For all its speedy touch screen goodness, one of the biggest drawbacks of Windows 8 RT is that it doesn't let you install third-party programs through its desktop screen. Unlike the standard version of Windows 8, RT restricts you to first-party programs (made by Microsoft) through its desktop, but gives you free rein to install whatever you want through the Windows Store. The problem is that at this point the Window Store is just too thin to make up for the loss of several popular third-party programs. Fortunately, we did a little research and found a few alternative apps that could help fill the void left by your missing faves.

Slacker Radio With an official Spotify app nowhere to be found in the Windows Store, fans of the on-demand music service might find themselves disappointed. Enter Slacker Radio. With a free account, you can listen to programmed radio stations similar to Pandora's. But upgrade to a premium account, and you also get a rich on-demand listening experience that could prove to be a fantastic alternative to Spotify.

Get more information about your favorite artists, create playlists, and listen to music.

FlipToast Twitter and Facebook still have yet to announce official apps for the new Windows desktop platform as well, so your best bet is t... [Read more]

Android 4.2's new keyboard takes a page out of Swype's and SwiftKey's books.

While Google's big press event scheduled for today in New York may have been canceled, the company still decided to move forward with a slew of announcements via blog post. Among them was the release of Android 4.2, an updated version of Jelly Bean to come preinstalled on the new line of Nexus devices.

Swype fans will be pleased to hear that Android 4.2 includes a keyboard that lets users input text via gliding gestures. Not only that, it offers predictions based on common strings of word combinations for "smarter" typing. While the news is certainly good for users who get a significantly improved input interface, it could be harmful to a company like SwiftKey, which just announced its own glide-supporting, predictive keyboard for Android.

Also part of 4.2 is a 360-degree panoramic photo feature called Photo Sphere. While third-party apps for panoramic photos have existed on Google Play for quite some time, this updated version of Google's baked-in panorama mod... [Read more]

(Credit: OneLouder Apps)

Related stories

• How to get started using Twitter
• How to get less e-mail spam from Twitter
• Remove your social media from Google search

Are you a person who uses another media device, like a phone or tablet, while you're watching TV? Live 140: Tweet Streams for TV, by OneLouder Apps, lets you see what others watching the same show as you are saying about it on Twitter.

OneLouder has taken care of the guessing and searching for hashtags, leaving you with a list of shows to easily browse. Additionally, the content curators at OneLouder have added celebrities from many shows into the list of tweets so you can follow their thoughts from behind the camera.

Setup

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET)

Download a copy of Live 140 for your Android device and log in with your Twitter account to start browsing tweets about shows. You can also link your... [Read more]

Kitty Code's Hurricane app provides all the information you need to monitor the storm.

As Hurricane Sandy bears down on the East Coast, it's time to start thinking about your safety -- and that means stocking up on helpful apps.

First up, turn your iDevice into a flashlight. CNET's Lance Whitney just rounded up flashlight apps for the iPhone, which could prove to be the handiest thing you install all day.

Related stories

• How to use parental controls in Windows 8
• Xfire safety laser light makes a portable nighttime bike lane
• How to keep smartphone-using kids safe

Next, keep up on the latest hurricane news and warnings -- at least while there's still power to nearby cell towers. Kitty Code's Hurricane, one of the top-rated hurricane trackers in the App Store, features everything from animate... [Read more]