Tap That App

Let's face it, we're all devoting more time and attention to our mobile devices. Make sure you're armed with the best applications—no matter what device you use. Of course you've got your favorites and the requisite social networks, but here are eight essential apps, covering everything from cooking and shopping to productivity and leisure.

Evernote

The gold standard when it comes to everything from note-taking and checklists to planning and productivity, Evernote helps you keep track of ideas (and sync them across all the devices you use). Whether you're typing in a note, recording a voice memo or snapping a picture for future reference, this ingenious app keeps your thoughts organized and searchable.

Free,
for iOS, Android, Blackberry and Windows

FlightTrack

For those who take their air travel seriously, this intuitive app can track a flight in seconds covering 1,400 airlines and providing information on 16,000 airports worldwide. You can sync flight info to your phone's calendar, find alternate flights and receive gate changes before they hit the TVs in the terminal. But best of all are the beautiful, zoomable, live flight tracker maps with satellite and weather radar imagery.

$5,
for iOS and Android

How to Cook Everything

A modern interpretation of his bestselling cookbook, New York Times columnist Mark Bittman has complied 2,000 recipes, 400 how-to illustrations and a host of tips that appeal to real guys looking to better their skills in the kitchen. It even comes with a built-in timer and grocery list so you don't have to fiddle with any other gadgets.

$10,
for iOS

Rise Up

If you're using your phone for your alarm (and aren't we all by now?), consider upgrading to this app, which not only has a handsomely designed nightstand face—complete with date and weather at a glance—but also boasts such features as a radio and sound machine along with simple ways to dismiss the alarm like flipping the phone over.

$2,
for iOS and Android

ShopSavvy

Who wants to pay more for something they could score cheaper somewhere else? This barcode scanner quickly looks up an item, pulls up the prices at competing retailers and even allows you to purchase it using their Slide2Pay feature which conveniently stores all your necessary credit card and shipping details.

Free,
for iOS, Android and Windows

Scout

Like a sexier version of Yelp, Scout is part curated city guide, part GPS navigator. It's full of relevant recommendations and can get you there with voice-guided navigation. Handy functions allow you to cue up personalized commute times, find the cheapest gas near you and send your ETA to whomever you're meeting.

Free,
for iOS and Android

Instapaper

Found a great story online but don't have time to read it now? This quick and simple app lets you save articles and blog posts, scooping out the contents and presenting it in a simple, easy-to-read format for offline reading later from your phone or tablet.

$3,
for iOS and Android

WeatherBug

This full-featured app puts all the information you could want—wind chills, realtime satellite and Doplar radar mapping, detailed hourly forecasts and live weather cams—in a cleverly designed dashboard. Plus, there's unlimited saved locations and a cool lightning tracker.

Free,
for iOS, Android and Windows

40 Billion

The number of apps downloaded from the iOS App Store so far.

(Source: Apple)