Best app 2012: 9th Pocket-lint Gadget Awards nominees

The humble app has been enriching our smartphone lives for some years now, and 2012 was no different. In a testament to the constant fresh thinking of the app designer, we were never stumped in finding something exciting for App of the Day in 2012.

But which really stood out? Below are the nominations for best app 2012 in the 9th Pocket-lint Gadget Awards.

Netflix

Price£5.99 pcmReleasedJanuary 2012 Netflix continued on its quest to bring movie streaming to every possible device on the planet in 2012. Launching in January, the service brought simple and easy to use applications to iOS and Android.

The best bit for us with Netflix was its 3G streaming ability. Every bus journey home was transformed with either an episode of Family Guy or a spot of Arrested Development.

READ: Netflix review

Google Chrome

PriceFreeReleasedFebruary 2012 Chrome browser fled the desktop in 2012 and made its way on to our smartphone, bringing with it cross-platform cloud syncing and all sorts of clever tweaks. On Android, you got one of the quickest and smoothest browsers available. On iOS, there was instant access to all of Google's Chrome-based services.We particularly liked the tab view that Chrome used on Android, which let you swipe to throw away any browser windows you weren't interested in.

READ: Chrome hands-on review

Where's My Perry

Price69pReleasedJuly 2012 There are a lot of gaming apps sitting in the App Store and for one to truly catch our eye it has to be time-destroyingly addictive. Where's My Perry is just that.The app tasked you with getting super secret agent Platypus Perry unstuck from his transportation tubes. Using a system of water control to get liquid from one pool to another, this was simple app gaming at its best and highly addictive.

READ: Where's my Perry review

BBC Olympics app

PriceFreeReleasedJuly 2012 The BBC did an incredible job covering the Olympics, ensuring we could see just about any sport, on any device, at any time. Its iOS and Android app was a particular highlight, however, providing comprehensive coverage of the Games.We found ourselves frequently scrolling through and exploring the app, getting involved in sports we had never imagined we would be interested in. The BBC really brought the Olympics to life and this app did a great job in helping.

READ: BBC Olympics app review

Now TV

Price£15 pcm or rentals from 99pReleasedJuly 2012 Sky also had a lot to shout about when it came to streaming video in 2012. Its Now TV app was simple, functional and packed full of great content. The app launched on multiple platforms with one single clean and clear user interface.This was on-demand streamed video for the masses, executed in such a way that anyone could understand it. Heck, the app even made and appearance on YouView.

READ: Now TV review

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