Be appy

26 Feb 2013

If you’ve got a smartphone or a tablet, you’ll know of the wonderful, yet sometimes confusing world of apps, short for applications.

These are third party programs that you download onto your smartphone or tablet that can make or break the way you use it. There are apps for almost anything. They vary from games to keep you entertained, puzzles to work your mind, information tools or tracking devices. Either way, they can make your phone a greater tool for everyday life.

Apps can also be condensed versions of your favourite websites. This means that the website has been configured to be more user-friendly on your smartphone or tablet and it can often be easier to use. 

How do I get apps?

Apps are downloadable and can either be purchased or downloaded for free. These are downloaded from digital stores, depending on what shartphone you have. Apple uses the App Store, while Android uses Google Market Place.

There are millions of apps to download and it’s a good idea to explore these stores to see what’s available before making any purchase decisions.

You can access these via your phone or tablet – just look for an ‘applications’ or ‘apps’ icon.

What Apps should I download?

The applications that you download are completely up to you, however we know that you may need some suggestions. We’ve got you covered.

Shopping

Many of the major retailers have apps which help with organising your shopping list, show you the catalogue and help find the nearest store to you.

Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and Target all have apps. Some of them even provide you with handy recipes to create your shopping list around.

Games

There are some entertaining games available not only for leisure, but also to keep your mind fit and active.

Words with Friends is a great way to play scrabble over the internet. You can play with people you know or you can play with random opponents.

Luminosity Brain Trainer has been called the best online brain-training tool. Over 20 million people are using it so it must be doing something right.

Health and fitness

Your smartphone is the perfect mechanism to track your health and fitness ventures.

There are apps that track your health issues such as migraines, blood pressure and sugar levels. There are also apps that track your sleeping patterns.

You can even download applications that help remind you when you need your medication and what tablets you need to take.

In terms of fitness, there are apps such as MyFitness Pal that help count your calories. And there are loads of Applications that help with your fitness regimen. Some even give you words of encouragement if you get disheartened and suggest what exercises you should do.

Reading and information

You can turn your smartphone or tablet into an e-reader by downloading the Kindle or iBooks App, or newspapers for your Newsstand.

There are also courses offered from a wide variety of educational institutions by iTunes You if you’ve got an iPhone or iPad, and TED Talks allows you to watch free lectures and talks by scientists and thinkers of today’s world.

Travel

Your smartphone or tablet can definitely come in handy when you travel by becoming a GPS with apps such as WhereIs and Google Maps.

It can help you find hotels, keep all of your information stored including flights and accommodation information, and it can even store your packing lists so you’re sure never to leave anything behind.

City Guides is the perfect pocket companion when touring in a foreign city. It helps with city-specific information such as restaurants, attractions and hotels.