It’s important to recognize that, before reading this, you might not like the same apps I do simply because everyone uses their phones differently. So this top ten list, in NO PARTICULAR ORDER, gives you the apps a 21 year old liberal arts student who owns her own website uses the most. Also, all the apps I mention are COMPLETELY FREE, so that’s also a plus.
1. Twitter– I love Twitter. I can’t help it. I am a narcissist to the tenth degree in a world where “oversharing” is a lifestyle choice. I used to use Echofon, which I liked, but unfortunately the iPhone 5 isn’t linked to anything but the official Twitter app, and also this app makes it easy to tweet even if you haven’t read all the tweets in your timeline, which Echofon had trouble with.
2. Facebook– I’m the admin on about fifteen thousand Facebook pages, and also Facebook is a large part of my social life, so the Facebook app is a must for me. It’s easy to use, and although the functionality is not 100% yet, especially when trying to share preexisting statuses and posts, it’s still a useful tool if you use Facebook even a little bit.
3. Podcasts– I go through fazes with podcasts, but recently I’m really into the Nerdist Writing Panel, which is just a series of panels with TV writers talking about writing for TV (duh). The podcast app makes it easy to search for new podcasts and download just the episodes that interest you, which I appreciate.
4. Find My Friends– This app is creepy and I dig it. Once connected with a friend also in posession of an iPhone, you can log in and see their GPS location at any time. I use it mostly to check if my mom is off work yet or not. You can set alerts for when a certain person arrives or departs a particular location, which is even more creepy. I don’t know, I just really like this app because people always forget I have it and that’s fun.
5. Mint– Mint is a free, personal finance app that is fantastic. You can easily create budgets, check your account balances, and see the breakdown of your expenses. I’m not a financially saavy person, so this app is a lifesaver.
6. Google Maps– let’s be honest, Apple Maps is terrible. On more than one occasion it has failed to get me to a location, and then once I put the address into Google Maps, I have no problems. If you enjoy being on time to things and getting real directions, download this app.
5. Google Drive– I’m a big fan of cloud servers, and Google Drive is the best for documents. I like to upload my poetry to my Drive so that I can access it anywhere I happen to be performing. It’s super convenient to be able to have all my important documents with me no matter what device I happen to have.
4. LockBox– This is a security app, accessed only thru a passcode, and I highly recommend getting it. I sign up for a lot of websites and have a lot of important info that I need with me but can’t just have in a note in my Notes app. This app is great for credit card and bank account numbers, passwords to various internet accounts, combination locks, and more.
3. YouTube– This is just a nice app to have, and it’s well-organized for easy viewing and searching. You could go to YouTube in your Safari app, but it’s not as consistent or functional.
2. Jetpack Joyride– This is my favorite game at the moment. I’m on level 500 and something, and I cannot stop playing. It’s addicting and neverending and fun like no game I’ve ever had before.
1. Any airline app- I travel a lot, and the easier I can get through an airport, the better. Nowadays, most major airlines have apps so you don’t have to get a physical ticket or check in at the desk anymore, which is super nice, plus the apps update you if there are delays and let you know if the gate changes, which can be the difference between getting home or spending the night in an airport.
Obviously my top ten apps aren’t universal, so what are your favorites?
