In the blink of St. Nick's eye, tablets went from nice-to-have to must-have gadgets this year. They're the way everyone - from kids to seniors - wants to watch TV shows, check email, play games and browse the Internet.

As you've no doubt already discovered, shopping for apps is a daunting experience.

Although the Google Play store has improved a lot - and keeps getting better - it can still be an adventure to search for and find the best apps.

The iTunes App Store is much better organized, but the sheer number of apps is overwhelming - more than 275,000 optimized for the full-size iPad and iPad mini.

That's why I compiled this list of my favorite iOS and Android tablet apps. They'll get you and your gadget off to a roaring start in 2013.

Netflix (Free; iOS, Android) - Netflix is a great service if you love movies. You just pay a monthly subscription fee, and you can watch all the movies you want. It also includes the ability to stream movies over the Web.

This app lets you watch Netflix movies anywhere. It also allows you to manage your Netflix Instant queue.

HeyTell (Free; iOS, Android) - This fun app is a throwback to the days when you used walkie-talkies as a kid.