A new website has been set up for Windows apps, but before thoughts come into play, it's not a duplicate Marketplace. Great Windows Apps (www.greatwindowsapps.com) will showcase only the best content from the Store where developers have poured in hours of effort to ensuring their work shines above the rest. If you're not into sorting through what's deemed as "crap" on the app store, then this may well be the answer to your prayers.
Set up and developed by Chris Newman who's Head of Mobile Development at Lightwood Consultancy Ltd, the website aims to provide a means to gain access to only the best presented apps and games on the Windows Store. So how does it all work and how will Great Windows Phones set out to offer only the most aesthetically pleasant and functional content?
"Ugly apps make Windows look ugly. Worthless apps make Windows feel worthless. It's neither of these things."
The website makes use of the following factors when deciding which apps and games should be included for visitors to browse:
- Apps that sport a unique icon, as opposed to the default Store icon.
- Apps with appropriate coloured tiles for Store listings (light on dark, dark on light).
- Apps with attractive Live Tiles will be included (designs that don't look like an MS Paint job).
- Apps with effective, constructed descriptions to inform users what the app does.
- Apps that don't have low ratings from users who have previously purchased / downloaded.
- Apps that are ripped, not unique or include dozens of clones will not be included.
As well as removing unwanted apps from view, the website will also highlight the work of others through a series of listings that are indeed accurate and are not affected by factors that govern top rated lists on Microsoft's stores. While Microsoft will be focusing on app numbers to build interest in Windows 8, the likes of Great Windows Apps will ensure consumers can find worthwhile content for their new PCs and tablets.
We've previously looked at a number of publishers who have submitted worthless apps to the Windows Phone Store, which were approved by Microsoft, as well as those who release commercial apps that are ripped off someone else's work. So this project to showcase the best apps on Windows 8 is a great opportunity for developers.
On the flip side there are two blogs - highlighted by Great Windows Apps - that both look into the worst apps / publishes for Windows 8. Drunk Compliance Tester and Windows 8 Rubbish Apps are both worth the read for a quiet chuckle at just what's present on the store. This is a sweet graphic from the Drunk Compliance Tester:
Notice how Microsoft made it onto the infographic?
Source: Great Windows Apps; thanks, David, for the heads up!
