The competition may be lagging behind Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store which are both home to hundreds of thousands of apps, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find some great apps on Windows Phone, Windows 8, or BlackBerry as well. In this app roundup, we offer up the best mobile apps that are available on all platforms. There’s no discrimination here, just great apps for you.
If you happen to switch operating systems from time to time, these are the apps that can follow you everywhere.
TuneIn Radio (Free)
If you enjoy listening to the radio on your smartphone or tablet, TuneIn Radio is an essential install. We’re talking about more than 70,000 stations of music, news, and sports. You can get a world view or tune in to the local airwaves. The app also offers access to over 2 million podcasts and shows of every flavor on demand. You can browse the categories, check out recommendations, or search for precisely what you want. All that content is packaged in a clear and concise design that’s easy to use.
Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
AccuWeather (Free)
Being able to access reliable weather forecasts can really help you plan ahead and this attractive app is focused on bringing you the latest news on what the next five days are liable to look like at your location. It covers 2.7 million individual locations worldwide and you can fully customize it and set up severe weather alerts. It’s easy to see the chance of sunshine or rain at a glance, but you can also delve a bit deeper with satellite maps of weather systems.
Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
ESPN ScoreCenter (Free)
Everyone likes to keep up with their favorite sports teams and the ScoreCenter app from ESPN lets you do just that. You can set up a personalized view on how all of the teams you support are performing and receive notifications of results in real time. Throw in the latest breaking news, stats, in-depth analysis, and video footage and you have a window on the world of sport wherever you are.
Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
Box (Free)
You can get 5GB of free cloud storage with Box and use it to easily and swiftly copy files from device to device. Access your presentation on the go, share documents with co-workers, or share videos with friends and family, there’s no end to the potential usefulness of an app like Box. You can comment on files and see updates from other people in real time. If security is a concern, you’ll be glad to know that encryption is supported. There’s no other cloud app currently available that supports all these platforms (believe us, we’ve looked).
Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
USA Today (Free)
What is going on in America? You can get a pretty comprehensive overview with the USA Today app which offers up News, Sports, Life, Money, Tech, Travel, and Opinion sections for your perusal. There are lots of photos, you can get alerts on breaking news, and you can see topics as a snapshot to grab the important details. You can also save content to read offline later. Easy sharing via email or social media allows you to spread the news that interests you.
Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
Skype (Free)
Get your instant messaging, voice calls, and video calls bundled together with Skype. The fact that Skype-to-Skype calls over the internet are free helped Skype to take off in a big way and it’s the ideal solution for long distance calls. The app also allows you to share files and call regular landline and mobile numbers by buying credit. More than 250 million users can’t be wrong. The BlackBerry app is due any day now.
Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
Flixster (Free)
Everything you need to plan a night at the movies can be found in the Flixster app. Browse for inspiration or search for the film you know you want to see. It has trailers, reviews from critics and users, the latest charts, upcoming DVD releases, and show times for your local theaters. Some versions of the app even allow you to buy tickets and stream movies direct to your mobile device. Movie fans really can’t afford to miss this one.
Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
Shazam (Free)
You can’t stump Shazam. If you hear something you like then let Shazam have a listen and it will tell you exactly what it is. You’ll also get the option to buy the track, share it, find the YouTube video, and get streaming lyrics so you can sing along. This app can identify TV and adverts as well. Get more information on the things that you like in a flash, most content can be identified within a few seconds. You’ll also find a chart displaying what’s hot and further details on the artists you like.
Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
Evernote (Free)
The best apps are simple, accessible, and very useful and that describes Evernote perfectly. It’s a fantastic organizational tool that lets you record notes as text, audio, images, or a mixture of all three. You can create all kinds of files and lists which can be synced across all your devices and shared easily with friends or colleagues. An elephant never forgets and Evernote is like an elephant in your pocket, only less uncomfortable.
Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
Endomondo Sports Tracker (Free)
Whether you like to keep fit by running, cycling, or walking, you can join up with over 13 million others on the Endomondo network. The app uses the GPS in your mobile device to track your progress when you go for a jog, or any other distance-based activity. You can get encouragement from the app or other users for any workout you undertake. If you need competition to spur you on, you can try to beat friends over distance or aim to better the winning time for a specific route.
Android | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows 8 | BlackBerry
That’s it for our best mobile apps roundup, but we’re always interested in hearing about the apps you can’t live without so if you’d like to add to the list then please post a comment and suggest an app. Just make sure it’s available on most platforms!
