I have a Samsung Note III and have had it for nearly a year and a half. It still gets a lot of comments about the size. I think that will start to die down, now that the iPhone 6 also has a large format option. For those unfamiliar with the Android system, as I was prior to getting this phone, the system allows you to personalise your hand set a lot more with the use of widgets and homescreens that you can design and move around yourself.
Just as with Apple, you also have an array of apps available to you as well. Below is a summary of my 10 favourite apps- in no particular order.
Nike+ Fuel Band
It took a while for this app to come to Android, but when it did, I was so happy! If you have a Nike+ Fuel Band, this app connects with the band via bluetooth and stores your data. This means that you don’t have to keep plugging the band into the PC and you can get a real time sync on your daily progress. You can set targets, challenges between friends and it gives you little awards, just to make you feel good.
Brit + Co
This app is a great collection of articles on blog posts covering fashion, craft, cookery, home decor, technology and so much more. It is constantly being updated and has a variety of contributors, so you always have new things to read. It’s just like a digital, dynamic magazine, meaning you always have something to read when you’re waiting around, or struggling to sleep.
Starbucks
I have spoken about this app before here– but it’s a favourite because it is technology that makes things easier.
British Airways
I have spoken about this app before here. It’s a favourite: the widget sits on my homepage so I can get excited about the next trip. When there isn’t one planned, it has a very sorry “You have no upcoming flights”, which prompts me to get thinking about the next adventure. You can check in on it, use a digital boarding pass via it and you can keep an eye on your Executive Club progress.
Uber
It’s not new news, but it is great and expanding to more and more cities. It offers convenience (quick to hail a cab- perfect if it is snowing or raining), and choice between cabs, black cars and Uber X. The app emails your receipts to you, which is great for expenses reports, and it shows you the route the cab driver took.
Open Table
The UK Open Table site seems to have had a bit of a revamp recently. You can use Open Table in both the US and the UK. It feels a bit more in its infancy here in the UK, but hopefully more and more restaurants will sign up to it. I really hate using the phone with strangers: I hate calling up for takeaway orders and I hate making restaurant reservations. I also hate going from restaurant to restaurant on a night out without a reservation and being turned away. Open Table allows you to check for available tables in restaurants and make a booking via the app. Each reservation earns you points in the US, which then can be exchanged for an Open Table cheque: cash off your next meal. It’s a great way to check on your favourite restaurants and discover new ones.
A couple of staples coming up: if you’re Android and your friends are Apple, or if you’re on different operating systems and in different countries, Whatsapp is a great app to stay in touch with people. You can share messages, photos and videos. It just means you can do the equivalent of iMessaging, whatever your choice of phone.
I love to pin before bed, or if I can’t sleep. I love the Pinterest app, as I can keep all the things I like to look at, close on my handset.
Spotify
The functionality to “make available offline” means that you can have a constantly changing selection of music on your handset without ever having to plug your phone into your PC. This is great for flights, for the car (if you have Bluetooth or the cable) and perfect if you have a wireless speaker. I have a Bose Soundlink in my kitchen and my phone becomes almost like the remote control: it means that you have the equivalent of a jukebox in your hand.
RingGo
This one is just super useful if you are parking in the UK: it means you don’t have to worry about carrying cash, you can pay via card on the app. Also, more conveniently, if your dinner or shopping is going for longer than you anticipated, you can increase the number of minutes via the app- no need to sprint back to the car with the risk of getting a ticket! Hurrah!
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