I am thinking whether or not to get a smartphone. I know there are a zillion apps that can do all sorts of things, but I’m not sure what I would actually use it for. What apps do you all find most useful?
I don’t have a data plan with my current phone, and would prefer to not have to have one. Most of the top-rated apps I see talked about have to do with using the internet. Are there apps people find useful when offline?
In order, I use my iPhone for:
Its being a phone is actually far, far less than half of what I use it for. The Email and texting functions alone are worth the reasonably monthly fee.
Yeah. With a big enough screen for watching videos, it’s basically replaced my home computer. The only time I put away the smartphone and get on the laptop is when I need to write an ENORMOUS letter, or do office work (i.e., MS office and Word). Otherwise, it can very likely be a computer replacement in your pocket. The real question is what can’t it do, that you would expect out of, say, a netbook?
I use Google MyTracks to track my hiking. It measures distance, time, and altitude, and lets me export the data to Google Maps or Google Earth for nice pictures of where I’ve been. A GPS pedometer. Much fun!
Also, as a camera. It’s really nice to have a pocket camera. You never know when you’ll see a UFO, or just a pretty manzanita stand. Or the Rodney King beating. Whatever…
I’m trying to teach myself to use it as a “To Do” list, to check off items as I get to them. But that requires the discipline of actually entering the data and maintaining it.
And even if you don’t subscribe to a data plan, I’d say 75% of my internet usage is on the wi-fi at home, work, or school. So you can’t use everything on the bus or at the mall. Big whoop.
I feel kinda stupid now, but that never occurred to me.
I love the Calendar function on mine; it’s truly become my chief way of keeping my life organized. And it’s great t have email and internet access whenever I need it. I keep a running shopping list, adding things as I need them and deleting things when I pick them up at the store - very handy. And with Fandango, I always know movie times for every theater in town. RadarScope lets me keep track of thunderstorms and see weather alerts (important here in Tornado Alley). The Kindle app means I always have a book to read wherever I go, and between that and games (Plants versus Zombies and Angry Birds especially) I’m never bored when I have to wait somewhere. The GPS and mapping software keeps me from getting lost.
A smartphone isn’t a phone. It’s a computer that makes phone calls.
Surprisingly little, actually.
I used to have all sorts of apps that did all kinds of different shit, but fairly recently I realized that I had actually used almost none of them, so I cleared off everything except for the free crossword app so I would have something to do on the shitter. Sorry if that’s TMI. Anyway, I really only use it for calls and texts. In a pinch I could break it out and use it for GPS, but I’ve never actually had to do that. Occasionally I get on the web and check for when the next bus is due, but otherwise I don’t use the browser at all. I use less than 20MB of data a month.
My day starts with the phone, it’s my alarm clock. I shut that off, open one eye, and spend some time snuggling in the bed and checking facebook, instagram, emails, and the Dope. Once I get out of bed and into the bathroom, I turn on some music and take a shower and all that stuff.
Once I’m semi-ready and sitting down with coffee and the noon news, I answer any emails that need answering, check weather against what the news says, maybe take another look at the Dope and post a thing or two. Once I’m close to getting out the door, check traintracker to see if a train is coming soon. On the train, I’ll check facebook again and check emails if there were any new ones or replies to mine from earlier.
At work, I’m pretty much off it unless someone texts me. It’s sometimes easier for us to text each other from other parts of the building if we need something. Maybe a couple texts here and there making plans for later. Maybe use the camera or video sometimes for events and because I work with animals there’s always something happening.
On the way home, bustracker or traintracker before leaving work, depending on if I’m going to the store. If I go to the store, my shopping list is on there. If I’m meeting people, texting on the way to the meetup if running late, where we’re sitting, whatever.
Once I’m home, I use the desktop computer in the evenings, but will still use the phone if I have a movie running or something. To go to bed, I play solitaire to help my brain forget the day and get sleepy. Sometimes I’ll watch Netflix in bed.
I would be lost without the stupid thing, though I try to disconnect on Sundays and leave it on the nightstand.
I use my phone for just about everything I use my desktop computer for, in addition to using it as a phone.
I have the Galaxy note II, so the screen is large enough for me to do just about anything I want. I check and compose email (of course), manage my calendars, edit Word documents, review PDFs, record audio (invaluable in meetings), manage all my flights and boarding passes (yes, paperless is very cool), and use various productivity apps depending on the situation and need.
I had no interest in getting one because I thought I wouldn’t really use any features other than phone and SMS. I am not a fan of social media although I have accounts everywhere, I just check them once in a while. But my phone plan offered me a free upgrade to one so I took it. I think I use almost daily -
email
an alarm app
live traffic app (train timetable app if catching the train)
a weather app
news app
the internet
and the kindle cloud reader app
Google maps gets a lot of use too. It’s nice to be able to go for walks without worrying about where I am.
Camera–the iphone has a camera as good as one of those little digital ones, and makes sharing pics really easy.
Streaming music
Podcasts
shopping lists
It’s great for hiking in areas you don’t know well. Mapmyhike shows me where I am, where I’ve been, how far I’ve been walking, and I can tell what direction to go to get myself un-lost in the woods. I use this a lot.
Similarly, it has replaced the GPS in my car, it works better than the stand alone units.
Weather radar
Web browsing
games
I was one of those who thought I didn’t need a smart phone. Now I can’t imagine not having one.
Flashlight. I use that app quite a bit.
Yeah. I don’t find myself using the phone part of my phone all that much.
A smartphone without a data plan is like commuting to work by hitchhiking.
Sure, you’ll get there eventually, and you’ll save some money, but you are depending on others.
I’d be lost (literally) without a data plan.
What do I use my smartphone (iPhone 4s) for?
Having this phone (I’ve had an iPhone since day 1) has completely changed the way I travel. I don’t spend hours printing out information from the web anymore. If I need to book a hotel, I just get on the priceline app and do it from the parking lot. If I need to find a good restaurant, I just use Yelp.
You can do many of these without a data plan, but it just is not anywhere near as convenient.
If you get your phone from your provider, a data plan is often mandatory. If you buy an unlocked phone from a third party source, you may be able to skip the data plan, though.
I never thought I would like my Smartphone as much as I do. Quite nice - especially if you are stuck in line somewhere or have to kill some time where there is nothing else to do (doctor’s office or waiting for someone to run an errand, etc.).
Not stupid at all. How would you know?
Note: I believe there are some apps that only work via cell data.
I have a very small (and cheap) data plan, because I have WiFi at home and work. And many businesses have it - you might have to ask for the password. At McDonalds, it auto-launches their web page and you have to click ‘agree’ to their terms.
Note: do NOT do any on-line banking (or similar) on a public WiFi connection.
My uses:
Contacts holds all sorts of info I use to have to dig for, both personal and business
Calendar tracks and reminds me of many things.
I have 5 or 6 notes and to-do apps. Ea does different things well. I have a notes file on the features of the phone. Checklists for getting certain things done at work Shopping lists. Project lists Personal and work ToDos
Pictures - it is handy to have a camera, esp. one that can send the pictures. My daughters send me pics of my granddaughters.
Password keeper and generator I have multiple passwords at work and they all have to be changed routinely. The app will also keep passwords of websites - and even type them in for me, but I don’t use that.
Texting more than phone - because I ride a motorcycle - I can read and reply to a text w/o taking my helmet off
MP3 Player used on motorcycle also allows me to hear when I’ve received a text
Email only as a backup for work and home
Games - little arcade type time killers and a couple of brain/mind exercises
Internet - weather This is my justification for getting a smart phone, for when I’m on the motorcycle. I rode home over an hour is some pretty hard rain once - and found out I was riding along with the worst of the rain. Ignorance isn’t always blissful. Never again.
Google - I’m abnormally curious about many things
Yelp - social ratings of restaurants and services
Because I have a small data plan, I have an app that tracks my data use and alerts me when I’m reaching my limit. It also tracks talk time and texts.
Cheap Gas; GasBuddy app. w/ the GPS of the phone, tells the current prices at stations around you
count down timer - handy when I have time to kill but HAVE to leave at a certain time. Also for cooking.
WiFi Finder app - w/ the GPS of the phone, tells me where the nearest free WiFi is. It updates when Im on WiFI and I can add WiFi spots to it (but it’s awkward because the phone GPS needs to know where it is, ie doesn’t work inside).
If you get one, sign up for Amazon App store. They have a Free-App-of-the-Day; usually games.
Everyone has posted the stuff that I do, but I have a few others to add.
[ul]
[li]I use it to turn in my classroom attendance (I’m a school teacher).[/li][li]I use it to remotely control my computer when I am presenting material to the class (such as PowerPoint, video or audio media, etc.)[/li][li]I use it to access documents I have saved in Dropbox.[/li][/ul]
I would be lost without my iPhone 4S.
The only one I can think of is BBM, which refused to work absent a data connection, even if you were roaming and on the wi-fi. Maybe they’ve fixed that in the new generation of blackberries, I don’t know.
Or possibly a proprietary voicemail app. Besides that, I think you’re good to go!
My iPhone is a glorified GPS. I use an app that routes you around traffic problems and warns you of hazards (Waze - free and awesome.) I use it every day, wherever I drive. And probably at least once a day I use it to check Facebook and to text someone. And every week or so I use it to call someone. But yeah, GPS.
P.S. My personal piece of advice - don’t get an iPhone.