AppStart Review

With Christmas just behind us, there are certainly hundreds of thousands of brand new iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users trying to learn their way around their brand spankin’ new devices. The folks over at App Advice recently released an app designed specifically for these iOS newbies.

AppStart, as it’s called, is the ideal first-stop on the App Store for anyone new to iOS. The app combines a fun art-direction with editorial commentary about the ins and outs of the iPhone itself, as well as app recommendations for a number of categories. AppStart features over 30 different sections, most of which deal with app recommendations. Two particularly useful sections include the “iPhone 101” page as well as a walkthrough and explanation of iCloud. Outside of introductory pages like these, the app is made up of mostly app recommendations. The app is organized well, spreading out the recommendations across categories like “Book Lovers,” “Music Streaming,” “Starter Kit Games,” “Apps to Find Deals,” “Apps for Cooks” and so forth. There are a good variety of lists here, as well as recommendations themselves. One of the nice things about AppStart is that it goes beyond the expected categories for recommendations. The company really got creative with some of its categories, with offerings like, “Apps for Mom and Dad” and “Apps for the Great Outdoors.”

I like the art and design direction of AppStart. The app functions somewhat like a digital magazine, really. It’s a successful approach – a hybrid somewhere between app and editorial. And it’s free, which is just one more reason why I can’t recommend it enough. For users new to iOS and the AppStore, AppStart is an excellent place to start. In fact, this is a must-have for both new and veteran users. There’s a wealth of information and recommendations here, and both kinds of users can benefit from the app.

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