Phone Games/Aps

[teamchemistry15]

Anyone have any good games or aps you use on your phone? I've got some basic stuff like rummy, spades, and wordscapes. What about aps that make like easier?

[Blue Heaven]

Anyone have any good games or aps you use on your phone? I've got some basic stuff like rummy, spades, and wordscapes. What about aps that make like easier?

Apps don't make life easier. How one handles their life determines the "easy factor". I get where you are driving at though. But do you really need them?

[teamchemistry15]

Apps don't make life easier. How one handles their life determines the "easy factor". I get where you are driving at though. But do you really need them?

You don't really need much of anything. But good calendars, financial options, etc on your phone can certainly help. Can they not?

[George]

I'm an iPhone user, so all of these are for iOS.

• Sounds boring, but I actually like the Outlook app quite a bit. Of the e-mail management apps I've used, it's the only one that has allowed me to sync my work and personal accounts without much of a fuss. Its calendar feature suits my needs, as well.
• NordVPN. Sign up for three years and the rate is super cheap per month.
• Google photos. It's superior to Apple's Photos app in every way.
• Google maps. See above; apply to Apple's map app.
• Shazam. For when you can't place the name of that song you're digging.
• RiverApp. If you're a paddler of any kind, this is essential.
• Mini Metro and Mini Motorways. Fun, relaxing, almost zen-like games.
• Overcast. Best podcast app I've found, by a long shot.
• Pocket. Save pretty much anything you're viewing in your browser to Pocket, and you'll be able to open it in this app later on with or without a WiFi connection. Awesome app.
• Venmo. So convenient.
• Authy and LastPass. Separate apps, but both up your security.

[teamchemistry15]

I'm an iPhone user, so all of these are for iOS.

• Sounds boring, but I actually like the Outlook app quite a bit. Of the e-mail management apps I've used, it's the only one that has allowed me to sync my work and personal accounts without much of a fuss. Its calendar feature suits my needs, as well.
• NordVPN. Sign up for three years and the rate is super cheap per month.
• Google photos. It's superior to Apple's Photos app in every way.
• Google maps. See above; apply to Apple's map app.
• Shazam. For when you can't place the name of that song you're digging.
• RiverApp. If you're a paddler of any kind, this is essential.
• Mini Metro and Mini Motorways. Fun, relaxing, almost zen-like games.
• Overcast. Best podcast app I've found, by a long shot.
• Pocket. Save pretty much anything you're viewing in your browser to Pocket, and you'll be able to open it in this app later on with or without a WiFi connection. Awesome app.
• Venmo. So convenient.
• Authy and LastPass. Separate apps, but both up your security.

Shazam is fantastic. I pay for Spotify premium because I'm in my truck about 15 hours a week. I wish they would team up and when you Shazam a song it gave you the option to add it to a play list on Spotify or Pandora.

What podcasts do you listen to? I'm a big fan of Joe Rogan's but also enjoy Jocko's. The Portal with Eric Weinstein has had some good ones. If it's your cup of tea, Jim Kwik has shorter ones that cover different things from learning to read faster, enhance your memory, and the most helpful to me because of my job was how to remember everyone's name you meet.

Pocket sounds like one I would enjoy but both devices I use have unlimited data so I'm not sure it would be beneficial unless I'm in a place with little service.

[Blue Heaven]

You really don't need shazam. Just hit the mic on google and it does the same thing as shazam.
I like Podcast Republic. You can download and listen later offline if you prefer. Comes in handy while doing yardwork.
I always use google maps to find a place to fish. Then you can drop a pin for easy reference later.
I really miss my samsung music app I had on my Note 5. Samsung doesn't use this anymore, unfortunately. I detest the Google Play Music app that took it's place. Not as streamlined and it's a pain searching for the music you downloaded and paid for. It's straight up garbage.

[Dwight Schrute]

If you’re on iOS you don’t need Shazam.. Apple actually bought it a while back. Just ask Siri to name the song.

iPhone master race here...

Some apps.

- Dark Sky (Apple bought this one recently and I’m excited to see how they incorporate this into the OS.
- Overcast
- My life is stored in the reminders app
- Flightradar24 (this is boring but I live in the CVG landing pattern and I’m an airplane dork. It has a cool AR view that lets you point the camera at a place and gives you the stars about a plane overhead).
-LastPass - I finally got serious about identity security and started using it to manage all my passwords. No two passwords are alike anymore and all of them are 20+ character strings of gibberish instead of my kids name
and birthday.
-Authy - started using it to manage the seconds authentication step on my bank and other personal accounts where I have 2 factor authentication in use.
-I’ve tried using list to-do list apps to help me stay organized at work and can never make them work for me. I prefer an old fashioned pen and paper for that (I’m very particular about the type of pen I’ll use)
-I like stupid iPhone games. I started playing a game called tennisclash a while back that’s stupid and frustrating. I’m tempted to subscribe to Apple Arcade but my wife already thinks I play too many games.
-We use an app called AnyList to manage shopping lists.
-You Need A Budget. Technically a service but I wouldn’t give this app up for anything. When blue heaven says you don’t need an app to make life easier, this is proof he’s wrong. Budgeting is hard enough for most people. This app makes it manageable. It lets me earmark money to a specific thing so I can either set up a plan to save it up or figure out where to take money from if something pops up. I’ve watched our account balances increase and stress decrease. We paid a landscaper $1200 today to do some work in our backyard and knowing it was already paid for and we had the money there was stress free.
-Also subscribe to Apple Music.
-We bank with fidelity investments cash management account. No atm fees it’s easy to have all your accounts in one view on the app. No complaints.
-Delta app - I don’t fly a ton for work, but when I do I manage it through there. Super easy to rebook a flight if yours is late or gets canceled or something.

[teamchemistry15]

You really don't need shazam. Just hit the mic on google and it does the same thing as shazam.
I like Podcast Republic. You can download and listen later offline if you prefer. Comes in handy while doing yardwork.
I always use google maps to find a place to fish. Then you can drop a pin for easy reference later.
I really miss my samsung music app I had on my Note 5. Samsung doesn't use this anymore, unfortunately. I detest the Google Play Music app that took it's place. Not as streamlined and it's a pain searching for the music you downloaded and paid for. It's straight up garbage.

Really the mean reason I used Shazam is if I hear a song I want to put on my playlist. I use it as a reminder and once every few weeks I go through and add a bunch at one time. Shazam's history allows me to easily look at everything I've had it identify, which makes it easy to go back a week later and add everything.

[Blue Heaven]

Dwight mentioned flightradar24. That's a good one. I work in the planes at work and when we het an assignment, I always refer to it to see when is the ETA.

[George]

If you’re on iOS you don’t need Shazam.. Apple actually bought it a while back. Just ask Siri to name the song.

I just use the Shazam widget. It's just as fast, and I don't really like voice activated software of any kind, anyway.

For some reason, I remember you and I talking about Dark Sky years ago. I still use it, too, though I remember the reason for our conversation being the app's suspect accuracy around that time. It still acts goofy here and there but has remained my favorite weather app.

Count me as an Apple Music lover, too. I prefer it to Spotify, plus as a college prof I can use my work e-mail to get the student rate.

I recently subscribed to Apple Arcade (bored at home; you get it), and though there are a few gems (Mini Motorways, Bleak Sword, Speed Demons), I'm not sold on keeping up the subscription.

[George]

What podcasts do you listen to? I'm a big fan of Joe Rogan's but also enjoy Jocko's. The Portal with Eric Weinstein has had some good ones. If it's your cup of tea, Jim Kwik has shorter ones that cover different things from learning to read faster, enhance your memory, and the most helpful to me because of my job was how to remember everyone's name you meet.

Pocket sounds like one I would enjoy but both devices I use have unlimited data so I'm not sure it would be beneficial unless I'm in a place with little service.

I have at minimum a 45 minute commute to work (one way; sometimes 90 minute) four days a week, so I listen to quite a few different podcasts:

• A Way with Words
• The Argument
• Ledger Cast
• CoinTalk
• Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
• Hidden Brain
• Intelligence Matters
• Joe Rogan (not all the time; depends on the guest)
• Lexicon Valley
• The MeatEater Podcast (top two or three for me. I love this show.)
• Radiolab
• Serial (and S-Town, though it only had one season)
• Sources Say
• Stuff You Should Know
• Tennessee WildCast
• THEMOVE
• This American Life
• Unchained
• The Weeds
• WTF with Marc Maron

Also, I'd recommend Pocket regardless of your WiFi or data situation. If nothing else it's a much improved version of your browser's bookmark feature.

[Dwight Schrute]

I just use the Shazam widget. It's just as fast, and I don't really like voice activated software of any kind, anyway.

For some reason, I remember you and I talking about Dark Sky years ago. I still use it, too, though I remember the reason for our conversation being the app's suspect accuracy around that time. It still acts goofy here and there but has remained my favorite weather app.

Count me as an Apple Music lover, too. I prefer it to Spotify, plus as a college prof I can use my work e-mail to get the student rate.

I recently subscribed to Apple Arcade (bored at home; you get it), and though there are a few gems (Mini Motorways, Bleak Sword, Speed Demons), I'm not sold on keeping up the subscription.

I like the concept of Apple Arcade. I hate the BS that comes with a bunch of games nowadays. The tennis game u mentioned was extremely fun at first but over the last two months it’s become a scenario where you get beaten unless you spend a bunch of money.

[George]

I like the concept of Apple Arcade. I hate the BS that comes with a bunch of games nowadays. The tennis game u mentioned was extremely fun at first but over the last two months it’s become a scenario where you get beaten unless you spend a bunch of money.

Pay-to-play has ruined a lot of gaming lately, even on consoles. I couldn't tell you how many games I've downloaded, played for five minutes, then deleted upon running into the first ad or "spend your gems now!" moment.

[Dwight Schrute]

Pay-to-play has ruined a lot of gaming lately, even on consoles. I couldn't tell you how many games I've downloaded, played for five minutes, then deleted upon running into the first ad or "spend your gems now!" moment.

I don’t mind pay to play, it’s pay to win I hate.

On the subject of the dark sky app, I remember our conversation on the subject. It’s gotten better for me. With Apple buying it, I’m excited to see what they do with it. I got an invitation to a TestFlight version of an app that allows you to input your destination in Apple maps and it uses the DsrkSky API to give you the forecasted weather along the drive. I’ve been wanting an app like that for years but don’t have the programming knowledge to do it myself.

I imagine Apple will bring that into the core app itself, among other things.