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Stand-out apps from Pitch San Francisco 2011

Amber Sass

Amber Sass

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Some of the most promising start-up companies were present at yesterday’s Pitch San Francisco 2011. Hosted on the club level concourse of AT&T Park, the venue was just about as impressive as the start-ups.

There were some really great new mobile and web apps on display at Pitch. From a new way to listen to and share music with friends to a comprehensive photo editing and sharing app and everything in between, here are some of my top picks from the event.

Live and Available to Try Out

LetsListen: Similar to Google Music Beta, LetsListen is a cloud and web-based music storage service that aims to make listening to music a social experience. Log in via Facebook or Twitter, upload your music library and connect with your friends or other users. Through a simple search, you can see what other people are currently listening to and choose to join in their music room to listen to the same song or chat. If you love the song, you can purchase it from Amazon or iTunes directly through the app.

Streamzoo: A Flickr and Instagram hybrid, Streamzoo is available on the web, as well as in an iOS and Android mobile app. Much like Instagram, pictures you take from your phone can be edited or have a variety of effects added to them. Once you’re satisfied with your creation, you can share your pictures on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Streamzoo’s website. Users can search for pictures via hashtags, as well as follow their favorite hashtag feeds, like and comment on other users’ pictures.

Tendy: Want a restaurant recommendation? How about some song or band suggestions? Tendy is built upon the belief that such recommendations mean more coming from friends or other trusted sources. Much like Yelp, Tendy users can write recommendations on just about anything and can browse other peoples’ top 10 lists with ease. By connecting through Facebook, you’re immediately connected to friends already using the service so you can view their Tendy lists with a few simple clicks.

Qwiki: Need an all-in-one information source that’s easy to access and search? Qwiki looks to be a contender. By pulling relevant news content from every corner of the web and allowing users to listen to an audio explanation of the topic, as well as view relevant images simultaneously in some instances, Qwiki presents a unique multimedia experience. It’s also a fantastic accessibility feature for individuals with visual impairments. All of the information recorded in the qwiki is also available in text formatting as well, and users can add their own suggestions for improvements or changes through a link available on every page entitled “improve this Qwiki.”

Forecast: If you’re a fan of Foursquare, this iOS and Android app is going to substantially enhance your experience. Where Foursquare allows you to check in when you’re physically present at a specific location, Forecast lets you create an itinerary of where you expect to be up to a day in advance. This is great if you want to broadcast where you’re planning to be on a given day so friends can find you. Likewise, it makes locating your friends easier as well. Users can queue up several forecasts and simply make use of the one-click check-in once they actually arrive at their destination.

Coming Soon

Doot: Another Foursquare-esque app set to be released in the iTunes App Store and Android Market, Doot differs in that it’s a messaging service where location is the focal point. The catch? The people you’re messaging can only receive your notes at the locations you specify. If you and a friend are always missing one another at a favorite hang-out, for example, you will be able to leave a note that they’ll receive the next time they drop in. It can even be as simple as setting up a message to alert your spouse what groceries need to be picked up when they next pass through the kitchen.

Citybot: If you’ve ever been completely overwhelmed and unsure how to plan your next vacation, Citybot’s going to be a lifesaver. Simply type in what you’d like to do, from eating at a specific type of restaurant to visiting a museum, and Citybot will create a personalized itinerary of suggestions for you. Even cooler, you’ll be able to input your budget and a timeframe throughout the day for when you want to go out on the town. Users will even be be able to view maps and receive directions to and from each stop on their itinerary on their iPhone or Android smartphone once the app is released.

Tenantry: If you live with roommates, juggling everyone’s schedules can be a pretty hefty task. Tenantry will simplify the process by allowing every individual in your home to join an online network. They’ll be able to input their daily schedules so others can know what each day has in store for each of their roommates respectively. Users can also create to do lists and assign certain tasks to people whose schedules align most closely. In theory, the dog will always get walked and the dishes will never be left unwashed again.

Of the more than 80 start-up companies present at yesterday’s event, it was difficult to choose just a handful to feature on the OnSoftware blog. All of these chosen apps exemplify what we at Softonic value most however – a software experience that will bring our users both enjoyment and improvement in their daily lives.

Let us know what you think once you’ve had the opportunity to try some of these great apps out!

Amber Sass

Amber Sass

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