Despite the wide range of smartphones and mobile devices on the market, there are only a small number of brands to choose from. The most popular choices are the iPhone, Android and Windows Phones. A huge part of the decision making process for consumers is app preferences. The iPhone and Android phones stay competitive by providing exclusive apps compatible with their devices.

This makes sense on a business level, but it can be quite frustrating for consumers. After quite a bit of resistance from the companies, it would appear that the tides are turning. There has been a recent trend of more and more apps becoming available across all platforms, allowing consumers to focus more on the other features of the phone or device they're considering.

Why OneNote Rocks

One of the latest exciting advances comes from Windows, of all places. OneNote mobile is a very popular organizational, note-taking application. Mobile versions were previously only available on the Windows Phone and iOS devices. Recently, Windows announced that the OneNote mobile app is now available for Android devices. Thanks to this expansion, not only will the OneNote developers see more sales, but users can easily sync notes across all devices, including their home or office PC, smartphone or other mobile device.

Versatility is the primary reason for the success of the OneNote application. Making the app available across all platforms is certainly in line with what made the app so successful in the first place. The app is great, allowing users to go into as much or little detail about their notes as desired. OneNote is perfect for simple lists, like grocery shopping or to-do lists. The app also works great as a full-fledged notebook for anything from business meetings to class lectures. Notes and notebooks can be synced and shared with friends or coworkers for collaborative projects, no matter which operating system they use.

The Android version of the OneNote mobile application comes with all the helpful features you've come to expect from OneNote, including text formatting, bulleted lists and image capabilities. To-do lists include clickable checkboxes, and users can access and store multiple lists. With a free Microsoft SkyDrive account, users can view and edit their lists from anywhere with internet access. Notes can also be accessed offline, or exclusively over a Wi-Fi connection to protect sensitive information. The features also include automatic spell-checking, quick access to recent notes and the ability to take pictures with your phone's camera within the app.

The app is available for free, but also includes some premium features. The free version works a bit like a test trial, allowing users to store, sync and view up to 500 notes. After reaching the 500-note limit, however, the notes cannot be edited. For unlimited use, there is a one-time charge of $4.99. The OneNote mobile app is available in most countries, including the U.S., Australia, Korea, the U.K., Japan, Venzuela, France, Germany, Guatemala, Mexico and many more. For pricing outside the U.S., visit the Android Market in your area.