Intel’s New Appup App Store

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Apple recently released its new AppUp Center, geared towards providing apps specifically designed for netbooks. The new service includes applications from both Microsoft Silverlight and Adobe AIR applications.

Netbooks have been quickly gaining popularity as the drive towards portability remains prevalent. Geared towards users that prefer a small system with Internet capabilities, netbooks focus on power management and are not meant to run multiple programs or applications at the same time. Typical users are interested only in fast Internet access and the ability to share music, pictures, videos and emails.

Applications, more commonly called ‘apps’ are what make netbooks customizable and useful for consumers. The wide variety of apps, which includes games, calculators, mapping programs, mobile blogging programs and even mobile development systems, is endless. Intel seeks to take advantage of this market while providing users with a unique way to search for and purchase apps.

The service offers both paid apps and free apps. The variety of applications crosses all genres and ...
... includes social networking, productivity and gaming. Netbook users are sure to turn to AppUp more and more, attracted by the applications that are all designed for the style, shape and size of the typical netbook. In an effort to draw more customers, the center offers a ‘try before you buy’ function for many of the apps. This functionality will replace the more traditional ‘lite’ version that app user interested in a trial run were forced to use.

Some netbook providers, most notably BestBuy, will be supply all netbooks with AppUp, while Intel will continue the push to allow developers easy access to the software. It is likely that AppUp will eventually be considered standard fare for many netbook users.

Intel’s new AppUp App store builds on the popularity of other app services, notably those attached to smartphones, but approaches the concept in a unique way. By providing customers with the ability to try many applications for free, and by offering apps that are specific for the unique design parameters of a netbook, users are able to easily locate and purchase applications that address their particular needs.

Its Beta program, which launched in January of 2010, garnered 450,000 users. Since its general release earlier this month, Intel executives are calling it ‘gold.’ The actual site, which is colorful and intuitive, offers users the ability to choose from several categories of apps including:

* Books
* Business
* Health and Fitness
* Education
* Entertainment
* Music and Audio
* Social
* Shopping
* Reference
* Games
* Sports
* News
* Photo’s and Video’s
* Productivity
* Utilities
* Travel

Clear guidelines for developers mean more apps are added on a daily basis, and that they are all up to AppUp’s exacting standards.