

Platform(s): iPad

The Seamless Web app for iPad is our favorite food delivery app for a number of reasons. It's elegantly and intuitively designed, it's quick, and it enhances the already great Seamless.com experience. Instead of the cramped iPhone version, you now get big beautiful icons and images of food. You can filter your restaurant search with a couple quick swipes of your finger. We haven't found a better way to order food via iPad.

Platform(s): iPad

When Eric Vishria and Tim Howes started Rockmelt in 2009, their goal was to build a browser that was in tune with the way people now use the Internet. How is that? Socially. Think about it: What percentage of the things you read, watch, and listen to everyday come from a friend? We're guessing it's a lot. Rockmelt melds social and the search worlds together in one well-designed application. You can see what your friends are sharing on various social networks along side the articles your favorite sites are publishing. The iPad app, which was released this year, was a great extension of that idea.

Platform(s): iOS

We want our to-do list apps to do two things: Tell us our tasks and get out of the way. That's exactly what the beautifully designed Clear app does. Not bogged down with features, Clear lets you put in what tasks you need to do, color-code them by importance, and then swipe them away once they're complete. It's one of the best to-do list apps we've ever used, if not the best. And since its release earlier this year, the Clear team has produced a Mac OS X version of the app so you can keep track of your to-do list from whereever you are.

Platform(s): iPad

As soon as Spotify made its way to smartphones people began clamoring for an iPad port. In May, Sean Parker & Co. finally came through with an app that was at once beautiful and intuitive. The team had a couple goals in mind when creating the tablet version of the popular app: It needed to replicate a true stereo experience, allow users to better discover new music, and enable better interaction with the tunes and people who enjoy them. We think it accomplished all of those goals.

Platform(s): iPad

After Microsoft famously scrapped its Courier tablet project, the engineers behind it decided to compile their talents and go for self. The result was FiftyThree, Inc., the development company behind the incredible and elegant Paper app. Paper app aims to make analogue activities like drawing, painting and scribbling notes feel both natural and enhanced using the iPad's technology. It has five modes: Draw, Sketch, Outline, Write and Color. The Draw feature is free, while the other modes can be unlocked in an in-app store for $1.99 each (full set = $7.99). Anything made in Paper can be easily exported or shared to your social networks and Tumblr. Download it and let your inner artist out.

Platform(s): Android, iOS

We had high, high hopes for the mobile version of the popular desktop browser. Thankfully, Google came through with an app that's so good, we wish we could make it the default browser on our iPhones. Lightweight, quick, and beautiful, Chrome resembles and operates how a mobile browser should in 2012. The tab functionality is spot on (we love the act of simply whisking away tabs we're no longer using). We enjoy the unobtrusive status bar that let's us know if a page has stalled out. And the universal search/address bar makes everything that much easier. Safari works fine, this is true, but if you want better than OK, give Chrome a try.