I’m busy doing magic shows, you’re busy doing your job, everybody is busy. That’s why we have technology to help us do everything we need to in less time. Though I have a hunch that for every second we save with technology we figure out how to fill it up with more work. Sorry to get cynical on you. Here are 8 apps that I can’t live without. I hope you find them useful and you can use your saved time for something more worthwhile than work…. like studying the curve of a wave while sitting on a beach.
Do you have any apps you can’t live without? Let me know about them in the comments section below!
Scanner Pro
According to my tax guy I am still required to keep receipts for all my purchases just incase the IRS comes calling. I really hate the shoebox method (keep all your receipts in a shoebox). That means I would have 7 years of shoeboxes that I have to keep, and I did that for awhile in the beginning. That just won’t cut it today. Years ago I started using a small scanner to scan all my receipts and keep digital copies and throw out the originals. Now I just use the camera on my iPhone with Scanner Pro and it scans the receipt quickly and automatically uploads it to Dropbox. Now what to do with all this extra space on my shelves? $3.99
iPhone https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scanner-pro-scan-any-document/id333710667?mt=8
Wunderlist
Everyone is busy, but busy with what? This is the app that will let you know what you’re so busy with. It’s my favorite to do list. I have many lists, ones for business, marketing, personal, show improvements etc. You can put due dates on each to do and set up email reminders, and it’s so satisfying to check the box when you finish a task:) It syncs between my mac and iPhone. They also have an Android version. I’ve never paid for the pro version because the free version does everything I need. Now you have no excuse when you feel like you don’t know what to do next. FREE
Mac https://itunes.apple.com/app/wunderlist-to-do-list-tasks/id410628904
iPhone https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wunderlist-to-do-list-tasks/id406644151?mt=8
Downcast
Hi I’m Peter and I like to listen to podcasts. The addiction is real. I love podcasts. I have a few I stick to but occasionally branch out when I get a good recommendation. Let me know what podcasts you like in the comments bellow I need some new ones! Downcast is the app I use to listen to them. I’ve tried a few others and found myself always going back to this. Lots of options and easy to navigate. $2.99
iPhone https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/downcast/id393858566?mt=8
Flipboard
The best news app in my opinion. Tell Flipboard what you’re interested in and it will give you back interesting articles on everything you are into. Just flip through stories until you come to one you want to read. Quick and easy to browse and read. FREE
iPhone https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/flipboard-your-social-news/id358801284?mt=8
Gate Guru
I’m in a lot of airports, flying to colleges and corporate events. I have to say that I have been using this app less because I have become so familiar with some airports I know where everything is. But I still pull this app out when I’m in unfamiliar territory. Gate Guru will tell you where everything is in the airport you are in. Looking for Jamba Juice at BWI? It’ll tell you exactly where it is. Or where to get a great salad at MDW? Done. Or how about the closest Starbucks? Yep, it knows where it is. FREE
iPhone https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gateguru-airport-info-flight/id326862399?mt=8
Paprika
Over the last couple years I have started to cook more and more when I’m home. When I have the time it’s something that I really enjoy. I crack open a beer or bottle of cabernet, and then I crack open my iPad. It is an AMAZING recipe app. A couple key features are that you can use their web browser or paste a link of a recipe you found on the web and it will import it into the app without you having to type anything. You can rate each recipe, you can make categories and subcategories to organize. Another of my favorite features is the shopping list. You are able to add all the ingredients from a recipe into your shopping list with a press of the button. I will often go to the grocery store without a plan, but I only realize this when I get there. So I open Paprika on my iPhone, decide on a couple meals I want that week, add ingredients to the shopping list and shop. If you cook and are making a personal collection of recipes you love, get this app! $4.99
iPhone/iPad https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/paprika-recipe-manager-get/id392408028?mt=8
IF
This is the app that controls the super powerful “If This Then That” platform. This is automation for the common person. You sign up for an account which is free then you are able to use what they call “recipes”. These recipes can do almost anything, by communicating between different platforms. For example I use a recipe to automatically keep my Facebook and Twitter profile pictures in sync, post any picture I post to Instagram to Facebook, and anytime I post an Instagram picture it posts it to twitter as a native picture and not as a link. I also have one to download any picture I’m tagged in on Facebook to a dropbox folder. I think you get the idea with those examples. There are so many more, I can get lost looking through pages of all the recipes! FREE
iPhone https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/if-by-ifttt/id660944635?mt=8
One Password
Passwords suck. I hate them, but I know I need them. One Password makes them suck less. This app lets you store your passwords in the cloud, encrypted, and make them available on all your iOS devices and your Mac. It will generate insanely complicated passwords that no one will ever guess them. When you need a password you simply log into One Password with the one password you have to remember (hence the name) and it will automatically fill in your username and password for the site you are on. It will also hold banking information, credit cards, and has a secure notes section. This might be my MOST used app.
iPhone FREE https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/1password-password-manager/id568903335?mt=8
Mac $64.99 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/1password-password-manager/id443987910?mt=12