The Apple App Store has over 1.8 million apps available and Google Play has almost 3.5 million apps… Which ones are worth the storage space? Find the apps that are here to stay, bridging the gap between the virtual and real world.
Art
Landing is described by its creators as being a community-powered inspiration engine. The app has two primary functions, to create digital collages and connect users of similar interests. The community library has over 4.5 million images. The user interface is akin to Instagram and Discord, with different “Spaces” to post collage creations. The collage studio aspect is similar to Shuffles by Pinterest. Oftentimes, the Spaces have a host who will post daily creative challenges. The Chat (moderated) function allows users to connect over common interests and build upon each other’s uploads. Landing is available for download on Google Play and iOS but can also be accessed through its webpage.
Canva has seen a quick rise amongst students for its aesthetic presentation templates and easy-to-use drag-and-drop features. Canva’s mobile app is equally user-friendly and comes with added bonuses like phone wallpaper templates, mobile video presets, and simple direct uploads to Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and other social media sites. Canva is available for download on Google Play, iOS, and Android.
Planning
Upbase is a multitasking planning app that features daily, weekly, and monthly scheduling; chatrooms; task prioritization; a Pomodoro timer; a daily journal; lists; collaborative features; and customization. Upbase is free with up to 100MB of storage but has an upgrade option of unlimited storage for $5.00 per month. The premium option also allows for Google Calendar integration. The interactive and responsive user interface is great for those that struggle to visualize time management. Upbase is available for download on Google Play, iOS, and Android.
Many restaurants have their own websites to book tables through nowadays. However, these sites are often challenging to navigate and aren’t always up-to-date on dishes and prices. OpenTable includes customer reviews, user photos, and menus as well as information on the dress code, accessibility, and payment options. The main perk of OpenTable is the ease of booking. The app will notify the user of their reservation prior to it starting and add the event to their Google Calendar. The app’s booking interface also lets users cancel reservations, share reservation details, and invite others to be a part of their “party.” Several of the restaurants available for booking on OpenTable have the option to digitally purchase gift cards to the restaurant, making a great anniversary gift. OpenTable is available for download on Google Play, iOS, and Android.
Health
Happify is an unique holistic health app that incorporates games, meditation, and journaling to improve overall happiness. After the user fills out a confidential survey about their wellbeing, the app recommends certain “tracks” to work on skills and reflections on certain areas. Track categories include relationships, mindfulness and meditation, personal growth, family and kids, health and wellbeing, and work and money. There are several free tracks, in addition to a few premium ones. The app uses positive psychology, psychoeducation, mindfulness, behavioral activation, and cognitive behavioral therapy to encourage users to make an active change in their lifestyle. Happify is available for download on Google Play, iOS, and Android.
Yuka allows users to take pictures of beauty and food product barcodes and it returns a rating out of 100 of how healthy or pure the item is. Yuka most commonly screens for chemicals that are potential endocrine disruptors, allergens, irritants, carcinogens, or immunotoxic compounds. For example, the app flags sodium benzoate, a preservative, because it “may increase hypersensitivity and/or cause intolerance reactions.” Yuka offers product recommendations if the product scanned does not meet the app’s criteria. This app is not a replacement for a physician’s opinion but may provide insight into a product’s potential side effects. Yuka is available for download on Google Play, iOS, and Android.
