11. Rightmove
Price: Free
Phone: Apple, Android
Tablet: Appl
The totally redesigned Right move app is a
revelation. Whether you’re at home with the iPad, scouring a postcode for houses
in your price range and eyeing up interior shots, or out and about with a
smartphone letting the GPS do its job, it eliminates wasted viewings and brings
up others that would have been a chore to find.
Rightmove for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad
12. Evernote
Price: Free ($6/mth for Premium)
Phone: Apple, Android, BlackBerry, Windows
Tablet: Apple, Android
Evernote has been around for a while, but
there’s still little out there to top its mix of note-taking, to-do lists and
recordings, synced across pretty much any device and platform. The number of
services it’s incorporated and tied in with grows with each new release, so
with perseverance, it’s capable of performing the duties of several other apps
in this feature.
13. CloudMagic
Price: Free.
Phone: Apple, Android
Tablet: Apple, Android
CloudMagic is a hub that helps you to
manage your myriad online services; it lets you search email, contacts,
Twitter, Facebook, Google Drive, Dropbox and more. Plus, the homescreen gives
an overview of recent activities across all services.
14. Steam Mobile
Price: Free
Phone: Apple, Android
Valve’s digital distribution platform,
Steam, still calls the PC its home, but its app is a versatile companion. It
has many of the desktop features in a similar interface, and games can be purchased
via the app they’ll be downloaded to your PC when you next start Steam. The app
lets you browse your friends list, see which games they’re playing and chat, no
matter what device they’re using. The only thing it doesn’t do is let you play
the games themselves.
15. Smartr Contacts
Price: Free
Phone: Apple, Android, BlackBerry
Devoted users of Xobni the popular Outlook
plugin that spruces up your inbox with pictures and updates from social
networks will enjoy the company’s mobile offering. Smartr Contacts creates an
address book with the details of pretty much anyone with whom you’ve ever had
any communication. It can pull in data from social networks, email contacts and
conversations and even calendar entries; it recognises phone numbers among the
wealth of information. It doesn’t work with all email accounts, but it’s a
powerful tool.
16. Fantasy Premier League 2012/13
Price: $2
Phone: Apple, Android, BlackBerry, Windows
Tablet: Apple, Android
Considering it has more than 2.4 million
players, it’s amazing that it’s taken until this season for the Premier League
to support its fantasy competition with an app. It isn’t hugely innovative, but
it does the job. You can change your team right up to the deadline, make
transfers and check your points live, which is all us budding Mourinhos have
wanted all along. Use in conjunction with the Sky Sports app for a perfect
Saturday.
17. SwiftKey 3 Keyboard
Price: $4.5
Phone: Android
Tablet: Android
SwiftKey 3 is one of Android’s most popular
third-party keyboards, and it’s easy to see why. As well as providing a
sensible, versatile layout, it will analyse what you type whether it’s in emails
or on social networks to help correct common mistakes and compensate for individual
quirks. Typing styles also help to tailor the app to slow, precise typists or
rapid tappers. There are separate phone and tablet versions, so be sure to buy
the right one.
18. Crime Map
Price: Free
Phone: Apple, Android.
Tablet: Apple, Android
Yes, the police have an app. To be honest,
there’s nothing particularly new it’s the same fascinating crime-mapping system
that’s been available in browsers for some time but using GPS on a smartphone
makes it easier than ever to see the recent crime levels wherever you may be
house-hunting. And we’re just pleased to see our public services embracing
technology.
19. HeyTell
Price: Free
Phone: Apple, Android, Windows
Who doesn’t love using a walkie-talkie,
given a chance? Over. That’s right: no-one. Over. And HeyTell brings the
walkie-talkie concept to your phone: push the onscreen button and record your
message. On release, it’s sent to your chosen HeyTell user, who can send back
an instant reply. With its launch on Windows Phone in 2012, it’s a great
addition to any phone. Over and out.
20. PC Pro Enhanced
Tablet: Apple
Of all the apps on this list there’s one
that came out of our own blood, sweat and tears, so please forgive us a brief
blow of our own trumpet. The PC Pro Enhanced app takes all the content you’re
used to reading in the magazine and adds voice recordings, 360-degree
photography and video clips, and a whole new layout designed specifically for
the iPad (other platforms are under review). We’re immensely proud of it, and
we hope you’ll enjoy it too.
