Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Finding an app in a haystack
Taking a quick look, I found over 400 different fart apps. This alone is pretty scary and would lead me to believe that any app that might be either useful or funny, or even totally pointless, has so many variations that without knowing an app name, searching for something that interests me would soon become a Herculean task.
Apple hasn't made this easy since using the iTunes store search is pretty rough and usually brings up many choices that don't seem to contain what you want. i really hope that Apple addresses this in the future since the current method just isn't nearly good enough.
As is often the case, intrepid app aficionados have jumped into the fray and given us some help in finding just the right app:
- Freeappalert.com prints a listing, updated daily, of apps that have just gone from paid to free. This is a great place to start a search because more than once have I run into the situation where I bought an app and later found that a free one did just as good if not better. To give you an example, the site has listed fifteen apps that just went free today, July 13th. They also provide a listing of apps that became free over the last few days.
- Appshopper.com lets you search by topics such as: what's new, what's free, what has been updated, and what has changed in price. The site mentions that it's still in testing and more features will be forthcoming. Recent additions to the site include buttons for "Want it" and "Have it."
- 148apps.com, along with listing what's new and free, relates their favorite 148 apps along with tracking 148 games, both free and paid, as well as 148 general apps, again both free and paid.
- Iviewer.com is in the midst of collecting apps from readers. They are looking for apps that haven't appeared in any top 10 lists. This doesn't seem as if would provide as broad a field of information as the other sites.
- Macworld's App Guide is the best-organized and most functional site I've found. Apps are categorized by type, which alone saves a lot of time. Price reductions are noted as well as groups of popular apps featured. The nicest part of the site is a really functional search box that puts the one found in the iTunes store to shame. Type in a phrase and you will get nicely sorted, useful results. I've found this to be less than complete, but as someone once said: 'in the land of the blind, the one eyed man is King.'
Try some of these out and see if it helps you successfully navigate through the quickly increasing mountain of apps.
I know that I haven't scratched the surface of sites that can help with app searching, so please tell us what you have found and what makes your site discovery unique and especially helpful in marketing iPhone/iTouch apps.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
RM imagery said 8:51PM on 7-13-2009
How can you have this article without mentioning AppSniper? It owns...
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xplocvo said 9:16PM on 7-13-2009
Does AppSniper even work anymore? I deleted it off my phone weeks ago because it didn't list any of the newer apps. I assumed their lists were no longer being maintained. I use Pandora Box for price tracking now.
David Winograd said 11:35PM on 7-13-2009
Because it costs 99 cents.
I'm trying to find free solutions.
Flaystus said 8:58PM on 7-13-2009
alternativeto.net is starting to build a decent database.Slowly.
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David Winograd said 11:36PM on 7-13-2009
Not from what I found.
There is no easy way to get a listing of iPhone apps, at least from a cursory look.
Michael Khalili said 9:21PM on 7-13-2009
In addition to the generic categories everyone has, yappler.com has a ton of videos, top user choices and sub category tags.
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Andrew Warner said 9:40PM on 7-13-2009
I was thinking of Yappler when I saw this post.
Hey David, what do you think of that site?
doug said 9:59PM on 7-13-2009
Yappler has app store stats too, which is cool for devs and numbers nerds.
http://www.yappler.com/Apple-iPhone-App-Store-Stats/
David Winograd said 11:36PM on 7-13-2009
I love writing these things since I learn so much.
Yappler was a new one on me, and after spending a bit of time with it, I'd put it year the top of the list.
I just bookmarked it and feel that I'll be spending some quality time there.
Tom said 9:23PM on 7-13-2009
Touch Arcade, run by Kim Arnold (who also does macrumors.com) is also worthy of a mention - if you're looking for games on the iPhone
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RM imagery said 10:00PM on 7-13-2009
Yes, I'm a TouchArcade member and it's the best to really see what's worthy of attention. Great threads with vids of the games in action, some participation from the devs, etc..
sorry I didn't mention it above.
David Winograd said 11:36PM on 7-13-2009
Nice site, but I'd prefer a scrolling list that you can click on for more information about an app. A bit too much scrolling for my taste, but full of great information.
f683325 said 12:46AM on 7-14-2009
This site is really a good one,it contains many apps,it lets you search by topics such as: what's new,what's more popular etc.
http://appulo.us/appdb/
Also I think this contest is very interesting
http://digg.com/apple/CONTEST_DIY_WALLPAPER_TO_WIN_CASH_2
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Bloobie said 1:14AM on 7-14-2009
Spamming the site with this contest is a no-no.
Drunken Economist said 8:32AM on 7-14-2009
I was wondering when the crapulous folks were going to rear their ugly heads.
echo3001 said 10:24PM on 7-13-2009
http://tapcritic.com/ is always brutally honest, with lots of great video reviews too.
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Richard Brody said 10:38PM on 7-13-2009
AppSmile.com is where I go for the latest and greatest apps. They review the apps and rate them with interesting little "dimples". A nice twist in a flooded market.
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d said 10:54PM on 7-13-2009
the opposite is also saddeningly true -- getting your app found in the haystack (in fact, some of us have to rely on shameless plugs in otherwise very contributory comments on TUAW -- WordSalad and AlphaDrop are my apps, and fan us on Facebook if you find them enjoyable!) But seriously, I have had and insane amount of trouble getting the word out on my apps. There is simply no way to get the word out. It's a hit-or-miss thing. The market has become very saturated, and I might have to leave the iPhone platform for something like the Pre so I can get in on the fun at the beginning and might actually make some money off the WordSalad endeavor.
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Maxwell said 11:35PM on 7-13-2009
Interesting factoid: Which of these sites play nice on the 'phone (reformatting the way TUAW does)? None of them. Go figure.
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george said 1:25AM on 7-14-2009
Maxwell, just made freeappalert.com format nice on the iPhone. Should be easier to use now on the phone and the links go straight into the app store.