Best mobile apps

Mobile phones are more powerful and versatile than ever before, and developers -- from massive software houses to bedroom coders -- are stretching their limits with innovative applications. In this irregular series, we test the latest apps for iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Symbian to find out if they're worth your time and money.

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Best Android London Cycle Hire apps

Park the petrol with Android apps that help find a bike near you from London's Cycle Hire scheme, which launches tomorrow around Zone 1

London Cycle Hire iPhone apps roundup

Two tings for the London cycle hire scheme, which has already spawned a suite of iPhone apps to help your find a trusty steed within the wilds of Zone 1

Carphone Warehouse My Hub for iPhone: Lovely, another streaming music app

If music streaming isn't the future, we'll eat our own hands. Carphone Warehouse is the latest company to hop on the bandwagon with a service called My Hub

myPlayer: iPlayer on your Android phone, without Froyo or Flash

If you want to access the BBC's iPlayer service on your mobile phone, but aren't blessed with Flash support on your handset, you should check out the myPlayer Android app

Mobile Internet speed test Android app from thinkbroadband: 3G stopwatch

Worried you're not getting the best speeds on your mobile Internet? Let thinkbroadband.com either allay or confirm your fears with its new Android speed-testing app

iBooks for iPhone review: Putting the hurt on the Kindle, and your eyes

iBooks for iPhone vs Kindle for iPhone. What is it like to read a book on a screen as small as the iPhone or the iPod touch? We find out

Swype for Android beta review: Slide around on your keyboard

Swype, an alternative keyboard for touchscreens that uses an innovative method for typing on the run, is now available to all Android phones as a free beta

Windows Live Messenger for iPhone: Putting the IM in timing

With perfect timing, Microsoft has launched Windows Live Messenger for iPhone on the day iOS 4 is set to arrive

You Are The Ref: Legendary football quiz kicks off on the iPhone

You Are The Ref, the legendary quiz testing your knowledge of the beautiful game, has arrived on your iPhone, in the nick of time for the World Cup

DoubleTwist Android app: Don't get your tunes in a twist

DoubleTwist, the iTunes killer for your Android phone, has released a music player app that could prove to be a must-have -- so download it while it's still free

Best cat iPhone apps

Nothing can stop felines' meteoric rise to digital stardom. Join us as we review the six greatest cat-based iPhone apps of all time!

Qype Radar review: iPhone and Android app for the adventurous foodie

Qype Radar aggregates user reviews for restaurants, bars, clubs and pubs on your phone to take the hassle out of finding somewhere good to eat

Official Twitter app for Android 2.1: Sweet tweet treats

An official Twitter app for version 2.1 of Android puts tweets in your address book and shows previews of your tweeted photos

Carpe Diem Daily review: Find your inner app-iness via the Ovi Store

Carpe Diem Daily is an Ovi Store app developed by Nokia that gives users a task to perform every day using their phone. The goal is nothing less than inner peace

Monkey Tennis: Alan Partridge-inspired game, set and macaque

Alan Partridge's greatest idea has now been realised: Monkey Tennis has arrived on the iPhone

Opera Mini vs Safari: iPhone browsers head to head as Opera cracks the App Store

Opera Mini has arrived in the Apple iTunes App Store. But which browser will rule the iPhone? We pit them against each other to find out

Last Tube for iPhone: Peace of mind for the Londoner seeking one last pint

Last Tube tells Londoners when and where to find that all-important last train home -- vital for anyone who doesn't fancy braving the night bus, or splashing out on a taxi

Easter rambles with the National Trust iPhone app

Cream teas and Victorian follies are yours for the finding with the National Trust iPhone app, fresh to phones just in time for the long, rainy Easter break

YouTube app for Nokia and Windows Mobile phones: Refreshed and reviewed

Google has updated its YouTube app for Nokia S60 and Windows Mobile phones to include user account support and search suggestions. We went hands-on

Vlingo on the iPhone: Speak and spell

A new version of Vlingo for the iPhone lets you update Twitter and Facebook and send emails just by talking to your phone like a crazy person

Google Gesture Search review: Pointlessness at your fingertips

You can now search the contacts on your Android phone using gestures -- but is there any reason to replace a keyboard with our childish scrawls?

You Review: Gravity Twitter app for Symbian

Continuing our irregular series of user reviews, forum regular David Gilson tests the Symbian Twitter app Gravity

Layar 3.0 reunites The Beatles

If you fancy a stroll across Abbey Road with The Beatles, or a look at the iconic buildings springing up around London, Layar 3.0 will augment your world

NatWest, RBS and Ulster Bank for iPhone: Cash machinery

Natwest, RBS and Ulster Bank have launched the first mobile app that lets you log into your bank account. What a great idea! Shame it's a bit rubbish

Alternative mobile browsers tested: Skyfire vs Opera Mobile vs Fennec vs Safari vs Internet Explorer vs BlackBerry

Mobile browsing is better than ever, but you're not necessarily limited to the Web browser that came on your phone. We compare the alternatives to the best of the built-ins

Firefighter 360: AR iPhone game sets our office on fire

Firefighter 360 is an augmented-reality game that lights fires all around you and shows the potential -- and the pitfalls -- of AR

Windows Marketplace: get your hot, fresh WinMo apps here!

Windows Marketplace has ramped up its Web site, offering the ability to browse and buy apps online instead of just on your WinMo phone

TomTom iPhone app gets hefty free update

TomTom has submitted a cornucopia of new features to its iPhone sat-nav app, and as soon as they're approved they'll be winging their way to your pocket -- for free

Apple tells you what's happening with your iPhone app

Apple has added a feature to its developer centre that tells you where your app is in the development process

Adobe launches Photoshop Mobile for Android handsets

If you take loads of photos on your phone, you're probably in need of a little extra re-touching help. If you have an Android phone, Adobe is on hand with its new Photoshop mobile app

Orange Wednesdays for iPhone: Two-for-fun

Two-for-one cinema tickets on Wednesdays from Orange? Sweet. Future Orange iPhone owners can find and exploit this little treat with the Orange Wednesdays app

Locatorz app finds you on an OS map

Locatorz installs on Nokias and BlackBerries and pin-points your location on an Ordinance Survey map, allowing companies to keep track of their employees and grandmas

Movies by Flixster for iPhone and Android

Movies, an iPhone and Android app from the people at Flixster, takes the hassle out of going to the pictures. All you have to do is decide whether you want salted or sweet popcorn

Noel Edmonds Cosmic Ordering iPhone app: Let the cosmos do the hard work

Want a top new job? Make new friends? Maybe even meet that special someone? Then bust out your iPhone and let Noel Edmonds help -- with a little assistance from the cosmos

App Attack! My O2 for iPhone

O2 has launched My O2, an official iPhone app to monitor your usage, and see just how much money you threw away when you signed that 18-month contract

App attack! Spotify for iPhone and Android

Spotify's mobile application has arrived in both the iTunes Store and Android market, and it's packing a level of win that could fell a moose -- although there are some problems...

App attack! Layar Reality Browser 2

Layar, the much-hyped augmented-reality app, has hit Android. We took to the streets of London to see if it will blow our minds, or at least find us a decent pub

TomTom sat-nav iPhone app hits the road

TomTom made a splash when it announced a sat-nav app at the launch of the iPhone 3GS, but we've been waiting to see it in the App Store. Finally, it's here

App attack! Sky Sports Football Score Centre

In the first of a regular series focusing on mobile apps of every stripe and OS, we look forward to the football season with Sky Sports Football Score Centre for iPhone

UK iPhone user? You need the Mobile Allowance app

Every single member of the CNET UK team felt their eyebrows raise this morning, thanks to the upwards-pull of intrigue over an iPhone app: Prenvo's Mobile Allowance

Photos: Nearest Tube app makes iPhone reality better than real reality

Augmented reality promises to slap the knowledge of the Interwebs on to everything we see, and Nearest Tube is a new example. But is Apple going to hand AR to Android on a platter?

iPhone porn: Apple approves saucy app

On Wednesday, Apple allowed a developer to add images of topless women to the Hottest Girls app, potentially ushering in a new era of nudity on the App Store

Sky+ gets iPhone app: Hollyoaks fans get to stay out later

Sky+ has created an iPhone app to access program guides and record your stories from wherever you are

Photos: Hands-on with BlackBerry App World

BlackBerry addicts can now fill up their handsets with fake pints and farting apps with the launch of App World. Prices are in dollars though, so UK users may get a surprise at the checkout

Photos: Nokia's Ovi Store app store in detail

With background processes, free application downloads and a location-aware recommendation service, Nokia's brand new app store -- the Ovi Store -- is a compelling offering

Screenshots: Windows Phone, Windows Mobile 6.5, Windows Marketplace app store

Microsoft has completely rebranded its entire mobile software platform -- Windows Mobile incorporates the new Windows Mobile 6.5 OS, IE Mobile 6, an app store and a free backup service

Seismometer and Movies: Our favourite new iPhone apps

We take a look at our three favourite apps for the iPhone and iPod touch for this week, including a seismometer, the best movie application in the world, and a totally pointless GPS-enabled app that measures your current speed.

Crave, the gadget blog from CNET UK