The new hand held technology with unlimited potential of which we already have a billion of is APPs. That means practically all of us has switched to a phone that has App capability. It is good for communication or information instantly on whatever subject or item you want.. I feel sorry for all those empty libraries and lonely librarians who no one needs anymore, just get an App. More than 11 billion Apps were downloaded in 2010. Apps seem to be everywhere. There even is a physical place called App Planet.

From navigation in your car to mapping the human body, to exploring the stars, it seems to be an App for everything. “There’s an App for that” is a phrase used everyday and makes someone’s life easier everyday. App of course is short for application but not like the paper you have to fill out for a job. I guess this makes a “smart phone” smarter. The word APPS was word of the year for 2010. Did you know we have “word of the year contests?”

The Apple store has 350,000 Apps to choose from. There are also 100,000 Apps to be found elsewhere. They are not just for phones, now you can get Apps for Tablets. Cars are also being fitted with computers that have downloadable abilities for Apps. The cars are equipped with touch screens, navigation and cameras. A new study found that Apps are second in line behind texting for most people. If you have a smart phone you use about 670 minutes texting and 660 minutes using Apps. Actually talking is in 3^rd place with about 530 minutes talking to someone.

So, Apps are turning our mini devices into little computers. You can start your day with the alarm clock App. There is the Pet first Aid App if your dog gets a cut or eats something weird on your morning walk. There is a App for your morning coffee at Starbucks with a bar code you can scan to your money card account. The Confession App is where you can confess your sins from last night if you need Clergy and need to talk. When you get lost, take a photo of a landmark or building and go to the Google Goggle App and by looking at the picture your App could tell you your location. Were you that bombed last night, you have no idea where you are?

Where was I when all this new stuff became available? Barcelona was home to the last Mobile World Congress (GSMA) where 60 thousand programmers and developers were connected to talk about phones with CEO’s like Eric Schmidt of Google. He predicted last year that smart phone sales would be more that PC Computer sales. Google took notice and developed the popular mobile operating system called Android. It is available on all kinds of phones. It became the most popular type of Smart phone in America. And he was right. Now, everyone has a app that someone uses.

The latest version of Android was developed by Matias Duarte, who says Apps are all about individuality. The Apps are the Swiss army knife of your life. The global App market will exceed $38 billion dollars by 2015. A 12 year old kid Cameron Cohen, developed an App called iSketch where kids could doodle without the aid of pencil or paper. Parents loved it because it kept their kids busy anywhere. Kids now in hospitals and schools everywhere now have tablets and have apps downloaded for anything they want. Games appeal to everyone.

The number one App is a game called Angry Bird made by the Finnish company called Rovio. It’s been the most popular App in 69 countries including the United States. It’s been downloaded over 100 million times. Its CEO McCale Head said even popular things don’t necessarily turn a profit. The company struggled with over 50 Apps until it had success with this one. Some Apps are news, others make news.

Rupert Murdoch has the App known as The Daily. Has this replaced the newspaper? It is the first news publication that is available only as a App. If you are overwhelmed, there is even an App to sign you out. Download it.