16 Apps We Love

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Like most folks, my app attack is over; the days of clogging my phone and my time are done. These days I’m much pickier about them and try to keep it to those that I really use. Occasionally, I come across one that’s actually a life changer, so I thought you might be interested in a few that I’m attached to.

Productivity:

Wunderlist:  I have tried and eventually discarded every online to do list. I’m a girl who likes to write things down (with a fountain pen, believe it or not). So I keep a long list next to my computer….but then there are more complicated projects or to-dos for later that I can’t figure out how to track, much less ever get around to them. In Wunderlist you sort your to-dos by any category you want: groceries, work, house projects, whatever. You’ll get reminders if you’ve set a due date and the app syncs with your laptop (or vice versa) so you’ve always got it somewhere. I think this is FINALLY my answer. I absolutely love it.

Evernote: You’ve heard me wax rhapsodic about Evernote before. This app is meant for keeping your notes organized but it can do so much more: clip web pages, add photos, contacts and checklists. And no matter how disorganized your notes within the app are, the best part is you can search by any word or term and find exactly what you’re looking for. You can share with your family or team, and it syncs with your phone or laptop, too.

Language:

News in Slow French: Francophiles, especially those who are on a continual quest to improve their French will love this app. It is exactly what it says it is. You get the news in slow, easy to understand, French. (Thanks, Georgiana).

Babbel: Brushing up your Norwegian (or a host of other languages)? This app will help you learn at your level and is weirdly addictive. The best part is that it speaks to you and provides the correct pronunciation, so if you’re working on your accent in Spanish, French, German or 10 other languages, you’re in good hands here.

Photo Apps:

We all take too many photos, and most of us are lazy about editing and deleting (me!), so our precious memory is taken up with thousands of images. One thing I’ve been trying to do lately is shove the good ones into “favorites” and then upload those via Shutterfly  (for an eventual annual book project), or the immediate gratification of Artifact Uprising’s  25 prints on quality heavy stock paper. It’s keeping me a bit more organized and I managed to make a lovely memory book of the best moments of 2016. Hoping to make this an annual habit.

NOTE: Artifact Uprising is offering 10 FREE prints through 10/9/17. Click here for more info. 

Travel:

Tablet Hotels: Yes,  I know there are plenty of hotel apps, but the reason I like this one, is it deals only in the best boutique hotels (and not necessarily the most expensive). You’ll get thoroughly vetted spots all over the world,  plus weekly deals, and bonuses just for Tablet Plus members. They have never steered me wrong.

Hotel Tonight: When you’ve decided to stay just one more night, click here for last-minute deep discounts.

City Planner: This was a huge help when I was in France last Spring. Simply plug in where you want to go and it tells you the best way to get there,  via metro, bus, cab, walking, driving or cycling. Even tells you how many calories you’ll use if you get there on your own steam. Available for most major American and European cities.

Waze: My single most used app, since I spend a good bit of time in the car. If you don’t already have it, install it NOW and avoid traffic jams, police, and other mishaps on the road.

Sygic Travel: In a new city and don’t know what to see first?  This app will provide a simple itinerary of the best sites, whether you have a day or a week to explore. It handily helps out with flights, hotels and nearby restaurants (even broken down by cuisine!).

SkyScanner:  Find flights (to anywhere) fast.

Health, Cooking and Wellness:

Think Dirty:  Worried about all the chemicals in the creams you slather on your face daily?  Get the skinny from Think Dirty. It will tell you all the potentially toxic products in your skincare and makeup and will suggest cleaner, less harmful versions.

NYTIMES cooking: With so many cooking apps out there, it’s hard to choose. My go-to is this one for inspiration, ease, and well, everything just looks so damn good.

Vivino: You know that luscious bottle you sipped over a fancy dinner and meant to write down, but didn’t? No more forgotten labels with Vivino. Simply take a photo of the label and Vivino will give you all the deets, from a description to reviews, to where to buy it (or even buy it online, though I haven’t tried that yet). Also super handy for seeing how much that bottle your best friend bought you for your birthday is worth….

My Fitness Pal: The most comprehensive calorie counter, meal and exercise tracker, with a huge database. Plus, it’s so easy to enter your own recipes and find out the nutritional info: calories, fat, protein, plus nutrients.