Top apps for smartphones and tablets named

Hundreds of stellar apps made their debut in 2012.

IPhone, iPad and Android owners, in particular, can benefit from inexpensive (or free) downloads ranging from music discovery and photo sharing to digital magazines and smart productivity tool, USA Today reports.

For a small sampling of what 2012 had to offer, consider the following a few of our favorites — not listed in any particular order — as well as a few updated apps and some "must own" oldies but goodies.

Action Movie FX

Bad Robot Interactive's free app for Apple devices lets anyone add Hollywood-like special effects to their real surroundings. First, use your device's camera to record something around you — perhaps a co-worker smiling in the office — then initiate a virtual missile strike, which rains down on their desk. There are dozens of effects, some of which require an in-app purchase for 99 cents apiece.

Songza

Available on Apple iOS, Android and Kindle Fire, the free Songza is an excellent music streaming service with custom playlists created by music experts. These collections of songs are meant to "play the right music at the right time."
 

Google Maps

Apple replaced Google Maps — the awesome navigation app for mobile devices — with its own Maps app this past fall. But after numerous complaints about its inaccuracies and a lack of features (such as no public transit info), not only did Apple CEO Tim Cook publicly apologize for the kerfuffle, but a new-and-improved Google Maps app was allowed back in the App Store in mid-December. Along with getting accurate turn-by-turn directions to a destination, the new Google Maps — also on Google's Android devices (of course), and BlackBerry — also offers smart local searches (with reviews and ratings), a 360-degree Street View and the option to sync searches and directions between a personal computer and phone.
 

Snapguide

While the YouTube app still rocks for its sheer quantity of videos, those looking for user-created "how-to" guides need look no further than the free Snapguide app for iOS. It helps users learn to make beef jerky at home and to open a beer bottle without an opener to perform a magic trick. A number of holiday-themed Snapguides are also available, such as "How to Make a Wine Cork Wreath" and "How to Make Spiced Chocolate Cupcakes With Eggnog Icing" (yum). Each guide offers a step-by-step lesson with photos or videos, along with written descriptions at the bottom of the screen.

Pocket

Quite simply, Pocket helps easily save any content— such as an article at usatoday.com — so a user can read it later. It's not bookmarking: no Internet connection is needed to access the content at a later time. Pocket works inside many hundreds of apps, and access to saved content can be saved on multiple devices through signing into a free account.