Those who know me know that technology has always been one of my favorite pastimes. People frequently ask me what apps I use on my iPhone or ask me to make some recommendations. With the holidays nearing, coupled with the fact that many of us are hoping for an iPhone 5 in our stockings or under the tree, I thought I would share my “7 Must-Have Mobile Apps.”
Evernote – This is where I save everything from my favorite Apple Pie recipe to the keyless entry code for my car. Think of Evernote as a digital warehouse for anything and everything on your computer. You can web clip from your browser, upload all types of files, or type or text notes. It also takes recorded notes and pictures right from you mobile device. So when you are out with your wife and she points to a book she has wanted, you can enter a quick note or even easier, take a picture and you will be considered the best husband ever because you listened and remembered! The coolest part is that Evernote syncs between all my devices including mobile phones, tablet computers, and PC’s. When you need to retrieve something, a quick word search and it will bring up what you need. Pretty handy! The basic Evernote is free and there is a paid subscription option if you want more storage or added features.
Dropbox – This is my sync everything from everywhere service. It is simple, you just sign up for the service, install a dropbox folder inside “My Documents” on each computer you want to sync and you are off to the races. It really is that easy and it will also sync to smart phones and tablet computers. Start a document on your laptop and finish it on your home PC. The other thing I use Dropbox for is to backup files. I know files are safe when there are multiple copies of the same files synced on multiple computers. The other cool feature is that you can revert a file back to an older saved version and also undelete. Try doing any of that without Dropbox! There is a free version of Dropbox that works for a lot of people. If you need more storage there is a paid subscription plan.
Kayak- Have travel plans and want to find the cheapest flight? Kayak to the rescue! You can access Kayak from any browser but if you have the iPhone app you can check things on the go much easier. There are so many options in finding flights that you can get creative in combating rising airfare costs. Wherever you are going, Kayak will get you there cheaper.
GPS Drive- I have never been a huge fan of the standard mapping software included with the iPhone and that is why if have GPS Drive loaded. It is a turn-by-turn GPS application that has quite a few snazzy features that assist you in finding where you are going. I still prefer my Garmin, but the many times it is not available or I am too lazy to dig it out of the glove box, GPS Drive has me covered. If I am streaming music over Bluetooth in my car, the GPS Drive voice very politely interrupts my music to give me turn-by-turn instructions. A one year subscription of voice assistance will set you back $9.99. The app itself is $.99.
Amazon – Remember that book my wife wanted? I ordered it while I was waiting for her to finish shopping. This is both the best and worst app I have on my iPhone. Merchandise is available 24x7, no matter how obscure you think the item is. Just search for it on Amazon and with a one-button checkout you can have your order processed in under a minute. No pulling out your credit card every time, no hassles. That is what makes it my worst app, it can take the most disciplined consumer and make them a shopaholic Internet junkie. Who wouldn’t want a smiley box showing up on your doorstep, sometimes in less than 24 hours?
Yelp- What a great app if you are tired of eating at the same chain restaurants all around the United States. Without Yelp, many people find themselves sitting at their favorite table in an Applebee’s hundreds of miles from their house eating the same boring food. Yelp allows you access to some of the most popular hidden restaurants in any city, assessed by locals and travellers alike that have already been there. The app allows users to grade businesses. The app also uses your GPS location to help you find businesses near you, wherever you are. I use it for only restaurants but it can be used for other businesses as well. It even has pictures of the food with price points. My family has found some remarkable restaurants around the United States that were also some of the best values in dining.
Sleep Machine – This little iPhone App allows you to tailor your own background noise to sleep to. I hook my iPhone up to an external speaker and go to sleep in no time listening to my favorite thunderstorm overlayed with waves and heavy rain sounds. You can mix up to three sounds to engineer sleep sounds to your own taste. By taking the included sounds and mixing them, the possibilities are endless. It also has a handy alarm clock that works especially well when I travel. If you like background noise to sleep to, chances are you can create that perfect sound using Sleep Machine. Sleep Machine retails for $1.99 in the App Store.
The iPhone is an incredible device which has changed just about everyone’s life in one way or another. However, at the end of the day it is just another tool that is an extension of it’s user. So if you really want to know something about somebody just ask them, “What’s on your iPhone?” Do you have any favorites?
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