Windows 8 still runs nearly all of the millions of applications programmed for it over the past decade and a half, in its desktop mode. But Microsoft's new operating system brings with it a whole new class of application. Formerly called "Metro" but now simply called Windows 8 apps, these full-screen, touch friendly programs can connect both to the Web, to each other through "contracts," and to features of Windows 8 itself, such as the Search and Share charms.
You get the new-style apps from the new Windows Store, which automates installation and updating, and gives both users and developers a central place to discover new and needed software. While the Windows Store hasn't yet caught up in number with the more than 300,000 iPad apps available in Apple's iTunes App store, but according to the excellent site, MetroStore Scanner, there are currently over 41,000 Windows 8 apps, with about 200 being added every day.
As with any app store (Android's in particular), a good many of these are no better than chaff, and many are country specific, though over 27,000 of them are for US English speakers. Just as with those other app stores, some gems appear among the muck. The good news? Most of the top apps we include here are completely free. Some have in-app purchases, but even apps that cost money often offer trial versions—something not available in Apple's App Store. Most of these apps run on both Windows RT tablets, and all run on full Windows 8 Pro systems like the Microsoft Surface Pro and standard laptops and desktops
The Windows Store does give you some help in separating the app gold from the silt. In addition to the store's Spotlight section for new and noteworthy apps, each apps page in the store includes user ratings and reviews. You can also browse the list the top paid, top free, and newly released entries, both overall and in sections like Games, Social, Entertainment, Photo, Music and Video, News and Weather, Lifestyle, Productivity, Security, Business, and more.
Whatever your software needs, we think you'll get more out of your Windows 8 PC experience by installing these 20 apps, but they're not the last word—there are a number of important ones we don't include here. What we wanted to do for this first list was to assemble a collection of apps that can make your Windows 8 PC or tablet productive, creative, and informative. You won't find any of the excellent default apps you get with Windows 8 here—the People, Mail, Photos, Music, Video, News, Games (really a game center), Bing, and SkyDrive. Nor will you find that most useful of all apps, Microsoft Office $262.99 at softwarespeedy1, since it's a desktop, rather than a new-style Windows 8 app.
You can either navigate our list via the 20 Best Windows 8 Apps slideshow above or page through this article for five at a time. We've linked the app names to their Windows Store descriptions and download page, or, if we've reviewed the app, we've linked to our more-detailed review. Don't hesitate to leave comments below if you feel that our selections are dead-on or if we've overlooked worthy candidates. And don't forget to check out the links below for even more Windows 8 coverage.
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