The TechRadar Phone Awards are in full swing, but they still need your vote on what you think are the best phone innovations of the past year. One of the most burgeoning phone sectors of recent years has to be the advent of apps.
These mini software programs can turn your handset into a games console, a running aide and even an ebook reader. With this in mind, TechRadar has narrowed down the best apps around today to a longlist of 10 - all of which need your vote now.
See below for the 10 apps we think are the greatest on any app store at the moment and don't forget that if you don't like any of our choice, then you can still have your say in the TechRadar Phone Awards by adding in your own personal favourite.
If enough people like the same app as you then it will go into the shortlist in the coming months...
Adidas miCoach
Available for: iPhone and BlackBerry
There was us thinking that Nike with its Nike+ service would dominate forever when it came to sport apps for your phone, but Adidas miCoach is our new favourite running mate. Packed with training programmes that have been designed by some of the world's best coaches miCoach helps you get fit by acting like your own personal trainer. The four coloured zones which match your heart rate or pace and push you to your limits when out on a run may be both your best friend and your enemy, but there's no denying they are a great way to push your fitness and offer up great stats at the end.
BBC iPlayer
Available for: Android
Before the real BBC iPlayer app came along, the Android Market was filled with copycat apps which just went to prove that many wanted to view iPlayer content on their mobile phone. It was great then that the BBC released a free app for Android users earlier this year, which allowed access to the iPlayer and the mountain of TV content available.
With a simple to use interface and streaming functionality that just works, the BBC iPlayer app is decent. And the fact it works on Wi-Fi is more of a help than a hindrance, considering we don't want expensive bills as we accidentally streamed content over 3G. Now all we need is for the app to come out for the iPhone, as it is strangely missing at present.
CoPilot Live 8
Available for: iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile
Paid-for sat nav applications may be under heavy pressure from the likes of Google who are offering similar services for free, but this doesn't mean that you shouldn't part with your cash – as CoPilot Live 8 shows. The mix of real-time information, a great unfussy user interface and a spoken voice that doesn't sound like it has been auto-tuned combine to create a fantastic app that can be used both on foot and in a vehicle. TechRadar has also had a sneaky glimpse at Co Pilot 9 and it is fair to say that things are only going to get better for the app, too.
- Vote for your favourite app here.
Google Maps Navigation
Available for: iPhone, Android, Nokia, BlackBerry and others
When Google launched Google Maps Navigation, the collective sigh of TomTom et al could be heard from miles around. That's because the free app offers what most paid-for sat nav apps offer but for nothing, nada, free. Yes, the voice could be improved and the app hasn't quite got all the features you get from a fully-featured sat nav application but it is a brilliant app for those that don't want to spend the cash. What we especially liked was the car dock, rerouting even when offline and that you can search for places by voice.
Hipstamatic
Available for: iPhone
The iPhone 4 may well pack some of the most cutting-edge phone tech around but it seems that even the most tech-savvy hark back to the good ol' days of analogue. Such is the charm of the Hipstamatic app for the iPhone – an application which apes the old-school look of photographs and grafts it on to your latest images.
While paying around a £1 will get you a few effects and lenses, it's great that the app can be instantly updatable via some in-app purchases. And it even adds in the some processing time for images – which may irk after a while but is a great gimmick. Hipstamatic offers a refreshing slant on picture taking and for that it needs to be applauded.
iBooks
Available for: iPhone
Just when you thought Amazon with its Kindle app was going to run away with the ebook market, Apple came along with iBooks - a more polished e-reading experience.
Everything from the look of iBooks' (virtual shelves!) interface to the smooth page turning makes it a joyful reading experience. Couple this with the iPhone 4's crisp retina display, the support of multi-tasking and what you have is something that gives paper a serious run for its money.
- Vote for your favourite app here.
Pulse
Available for: Android
There's nothing better to bring you to the brink of tedium than reading plain RSS feeds on a mobile phone. It's lucky then that there are a number of apps out there which make RSS feed reading into a joyful experience. The best of the current crop is Pulse, a news reader that has a superb-looking UI which effortlessly uses images and text to entice you to read. The best thing about the app is that each story is kept within Pulse's confines so you are not constantly pushed out of the app to read stories from the web.
Slick and sleek, Pulse is one essential app.
Spotify
Available for: iPhone, Symbian, Android, Windows Phone, Palm
Spotify has definitely found the Secret Sauce for getting users to migrate to its premium service, and that is bundling in the addition of mobile features for users who are paying full whack. Packed with innovation, like offline music listening, streaming over Wi-Fi and 3G and constant syncing with your computer, the app is a must for anyone who listens to music on the go. Yes, you are paying a premium for the functionality, but access to 13 million tracks all through a mobile device is definitely something that shouldn't be sniffed at.
Swype
Available for: Android
Swype may be the worst kept secret among Android users, so it is lucky it is one of the best apps for the platform. Unavailable on the Android Market, the app may be in a seemingly endless beta stage but this doesn't make it any less innovative. For those who have never tried it: finger swiping a keypad, instead of prodding with your finger is the future, mainly because it makes typing on a touchscreen a whole lot easier, quicker and much more fun.
TweetDeck
Available for: iPhone and Android
Despite its name, TweetDeck is the go-to app not just for Twitter, but for all your social-networking needs – bringing together Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Foursquare and Google Buzz all into one app. With set-up simple and complete control over how often the app syncs to your various networks, TweetDeck is the cleanest and best third-party app for checking your social feeds. A new re-fresh of the iPhone version of the app also adds to TweetDeck's awesomeness.
