App App and Away

Apps to make many aspects of our lives better and simpler.
Make a call, snap a picture, text a friend. Is that all our smartphones are good for?
Sure, we dabble in an occasional game, and of course Facebook and Instagram vacuum up our time, but smart people in countries across the globe are constantly developing apps with better functionality, more practical uses and sleeker design. It’s time we utilize our smartphones like the modern age allows us to.

Fitness

Jefit
This app works as a gym log to keep your fitness goals on track. It includes 1300 exercises to provide inspiration, and the interface is simple.

Runkeeper
Track your pace, distance, weight loss and goals with this simple app that represents the best of the GPS fitness app world. With 45 million users, this app is quickly outpacing other apps with similar purpose.

C25K
As the acronym suggests, this app helps you get off the couch and be able to run a 5k in 8 weeks (“C” for Couch). It’s a great goal applicable to millions.

FitStar Yoga and Personal Trainer
FitStar asks a simple set of questions at the end of every workout, so you’re not a sheep that gets crushed by generic workout routines. The personalization makes it a good fit for a broad range of people.

Nike+ Training Club
Choose from more than 100 workouts crafter by trainers, for a wide variety of fitness levels. You can even pick your focus (get lean, toned, strong or focused). The videos are crisp and reliable.

Sworkit
For those tired of YouTube workouts, which sometimes involve a time-consuming search, strange personalities and questionable advice, this is a great app. It lets you get started quickly, and lets you choose a workout duration.

Spring (iOS)
Just shuffling a playlist doesn’t always cut it for an exercise session. This app matches your rhythm with the songs of the same rhythm. It’s great for runners looking to escape into their stride with the help of music.

Finance

Wallet – Budget Tracker (Android Only)
A clean, reliable budget tracker that connects you to your financial institutions and your purchases in a simple way.

Digit
This app is for saving, which can be a hard habit to form. The app analyzes your spending and removes a small amount from your checking account every so often to put into savings.

Acorns
For the inexperienced investor, this app takes small sums of money and invests them for you.

Why you should use your bank’s app?

Some may avoid using a banking app because it is unfamiliar, but doing so sacrifices great convenience that usually won’t cost a dime. Paying bills, moving money to different accounts and depositing checks can be done in seconds, from the comfort of your home.

“Using a mobile app to manage and move money is not only extremely convenient but now essential to most users,” said Ryan Caldwell, Founder and CEO of MX, a company that provides digital banking solutions to enhance the account holder experience. “You’re no longer limited by branch hours and burdened with travel. You have more time for what matters when you can deposit checks remotely or transfer funds to another person or account without the requirement of a teller.”

Parenting

Family Locator
For parents worried about whether their child is where they think he or she is, this is a good app that utilizes the reality that most children have phones now. There are a few apps that offer this service, but Family Locator is probably the best.

Relax Melodies
Need to de-stress? Use the soothing influence of sound with this highly rated app, and drown out the worries.

Don’t Cry My Baby
This highly rated app let’s you choose from lullabies, instrument noises, white noise and more to calm your baby. Some other options are heartbeat, storm, dryer, tapwater and bird.

AllergyEats
Eating with food allergies is a hassle many parents deal with. This app allows you to find out which restaurants can accommodate your needs.

Eating

HealthyOut
Want lactose-free, low-fat food but you aren’t sure where to go? This is a great app for generating healthy ideas. It will show you specific dishes at restaurant chains around you that fit what you’re looking for.

OpenTable
Search restaurants nearby and make reservations from the app. OpenTable is great for the weekends when reservations can be a must. And the app has been around long enough that there is a broad selection of restaurants that participate.

Perfect Produce
How do you pick a cantaloupe? How are you supposed to store apples? How do you help avocados last longer? This app will educate you as you make selections in the grocery store produce section, and will help you be smarter about keeping your produce at home.

Ingredient1 (iOS)
This is a good app for finding new things to cook at home. It lets you list ingredients you like and dislike, and suggests foods to make based on your profile.

Farmstand
This app connects you with locally grown food by pointing you to farmers’ markets, and connecting you with the local community of local food consumers.  For iOS only.

Kitchen Stories
Free recipes, HD videos and photo instructions make this a very popular app. With millions of downloads and a high rating, it’s one to try out.

Organization/Home

Wunderlist
A simple to-do list app that will help you stay organized. Stylish and simple, this app has millions of downloads.

CalenGoo (Android)
This is a calendar app you can really manhandle to make it what you want. Sync it with Google calendars or iCloud.