The Best Apps For The New Year

The year gone by saw some pretty amazing apps come to the market and serious competition in the world of app-based services. Here are our top five picks from last year that deserve a place in your phone's app library:

Here Maps and Drive
One thing Nokia's Here mapping service lacks is its pool of points of interest. But if you're travelling abroad - or even to an unfamiliar local place - you can be guaranteed hassle-free direction, courtesy of Here's excellent offline maps and voice-guided navigation. It beats all the other services hands down, particularly on Windows Phone, as it's baked into the OS. Offline maps for entire countries? Yes, please!
7 Minute Workout
The 7-minute workout was one of the biggest health-related trending topics in 2015, so much so that they made an app out of it - not to mention several spin offs. Turns out, after all the hype of the NYT article, the workout, if followed regularly, actually helps you get in shape! All it takes is seven minutes everyday, a wall and chair. Think of it as a New Year's gift to your body.
Cortana
Sorry Siri, but you just don't have the personality that Cortana does. That's probably what you're going to have to say when you install Microsoft's cloud-based personal assistant. She's probably not as connected as Google Now - after all, Cortana is still beta - or as old as Siri, but Cortana downloads on iOS and Android platforms have soared ever since Microsoft dropped the Windows Phone exclusivity. And there's a good chance that'll only make Cortana better in the year to come.
Youtube Kids
Seeing as how so many kids these days can navigate YouTube like pros, Google has introduced a new app designed specifically for kids. The company's official app for children, this focuses on age-appropriate channels - from familiar TV shows to Minecraft gamers like Stampy.
Octodad: Dadliest Catch
This has got to be one of the most inventive game ideas of the year, with plenty of slapstick humour, fun challenges, and just downright quirkiness. Sure, it's not free, but for a game that isn't the run-of-the-mill adventure MMORPG or Candy Crush spin off or Temple Run ripoff, this is definitely worth it. Basically, you play an octopus pretending to be a human, complete with a human family and a constant need to hide his eight-tentacled tendencies. Cute animations and hilarity guaranteed.
Compiled by Rohit Nair

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