If you ask someone what item they would rescue first from their personal belongings in case of fire, “my cellphone” would be most people’s answer. Some people are so hooked on their smartphones, they’re starting to risk their health (proof).
Since smartphones are hugely involved in our lives anyway, why not put them to good use? Here’s a list of the six apps you need in your life this summer:
1. Wunderlist
This app will get all your lists sorted. There are already a few custom lists created for you when you sign up and then you can add your own. You can add items and for each one you can set a reminder, add a subtask or some notes, or even add a file. Then you can cross items off, while still keeping them for future reference. God knows how much you’ll need this when packing.
2. TripAdvisor City Guides
All of us already know and love the TripAdvisor website and its handy application. However, the TripvAdisor team has outdone themselves with their City Guides. These guides have everything you will need on a trip and more. From city maps, on which you can mark your hotels/restaurants/places-to-visit, to public transportation maps and lists of attractions (with users’ reviews).
It also lets you keep a travel journal where you can check into the places you’ve been to and even rate and review them. All of the things mentioned above can be accessed offline, which makes it a true life saver if you don’t have a stable Internet connection. Truly a traveler’s best friend!
3. Bey2ollak
This one is an oldie, but definitely a goodie. One of the most used apps in Egypt, Bey2ollak has made our daily commuting through Cairo’s streets a little less traumatic. If you’re planning to spend your summer getaway within the borders, then its “Travel Roads” feature will surely come in handy.
4. Egypt Yellow Pages
Again, nothing new here. But you will be surprised how useful this application can be. With its easy interface and listings of everything from supermarkets and ATMs to hospitals, it makes looking up a place’s address or phone number all the easier on the go.
5. Calorie Counter
Even if you’re not a health-conscious type of person, you need this app in your life. When you sign up, it asks you a few questions about your age, height and weight, whether you want to lose/maintain/gain (sure!) weight, your daily level of activity, and how much weight you want to lose/gain per week. Then it calculates what your daily intake of calories should be and lets you keep a food diary.
You enter the things you eat/drink during the day (and you would be surprised to find basically everything on the face of the planet listed here) and it will calculate how many calories you consumed and how many you still have remaining. It also lets you log in any exercise you do, from leisure walking to kickboxing, and lets you know how many calories you burnt off.
6. Goodreads
Finally, for all you bookworms out there, this app is a must. It’s exactly like the website, but much more on-the-go/vacation-friendly. If you’re looking to buy a new summer read, you can either check each month’s new releases or recommendations that they tailor according to your preferred literary genres, or you can search for a specific book (which you can do by barcode scan, for extra convenience) and read other users’ ratings and reviews on it.
The coolest thing, however, is that you can organize all your books into three “virtual” shelves: read, currently-reading and to-read, and you can add more shelves if you want. It also lets you update your progress on the book you’re currently reading.
WE SAID THIS: Also check out the 80 M ATM App that helps you find the closest bank machines to you!