May 2013: Want to cut through the app clutter and find the ones that really save you time?
The App Store boasts 800,000 apps for iPhone and 300,000 for iPad. AppBrain reports about 700,000 apps on the Android market. WindowsPhone AppList counts 135,000 Windows apps. And BlackBerry offers between 70,000 and 100,000, depending on who you ask.
All in all, there are more than two million apps — how can a busy frog choose the best ones?
Here are our latest picks for apps that help you do what you already do, only faster, so you have more time to hop around doing what you love instead.
Track stuff
Do you want to sit at home waiting for your package to arrive so you can sign for it? Neither do we! Apps from FedEx and UPS use your tracking number to keep you up to date on your package’s location. You can also get delivery alerts, shipping estimates, find shipping locations and schedule pickups.
There’s no reason to sit around or get lost at airports either. With FlightTrack, you can see the exact location of flights, and get gate and baggage-claim information. Data refreshes constantly, so you’re never caught by surprise. And to make getting around the airport a breeze, use GateGuru to navigate the terminals, find the closest restroom or snacks, and more.
Bypass typing
Dragon Dictation Mobile turns your spoken words into written text. So you can “write” emails, to-do lists or do any other on-the-fly writing without typing a single word — unless you want to (keyboard option included). Dragon is extremely accurate, and you don’t need to train it to recognize your voice like you did with older voice-recognition technology. Just remember to speak your punctuation, too (period, question mark, new paragraph, etc.) so your note isn’t one long sentence. When you’re done, send it off via text, email, Facebook or Twitter. You may also want to check out Dragon Mobile Assistant (Android, IOS).
Reduce errands
Are you still going to the bank to deposit checks? Save time and gas — your smartphone camera and your bank’s app are all you need. Bank of America (scroll down), Wells Fargo, Chase and dozens of other banks offer mobile check deposit, as does PayPal. Make sure to keep the check for your records, however, because the photos you submit of the check may or may not be available later, depending on the app. Most apps also allow you to track your balances, transfer funds between accounts, pay bills, find ATMs and more. According to a report by Corporate Insight, 75% of the country’s major banks are offering mobile apps.
And if you want to see all of your bank accounts, credit cards and other accounts in one place — and be reminded when bills are due — try Pageonce, an all-in-one financial tracking app.
