The best entertainment apps of 2014

Probably one of the most essential functions you can use your smartphone or tablet for is entertainment. Naturally, with our Best apps of 2014 series and our jury of 11 editors, we decided to tackle the best entertainment app of the year .

From music, to movies, to games, smartphones and tablets have replaced radio, TV and computers to become the central hub of entertainment. In 2014, that trend grew even further: we saw the arrival of Beats Music and the expansion of Netflix into five new countries, while in Europe, Spotify will have paid back more royalties than iTunes by the end of 2014.

In 2014, not only where there a ton of new apps, there were also some massive updates to already existing ones. Our top pick of 2014? Spotify. Watch the video below to see why, and read on for the rest of our top 5 entertainment apps of the year.

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Spotify

In 2014, Spotify introduced all new apps for iOS, Android , and Windows Phone . Along with its radical redesign , the music streaming app has integrated a new feature called My Music . This new option lets you better organize your playlists and save them in a gallery that’s both accessible and intuitive.

Download Spotify for Android | iOS | Mac | Windows | Windows Phone | Web

Djay 2

In May 2014, Djay surprised everyone by announcing a partnership with Spotify. With version 2.5 of the dj’ing app, users can now mix with the 20 million songs available on the music streaming service. To top it all off, 2014 also saw the arrival of the Android version of the app.

Download Djay 2 on Android | iOS | Mac

Wakie

You couldn’t miss Wakie in 2014. The app, which is available for free on Windows Phone and Android , wakes you up by inviting other users to call you directly on your phone. In 2014, the app ventured out of its native Russia and made itself available to users in the USA, Canada, the UK, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Download Wakie for Android | Windows Phone

Duolingo

Duolingo, the easiet way to learn a language , needs no introduction. In 2014, the app added more ammo to its arsenal by launching Duolingo Test Center , a service that allows you to take online exams and receive a certificate confirming your language level.

Download Duolingo for Android | iOS | Web

Shazam

In 2014, the music recognition app was updated, introducing the ability to play entire songs through an agreement with the audio streaming service Rdio . Shaazam also decided to make a major update to its interface this year; the new version puts more focus on television by giving you the option to search by TV show title.

Download Shazam for Android | BlackBerry | iOS | Mac | Windows Phone | Windows

The year ahead

From music to language, there seems to be every indication of smartphones and tablets continuing to transform into entertainment hubs in 2015.

The names Viggle, Yidio, Pacemaker, and YouTube Music Key might not mean anything to you right now, but these entertainment apps, new in 2014, are the ones to watch in 2015.

Check out the rest of the best apps of the year in our Best apps of 2014 series.

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