Some people make it a big deal that Apple has 425,000 apps and Android has, by some counts, 250,000.

But would you want a television with 400,000 channels or just 100 great ones?

The Windows Phone 7 platform has “only” 25,000 apps, and that number will quickly grow once Nokia, one of the most popular handset makers, starts producing devices for the platform later this year. Already, though, the phones are good, if you mix in the right apps.

Before I get to my own list, a note or two is in order. The devices come loaded with a mobile version of Microsoft Office, which lets you open and, in some cases, edit Office files. That saves you one big app-related shopping task.

Also, while you can easily browse for apps on a PC, there is no dedicated shopping software for the Mac, so those users must instead browse online and buy on the phone, which can be buggy and frustrating.