Grabbin’ Apps: Distract Yourself Through February

Amil Niazi — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 13:00:06 +0000

February can be such a bummer month. Psychologically, you’re soooo ready to put away anything resembling a parka, but deep down, you know it’s gonna get worse before it gets better. Meanwhile, you’re out there on your own, slopping around in the slush with no twinkling Christmas lights or socially-mandated binge eating to keep you from the harsh realities of winter. Sorry to be such a drag, but it’s true! Fortunately, everything you need to survive the February chill is inside your phone (minus the sweatpants – those aren’t mandatory but highly recommended). Whereas January was all about getting organized, this month, I want you to take my gloved hand as I show you how to stay sane and distract yourself through this mercifully short month with some games, astrology and romance.

1.) Valentine Cam – Free

Didn’t think I would talk about February apps and skip over Valentine’s Day, did you? Single or attached, this fun and kind of cheesy app lets you bedazzle your photos with an insane amount of pink hearts and red roses and strangely uneaten boxes of chocolate. If you’re going to indulge in the holiday, why not go nuts, I say. Celebrate all kinds of love with this cam, don’t limit yourself. Have an amazing photo of you and your cat that you’re dying to share? Put a heart on it! Just ordered the most incredible dessert and want to celebrate your love for it? Give that cake a photo rose. Go on.

2.) Bejeweled Blitz – Free

My name is Amil, and I’m addicted to Bejeweled Blitz. Like, I can’t even really tell you how much I play because we just met and it’s kind of embarrassing. But try this game for yourself and then get back to me in the comments because I am dying to talk to someone about whether the Phoenix prism is all-that or if the Cat’s Eye is basically as good if you use it right. Plus, if you’re like me Angry Birds is just too stressful and the calming gems of BB are like a lullaby for your eyes.

3.) Pocketbooth – 99 cents

Do you sometimes forget that your camera is a phone? It’s okay, this is a safe space to share! If you love taking pictures and you love old-timey photo booths this app was literally designed just for you. Is it addictive? Yes. Is it adorable? Double yes. Replicate the fun of jumping into a booth at the mall with your BFF wherever you are, and for even more IRL fun you can get prints of your photos from the company.

4.) Scramble with Friends – Free

This one is an un-guilty pleasure because frankly you’re tapping into the English lexicon in a way you probably don’t do very often in your day-to-day. It’s educational and yet still thrillingly competitive and a world-class level time waster. It’s the stuff of cozy winter night legend. Play against your friends, play against strangers, find a love connection based on your mutual knowledge of two-letter words – honestly what CAN’T this app do?

5.) Susan Miller’s Astrology Zone Daily Horoscope – Free

Real talk? I love astrology. But you probably already knew that because I’m a Scorpio. So obvious, right? Now, astrology is not for everyone and take it with as many grains of salt as you feel comfortable with, but if you are into a different kind of star gazing, Susan Miller is the queen of the skies. A celeb-fave, Miller’s app includes an exhaustive first of the month outlook as well as daily ‘scopes.

Now you know what my February looks like, so tell me how you kill time on this frozen subway commutes!

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Grabbin’ Apps: Let’s Get Organized

Amil Niazi — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 16:00:49 +0000

If you’re anything like me, your phone is your lifeline. It’s your notebook, calendar, entertainment system, camera and of course, that thing you use to, you know, make “calls.” With the bounty of apps out there, it’s easy to transform your iPhone, Android, Blackberry or Galaxy into the ultimate one-stop life resource – a pocket-sized electronic genie! But let your hoarder-tendencies take over and your home screen becomes little more than a repository for gimmicky games and never-opened utilities. And girl, I know you don’t have time for that. So every month let me be your smart phone spirit guide and I’ll walk you through the must-have Apps for everything from cooking and exercising to astrology. I’ll even help you keep your dashboard and apps organized – want not, waste not!

Since January is all about reinvention and resolutions for the new year, this month’s apps are key for keeping you organized and productive – two dreadful but necessary words.

Here, in no particular order are my top five downloads to keep your calendar, budget and notes in order.

1. Mint.com – Free

Honestly, I hate budgeting. I just want to live free and untethered by the constraints of my financial restrictions! But unless some sort of windfall changes my current situation I have to make every dollar count. Mint.com is a super simple, stress-free way to keep track of how much you have, how much you spend and where your money goes every month. It syncs with your bank accounts and credit cards to let you know how much you have left over for food, entertainment and even clothes so that come rent day your books are balanced.

2. Evernote – Free but premium is $4.99

I keep so many notes on my phone – names of songs I like, addresses, product names, crushes, work ideas – really anything that pops into my head that I think I’ll want to recall down the road. Evernote lets you do all that with a clean and compact app. If you spring for the premium, you can also share those notes with other Evernote users, letting you collaborate easily on projects or share ideas quickly.

3. Clear – $1.99

I love lists and I especially love to-do lists. I don’t always get everything or anything done on those lists but making them is so cathartic. Clear lets you make lists, colour-code them and toggle through them easily. From grocery shopping to errands and work tasks, it lets you keep a simple tally of what’s important in your day-to-day. Plus the interface is so minimal – the list doesn’t get lost in a design jumble.

4. Cozi – Free

Cozi is the modern mom’s must-have. This thing keeps school schedules, extracurricular activities, holidays, meals and chores in order. You can sync it between devices and access it from anywhere. It’s like having a personal assistant inside your phone!

5. Dropbox – Free

Okay, I know this one sounds obvious and boring but if you’re not using cloud storage, you need to start! The latest version for iPhone has an even better design and lets you upload and browse your photos and videos in a simple and easy-to-use way. For anyone who works on the road or works from home, Dropbox lets you manage your files in a way that’s not overwhelming and because it’s synced with your computer, you got backups for your backups.

Finally, and I can’t stress this enough – make folders for your apps. I keep all of the above on my main home screen in a tab labeled “Getting Stuff Done” – but of course you can call yours whatever you like. As long as you’re keeping your organizers, organized!

So what apps help you keep your schedule sane? Let me know!

Image via Shutterstock

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Grabbin’ Apps: Distract Yourself Through February

Grabbin’ Apps: Let’s Get Organized