The third annual best app ever awards were announced during this years Macworld Expo. The awards process began in November when app users from all over the world could nominate their favorite apps. Out of the over 90,000 submissions they narrowed it down to the top 609 that were divided up into over 30 categories. Every category had an iPhone division and an iPad division except for the overall best app ever. They then allow users to votes during the first 25 days of January and received nearly half a million votes.

Considering the number of apps released in 2010, I imagine pinpointing the relative few worthy of being designated “Best App Ever” is pretty tough. But that’s what the group at 148Apps has done for three years now. Last week, they announced this year’s nominees, whittled down from 87,138 submissions. Users can vote for their favorites from now through January 25th, 2011.

148Apps has begun to take entries for their 2010 Best App Ever Awards. These awards recognize practical, creative, technical, whimsical and just down right cool acheivements in iOS apps, not just sales numbers and popularity. This year’s awards will separate out iPad apps from iPhone apps, so get your thinking caps on and submit your favorite apps for the recognition they deserve. All nominations for the Best App Ever Awards must be submitted onlined before December 31st, 2010. Finalists, which include the top ten nominees in each of 32 categories and then in each division, will be announced on January 2nd, 2011.

Appletell was at the Second Annual Best Best App Ever Awards presentation tonight in San Francisco to hear the announcement of the winner. Yes, winner, singular, because 148Apps only announced one at the event: Pocket God. Of the 560 nominees, Pocket God took Best App Ever for “… so many reasons. The immersive episodic interactive environment has expanded from a simple deserted island simulation to a world of entertainment in itself.”

In the biggest miscarriage of award show justice since Ghandi beat Tron in the 1983 Academy Awards, the winners of the 2008 Best App Ever Awards have been announced, and Smule’s Ocarina did not win Best App Ever. Oh, sure, it won Best 99 Cent App, Best Musical Instrument App, and Most Creative Use of iPhone Hardware, but it was denied the top aware, and we at Applelinks are thinking of holding a protest. If we do, you can bet it will be peaceful and musically pleasant. Anyway…

Open until the 6th of January, 2009, the Best App Ever Awards are looking to find and congratulate some of the best applications that have been made for the iPod Touch and iPhone. The winners of this competition will be announced the following day, on January 7th, at Macworld Expo 2009, and it is being brought to you by 148apps.com. According to Best App Ever:

The 2008 Best App Ever Awards is the first iPhone OS Application achievement awards to recognize the best iPhone apps and games released in the iTunes App Store during the past year. Our goal is to help publicize the very best apps available, not just the best-selling apps. There are multiple award categories covering both apps and games.

With 34 categories and 10 apps in each category, it may take you a while to vote for all of the categories, but it is fun to see who has been nominated for what. Check out all of the categories after the break.