The downloads: must-have apps for your new gadgets

Android phones used to be for the hyper-nerds, who happily sacrificed simplicity for customization, ease of use for sheer horsepower. But now you don't have to trade – whether you just got a Nexus 4, a Galaxy S III, a One X+, or something else entirely, you're using a phone that does everything you want and does it in style. But what to do with it? First you'll download Facebook and Instagram, and get your Google setup nailed. Then go get Angry Birds Star Wars and Temple Run, sure. But what about when you want to get stuff done? Or when you find out you hate the default Android keyboard and browser? Or you run out of pigs to kill? Here's where to go next.

If you're looking for Windows Phone 8 apps, you're probably the proud new owner of a Nokia Lumia 920, or an HTC Windows Phone 8X. Maybe a Lumia 822 on Verizon? Whatever you've just activated, you now need some apps. You've already got Bing Maps, a great calendar, and some nifty Nokia apps if you have a phone from the Finnish company, but now you need a way to get stuff done, a half-decent Twitter app, and some games for when you don't feel like being so staggeringly productive. The Windows Phone ecosystem can be tough, because third-party apps are often much better than their first-party alternative — here are some of the first apps you should download between now and your next holiday-induced food coma.

So someone sweet bought you a Kindle, huh? Well aren't you well-loved? But now comes the hard question, which is... what are you going to read? There isn't a one-size fits all answer to this question, of course, but we're going to do our best to recommend some of the best books we can think of to get you started. Happy reading!

Well, aren't you lucky to get a new computer for the holidays! New Apple computers come with a fair mix of writing, photo editing, and music creation tools — and of course you'll want to grab essentials like Skype, Twitter, and GrabBox — but we decided to put together a list of apps, tools, and utilities that we always put on a fresh install. And these aren't just for new computers, either. While you're playing tech support at home and cleaning up the family's machine, install a couple of these and walk the family through how to use them.

This is a good year to get a PC for the holidays. So well done, you! You've gotten your hands on a Yoga, or a Zenbook, or a ThinkPad, or an XPS, or any of the many other brands of Windows-running laptops and desktops out there. If your new machine has Windows 8 on it, the first thing you'll want to do is fire up the Windows Store and hunt for apps. The second thing you'll do is be disappointed, because Windows 8's good apps are tough to find at the moment. They're out there, though, and we've been looking for them — whether you want to read news, keep your computer safe, or just listen to some music, there's a good app out there. Here are some of our favorites.

The iPhone, land of endless choice. First, you’ll want to grab Twitter, Kindle, Facebook, Find My iPhone, Shazam (it's still a magical thing), and Apple’s Remote app for controlling iTunes remotely. But then you get to the hard questions. Which to-do app to get? Which map alternative is worth downloading over Apple’s default? Is there a weather app that offers the perfect balance of hourly updates and animated doppler imagery? What are the best games to get to avoid the family during the inevitable holiday fight? Fortunately, we’re here for you, and it doesn't get much better than chugging through A+ App Store picks while watching Christmas Vacation for the millionth time while sipping down glass number four of egg nog.