A List of 8 Great Canadian Mobile Apps

Canadians are doing amazing work in the mobile space.  Just recently, Microsoft hired Toronto-based developer Polar Mobile to develop 500 mobile apps for their Windows 7 phone. After reading about that huge win for Canada, I thought it was worth digging around a little to see who else is doing interesting things in this space. Below is a list of some great Canadian apps and Canadian start-ups in the mobile space that I have discovered in the past few months.

(1) Simply Good Apps – This Canadian company considers themselves “more than an apps developer” as they use their proprietary point-of-interest and image processing platforms to redefine the way people navigate and participate with your brand.  They recently signed a contract with Scotiabank to provide free mobile applications for their sponsored Toronto festivals.  The app boasts the ability to share images using their proprietary Capturefy© technology, integrated GPS/Mapping, event-specific information and social connection, and location-specific mapping to events and public transit.

(2)  Burstn – This made in Canada app is a simple tool to help you snap and share photos instantly on the web and via mobile devices. Burstn is also a social network of photos, people and places.

(3) Pushlife Mobile Media Player – This Toronto-based company has taken the experience of playing all of your music on your desktop media player (if you’re not an Apple user) and made it accessible on your Blackberry.  According to their website, the Blackberry app features and “easy-to-use, interactive Media Carousel which gives you one finger control of playing a song, going to the next or previous song, seeking forwards and backwards in a song, accessing the Mobile Jewel Case, rating a song, posting acomment about the song on Twitter^TM, editing playlists, editing track information and more.”

(4) iMock-ups – Endloop Studios is a Toronto-based start-up that has created iMock-ups as a downloadable app on iTunes for your iPad.  This tool helps designers on the move to mock-up Websites and layouts by choosing from a menu of options that include device wireframes.  The options include video and text icons that can be swept onto a digital whiteboard.  Within the whiteboard, a designer can shrink, enlarge and move things about on the screen as clients sit next to them.

(5) Toronto Maple Leafs – This wouldn’t be a blog about Canadian apps without mentioning how they are helping hockey sports fans to stay connected to their favourite game. I thought it was worth mentioning Polar Mobile’s app for the Toronto Maple Leafs because I grew up in Toronto. This tool helps Leafs fans to stay connected to their favourite team on their smartphone.  App users can get live game scores, past results, current roster stats, league standings, game schedules, and all the latest team news and updates.

(6) Nat Decants – This app is great for foodies and wine lovers as it is a comprehensive and delicious guide for the iPhone, iPod Touch, BlackBerry, Android, Nexus, Nokia, Palm Pre and other smartphones.  This app is an evolution from Natalie MacLean’s original bestselling “Drinks Matcher” app. Basically, Natalie has developed ten wine apps rolled into one. The app will help you when you’re trying to figure out what wine to pair with what meal when you’re out shopping at the grocery and liquor store.  The app also boasts wine reviews, winery listings, recipes, articles and more.

(7) TripIt – Created by Five Mobile Inc., this Blackberry app allows users to access their upcoming travel itineraries from their phone. The app boasts the ability to access calendar integration, flight monitoring and travel confirmations – making it a best in class travel application.  Five mobile makes a whole slew of mobile apps worth noting – check them out here: http://www.fivemobile.com/portfolio

(8) The Score for iPad – Score media recently acquired 20% of NuLayer Inc., a developer of web, mobile and iPad applications.  The Score recently launched an iPad version of their sports results app which was created by NuLayer Inc.  This app allows sports fans to get the latest sports scores, stats, news and more about their favourite team or league.

If you know of any other interesting Canadian apps that should be added to the list, definitely let me know.

Related Articles:
Toronto: mobile app centre of the universe, Toronto Life, July 23, 2010
Apps born in Toronto, The Globe and Mail, May 28, 2010