By Zoe Fox
Apple has launched a countdown to its 25 billionth app downloaded from the App Store, but more is at stake than the glory of a historic download.
The company is giving away a $10,000 gift card to spend in the App Store. Think of all the Zynga games — without the frequent pop-up ads of the free editions — you could by with that kind of money!
What’s strange about the giveaway is that you don’t need to download anything to enter the contest. You can fill out an online form to be entered to win.
The winner must agree to publicity, such as sharing your name, photo and some of your App Store picks with the Apple community. Yes, that means others will know that you’re spending your hefty gift card on several versions of Angry Birds.
What would you do with $10,000 from the App Store? Let us know in the comments what you would download.
BONUS: App Store Rewind — Apple’s Top Apps of 2011
The most popular photo app to ever hit iOS, Instagram currently has 50 million users, and will soonlaunch on Android platforms.
Price: FREE
Freemium game Tiny Tower lets the player build towers and open businesses inside them.
Price: FREE
HBO GO made both the iPhone and iPad Rewind lists this year. HBO subscribers can watch streaming video using this app.
Price: FREE
Crackle is a video content website that curates TV and movies for the 18-34-year old demographic.
Price: FREE
The game hopped to the top of app store charts the first day it launched, Dec. 1.
Price: $6.99
The popular Starbucks iPhone app helped complete 26 million transactions in 2011. Now one-in-four Starbucks transactions use the app's Mobile Pay for purchases.
Price: FREE
Topping the iPhone and iPad Rewind lists, the djay app incorporates your iPod into a full-fledged DJ experience.
Price: $0.99 for iPhone, $19.99 for iPad
Plug in guitars, customize chords, mix tracks and more using this instrument integration tool.
Price: $4.99
The app incorporates content from publications and curators in digital magazine style.
Price: FREE
Super 8 is one of Apple's top video creation apps, turning your iPhone into a vintage video camera.
Price: $0.99
Nike release the app early this year as a supplement to its NikeWomen.com site.
Price: FREE
The alien invader game topped Apple's iPad Rewind list this year.
Price: $4.99
An interactive version of Al Gore's book Our Choice appears on this revolutionary iPad app.
Price: $4.99
CNN launched its highly visual iPad app this year to great reviews.
Price: FREE
Zite personalized magazine learns more about you the more you use the app, and curates accordingly.
Price: FREE
The Daily definitely made headlines when it was introduced as the first ever iPad only newspaper.
Price: FREE
After much anticipation, Facebook for iPad launched in October.
Price: FREE
Soon after Apple released a video-capable iPad 2, Skype introduced its live video service to the device.
Price: FREE
