Apps Folder IconI’ve been wanting to write more here, and seriously considering what I want to write about. Obviously, I should stick with what I know. What do I know best? Apps.

When it comes to Mac and iOS apps, I try just about everything. I know my way around more apps than I can name; apps I’ll never use, apps I thought were terrible, apps I use every day… whether I like them or not, I explore just about everything I can find. This gives me a great point of comparison when looking at any app, and I think my reviews are well-informed and fair. I know what I like, I know what sells, and I know that the two aren’t always the same thing.

This being the case, I’m going to start writing app reviews here. If developers out there want to send me new apps, I’ll gladly tell them what I think. However, I don’t plan to stick to the new and shiny; I also want to spread the word about some gems that I use regularly but which may not be in the spotlight at the moment.

Yes, I still write app reviews for TUAW, and will likely continue to do so. In the last year, though, I accepted a salaried position with AOL. This has meant two things: first, my schedule is packed during the day, which is when important news tends to happen. Second, I don’t get paid to write for TUAW anymore. The result is that my rate of posting on TUAW has slowed tremendously (from an already somewhat pathetic pace). Writing at a relaxed pace for my own blog makes sense at this point. If something is relevant enough, I’ll write it up on TUAW and link it from here.

I’m hoping doing app reviews here will get me into blogging about things other than my personal projects. I’m not going to slow down on that; if I do something I think would be of interest, I’m going to write it up like I always do. That’s second nature, I just want to add on to that.

If you’re a dev who wants to send me previews or betas, feel free to contact me. I’ll take a look at anything for Mac, iPad or iPhone. I’m not interested in anyone paying for reviews, and not interested in any gifts post-review.

I also tend to pass on writing about things I really dislike. If an app isn’t ready for primetime, I prefer to give it time to mature rather writing negative reviews. If I don’t like something, why would waste time criticizing it? That being said, if I think something is a really great idea but lacking in execution, or, conversely, a really great execution with an unsatisfactory core concept, I’ll write a critique that will hopefully result in improvements, not just negative press.

Hopefully you’ll find all of this enlightening and intriguing. It will help me get some things out of my system, too, so it should be good for both of us!