10 Apps to Try This Spring

We all have our go-to apps, whether for digital note-taking, posting to social media, or streaming the latest podcasts in our queue.  As we prepare for Spring temps, a new beginning, a long-overdue getaway, or a refresh of our wardrobe, here are ten app recommendations to include in your daily or weekly routine:

1. iTunes U – Keep your skills current and your competitive edge sharp with their free educational content. With Stanford, Yale and MIT participating (to name a few), there is plenty of diverse coursework to choose from.  Take a look at Yale’s free offerings to peak your interest here.
2. The Hunt – Have you ever found an item you loved on Pinterest or Instagram but couldn’t trace it back to where it can be purchased?  The Hunt is a primarily fashion focused, community based app that helps you locate an exact match or a similar piece. Submit a picture, link, or screenshot and wait for a response from fellow users with their suggestions.  Start your hunt today!
3. Localeur – I came across a mention of this app on Forbes.com and appreciate the sight-seeing recommendations written by locals.  From discovering the best cocktails to fun spots in New York that “won’t blow up your credit card,” there’s something for everyone.
4. Abbyy Business Card Reader – An efficient app that automatically transfers contact information from business cards into your smartphone. Simply photograph the card you need and save the data either to your iPhone Contacts or the app’s digital storage.
5. Afterlight – If you’re an Instagram and photography enthusiast, you’ll like the features and filters this app provides. Its easy, consistently reliable quality will make you look like a pro.
6. GPS for the Soul – Got 5 minutes? This stress relieving Huffington Post app has a mediation for you. You will also find a variety of healthy living articles and resources at your fingertips. Based on the premise of two truths: “That we all have within us a centered place of harmony and balance, and that we all veer away from that place again and again.” It’s worth your while to investigate this app.
7. Stylebook – A Harper’s Bazaar pick, you can “virtually curate the pieces in your wardrobe by uploading pictures in order to style and organize them.”  My girlfriend swears by the packing lists and I like knowing when I last wore a particular dress or suit.
8. A Beautiful Mess – Bring your camera roll to life with their pretty finishes and fonts.  Tweak and print a sampling of your favorite vacation photos or make a photo book! Check out their helpful post on what you need to get started.
9. Forest – If you’re struggling with spending too much time on your phone, Forest challenges you to stay off your phone for 30 minute intervals by “planting a tree” and watching it grow while you are working. It allows you to focus on what is most important in your day  – beginning with one tree.
10. Downcast – Load up your playlist and enjoy auto-downloads so you will have plenty of listening options before your next gym session, walk to the office, or business trip.

Do you have a favorite app that wasn’t mentioned above? Tweet me @dianegottsman or post on my Facebook page.