Share your Windows 8/8.1 (Store) app recommendations


Recommended Posts

Loving TrackSeries and Khan Academy apps.

I just launched version 4 of my app SmashCast which is a podcast subscriber/downloader app.

I know the UI is very basic, but the core functionality is all there, id love some reviews though, even if you hate it (all my reviews are from v2 and dont represent the current state of the app).

I guess I'll post my own application - Music Info http://apps.microsof...bd-90cc214cc09f

It's meant to be a music discovery application, with some pretty photos. But it plays your mp3/wav files too (and DRM free AAC & WMA if you pay too), and with better performance than Xbox Music. It wasn't initially intended to be a music player, so not everything is there yet (like playlists), but people seem to really like it.

Screenshot.9980.1000000.jpg

Any update on when/if playlist support will be added? Tried it and liked it but I listen to my music in playlists so without it I cant buy it. Thanks

Any update on when/if playlist support will be added? Tried it and liked it but I listen to my music in playlists so without it I cant buy it. Thanks

Sometime soon - I've ben on holiday so haven't had anytime to add playlist stuff, but I'll get started over the weekend after I've cleaned up some bugs.

Sometime soon - I've ben on holiday so haven't had anytime to add playlist stuff, but I'll get started over the weekend after I've cleaned up some bugs.

Thanks, can I ask though, will the new playlist support enable the app to be able to read existing Zune and WMP playlists? And will it save playlists in those formats (or at least a compatible format) or will it be restricted to reading and writing playlists within the app itself? Thanks.

  • 2 weeks later...

I see that there are torrent front end clients that connect to the desktop version to manage your torrents. How hard is it if at all to make a pure metro app and not just a fancy manager app for the desktop version?

I see that there are torrent front end clients that connect to the desktop version to manage your torrents. How hard is it if at all to make a pure metro app and not just a fancy manager app for the desktop version?

I thought Metro apps weren't allowed to do most forms of background processes...

But anyway, I'd recommend News Bento: while its not as good as Flipboard when it comes to bringing in different news sources (here you either pick from the list it gives you, or input an RSS feed), it is definitely a well-designed news app. Its layout mimics the behavior of the start screen, so you'll already know how to manipulate it.

  • 1 month later...

Hey, so I've just had the latest version of SmashCast approved for the Store, I'd love it if some of you took a look and let me know your thoughts.

Its not pretty, but I believe it has the best functionality of the existing podcast applications.

I'm also working on some new features such as improved playlist management (at present you can't easily navigate a playlist, I've got most of that fixed in the current dev build - just shows how long the approval process can be!).

And I'm also looking to fix the two outstanding bugs I'm aware of - see if you can spot them before I get them fixed :)

Any feature suggestions are welcomed as well.

  • 4 weeks later...

My first post here. I've been using Reddit on Reddhub, and I love it. I never knew what Reddit was until I found this app. I tried the app on a whim and I've loved it ever since. I also like that it is being regularly updated to make improvements.

  • 1 month later...

My new company's first app launched this week. It's a different take on a news reading app, and it's called Newseen.

Here's the store link:

http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-US/app/newseen/e19ec5a5-08bf-4b31-8178-9d512dbdfb35

I also made a little promo video and put it up on YouTube and the app's website:

http://newseen.com

Love to hear what folks think :-)

  • 4 weeks later...

post-494532-0-92544200-1371198887.pngA game I like is Robotek

Also wrote one myself called Whats the Pic that's been popular across all ages and genders:

http://apps.microsof...1e-b24bdc3e43cc

Rated 4.5 stars with 3,500 ratings :-)

Interested in any feedback you have; also on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks

  • 2 weeks later...
osuwildlifer, on 14 Jun 2013 - 08:29, said:osuwildlifer, on 14 Jun 2013 - 08:29, said:

I recommend the Desktop App. It's the only one I use. (Y)

That's a damn shame. There are so many good apps available in the Store that many developers have put a lot of time and effort into.

That's a damn shame. There are so many good apps available in the Store that many developers have put a lot of time and effort into.

 

Not a shame at all from my perspective.  I do not want a full-screen app on my 30" desktop monitor. Ever.  (except remote desktop, which for obvious reasons makes sense)

 

I'm not knocking the apps themselves or the skill of the dev's that made 'em... i just hate the whole idea of forcing an app to be full screen only.  Why would I want a full screen, 30" calculator or stopwatch or instant messenger?

osuwildlifer, on 27 Jun 2013 - 18:34, said:

Not a shame at all from my perspective.  I do not want a full-screen app on my 30" desktop monitor. Ever.  (except remote desktop, which for obvious reasons makes sense)

 

I'm not knocking the apps themselves or the skill of the dev's that made 'em... i just hate the whole idea of forcing an app to be full screen only.  Why would I want a full screen, 30" calculator or stopwatch or instant messenger?

 

You know you can dock them to the sides, too, right? And with 8.1 now you can have them e any size. And I bet your 30" monitor has just as many pixels as my 10.6" and 23", no need to throw that number around.

 

Anyway, I really like the ReddHubb app. I use it on my desktop and tablet to provide, in my opinion, a better Reddit experience than the website.

  • 1 month later...

You know you can dock them to the sides, too, right? And with 8.1 now you can have them e any size. And I bet your 30" monitor has just as many pixels as my 10.6" and 23", no need to throw that number around.

 

Anyway, I really like the ReddHubb app. I use it on my desktop and tablet to provide, in my opinion, a better Reddit experience than the website.

I find it hard to believe your 10.6 or 23" does 2560 x 1600. More than likely your 23" does 1920 x 1080, huge difference.

I would like to recommend my free game for Windows 8: Marblie! This is an addictive puzzle game and I think you will like it. It can be downloaded here: http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/app/marblie/9d43e557-deeb-4ff0-9f3d-8b0b56623bf6.

 

Marblie was just released today and I would really like to know what you guys thinks of it! Fell free to drop me a line or review the app! 

 

Thank you for giving it a try!

 

Screenshot.223355.100000.jpg

  • Like 3
  • 2 months later...

Can anyone recommend a good music app for playing music on my computer? The Music app in Windows 8.1 is terrible. Was just about usable in Windows 8, but now it is just "cloud, cloud, cloud!" and I'm struggling to find my own music amongst all the pushing of the cloud in it. It has even set all my playlists to play from the cloud! :angry:

 

I'm giving "Groove" a go (which is nice but lacks a live tile) and have downloaded the trial of ~Johnny's "Music Info" mentioned a few pages back (seems good, except for a crash when selecting artists). Any others out there?

  • 3 weeks later...

Can we have the app store pinned? I'm still half asleep and tried windows store and such but no idea of the URL to the actual store for apps.

 

I just installed Awesome Zombie sniper.. seems to have a pretty decent rating.

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
  • Eric unpinned this topic
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Posts

    • VS Code 1.123 introduces massive upgrades for persistent AI developer workflows by Paul Hill Microsoft has just released Visual Studio Code 1.123 alongside its annual developer conference, Build 2026. This release, as always, has a heavy focus on advanced AI agent integration and making the built-in browser more robust. Notably, this update brings big sync changes that keep your AI agents persistent across sessions. With this update, VS Code now supports cross-machine syncing for chat histories, touched files, repository contexts, and related PRs via GitHub accounts, tying users even more into Microsoft’s developer ecosystem. This update also introduces the new /chronicle command that allows you to query past sessions using natural language, generate instant standup reports, and get personal productivity insights. Microsoft has also made some improvements to network-dependent operations, it explains: “When a terminal command that is run by a local agent requires access to domains that are not configured as allowed domains, the command is automatically retried inside the sandbox with unrestricted network access. After that, if it still fails, it falls back to unsandboxed execution. This allows network-dependent operations such as git fetch to finish, while keeping filesystem protections in place.” Microsoft has not stopped there; in this update, it also allows developers to drag, drop, and pin multiple agent sessions side-by-side for easy code comparisons in real-time. It also introduces the Research Agent, accessible via /research. This is a read-only, depth-optimized tool that gets data from the web, local codebase, and GitHub to give you a Markdown report on complex APIs or unfamiliar code. Now, let’s talk about the integrated browser and some security enhancements. VS Code 1.123 features enhanced screenshot capture tools that allow for targeted Area Screenshots and Full Page Screenshots to send layout context instantly to AI chat. The address bar has also been revamped, supporting favorite pages and tab management. Finally, on the security front, this update introduces a safety-first two-hour delay on third-party extension auto-updates to safeguard against compromised or buggy releases. This release is now available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. If you have VS Code, keep an eye out for the update availability notification. If you still don’t have VS Code, you can get it here.
    • I'm hoping with the Surface Pro 12, I can use either USB-C for my Xreal One Pro glasses. With my Surface Pro 11 OLED X Elite, I have to plug them into the top port. The bottom port will power it, but nothing shows on the screen. Maybe it's my setting. When I plug in the glasses, I have it output only to the glasses. So maybe I need to turn on both displays with it in the top port, then switch the glasses to the bottom port and set it to output only to the glasses. And then hopefully Windows remembers the settings for either the top port and bottom port (one of the awesome features of Windows where it remembers the exact configuration when plugging in external monitors.
    • Forgive my ignorance, but the only difference I see here is that a USB-A is now a USB-C, so there are two of them. For the modern age (and I'd argue since 2020), most products would now come with USB-C as an option, if not the default. Display, charging, devices, etc on TWO connectors, sometimes all combined! So having 2 of those powerful ports is great for something this size! Meanwhile my Surface Pro (5) has a single USB-A port which I cannot even get display out to, instead relying on some Surface Connect dock which I don't have. That is a poor experience, not to mention expensive and not compatible with other devices. Thank God USB-C is mainstream!
    • wow. that color finally comes to Surface Pro. was always a little jelly when a friend had the sandstone Surface Laptop. I wonder how different this dune is from the sandstone. I'll be getting the dune version. always thought black and platinum were a little boring. I'll still have access to my blue Surface Pro 11 as it'll be a hand-me-down.
    • Looks a very subjective aren't they!? I like its simple design. I love the way Apple designs their products with function over form, minimalization, and simplicity over cluttered complex designs. Many, not all, of their products follow this trend, and the device becomes a tool rather than dominating the space. I do not however like their OS. I have never bought a Apple product, and while I'd consider the Neo for my wife, I am hoping there are better alternatives out there when her failing MacBook Pro 2017 finally stops. Fischer-Price is famously plastic, garish, and poorly made. Basically you're describing the Window Laptops the Neo competes against! This is how product design should be, and what Apple have often followed in recent years: https://tenprinciples.design/
  • Recent Achievements

    • One Month Later
      B2Proxy earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • One Year In
      MadMung0 earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Week One Done
      jefred earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Apprentice
      JoeyNeo went up a rank
      Apprentice
    • Week One Done
      oliviaexpo earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      482
    2. 2
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      227
    3. 3
      Skyfrog
      70
    4. 4
      FloatingFatMan
      60
    5. 5
      Nick H.
      54
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!