AngularObjectCache.js

angular.factory("Application", function($http){
  // We found in benchmarking that $resource was slower than bare $http
  this.get = function(){
    return $http("url/to/application/data", {params: anythingNeeded});
  }
});

angular.service("ApplicationCache", function($timeout, Application){
  var cache       = [],
      cacheMap    = {}, 
      timerDelay  = 1 * 60 * 1000; // 1 minute
  
  // Return the cache array reference that you can bind to in a controller or directive.
  // This adds complexity since you should NEVER break the reference by reassigning 
  // the cache variable.
  this.all = function(){
    return cache;
  };
  
  // Convenient lookup helper 
  this.find = function(id){
    var applicationIndex = cacheMap[id];
    return cache[applicationIndex];
  };
  
  var fetch = function(){
    Application.get()
      .success(updateCache)
      .error(someErrorHandlingFunctionOfYourChoosing)
  };
  
  var updateCache = function(applicationData){
    var application,
        availableLocation = cache.length;
    for(var i = 0, len = applicationData.length; i < len; i++){
      application = applicationData[i];
      existingLocation = cacheMap[application.id];

      if (existingLocation !== undefined) {
        updateCachedAttributes(application, existingLocation);
      } else {
        addNewApplication(application, availableLocation);
        cacheMap[application.id] = availableLocation++;
      }
    }
  };
  
  var updateCachedAttributes = function(applicationData, location){
    var application = cache[location];
    for(var attr in application){
      application[attr] = applicationData[attr];
    }
  };
  
  var addNewApplication = function(applicationData, location){
    var application = new Application(applicationData);
    cache[location] = application;
    cacheMap[application.id] = location;
  };
  
  $timeout(fetch, timerDelay);
})