There's an App for That - Tips, Tricks, & Giveaways

   By SheSpeaksTeam  Jan 17, 2012
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Millions of us unwrapped the seasons hottest gifts during the holidays  - the iPhone 4S, iPad 2, Droid RAZR, Kindle Fire, Nikon 1 and more. For many people these new gadgets were also the first they've owned in a whole new generation of touchscreen and voice activation technology. How many of you were excited but found that after 5 minutes you had to set them down and decided to figure out how to use them later?

With technology overload these days, many of us use our electronics on the "easy" setting. We do what we can easily figure out and never end up using the "really cool" settings and getting value from our investment.

There are some basic steps that can help you get the most fun out of your new "toys." Here are our tips for improving your electronic gadget experience:

  1. Set time in your day to read the manual. Even if it is a short manual, we recommend splitting it up reading a few pages at a time. If you read it all at once it can be overwhelming.
  2. Utilize what is at your fingertips - YouTube! YouTube has great 101 videos. Received an iPhone over the holidays? Learn how to use it with the help of the 101 videos on TodaysiPhone's YouTube Channel. Received an Android over the holidays? Learn how to use it with the help of 101 videos on MobileUnlimited's YouTube Channel.
  3. Follow the company of your new electronics on Facebook and Twitter. These are great customer service outlets. Why spend time waiting on hold when you can have a response on twitter before the agent picks up the phone? Most companies also post tips, videos and important software updates on their feeds.
  4. Be brave! Believe it or not, it's pretty hard to break things. Use random settings and see what happens. You can always reset items back to the default.

The trick to getting the most out of your phones and tablets are apps. Here are our five must-have useful, user-friendly apps for 2012:

Apple:

  1. Shopper: This is the best-selling grocery app in the App Store, according to MacWorld. With Shopper you can create multiple lists and organize them to match the aisle layout of the stores you shop in. On a budget? Add prices, quantities, and coupons to track expenses.
  2. Mint.com Personal Finance: With this app you can easily organize all your finances in one place. It provides you with a look at where you spent your money over the month and helps you come up with a budget. Also, with having it on your mobile device no spending goes unaccounted for.
  3. Silent Body Guard: Everyone, every age and gender, should have this app. You hope you will never need it, but if you ever find yourself in trouble this app sends a text message and email with your GPS location to your emergency contacts every 60 seconds. All you have to do is open the app and tap the silent alarm button.
  4. Nike Training Club: This app is a personal trainer with you at all times. You get detailed workouts designed to match your fitness goals with step-by-step instructions. Our favorite feature is the ability to set your music to go with your workout.
  5. allrecipes.com Dinner Spinner: How many times have you looked in your pantry and thought to yourself, "what in the world can I cook with these ingredients?" Now the answer is at your fingertips! Type in what you have to this app and it will search its recipe database for corresponding dishes.

Android:

  1. Grocery King 6 Shopping List: This is the best-selling grocery app in Android Market Store. With app you can create multiple lists and organize them to match the aisle layout of the stores you shop in. Our favorite feature is you can compare product prices to other retailers. Simply scan the barcode of the item you are about to purchase, and it will indicate if it is cheaper or more expensive than other retailers.
  2. Mint.com Personal Finance: With this app you can easily organize all your finances in one place. It provides you with a look at where you spent your money over the month and helps you come up with a budget. Also, with having it on your mobile device no spending goes unaccounted for.
  3. Emergency Panic Button (SOS): Everyone, every age and gender, should have this app. You hope you will never need it, but if you ever find yourself in trouble this app sends a text message and email with your GPS location.
  4. Pocket Trainer: This app turns your phone into a personal trainer. It includes both written and video descriptions of how to perform each exercise. What we really love is that it shows you how to do easy exercises using what you have at home.
  5. allrecipes.com Dinner Spinner: How many times have you looked in your pantry and thought to yourself, "what in the world can I cook with these ingredients?" Now the answer is at your fingertips! Type in what you have to this app and it will search its recipe database for corresponding dishes.

Most importantly, remember the goal of apps is to help you simplify and organize. You can get bogged down by downloading too many apps and actually defeat the purpose. Make a list of things you would like help with and then narrow it down to categories. Then purchase an app for each category.

We want to hear from you and which electronics you find are the most user-friendly? We want your recommendations.

If you share your user-friendly electronics reviews and recommendations this week you'll be entered for a chance to win one of our 4 giveaway prizes - a gift card to either iTunes or Amazon for Android Market. Submit your favorite electronic product to SheSpeaks Reviews OR add a comment to this blog post by 6pm EST on January 23rd, 2012. You can enter a review AND a comment and you will have two entries to win!

review

 Prizes*:

*Winners will have a choice of either an iTunes or Amazon for Android Market gift card. 4 winners total.



Apple iTunes $15 App Store Gift Card



Amazon for Android Market Gift Card

 

The contest starts January 17, 2012 and ends January 23, 2012; at 6:00 p.m. Must be a US resident. No purchase necessary.

GOOD LUCK!

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Comments
blbriggs67 by blbriggs67 | Morrisville, NC
Jan 23, 2012

On the iPhone, to reduce the amount of memory running apps are using, you can stop the apps from running in the background by doing the following: 1. Double click the circle button at the bottom of your iPhone. 2. Press and hold any app you no longer need running until it begins to wiggle. 3. Swipe through the listed apps to find those you don't want running. To shut down each app, just press the red and white circle in the upper left hand corner of the selected app. Don't worry, this won't delete the app just shut it down. 4. When you are done just press the circle button at the bottom of the iPhone again and enjoy the improved performance!

purplekitty by purplekitty | Deland, FL
Jan 23, 2012

My favorite Android app is Amazon Price Check because it is very useful for buying & selling on Amazon's Marketplace. I love that it has four ways to search: type it, scan it, snap it & say it. Type it is handy if you do not have a barcode to scan. Scan it is my favorite way to use this app because you just line up the barcode within the orange indicator arrows. Snap it is great because you can snap a picture of the product, then Amazon Price Check analyzes the image. Say it allows you to speak what you are searching for. The only thing this app is missing is that it doesn't provide local store retailers. Overall, this app has saved me money by finding bargains that I would not have glanced twice at before and has prevented me from buying something that I thought was a good deal but could buy it cheaper elsewhere.

stef42678 by stef42678 | LAS VEGAS, NV
Jan 23, 2012

I love the allrecipes app because it is easy to use and I can have many recipes at my fingertips. I also use restaurant apps like Chilis to find locations, browse menu items and check out nutrition data. I think the Ipad2 is great to use, and is perfect for anyone.

basketball44 by basketball44 | Renton, WA
Jan 22, 2012

I LOVEEEE the allrecipes.com Dinner Spinner app. It is so helpful when you have no idea what to make or just want a suggestion of what to do with what you have on hand instead of running to the store!

songinc by songinc | Marlboro, NJ
Jan 21, 2012

I have been using HTC Incredible 2 and like it a lot. Wish the battery would last longer.

daddis73 by daddis73 | hobart, IN
Jan 20, 2012

Viper SmartStart, which allows users to start their car from virtually anywhere with their iPhone, has been updated. it now features 2-Way functionality with command confirmation that acknowledges when a SmartStart command has been received by the vehicle. Also, you will receive an error message if a command doesn't get through. Other new features include vehicle name and picture customization, optional passcode operation with a user-programmed 4-digit PIN that must be entered in order to open the app, and password utilities for managingyour account log-in.

roxannaj by roxannaj | FT MITCHELL, KY
Jan 20, 2012

Just put up a short review about the Asus EeePad Transformer. I love it!

rosepowell by rosepowell | FREDERICKSBRG, VA
Jan 19, 2012

I have to say that my most useful electronic right now is in fact my iPhone 4. It was there for me when my internet was down and it was there for me when my computer died, and just today, when I was looking for a way to compliment my blog with a special photograph, I found "an app for that" and love it. I think I'd be nothing without my iPhone, it keeps me in touch with my family & friends and all of my SheSpeaks comings and goings, I need to know at all times!!!

Spope7661 by Spope7661 | PHILADELPHIA, PA
Jan 19, 2012

I have an iPad and an iPhone 4s and I dont think I could live with out them. I have so many apps between the two that it is crazy. I cant remember how I functioned before Smart phones????

cathy5boys by cathy5boys | COLUMBUS, OH
Jan 19, 2012

I love the KeyRing app for the iphone. It allows me to store all of those store/shopping loyalty cards and get them off of my key ring! I also love the Weather Channel app, especially for sitting at those soccer and baseball games. You can see the rain clouds coming at you!

Nephthys by Nephthys | PEMBROKE PNES, FL
Jan 19, 2012

Thanks for the app recommendations! Love apps, there's an app for everything nowadays.

Jamaica11434 by Jamaica11434 | MONROE TWP, NJ
Jan 19, 2012

I have an Ipod Touch and my favorite app is Textfree. I don't have a texting plan on my phone so I use this one. It only works when I am in a wireless area but my home and my office are wireless so it works for me most of the time.

green4me by green4me | Lostant, IL
Jan 19, 2012

I got a nook tablet for Christmas and it rocks!!!! I an still figuring out all it can do because I have been reading nonstop for FREE! As a person with a serious visual impairment this is so awesome to me. I can adjust the font and the lighting to my needs for the day. My computer geek son has put the kindle app on it so I have access to all nook and kindle free books....I am like a kid in a candy shop! Highly recommend

cfennell by cfennell | UPPR BLCK EDY, PA
Jan 19, 2012

Received a Nook Tablet for Christmas and I love it! They have many apps you can purchase and I love that I have internet access!

lillamissa by lillamissa | Hebron, KY
Jan 19, 2012

I am currently using an iPhone 4s - Some of my favorite apps that either help keep me organized or entertain me are: Words w/ Friends (an online Scrabble game you can play with friends), online banking (my bank has their own app, I can even do mobile deposits!), PinkPad (a great app for women that allows you to track your cycle as well as many other health related items) and Groupon for access to great deals on the go.