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THERE ARE ENOUGH apps out there but only a finite amount of space on your phone. This proves to be a problem at the best of times, mainly which apps are the ones you should definitely have and which ones are worth getting rid of.
The first question is the shorter one to answer so we’ve put together the apps that we think deserve a place on your phone. We’re going to go off the beaten track and not suggest the likes of Facebook or Twitter since it’s likely you already have them.
Sunrise
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free
The traditional calendars on your phone are passable at best, but Sunrise shakes things up a bit with a great design and focus. Since it integrates with a number of apps, it can bring all of your events together into the one place.
Duolingo
For: iOS, Android, Windows Phone
Cost: Free
Duolingo isn’t going to make you fluent at a language, but it will help you get a good grasp on a new language. Breaking up each language into mini-games that only take a few moments to complete, it’s probably the most accessible way to start learning a new dialect.
Wolfram Alpha
For: iOS, Android, Windows Phone
Cost: €2.69
Sure you could Google the answer to a question, but why not go a step further and use Wolfram Alpha instead. Pretty much answering almost every mathematical question you can think of, it’s a powerful tool to have whatever you doing.
Swype
For:iOS, Android
Cost: €0.89
While you have the free version of Swiftkey (with in-app purchases) out there, Swype just happens to be the more comprehensive version. Autocomplete and auto dictionary allows you to complete writing your texts faster and its learning capabilities help improve suggestions over time.
Yahoo! Weather
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free
Despite the jokes that surround Yahoo, its weather app has a nice design and is rather comprehensive. Taking photos from Flickr to highlight the weather for that time is a great idea and the simplicity of it means you don’t have to trawl through useless info to find what you want.
Ping
For: iOS
Cost: Free
Ping is random. Basically a number of push notification sent to you, these can cover a vast number of topics and while they can be random in nature, they do keep you abreast of what’s new out there.
Word Lens
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free
Since Google bought Quest Visual earlier this year, all of Word Lens’ translation packs are free to download. What it does is use your camera to translate written text and it works rather well.
Dark Sky
For: iOS
Cost: €3.59
The hook of Dark Sky tells you whether it’s going to rain or snow an hour in advance. After that, it’s one of the nicest weather apps out there, tying with Yahoo! Weather.
Workflow
For: iOS
Cost: €2.99
Originally we were going to have IFTTT in, but the simplicity and versatility of Workflow won it out – if you’re an iOS user, that is. Easy to use, handy prepared combinations and a beautiful interface makes it a winner.
Headspace
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free
Considering how hectic our lives are and how important mental health is, Headspace is one of the best relaxation and meditation services for those who don’t know where to start.
The first 10 days are free to try out, but it’s well worth the subscription.
Hailo
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free
If you’re in an unfamiliar area in Ireland or in Europe, you will likely be able to rely onHailo to get you somewhere. Easy to use, you won’t have to worry about getting a taxi wherever you go.
Google Maps
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free
For now, there’s nothing that comes close to matching Google Maps (with maybe the exception of HERE maps), but Google’s version is one of the most comprehensive maps out there.
Evernote
For: iOS, Android, Windows Phone
Cost: Free
It’s been around for a while, but there are few services which can top Evernote. Allowing to store almost everything in the one place for future use, it’s incredibly useful to have for work and personal use.
Foursquare
For: iOS, Android, Windows Phone
Cost: Free
Earlier this year, Foursquare split its app up into two, the original became a recommendation app while Swarm became a check-in app. While the latter hasn’t worked out, the former has thrived thanks to a new recommendation system that is able to find the best spots in any city.
Pocket
For: iOS, Android
Cost: Free
Considering how many articles there are to read, it’s likely you will want to save it for when you’re experiencing a quiet moment or traveling. Pocket allows you to save articles, images and videos onto your phone so you can catch up on articles when your schedule allows it.
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Amazing apps….for extremely busy people who seem never to relax and spend all their time organizing this or that…or travelling here and there …or texting every Tom, Dick and Harry…endless weapons of mass distraction…How do they ever get any thing of substance…work or otherwise ..actually done baffles me.
I have my irony App ready StephenEganpolitics but I agree with you so I’ll say nutin :)
“WatchOn”. Fantastic app. Turns ur phone into a remote control for tv and sky box and much more .
Headspace app is brilliant
Waze for navigation, Tuenin for phones with no built in radio, (S5) , Filmontv for tv channels, office suite pro for work related stuff, weather pro (For the obvious) flightradar24 and marine traffic when I want to while away nd waste a few minutes.
Swype is great. texts are much easier to compose.
Skyscanner for cheap flights
A Dublin SEO company uses a great app called Hootsuite that allows you to manage your social media channels via one dashboard.
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