Windows Store versus the world: How do Microsoft's offerings really stack up?

Whenever talk turns to the comparatively low number of apps available in the Windows Store, commenters invariably take the article to task. "Quantity isn't as important as quality!" they type, frequently tossing in an ALL CAPS EXPLETIVE or three. "Who wants 100,000 fart apps anyway?" Those naysayers are right. The sheer number of apps available for a platform matters far less than the number of killer apps that people actually want to use. Sure, the number of new Windows Store releases has slowed precipitously since the holidays, but is it really fair to say that the dearth of Windows apps is pushing Windows RT to a premature demise? Even though the Windows Store is still shy of 50,000 apps, that's more than enough inventory if all the world's truly relevant and important apps are counted among the horde. To get a clearer view of the overall quality of Windows 8's apps, I sifted through the U.S. Windows Store and scribbled copious notes about the selection available in five major categories: games, video apps, music apps, social apps, and a catch-all "other" category. Then, I compared the results against the iOS and Android app catalogs, and applied a hefty dose of common sense to judge whether the Windows Store has a particular category covered. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here