Monday, July 21, 2014

Favorite apps include crowdsourcing, databases, passwords keeper



I have over 100 apps installed on my iPhone and I think they’re all important.

They all caught my attention in the iTunes App Store, but there are several core apps that I think I can’t live without. I use these day in and day out.

eWallet: If you’re anything like me, you have a gazillion passwords, usernames, account numbers and the list goes on and on. I depend on eWallet to help me remember all these, which means I only have to remember only one password instead of a hundred. Everything can be backed up to the cloud or synchronized with your computer. The eWallet password manager is my buddy and resides on my iPhone's homescreen.

HanDBase: I always been a fan of databases and have extensive experience with the desktop versions of Filemaker Pro and Microsoft Access. For my mobile database, I choose HanDBase, where you can build custom fields and queries to organize just about anything. I have databases on books, movies, medical records and anything else I might dream up. I’m in and out of HanDBase several times a day.

MileBug: I do a lot of running around for charitable purposes that need to be included on my tax forms. I use Milebug to record my trips and mileage and compile a detailed report at the end of the year. MileBug makes it easy by including fields for starting and ending mileage, which vehicle was used, trip purpose and then calculates total miles and cost estimate. MileBug is my year-end tax buddy.

Clear: For grocery lists and any other kind of “do this” list, Clear is my choice because of its simplicity and ease of use. Just enter it, complete it and swipe it off. That’s about as simple as it can get for list management. I'm sure if you try it, you’ll like it.

Waze: I really like Waze for traffic reports. This is a genius of idea and that is executed well in GPS fashion. In a nutshell, you open this app before starting your commute to see if other nearby Wazers are reporting accidents, road hazards or traffic jams. And of course, I report any accidents or hazards I come across for other drivers. Waze has become my navigation companion, with accurate maps and timely traffic reports.

Merriam-Webster: Since I write quite often, I’m constantly using the Merriam-Webster dictionary app to make sure my articles are error free. Although most word processing programs have built-in spell checker, I still find myself accessing this app for synonyms and tricky words that spell check might not catch. I also use it for composing emails and social media posts. This is another one of my go-to apps several times a day.

I like social media and I check them all – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and others – with an element of being surprised every day. For saving notes, Evernote does a fine job. I’m also a newshound and depend on Ap Mobile and USA Today apps for breaking national news stories. But my core apps that are mentioned above get most of my attention.

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