Reddit To Go
Reddit To Go is the best Windows 8 app currently available
for browsing Reddit. Though you could simply browse Reddit in your Web browser,
Reddit To Go looks great on a high0resolution screen and makes it easy to
browse subreddits, vote on posts, and share stories back and forth between
Reddit To Go and other Windows 8 apps via the Share charm. Another nice
feature: You can leave the app running in the background if you want to receive
notifications of new messages and Reddit activity. You can also pin the front
page of Reddit or any subreddit to your Start menu as a live tile. This feature
gives you a great way to stay abreast of what’s going on in your community at a
glance, and it’s the best reason for using a dedicated Windows 8 Reddit app on
your PC.
MovieGuide
Zühlke Engineering’s MovieGuide app – a handy tool for movie
nuts – combines the film trivia of IMDB, the variety of trailers on YouTube,
and the list-making feature of Flixster into single app that’s beautiful and
easy to use. Some of the information on films and actors (especially the more
obscure ones) is sourced from Wikipedia and can be a little anemic, but the
beautiful design and easy discovery paths more than make up for that
shortcoming. Seasoned cinemagoers can probably skip this app, but it’s perfect
for budding film buffs.
MovieGuide
The New York Times
If you subscribe to the New York Times, the
publication’s Windows 8 app deserves a prime spot on your Start screen. The
Gray Lady looks gorgeous on a high-resolution screen, with beautiful
photography that complements the latest stories from the print New York
Times as well as from NYTimes.com. The Windows 8 app also improves on the
typical desktop reading experience by letting you save stories, share them with
friends, and pin whole sections to your Start screen as live tiles so that you
can keep tabs on breaking news.
Clock
This Windows 8 app does what exactly it promises on the tin:
It places a live tile on your Start screen that shows you the time. That
accomplishment sounds simple enough, but Microsoft failed to include an option
for users to see the time without pulling up the charms bar to display the
system clock. The Clock app is a free, simple item for anyone who wants the
convenience of being able to check the time without pulling up a menu bar. You
can also use the clock app to set a timer, run a stopwatch, or set different
alarms for yourself.
Norton Satellite
Even if you don’t subscribe to Norton AntiVirus, download
this free Windows 8 app to stay on top of your social network security. Sure,
you can use Norton Satellite to scan files on your PC, external storage drives,
and Dropbox account to ensure that they’re safe, but the best feature of this
app is its ability to scan your Facebook feed for malicious links. If you trust
Norton Satellite with your login information, you can link this app to your
Facebook account and use it to verify Facebook links before you click them.
That fantastic feature justifies saving a spot for this app on your Start
screen.
StumbleUpon
Whether you are an avid Stumbler or a first-time user,
consider adding the free StumbleUpon app to your new Start screen. StumbleUpon
is a fantastic way to discover interesting things online, and the Windows 8 app
makes finding your next favorite video or story even easier, by updating the
live tile with websites tailored to match your tastes. In addition, installing
the Windows 8 StumbleUpon app will allow you to share websites, audio, and video
with StumbleUpon via the Share charm.
StumbleUpon
Stanford University
Many universities now offer some or all of their coursework
online for free to anyone interested in self-study, but few institutions have a
dedicated app in the Windows Store much less on as slick and simple to navigate
as the Stanford University app. Download it for free when you’re setting up
your new Windows 8 machine, and you’ll be able to flip through video lectures
and course notes at your leisure. New material gets uploaded pretty frequently,
and the live tile will update automatically whenever there’s something new for
you to learn. A few of the videos feel more like advertisements for prospective
students (and their parents), but many of the webinars and lectures are
interesting and informative.
