Smartphones have made our lives easier, especially in comparison to their rudimentary predecessors. We have made a leap into the future over the course of only a few years and now, about 45% of U.S. cell phone users carry a smartphone around in their pocket, basically a mini computer.
With the smartphone comes the wonderful world of apps and they are becoming more and more intuitive, practical and cater to our every need. In a world where at-your-fingertips is everything, we welcome these apps and all they do for us with open arms.
Apps are typically used for three things:
- Convenience
- Pleasure
- Productivity
Below we will highlight six must-have apps that fit into all three categories and can be used in both your professional and personal day-to-day life.
- Pulse
For all you news junkies out there, Pulse brings all of your favorite news sources together in one place. Fully customizable so you can follow all the types of news you want, this app is exciting, quick, easy to read and ready to share. Learn all there is to know about it on the Pulse website.
2. Lemon Wallet 
Do you find yourself losing your wallet all the time or just don’t like carrying all sorts of cards and papers around? Now you don’t have to. The Lemon Wallet organizes and stores your cards, receipts, coupons and more so you can access what you need more conveniently. Here is a video on how it works.
3. Klout 
Did you know some companies look at your Klout score as a determining factor on whether or not to hire you? Believe it or not, it’s true. Social is a big thing and it isn’t going away. Companies want influencers – Klout uses data from social networks in order to measure:
- True Reach: How many people you influence
- Amplification: How much you influence them
- Network Impact: The influence of your network
Find out your score on the Klout website.
4. Trapster 5.0 
There are many versions of this app but this is the one that a majority of our office uses. Trapster app alerts you to speed traps, red light and speed cameras, accidents, road hazards and much more! Learn about all it can do so you are ready for your next road trip.
5. Goodreads 
Read so much that you’ve gone through your entire list? This apps allows you to read thousands of book reviews by your friends and other Goodreads members, keep a virtual bookshelf of what you’ve read and build your to-read list as you discover great books on the app. Check out the Goodreads blog to stay up to date.
6. Logos Quiz Game 
One of my favorites, as a good mesh between professional and personal, is Logos Quiz Games. This quiz game is full of fun that consists of guessing the names of hundreds of logos from different companies. It starts off pretty easy, but becomes harder than you’d think. See if you can name all the companies this app quizzes you on. If you get really stuck, here is a cheat sheet so you don’t go insane.
Other apps to check out on your smartphone:
- MapMyRun
- Skitch
- Dropbox
- Evernote
- GasBuddy
- Shazam
- Phonto
- PostalPix
- Cardio Trainer
These are just some personal and office favorites we use on our smartphones. What are some must-have apps you use? Let us know in the comments.