Oh, 2014, you really snuck up on us, didn’t you? One minute we’re in Austin for SxSW, the next, it’s 2014 and we’re popping champagne like it’s going out of style.
Just kidding. It’s never going out of style. EVER.
If you’re anything like us, you probably spent the majority of 2013 glued to your smartphone and/or tablet — texting, tweeting, obsessively trolling the App Store in pursuit of the perfect app. (We know we did.)
Enter January 1, 2014. We took a good look at our phones and gasped. We had — dare we say it? — TOO. MANY. APPS. Well, maybe not too many, but certainly enough. While some may be fine with dozens of ghost apps lurking inside their phones, we’re not.
So, having downloaded everything (new and old) under the sun, we took some time to explore, revisit and unclutter our phones. We found some serious gems along the way and compiled a handy dandy list of apps you simply can’t live without in 2014. Because guess what? We sure can’t!
AroundMe
Tired of the same ol’, same ol’? AroundMe uses your phone’s GPS to pinpoint nearby restaurants, bars, coffee shops, hotels and, yes, even hospitals. It’s the perfect tool for picking your next meeting spot or, you know, when you’re feeling indecisive about what to grab for lunch. (Something we know NOTHING about.)
CARROT Alarm
“Greetings, lazy human.”
Not only are we huge fans of CARROT To-Do, a sarcastic “to-do list with personality,” we’re obsessed with CARROT Alarm — a sentient, sassy alarm clock. Ready to hit the gym bright and early this year? CARROT will ensure you’re up and at ‘em, making the snooze button almost entirely obsolete. Just trust us.
Cover Lock Screen
No more swiping through screen after screen of useless, unnecessary apps — Android-only Cover learns when, where and how you search for different apps and puts ‘em on your lock screen for easy access. Because, you know, Cover is a GODSEND.
Fitbit
Spotted a Black Sheep around town recently? If so, you probably peeped us sporting our brand new Fitbit Forces — sleek black bracelets that track our every waking (and, well, sleeping) move. Not only does the FitBit app keep track of how many miles you’ve walked, calories you’ve burned and hours you’ve slept, it also holds you accountable for those well-intentioned New Year’s resolutions. If taking control of your health is a top priority in 2014, this is your one-stop organizational app.
Lift
Lift, once dubbed “the most affordable self-help product EVER” by Forbes, is a life-coach that lives inside your iPhone. OK, it’s not a living and breathing entity or anything — it’s an app designed to help you formulate healthy habits AND a digital community that encourages and enables your progress. If getting organized in 2014 seems a bit daunting, consider Lift to help soften the blow.
MindNode
MindNode is mind mapping made easy. While it’s a bit pricey ($9.99), this thought-organization app makes brainstorming on your digital device a breeze — creating visual “nodes” that signify thoughts, topics, tasks or steps in a process. And, thanks to a recent mind mapping session with mappin’ master Chris Welsh, this flock knows the first step to successfully executing an idea is visualization.
Notegraphy
Oh, hello there, social media manager. Meet Notegraphy, a web and mobile application that rethinks the way we write and share text online. It’s also a lifesaver when you’re short on time and guaranteed to help make your job just a little bit easier. (Pinterest, we’re lookin’ at you.) The comparisons to Instagram are dead on — Notegraphy’s trying to do for typography what Instagram did for photo-editing.
POP
Got a killer idea for a killer app? (Care to share?) Sketch it out on paper, snap a pic and use POP to get your prototype up and running. Whether you’re a first-time designer or a bona fide developer, POP (Prototypes on Paper), is a useful way to instantly actualize (and digitize) your million-dollar vision.
Pushbullet
Not only is Pushbullet an effortless way to send content directly from your desktop to your smartphone (and vice versa), it also shows all of your phone’s notifications on your screen. More time to get work done and less time fiddling with our phones? WE’RE DTD. (Down to download, of course.)
Also, their tagline, “Never email yourself again!” is so heartbreakingly beautiful it brings a tear or two to our eyes.
Snap2PDF
While its name lacks a certain joie de vivre, Snap2PDF definitely brings it when it comes to what it’s capable of delivering. Our favorite document management app, Snap2PDF works like magic to convert documents into PDFs. Oh, and did we mention they’re searchable PDFs? Because YES.
Talkboard
A live, collaborative drawing app, Talkboard is a social whiteboard meant for communicating images, ideas and doodles in real-time. Take virtual brainstorming and storyboarding to a whole new level with Talkboard’s intuitive interface and smooth, aesthetically appealing functionality.
Tempo
Oh, Tempo, where would we be without you? This calendar application won our hearts back in 2013 and we definitely couldn’t live without it in 2014. Developed by SRI International (the same folks who brought you Siri), Tempo acts as your personal assistant, applying artificial intelligence to help streamline routine tasks and collect contacts, emails and documents in detailed, useful formats. Meet your new best friend.
TeuxDeux
Look, sometimes you just want the simple apps in life, right? Right. TeuxDeux is a gorgeous, minimal to-do task management application from Swissmiss, one of our very favorite bloggers on the planet, and Fictive Kin. It’s also a must-have if you derive the same type of instantaneous thrill that can only come from checking items off of a to-do list. And let us tell you something — it is a glorious thing.
Vivino
Never forget another wine — PERIOD. After scanning your wine bottle, Vivino gives you all the deets on your selected bottle — average ratings, reviews and prices, tasting notes, recommended pairings. ALL. OF. IT. It’s the perfect place to organize every one of your oenophile endeavors, connect with like-minded sippers and discover your new favorite vino. Or five.
With these trusty tools by your side (and immediately installed in your smartphone), 2014 will not only be the best year ever — it will be YOUR year.
Got an app we should know about? Let us know in the comments!
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