Every night I end the day by heading to the App Store on my iPad and using the Release Date option to scroll through all the new apps that were released that day. (Yes, I lead a fairly dull life.) Weekdays typically have the largest number of new apps, but even on a big day there are only a few dozen new ones to scan.
Surely there’s a better way to see what new apps have been released, right? I haven’t found one, but at least AppAdvice helps me find the diamonds in the rough. This $1.99 app has a nifty interface that starts by loading a couple of screen’s worth of news. The news isn’t just limited to apps though; you’ll find tidbits on everything related to the iPad. Touch one of the article summaries to see the full story. Once you get to the bottom of the second screenful of summaries the app loads more news; on and on it goes, with a seemingly endless list of interesting stories to read. My favorite feature is AppFresh Daily, a summary of “the very best apps from the last 24 hours.”
There’s also iPhone version of the AppAdvice app and your $1.99 buys both. While the iPad’s user interface it nice, the iPhone app interface is even better. The developers did a terrific job making use of all the available screen space. For some reason the iPhone app has more features than the iPad one. For example, the AppMovers option lets you see which apps are gaining momentum on the iPhone, but there’s no equivalent option in the iPad app. I’m hoping these iPhone features are added to the iPad app soon, but even without them this one is a must-have.
Via Joe Wikert’s iPadHound blog.
I don’t have an iPad, but I’ve used a Mac for many years. I really like VersionTracker.com which is now Cnet.com. Here’s a link to their iPad section.
http://www.cnet.com/ipod/?tag=ftr
I keep an eye on http://www.appsafari.com/
All good suggestions, from Marilynn and Howard.
Also, App Shopper:
http://appshopper.com/
Still, I often find it difficult to evaluate the app without the being able to try it first, like shareware. A 24-hour trial period would be a be big help. I wonder if that trial period would sell more apps, or fewer?
The prices are so low that it would be more trouble that it is worth. I stick with free apps unless it convinces me to go for it. The description and screen snaps at the bottom of App store on the iPad/iPhone usually show what it is capable of … and then it’s a gamble 🙂