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7 Apps You Need to Be Using in 2016

It’s 2016, so there’s no excuse why you shouldn’t be using these amazing apps.

Published

9 years ago

January 28, 2016

Using your smartphone effectively can not only save time, but it can optimise your productivity, boost your entertainment, and help you avoid some massive headaches; so here’s 5 apps that you should be using right now:

News Pro

Microsoft’s experimental app outfit, the Microsoft Garage, has released another iOS app called News Pro. The reader is similar to Apple’s own offering, Apple News, and mobile mainstay Flipboard. You can login with a Facebook or LinkedIn account, where you’ll pick topics of interest like finance, tech, and design to get a selection of algorithmically chosen articles in a more mobile-friendly reading format. News Pro has a highlights section for getting a list of top stories and an explore tab for checking out new topics organized by industries, organizations, skills, and products.

Available on iOS.

Headspace

British meditation teacher Andy Puddicombe trained as a Tibetan Buddhist monk before he made Headspace, an iPhone app that pitches itself as a “gym membership for your mind.” Certain meditation techniques have been scientifically proven to work, and Headspace has been downloaded over 3 million times since its release in 2012.

Here’s how it works. Hundreds of hours of original meditation exercises are broken down into guided and unguided lessons that range from two to 60 minutes long. Some of the benefits it promises include “better self-awareness,” “less stress and worry,” and the guarantee that you’ll “smile more.”

Available on iOS, Android.

Google Now

Google Now is arguably the most powerful personal assistant software available. It first debuted a few years ago and has since grown into an always-on personal assistant that can set alarms for you (seriously, try it), tell you the weather, give you news articles about your relevant interests, manage things like plane flight information, and give you access to quick information via voice searching.

Available on iOS, Android.

7 Minute Workout

Yeah, it’s a new year and we’re all trying to get in shape for 2016, and that’s something that 7 Minute Workout can help with. The application contains 12 exercises designed to be done at home with minimal equipment, video tutorials on how to do it, and a Material Design inspired interface that makes using the app simple.

Available on iOS, Android.

LastPass

Let’s be honest, with so many services and devices these days, it’s hard to keep track of all your passwords. That’s where LastPass can save you. LastPass is a password manager that can save passwords and keep them safe all while auto-filling passwords for sites and apps that you use regularly. There is also a password generator that generates hard-to-hack passwords just for you. It’s worth checking out for sure.

Available on iOS, Android.

Swiftkey Keyboard

SwiftKey Keyboard is one of the most powerful and customisable third-party keyboards available. It hit the market several years ago with a predictive engine unlike anything any other keyboard had and the app has grown a lot of over the years. It’s a free download and you can purchase themes for it if you want to.

Available on iOS, Android.

Pocket

Pocket is one of the best article-saving apps out there. It has a no-frills interface and easy-to-use mobile and desktop bookmark tools and browser extensions for saving everything you don’t (and maybe never will) have time to read.

Available on iOS, Android.