The problem with app marketplaces, whether it is for Android or iOS, is that the sheer number of apps on offer makes sorting the best from the worst a potentially time consuming process. The Apps Review Guide for Android aims to address this, by bundling top picks from various categories into one neat magazine. It does this quite well, and is no doubt a quicker way to look up about the various apps that are available.

Finding your App Solution

The variety of apps covered is rather comprehensive. Dedicated sections include the Best of Android apps, 18 Must Have Apps, and then selected apps in categories such as Games, Books and Reference, Business, Comics, Communication, Education, Entertainment, Finance, Health and Fitness, Lifestyle, Media and Video, Medical, Music and Audio, News and Magazines, Personalisation. Photography, Productivity, Shopping, Sport, Social, Tools, Transport and Travel.

Between five to ten apps are detailed under each category, which makes for rather extensive coverage. Each app covered includes which version is currently available, whether it is free and how much it costs if not, who the developer is, and the size in kilobytes (kb) or megabytes (MB) as appropriate. Alas, it does not explicitly state which version of Android the app is compatible with, which was a bit disappointing.

It came as little surprise that Angry Birds Rio featured as the guide's top game

‘Appsent’ minded

Unfortunately, and sometimes with somewhat humorous results, the magazine has a few spelling mistakes (such as exporation) and a small number of grammatical errors. Additionally, the authors really love exclamation marks! They use them after consecutive sentences! Frequently!

To the point

Even so, BDM’s App Review Guide for Android (Volume 3) is comprehensive enough to warrant a look, especially for app junkies who really don’t want to have to trawl through the market looking for new or undiscovered apps on their own. It has a RRP of R90.