• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, January 14, 2010

Appolicious.com was started last September to help consumers navigate the rising tide of iPhone and other mobile applications. Building on features like expert and user reviews and ratings, the site is now adding "curated" pages that allow anyone to list their five favorite iPhone and Android apps.

The goal is to attract enthusiasts and experts to highlight their top apps in self-defined categories ranging from astronomy to karaoke. "It's all about finding 'what is a really good app for X category,'" said Appolicious founder and CEO Alan Warms, who himself has posted a list of his top five apps for kids during family trips.

With more than a 120,000 iPhone and Android apps to date, the site is focused on adding new tools to help smartphone users pinpoint just the right app within in a given topic, he added.

The new section kicks off with categories including shopping, small business productivity, gossip, movies and the World Cup. Users can also search apps by specific terms or keywords.

After setting up a profile page that provides some background information, curators list their favorite apps, explain the rationale behind their selections and post any related links or tweets. A saved search feature also allows users to see what other apps a curator has viewed.

In addition to curated apps, Appolicious is also launching a new directory of iPhone app developers that allows businesses to connect with that community more easily. The directory offers developers free listings that include a profile page with basic company information and listing in one of 20 categories.

Developers can also opt to pay for featured listings, ensuring first-page placement and listing in multiple categories, and can take out banner ads in the directory. It debuts with about 25,000 developer listings.

Appolicious in December raised an additional $1.5 million from Apex Venture Partners. The firm had previously provided $500,000 in seed capital.