There’s an App for That!

Congratulations, you are now the proud owner of a smartphone! With your flip-phone now retired, you are a sleek and polished touchpad away from taking on the latest and greatest technology.

It’s exciting, yet daunting. Where do you begin? There are hundreds of thousands of applications that give you the power to complete even the most difficult daily tasks with the greatest of ease. From lifestyle management to entertainment, applications cover quite a cross-section of genres that pertain to your life. Here at Speaking Frankly, we want to give you a list of some of our favorite applications, or “apps” as they’re lovingly referred to, that you can use to simplify and organize your everyday activities. And, the best part is, they’re all free!

Hopstop

Need directions to get from A to B?  You can use this app to specify your personal mode of transportation, whether it’s by bus, rail, car, or even bike!  It also allows you to customize your trip to allow for more or less walking, fewer transfers, etc. For those environmentally conscious individuals, the app provides an approximation of how much CO₂ you save when you use alternative transportation. Talk about ‘traveling light!’ Hopstop currently has directions for more than 68 cities across the globe – and they plan on adding more! You can find this app online here.

Around Me 

Say you’re in an unfamiliar area and you are ‘jonesing’ for a cup of coffee. The last thing you want to do is start walking aimlessly, with the fear of never finding that much needed caffeine boost. Sound familiar?  Well, here’s an app that will give you - with a single tap - a list of coffee shops, ATMs, hotels, and even parking, all within walking distance of where you are standing. Using GPS to identify your location, this app is incredibly useful when you’re in a bind in uncharted territory. Want to start finding out what’s around you? Here is the link to their website.

PulseNews 

Staying ‘in the know’ when it comes to current events is harder than it looks. PulseNews is a convenient way for you to read up on current events in a conveniently-crafted stream of news. You can organize your news stories by genre or news source, and once you are finished reading a story, the app grays out the link so you don’t re-visit it. And for all you subway riders, this app also works when you don’t have a wireless or network connection. So, read away!

Mint

Nothing is more complicated than keeping track of your finances. Using a secure network, this app gives you the ability to click through and organize all of your finances, from viewing your income to even managing your everyday spending. You can also allow it to notify you when you are spending more than what you’ve budgeted. Check out this app on their website.

Flixster 

There are quite a few movie apps offered for smartphones, but Flixster is simply the best! Having teamed up with online film critic Rotten Tomatoes, this app gives you reviews and general information on all the movies currently out in theaters. Not only does it provide a list of movie theaters that are the closest to you, this app also allows you to immediately buy tickets via your phone. Now, all you need is some popcorn! Find out more about the app here.

FactorTrack

You must be thinking right now, are there any apps that can help me manage my hemophilia and on-the-go lifestyle? Well, there is! FactorTrack gives you direct control over monitoring your hemophilia A Factor VIII infusions. With a built-in infusion scheduler, the app allows you to customize, record and track doses, lot numbers and general notes related to your most recent symptoms. You can find more information on the app here.

Smartphones give you the world at your fingertips. There are a number of apps available that can be tailored to anyone’s needs. Whether you’re looking for a slurpee in your neighborhood or making a big investment, apps give you the ability to take control of your daily life. Now, it’s up to you to find out what you want to do with them!