Best Apps 2011: This year's hottest apps

As the Apple App Store, Android Market and BlackBerry App World continue to swell, keeping an eye on the apps that are actually of any use remains a trickier task than ever. Thankfully T3 is here to help with our monthly round-up of the best apps to download now

To help you in the quest to load up your smartphone with the best time-killers and apps to make the most of the year ahead, we’ve handpicked apps across the platforms that warrant your immediate attention.

So whether you’re an Apple iPhone 4S newbie, a Google Android lover, or a BlackBerry fiend, switch on your Wi-Fi or 3G to download our selection of this month’s hottest apps.

Remember you can check out the latest iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone 7 and BlackBerry apps rated and all in one place in the T3 App Chart.

November's hottest apps to download

RightMove

The best property app around just got bester, with zoomable floorplans and bigger pictures now stopping you buying that one-bed in Streatham.

Platform: iOS

Price: Free

Link: rightmove.co.uk

Best iPhone apps I Best iPad apps

Best Biking Roads

Got a motorbike? Get this startlingly comprehensive list of country roads to blast about on. It’s just a shame there’s no Google Nav export…

Platform: Android/iOS

Price: £2.61/£2.49

Link: bestbikingroads.com

Best Android apps | Latest Android apps

Screen Muncher

Amazing how much you can dress up taking a screen grab if you put your mind to it. Whether comedy “munch” noise is work-appropriate is your call.

Platform: BlackBerry

Price: Free

Link: appworld.blackberry.com

Best BlackBerry apps | Latest BlackBerry apps

 

Machinarium

The sumptuous PC/Mac adventure goes portable, full of puzzles, gorgeous artwork and bitesize, commute-happy challenges. It hits Android soon, too.

Platform: iPad

Price: £2.99

Link: machinarium.net

Best iPhone apps I Best iPad apps

 

Neurons

Improve your brain by catching up on the latest tech and science talk clips from TED and co, before sharing them on Twitter with but a single click.

Platform: Windows Phone 7

Price: Free

Link: neurons.codeplex.com

Best Windows Phone 7 apps | Latest Windows Phone 7 apps

 

ExpenseMagic

The best receipt collector in the business is upgraded with automatic expense reports turning it into your own virtual book-keeper in the cloud.

Platform: iOS

Price: Free

Link: expensemagic.com

Best iPhone apps I Best iPad apps

 

Facebook Messenger

FB Chat may not be as stable as Skype or IM, but at least everyone you know is on it. Convenient for chats, we find, as is this dedicated, uncluttered app.

Platform: Android/iOS

Price: Free

Link: facebook.com

Best Android apps | Latest Android apps

 

Google+

Circles and huddles go mobile, with the official Google+ networking app, Also available on iOS.

Price: Free

Platform: Android

Best Android apps | Latest Android apps

 

Apparatus

Test your touchscreen dexterity by crafting machines to move a series of marbles towards a goal.

Price: £1.27

Platform: Android

Best Android apps | Latest Android apps

 

Swiftkey X

A personalised keyboard that promises to learn and more accurately predict your most used terms.

Price: £2.48

Platform: Android

Best Android apps | Latest Android apps

 

Stardunk

Shoot hoops in space, battling earth’s finest multiplayer foes. Insert Space Jam reference here…

Price: Free

Platform: Android

Best Android apps | Latest Android apps

 

Navita translator

Translates text into over 50 languages. Email/tweet the results so people will think you’re a cunning linguist.

Price: Price: Free

Platform: BlackBerry

Best BlackBerry apps | Latest BlackBerry apps

 

Explorer Pink

A desktop-style interface skin with a vibrant hue. Also available in more businesslike blue and black.

Price: Free

Platform: BlackBerry

Best BlackBerry apps | Latest BlackBerry apps

 

Bubble Birds 2

Fast-paced, colourmatching puzzle game now with a new design, characters and levels

Price: Free

Platform: BlackBerry

Best BlackBerry apps | Latest BlackBerry apps

 

Gwabbit

Scans your incoming emails for contact info and automatically saves it to your address book.

Price: Free

Platform: BlackBerry

Best BlackBerry apps | Latest BlackBerry apps

 

Where’s Stig?

Top Gear meets where’s Wally? As you’re tasked With finding the Stig in A series of familiar pics.

Price: £1.49 iPhone, £1.99 iPad

Platform: iOS

Best iPhone apps I Best iPad apps

 

Banksy locations

Easy to follow location based guides to the Graffiti artist’s work. The streets are an art gallery…

Price: £1.49, iPhone

Platform: iOS

Best iPhone apps I Best iPad apps

 

Vinyllove

Turns your MP3s into virtual albums and your Ithing into a turntable, Complete with tonearm.

Price: £1.49, iphone and ipad

Platform: iOS

Best iPhone apps I Best iPad apps

 

Bike repair

Solve 69 bicycle problems, aided by 220 high quality photos and step-by-step repair guides

Price: £2.49, iPhone and iPad

Platform: iOS

Best iPhone apps I Best iPad apps

 

8mm HD
Transforms your iPad 2's camera into a classic 8mm film one, in time for Spielberg's Super 8mm.
Price: £1.79
Platform: iPad
Best iPhone apps | Latest iPhone apps

 

Betfair
Betfair has handled £1bn-worth of mobile bets, making it the app for high-rolling money-losers.
Price: Free
Platform: BlackBerry
Best BlackBerry apps | Latest BlackBerry apps

 

Great British Chefs
Twelve chefs, 15 Michelin stars, 180 recipes: it's what budding chefs have been crying out for.
Price: £4.99
Platform: iPhone/iPad
Best iPhone apps | Latest iPhone apps

 

Kabbee
Compare prices and book licensed minicabs, ensuring you get home with some cash still in your pocket.
Price: Free
Platform: BlackBerry
Best BlackBerry apps | Latest BlackBerry apps

 

Kodak Pic Flick
Send pictures from your handset to your Kodak printer or digital photo frame wirelessly.
Platform: Android
Price: Free
Best Android apps | Latest Android apps

 

Lewis Moody Rugby
Prepare for the upcoming Rugby World Cup with drills and fitness tips from the England captain.
Price: £3.99
Platform: iPhone
Best iPhone apps | Latest iPhone apps

 

Lynx Istream
A live stream of your friends' video, pics, texts, tweets, check-ins and status updates.
Price: Free
Platform: iPhone
Best iPhone apps | Latest iPhone apps

 

Poynt
Keep it local, with movie times, restaurants and the best petrol prices and upcoming gigs in your area.
Price: Free
Platform: BlackBerry
Best BlackBerry apps | Latest BlackBerry apps

 

Screen Shot Free
Take a watermark-free BlackBerry screenshot, with added convenience key compatibility.
Price: Free
Platform: BlackBerry
Best BlackBerry apps | Latest BlackBerry apps

 

Spott
Celeb spotting gets organised. Hunt out thousands of hot film locations, sets, or "Spotts".
Platform: Android
Price: £1.79
Best Android apps | Latest Android apps

 

Ubuntu One Files
Backup all of your phone's files and images to the cloud for easier picture sharing and social uploads.
Platform: Android
Price: Free
Best Android apps | Latest Android apps

50 Greatest Photographs
National Geographic's archive beautifully presented, tablet-style.
Platform: iPad
Price: £2.99
Best iPhone apps | Latest iPhone apps
Buy this app: Download 50 Greatest Photographs iPhone app now

 

BBC News
The wait is over: Android users can now access the Beeb's news coverage, in handy, bite-sized form.
Platform: Android
Price: Free
Best Android apps | Latest Android apps
Buy this app: Download BBC News Android app now

 

Cordy
A good, old-fashioned platform game involving shifting blocks and collecting orbs.
Platform: Android
Price: Free
Best Android apps | Latest Android apps
Buy this app: Download Cordy Android app now

 

Earthworm Jim
Take control of the super suit-clad worm who uses cows as weapons. What next, the return of James Pond?
Platform: BlackBerry
Price: £1.65
Best BlackBerry apps | Latest BlackBerry apps
Buy this app: Download Earthworm Jim BlackBerry app now

 

Fight Night Champion
EA's duffing-up simulator is pared down from its console version, but still brilliant, violent fun.
Platform: iPhone
Price: £2.99
Best iPhone apps | Latest iPhone apps
Buy this app: Download Fight Night Champion iPhone app now

 

Footiepubs
An index of boozers in London showing the football. It'll also tell you if the pub is selling food.
Price: £1.79
Platform: iPhone
Best iPhone apps | Latest iPhone apps

 

 HG2
Epic travel guide Compendium spanning 42 titles, 12,000 reviews and every major city.
Price: £9.99
Platform: iPhone/iPad
Best iPhone apps | Latest iPhone apps
Buy this app: Download HG2 iPhone app now

 

 iSpeech Translator
Speak into this app and it'll translate your words into 18 languages, using "humanquality" speech, no less.
Platform: BlackBerry
Price: Free
Best BlackBerry apps | Latest BlackBerry apps
Buy this app: Download iSpeech Translator BlackBerry app now

 

Lego Instructions
Got a sack of Lego and no idea what to do with it? Use these step-by-step guides to build almost anything.
Platform: Android
Price: Free
Best Android apps | Latest Android apps
Buy this app: Download Lego Instructions Android app now

 

 The Independent
Stories from the Indie's website, gratis, much like The Guardian's app (but not like The Times) .
Platform: BlackBerry
Price: Free
Best BlackBerry apps | Latest BlackBerry apps
Buy this app: Download The Independent BlackBerry app now
 

Tungle
The PlayBook now has a dedicated calendar app that syncs seamlessly with your Google account.
Platform: BlackBerry
Price: Free
Best BlackBerry apps | Latest BlackBerry apps
Buy this app: Download Tungle BlackBerry app now

 

Vevo
Forget trawling YouTube's many user "remixes": this provides nothing but official videos for new pop hits.
Platform: Android
Price: Free
Best Android apps | Latest Android apps
Buy this app: Download Vevo Android app now

[via T3]