Happy New Year!

To welcome in 2014, I deleted all of the apps that I have not used in the past year and made a list of the ones I open on a daily basis. If you have done a little new years cleaning and are looking for some great new apps to fill up that space, check out these great apps that were released or saw major updates in 2013

Pivvot

Pivvot is only game on this list but its truly addicting! One of the best phone games to be released ever, Pivvot requires you to make quick and smart decisions as you avoid obstacles in your path. When you fail, you are placed right back in the action and seven different modes ensure you will never get bored.

It is simple, challenging and addictive with an amazing original soundtrack.

Get Pivvot for iOS here

Get Pivvot for Android here

Mightytext

Install and setup, then forget about Mightytext on your phone. Instead visit the web interface or download the new Chrome plugin and send and receive all of your text messages from your computer. The web interface is simple yet powerful and Mightytext will quickly become one of your favorite things about having an android phone.

Get Mightytext for Android here

Duolingo

Duolingo is the free Rosetta Stone of mobile. This incredible app makes learning a language fun and easy through a gamified style that lets you compete with friends, even those who are working on different languages. Duolingo offers courses in Spanish, French, German, Portuguese and Italian, as well as English for four languages and many more coming soon.

Get Duolingo for iOS here

Get Duolingo for Android here

Invi

Invi has come a long way this year, and is easily the most beautiful text messaging interface available for android. Conversations look great and are easy to read and sharing photos, videos etc. is a breeze. When Facebook photos cannot be used for contacts, it substitutes gorgeous colorful landscapes. It’s not necessarily the messaging app for everyone, but it’s definitely worth a try for the graphic quality alone.

Get Invi for Android here

Hangouts

If Invi isn’t the messaging app for you, Hangouts surely will be. In an effort by Google to get in on the SMS trend, and realizing that the default android text message app leave much to be desired, Hangouts now allows SMS alongside Google+’s chat service. A simple UI and technically “perfect,” this has taken over from Handcent as my default SMS app.

Get Hangouts for iOS here

Get Hangouts for Android here

Pocket

Pocket is the future of bookmarking, allowing you to save almost anything to an online portfolio of “clips.” Available across many platforms, with easy to use Android and Chrome apps, this is a service that will make sure you have all of those interesting articles in one place across all of your devices.

Get Pocket for iOS here

Get Pocket for Android here

Snapchat

Snapchat became a social phenomenon in 2013 thanks to the release of an Android version, and more recently with the implementation of Recent Updates in October and Additional Services in late December.

Get Snapchat for iOS here

Get Snapchat for Android here

Vivino

Vivino is a must have app for any wine drinker. Get detailed statistics simply by photographing the bottle. You can save wines to your database as well as rate them and create a wishlist.

Get Vivino for iOS here

Get Vivino for Android here

VSCO Cam

VSCO Cam is the best photo retouching app available, a number of Instagram like preset filters are available for free and many more can be purchased, but unlike Instagram, the strength of each filter can be altered. Additionally, there are dozens of custom options like hue, saturation, split-toning, brightness and contrast.

Get VSCO Cam for iOS here

Get VSCO Cam for Android here

Wunderlist

Wunderlist from app developer 6Wunderkinder first released in 2010 has seen recent major improvements and the new version 2 is makes it better than ever. The new version is also designed to run natively on all devices. The new version has new features and runs smoothly with a beautiful interface that can also be seen in the web version of the app, allowing users to see their tasks online.

Get Wunderlist for iOS here

Get Wunderlist for Android here

Holo Bulb

Holo bulb is the most simple app on Android but one of the best. It has one purpose, to turn on the LED flashlight, and it does it the best of any app out there. One big lightbulb button turns the flashlight on and off. This app loads instantly so you don’t have to fumble around in the dark for long.

Get Holobulb for Android here

Flow for Reddit

A new Reddit app and easily the best. Give this one try and you will never go back to Alien Blue or whatever you used before.

Get Flow for Android here

Uber

If you live in one of the dozens of cities that Uber now operates in you may have already given this a try. This app for iOS and Android allows you to hail, pay for and rate a standard car, taxi or limo driver who will transport you conveniently to your destination. If you don’t, download Uber and try it next time you are in a market where the service exists. You can get Uber here.

Get Uber for iOS and Android here

Seekdroid

Not new for 2013, but a must have app for Android. Once installed Seekdroid cleverly hides itself to avoid detection and removal in the event of theft. My phone goes missing at least once a week and this app makes it easy to locate it with the alarm feature that works even when the sound is on silent. Locate, lock and wipe functions are essential if your device is stolen.

Get Seekdroid for Android here