What smartphone apps do you find useful?

last year

last modified: last year

I had a router die unceremoniously (started acting erratically) and when setting up its replacement (same brand, different model) I learned that to do so required first downloading the manufacturer's router app on a smartphone. Maybe this has been a common approach for some makes but I bought another brand's router/Wifi equipment about 3 months ago for a different location, a two-piece installation, and the install process used a PC and not a smartphone app.

So the experience made me think, what smartphone apps do you use that you find most useful or essential? I'll start with that:

- needed to set-up and install new home router

- used for free messaging, phone calls and video visits with a geographically dispersed group of family and friends, both around the US and abroad (FaceTime, Skype and WhatsApp)

- used to refill prescriptions (apps of pharmacy chain and prescription benefit manager)

- used to check and adjust heating and AC controlling thermostats in two locations (app of thermostat manufacturer)

- used to check and manipulate video cameras at the home(s) I'm not at (app of camera company)

- light newspaper reading when an interval of a few minutes comes (NY + LA TImes, Wash. Post)

- submitting pickup orders from retailers. No longer as necessary as before but I've gotten accustomed to being able to "shop" in a time efficient manner. (Apps of various stores)

- A family member does a lot of travelling and likes me to check in on their location periodically when they're on a trip (iPhone Find My app)

- apps from each of two ISPs, that are useful when the services go out and I want to confirm outage and or report my problem (communication travels over cell system, usually unaffected by outages)

- paying for parking (ParkMobile)

- controlling and changing volume, music sources, and play lists for listening to my music systems (One is from the company, for a different one, it's a third party app)

- communications with docs (app that's part of their digital record systems)

- occasionally Uber

- following flight status and timing when family members are in the air or if I'm picking up someone.

- occasionally ordering food deliveries (Uber Eats, Grub Hub)

I've left out a number I use from time to time that I consider to be less "essential"

How about you?

Featured Answer

Lars

last year

last modified: last year

I don't use all that many, but Google maps gets frequent use, to help navigate through traffic.

Here are ones that I consider essential:

-pool equipment controls

-thermostats for two locations

-security cameras for both locations

-deadbolt for Cathedral City, in case I need to let someone in there

-Calendar (to manage my appointments)

-My Chart, for UCLA Health

-Lyft - used very rarely

-translation dictionary

Right now my phone is turned off because I haven't turned it back on, and so you can see that I do not use it all that much.

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Comments (34)

maifleur03
last year
I have very few on my phone. The ones I use most frequently are Weather, Calendar for appointments, Clock, News, Facebook, my bank, and something called PulsePoint. The last shows fire and emt calls in the area. It has been handy when a friend's husband kept falling. It shows Lift Assists and if there was a transport to a facility. My friend could not drive and did not want any of us to fuss. One of us, we took turns, could then call and see if she needed any help normally without mentioning why we thought she might need it.
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amylou321
last year
I have tons of apps. I use a few quite frequently.

-Blink for my home cameras.

-Cronometer to log my food intake

-Fitbit to track my activity

-I use several cash back and coupon apps.

-The Publix apps. 2 of them. One for the pharmacy, one to order food ahead to pickup.

-I use cashapp and venmo a lot for my candle business.

-Apps to listen to stuff while I walk include YouTube, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, IHeartRadio.

-I few individual restaurant apps that we order from from time to time.
Elmer J Fudd thanked amylou321
Zalco/bring back Sophie!
last year
last modified: last year
Apple Fitness,

Groceries/Amazon,

Uber, Uber Eats and such,

FaceTime,

Flight Aware and iPhone tracking,

Podcast,

Music,

Calendar,

Banking,

Wallet, Venmo, PP,

Airline &Hotel affiliation,

NYT, have other mags, papers on there, but read those on iPad mostly,

Apple News,

Camera, photos,

LiChess, I am no good, but my youngest wants that to change, we'll see.

I forgot to add locks for car and house.
Elmer J Fudd thanked Zalco/bring back Sophie!
Toronto Veterinarian
last year
The ones I use most frequently: Google Maps, Safari, Audible, Messages, WeekCal (my preferred calendar app), Twitter, several newspaper apps, Codebook (password manager), and the app for my car.

Other ones that I use pretty frequently: Contacts, games Pangram and Hooked on Words, weather, Overcast (podcasts), Picture Me (identifies plants), various retail stores, a calculator, and a ruler.

I have collection of apps I use for specific purposes, and I move them around on my phone depending on my circumstances - for instance I have a bunch I use for work, and a bunch I use when I travel.

Finally there are a several apps I need to have but I don't use often, such as Tile, Square, Engbird, Google Home, and Resideo (controls my HVAC).
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Jasdip
last year
I have some that came on my phone, and I installed Rebus which is an app that lets you check all the store flyers. I un-installed some because my storage on my phone is pretty small and it's almost full. I'm not sure how to increase it unless I need to buy a new phone.
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bpath
last year
last modified: last year
My most-useful include:

ColorNote. It’s kind of a Notepad, I use it for all kinds of things. Now if I reach for a piece of paper to make a list or something, I open ColorNote instead.

Clock. I need alarms, and timers.

The alarm control for a property.

Maps.

Google. I’m always checking etymologies.

A few games for the middle of the night. They give that side of my brain something to do instead of racing.

FlightAware. Useful in that I can beat DH to identifying aircraft. Well, no, I can’t, but at least I can just look at my phone instead of running up to his office.

ChickFilA. Free chicken sandwiches.

Flashlight.

Hoopla, for watching movies, listening to audiobooks, etc etc.

Is Hotspot an app or a tool or something else?

My background. My phone occasionally tells me to delete apps I don’t use much, and always includes my live wallpaper. But it delights me, and I find that useful.

Edit: Elmer clarified the topic, so I will limit my list to:

ColorNote, ChickFilA, Hoopla, my burglar alarm app, my live wallpaper, FlightAware.
Elmer J Fudd thanked bpath
OutsidePlaying
last year
The ones i use most frequently:

- News apps, several for skimming almost daily

- Calendar

- Wallet

- Music

- Google Maps

- My favorite grocery store (Publix) for deals, prescriptions, lists

- Apple TV and News

- Apple Fitness

- Mobile banking

- Venmo and Paypal

- Nexia (controls our HVAC thermostat)

- Picture This (for plant IDs)

- Picture Insect

Used less frequently, especially since we aren’t traveling as much:

- Airline and hotel apps

- Uber

- WhatsApp
Elmer J Fudd thanked OutsidePlaying
Elmer J Fudd
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
Sorry team. Great responses, I’d meant to say specialty app. I use the regular suspects mentioned- bank and other financial, email and SMS, calendar, contacts, Google map, etc etc. Respond as you wish
palisades_
last year
I have lots of apps, but the most used and favorite are
- smart home app to monitor and control thermostat, locks, alarm, lighting, camera, power outlets. Motorized curtains will be added next.
- Travel apps for maps, navigation, checking real time on road/traffic status from point A-B before I head out.
- Alarm/reminder/to-do list app that may repeat on a custom set interval.
Smart phone is a necessity for me to run these apps.
Elmer J Fudd thanked palisades_
WittyNickNameHere ;)
last year
I'm all about social media: Facebook, Instagram and TikTok (don't download it, it's highly addictable). I use maps for my gps and I have two weather apps. I also play Candy Crush. My banks are also on there and I use the "wallet" to store my cards (loyalty and banking).
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lily316
last year
Facebook, Instagram, flashlight, WeatherBug, CNN, camera, calculator, facetime ,Library card ,FiosTV, Huff Post, MSNBC.
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sprtphntc7a
last year
besides the usual suspects:

Sirius XM

NYTimes/WashPo

Skyscanner - for flight pricing

Whole Foods - tied to Amazon Prime

AmazonSmile

NYTimes Puzzle

Libby

DuckDuckGo

Seek

PlantNet

Poshmark

ParkMobile/MeterUp
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lisaam
last year
my phone is android and I use Nine for email because i’ve never liked gmail.
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MrsM
last year
I have some apps but really don't use them too much unless I really have to or am curious about something. I've got Ring for the house cameras. Some major store retail apps. Facebook, Yelp, and GIPHY (which is a fun app to insert videos, gifs etc into text messages.
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Ally De
last year
Resideo (to monitor/change HVAC operation in a second home), and my home security app for that same house.

It's amazing to me what we can see and control via our phone now. I no longer have to worry about what *may* be happening - I can pull it up and see for myself. Awesome stuff.
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jrb451
last year
I have a/an:

Travel folder of apps for road trips - Trip Advisor, Gas Buddy, VRBO and a couple of hotel apps.

Entertainment folder with - BritBox, AppleTV, Netflix, Acorn, DirecTV and HBO Max

Weather folder with - The Weather Channel, My Radar and Sky Guide for tracking constellations, planets, etc.

Finance folder with - Credit Card app for tracking purchases, Currency exchange rate app, and one for tracking Stocks & Mutual funds

Also have "Utilities", "Productivity" Folders grouping assorted apps.

I only have to swipe two screens to access all my apps.
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JoanMN
last year
last modified: last year
Word Stacks

Southwest

Walmrt

Our Groceries (my grocery list)

Amazon

Libby (to reserve and/or return library books from my local library)

IMDB because before I spend 2 hours on a movie, I want to know what it is about and read other people's comments

USA Today
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JustDoIt
last year
Clearly it is time for me to come into the 21st century. Besides the default apps loaded when the phone was purchased, I have added the flashlight and Uber. To be truthful, I can't remember the Apple password.
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raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
last year
I don't really use my phone like a second computer other than being able to search the web when out & about - and don't have any "smart home" devices or alarms at all.

So, other than the grocery stores apps: Target, Outlook, Telegram , the Zoe Covid tracker, GasBuddy, Fetch Rewards, a QR reader, Charity Miles, and Merlin (bird identification).

(Charity Miles is an app that lets you designate a charity that will receive $ based on your distance walked/run/biked.)
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samkarenorkaren
last year
Our building uses an app for the laundry. Love it because I never worry about having enough quarters anymore.
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Jupidupi
last year
last modified: last year
I'm a huge fan of TooGoodToGo and use it at least 4 or 5 times a week. The concept is for restaurants and bakeries to reduce food waste at the end of a shift or day. They offer "surprise packages" from four to six dollars, depending on the place, which would have sold for at least three times the price (and usually more.) You can't be a picky eater because you take what they give you. I like that it's a surprise. It feels like getting a present. I've been eating very well since I discovered the app and my grocery bills have plummeted. It's worldwide, although more established in some places than others.
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functionthenlook
last year
I look at the Weather Channel app every morning so I know what to wear. Our weather can swing overnight from what was forecasted the day before.

I don't know what I did before GPS. I know, get lost.

And my thermostat app is used weekly in winter so the camp or our house is warm before we get there.
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lisa_fla
last year
Wooftrax-I turn it on when walking and earn money for my designated pet charity

Furbo-pet camera I can also talk to the pets and toss them treats

Seek-identify plants and animals when I’m walking

MyQ-operates the garage door

Flightradar24-See all the planes over a large area The type of plane, departure abd arrival destination, speed, altitude, flight time

Myradar-shows radar and gives me weather updates

Payflex-FSA account Very easy to upload documents by snapping a picture

There’s an app for my new Hyundaii that i’ve never looked at

There’s one for the Roomba too My daughter uses that
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
Strava.

My gym‘s app to book classes.

My city’s parking scheme for paying for visitors.

On the go map for measuring distances.

NHS app giving access to my medical records and communication with medical practice.

BBC news, sport and weather.

City mapper for route planning.

The Trainline for timetables and buying tickets.

Wordle and a couple of other word games.
Elmer J Fudd thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
bpath
last year
Jupidupi, toogoodtogo sounds great. I wish I could see member locations before installing the app.
Elmer J Fudd thanked bpath
Annie Deighnaugh
last year
I'm well behind the times so I have very few interesting apps and most of them I don't use regularly.

I have smartpay...we have cumberland farms in our area and if you use that app to buy gas (taken directly out of checking account) you save 10¢/gal. And you can use it for buying stuff in the store too.

Birdnet ... you can record and have a bird song analyzed and it will try to identify the bird for you.

Flightradar 24...point it at the sky and it will id the plane going by, the equipment, where from, where to, what airline and how far away

Insight Timer...can be used to customize your own timer for meditation as well as access to many guided meditations. It will keep track of the days you've meditated and it will tell you how many people on the app were meditating with you.

Emoji Me...personal emojis you customize to look like you that can be added to your texts

Goodreads for when I head to the library and want to know what's on my to read or already read lists
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Annie Deighnaugh
last year
Not an app, but we're having a thunder storm now and on my mac, I'm using lightningmaps.org where you can zoom in on your area and in real time see where the lightning strike was and it shows a ring that expands with the sound of the thunder so you can id the source of the thunder you're hearing.
Elmer J Fudd thanked Annie Deighnaugh
nickel_kg
last year
I don't have much exotic stuff on my phone. Waze for traffic information. Whistle for pet-tracking. (When my dad was in his 'wandering' phase we put a device on his walker that alerted us when he left his facility. He's passed that phase now but I still have the icon on my phone.)

A favorite is the weather app that lets you save a list of cities and scroll through their forecasts. I have my DD's city, my Wisconsin family's city, Yellowstone NP, and Acadia NP just for fun. For taking care of my orchid and carnivorous plants, I look at conditions where they originate. Yes, I can read what temps and conditions they need but it makes it "more real" to see actual conditions in Mexico, Brazil, the Philippines, Australia, South Africa, North Carolina, etc.
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socks
last year
Merlin Bird ID (bird songs identification)

calculator
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bpath
last year
Annie, I didn't know that's what AR is for on FlightRadar! Thanks!
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OutsidePlaying
last year
I forgot to mention Open Table for dinner reservations. I use it quite a bit to narrow down dinner reservations way ahead of a visit, especially out of town. Of course not all restaurants use it but it’s often a good start point.

Another is my main credit card app (Amex) and Poshmark. I’m not currently listing a lot but need to do so and it’s very easy.
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Annie Deighnaugh
last year
AR= Augmented Reality
Elmer J Fudd thanked Annie Deighnaugh
kathyg_in_mi
last year
Waze

What smartphone apps do you find useful?

Comments (34)

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