We’re all busy people, right? This means that we need our gadgets and devices to provide us with tools to make tasks easier and save us money, time or stress. So whether it’s to organise your schedule, give you a helping hand or just make you smile – these apps need to be in your life.
Organisation & efficiency
1. Evernote lets you take notes, create to-do lists and add screenshots and links, and allows you to tag them so that they are indexed and searchable. Sync it with Outlook so you can transfer all of your actionable emails into Evernote lists and sync with your phone so that you are still productive when you’re out of the office. Genius! Free on iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows.
2. Do you always lose the TV remote? If so then this is the app for you. LG TV Remote turns your smartphone into a remote control so you can stream channels from the TV onto a smartphone or tablet screen with the app installed. It also has a feature that acts as an on-screen mouse which powers a cursor on the TV screen as well as the usual volume and channel controls. Find out more about LG smart TVs here. Free on iPhone, iPad and Android.
3. iMindMap is another great planning and ideas app for note-taking and scheduling – but it creates a mindmap illustration instead of a boring list. A great tool for those who think and work visually. Free on iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows.
4. If you struggle to keep up with the day’s news from various sites over the internet, Summly will save you lots of time. It uses hundreds of sources to create 400-character digests of the latest headlines all in one place. Free on iPhone and iPad.
5. LogMeIn allows you to access the desktop and folders of your home computer from anywhere on your smartphone or tablet. Great if you need something in an emergency. Free on iPhone, iPad; £20.14 on Android.
Health & lifestyle
6. The Fitness Buddy app is your portable personal trainer. With bespoke workouts and over 1,000 videos showing you how to properly use gym equipment, you’ve got no excuse not to go to the gym! Your buddy will also track your progress so you can see just how far you’ve come. Free on iPad, iPhone and Android.
7. Lots of us have trouble sleeping and fear the dreaded alarm clock going off in the morning. It’s just not nice to be shocked awake. The Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock gets around this nicely and still makes sure you’re up in time for work. It analyses your sleep patterns and monitors your movement to understand which sleep phase you’re in and wakes you up when you’re in the lightest phase. 69p on iPhone and iPad.
8. If you want to get a quick picture of your overall health, the Embarrassing Bodies My HealthChecker is a good place to start. Conduct an eye test, check your reaction times and your memory as well as having access to advice on improving your general health. Free on iPhone and iPad.
9. There’s nothing worse than wandering around trying to find something to eat when you have 10 minutes left of your lunch break. You’ll probably end up grumpy – and with something you didn’t fancy! With the Foodspotting app, you can type in the type of food you’re craving and it will tell you the best places nearby to find it! Free on iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry and Windows.
10. If you need to get somewhere in a hurry, the Addison Lee app will get you a taxi in London in under a minute. It uses your phone’s GPS system to understand where you are, so you just need to press ‘find my location’ and the app does all the rest. Free on iPhone, Android and Windows.
Fun & games
11. I don’t know about you, but I’m constantly thinking “Oh what’s that song that goes like this…?” before humming to the annoyance of my friends. If your friends want to save their ears, they’ll point you in the direction of SoundHound. Not only does it recognise music tracks you play it, but you can also sing or hum a tune and will tell you the artist and title. Free on iPhone, iPad, Android & Windows.
12. Whatsapp Messenger is a brilliant way to send your friends instant messages, pictures and videos – all for free with a WiFi connection after installing. You can have group chats as well as one-on-one conversations – a great way to keep up with your mates throughout the day. 69p on iPhone and iPad 69p; Free on Android, BlackBerry and Windows.
13. 4 Pics 1 Word is a simple but annoyingly addictive game that shows you four images and asks you what they all have in common. You’ve probably seen screenshots of it shared by your frustrated friends on Facebook, asking for help. Say goodbye to your evenings. Free on iPhone, iPad and Android; 75p on BlackBerry.
14. Snapchat is a messenger app which only allows you to take and send videos and images. The difference is, the app shows them to the recipient for a few seconds and then makes them disappear forever. Free on iPhone, iPad and Android.
15. Still a bestseller, Cut the rope asks the player to manoeuvre candy around obstacles and cut the rope from which it hangs to feed a little monster. This even won a BAFTA! 69p on iPhone and iPad; 62p on Android.
It is possible to save your snapchat pictures. When they appear on the screen you need to try and capture the image as a screenshot – possibly not the easiest way but it works if you want to save it.