Top 3 Mobile Apps Of 2010

In 2010, the mobile app really has become the new currency. With hundreds of thousands of apps available just in the Android Market and App Store, “there’s an app for that” is more than just a marketing slogan; it’s also eerily true.

Looking back through my collection, these are three of my picks for Best Mobile App. 

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1. Hipstamatic (iPhone)

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There are a ton of great photography apps for the various mobile platforms. On my iPhone 4, I have two full folders full of photo apps and utilities. Still, no app gets used as much as Hipstamatic [iTunes link].

The $1.99 app turns your iPhone into a toy camera with a degree of accuracy and retro-recreation that is unparalleled by any other photo app. From the viewfinder to the choice of film, lenses and body styles, the app is authentic in every way.

Not only can you share photos on Flickr, Facebook and Twitter, you can also order prints of your photos, and — get this — the prints are done on real photo paper and using a real analog process. Too cool.

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2. GoodReader for iPad

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When GoodReader for iPhone [iTunes link] first appeared on the scene, it seemed like the PDF and document reader that Apple just forgot to include in iOS.

Since its release, Apple has beefed up its native document support, but GoodReader still excels at opening up large files, and even more importantly, acting as a fantastic file manager and viewer. Here’s what makes GoodReader better than just a regular file viewer: You can easily connect to network or cloud-based servers or folders to download or upload, you can download file archives off the net, and you can annotate, make notes, and add drawings to your files.

In short, it’s a Swiss army knife of awesome. GoodReader for iPad [iTunes link] is $1.99 and is still one of the best business apps you can get for Apple’s tablet. It includes all the great features of the iPhone app, but thanks to the bigger screen real estate, you can really go read and view your files with more precision.
Good.iWare frequently updates its apps, adding new features and functionality. It is the $2 app that keeps on giving.

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3. Pulse (iPhone, iPad, Android)

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Alphonso Labs’ Pulse News made a big splash when it was first released for the iPad. That success led to the release of apps for the iPhone and Android.

Part RSS reader, part social aggregator, and completely beautiful to look at, Pulse is part of a larger trend of apps that are reinventing the news reading experience.

Earlier this month, Pulse transitioned from a pay app to a free download. It’s a great way to get the news across your devices and we love its integration with Posterous and other social services.

Those are our picks for “Best Mobile App” — but what about you? Let us know in the comments your top mobile app for 2010