8 iOS, Android Apps That Are Strangely Useful
Your iPhone or Android smartphone can predict the weather, but can it tell you the closest flu outbreak or get a wake-up call from around the globe?
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It's hard to imagine a time when phones were solely used for calling and texting -- when they didn't take pictures or videos. I remember thinking that my first cell phone, a pay-as-you-go trinket from Virgin Mobile, was on the cutting edge of technology because I could change the colored tint of the screen.
Now, it seems the phrase "there's an app for that" has always been a part of the English language. With hundreds of thousands of apps available for iOS and Android, it seems like there's one to help with just about every aspect of day-to-day life.
For some apps, it's easy to see the value. Apps like Skype and WhatsApp make it easy to keep in touch friends and family across the world. Photo apps like Flickr can store years of memories. Some are purely educational; I've been using Duolingo to brush up on some long-forgotten Spanish skills.
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No doubt that IT pros keep their smartphones stocked with apps that assist with everyday responsibilities. In addition to essential apps like Google Maps and Accuweather, there are apps for productivity (Evernote) and storage (Dropbox).
Of course, there is an excess of useless programs clogging up app stores. There's a game that records the amount of time that extraordinarily bored people can hold their finger on a button, and another that serves as a vast source of information on celebrity heights. You know, in case you have a date with Alicia Silverstone coming up.
Fortunately for professionals and consumers, there are plenty of apps that bridge the gap between essential and useless. These are the apps you didn't know you needed, such as the one that switches your phone to vibrate when it senses you're at work, or the app that provides a color-coded calendar for when to book cheap flights.
Click through the gallery to browse some apps that are a little strange, but still pretty useful. Any suggestions that aren't on our list? Share them in the comments.
If you're someone who frequently misplaces mobile devices, this one's for you. Finding lost gadgets just got easier with Marco Polo, an app that enables iPhones, iPads and iPod touch devices to ring "Polo!" when their distressed owner yells "Marco!" in search of their misplaced item.
(Image source: Apple)
Trouble getting up in the morning? Give Wakie a try. This "social alarm clock" is a community of people around the world who wake each other up. Simply set an alarm and within five minutes of the scheduled wake-up time someone in the community will give you a call. If nobody is available, a robot will call to wish you a good day.
If you want to be a greeter, tap the "wake someone up" button under the horn. Wakie encourages creativity in the form of singing and joke-telling when serving as an alarm for someone else. Also available on Android.
(Image source: Apple)
Even for those who don't have trouble finding their car in a parking lot, Carrr Matey could be a fun download. The app functions similarly to other car-locator apps in that it guides lost drivers back to their vehicles using a compass or walking directions. Bonus: It talks in a pirate accent. Also available on Android.
(Image source: Google Play)
This app serves a combination of virtual zombie apocalypse game and fitness app. Zombies, Run! delivers a storyline through commands and voice recordings as users run to escape the undead. The app allows participants to complete interval training, view recorded runs online, and create custom playlists. Users describe it as a "perfect junction between game design and run tracker." Also available on Android.
(Image source: Google Play)
Llama is a location-aware app through which users can change their phone volume to specific settings, depending on where they are or what time it is. It's handy for people who normally have their phone on vibrate, but prefer it to be silent at work, or who only want their phones to ring if a family member is calling.
(Image source: Google Play)
Whether you're traveling for business or pleasure, Hopper can help you find the price to beat. The app analyzes billions of flight prices every day to predict how prices will change, and makes appropriate purchase suggestions. Users are notified when prices drop, when they are expected to rise, and which travel dates and airports are least expensive.
(Image source: Apple)
Touted as the world's first "Doppler radar for sickness," Sickweather provides real-time information on when a smartphone's user enters a "sick zone," an area where others have reported being sick with the flu, pinkeye, norovirus, or any of 19 other illnesses. The app uses social media and gathers information from its user community to determine which areas are densely populated with infected people, with luck preventing others from getting sick too. In the US, reports are on a five-day radar map so users can see color-coded areas of recent outbreaks. Also available on Android.
(Image source: Google Play)
You might be tracking how many steps you take per day, but are you tracking your water intake? Waterlogged is designed to provide users with charts and reminders that help them drink the required amount of water per day. A similar app is available on Android.
(Image source: Apple)
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