MusicApp: SoundHound
Cost: Free
Review: I like this better than Shazam. Yes, I’m a design snob but honestly, the interface and features are more appealing to me. This app is great for those times where you’re listening to a song and wonder, “who sings that?”. Upon opening the app, you tap on a large button that reads, “What’s that song?” and within seconds it tells you not only who sings it, but what album, where you can download it to buy, look up the lyrics, watch the video of it, share it via email, Facebook, Twitter or text message, launch a Pandora Station with that artist, and even find similar artists to that one. Best part? Free.
Social MediaApp: HootSuite
Cost: Free
Review: This powerful little app manages all of your social media accounts under one roof. I have Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and FourSquare all linked up. So what? It allows me to create a message and with a simple check/uncheck decide which channels to share my message. If I want to schedule a message to go out at a later time, I can do that, too. One of the great things about HootSuite is that it shows your statistics – an instant dashboard analysis of your campaigns and whether or not they are being read, if you’re getting new followers, etc. Visible ROI on your marketing efforts. Hooray!
EntertainmentApp: Plants vs Zombies
Cost: $2.99
Review: I can’t help it, I’m absolutely and completely addicted to this game. So are my peers as well as my 5 year old. The goal is to build an army of plants that kill the zombies (peashooters, wall-nuts, cherry bombs, etc.) before they break down your door and eat your brains. The game has strategy, humor and wit – the almanac of the types of plants and zombies are hilarious (see screen grab below). There are lots of other quick play games and little mini games besides the 50 levels of the main game. Collect coins and upgrade your arsenal of zombie-fighting plants or start a zen garden where you can earn even more coins. Warning: productivity zapper.
EntertainmentApp: iButterfly
Cost: $2.99
Review: iButterfly puts a beautifully rendered 3D Butterfly Garden in the palm of your hand!
You can even get the Butterflies to land on your finger! where you will be amazed at the stunning detail, lifelike movements, and dazzling color of these virtual beauties.
EntertainmentApp: Food Network Nighttime
Cost: Free
Review: For all of you foodies out there addicted to shows like, “The Great Food Truck Race”, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” and “The Best Thing I Ever Ate”, this is an app must-have. This app works best over wi-fi, as the shows are crystal clear. Minor annoyance is you have to watch a 15-second ad before the episode starts, but overall great.
UtilitarianApp: PadMapper Apartment Search
Cost: Free
Review: Anyone looking for a new apartment to rent, this handy app will make your life a lot simpler. Know the area you would love to live? Simply type in the zipcode or find the area, specify your filters (2 bedroom? pets?) and ¡voila! All the listings in that area show up on a map. Each listing appears with photos and shows the original posting (for example the original post on Craigslist will be displayed). You can save your favorites and email them to your friend to check out.
As I was writing this, one of our good friends Rebecca from Journey Mexico posted this app as one of her fave’s, and we have to agree!
App: PaceDJ
Cost: $0.99
Review: Set the target pace of your workout, the app then scans your music library and builds a customized mix. One user says, “Having a great mix of music pumping that fits your running pace takes your mind off the pain, and makes you feel like some kind of superhero. It’s like that awesome feeling of being in your own music video, only you’re out running on the trail.”
App: Zapd
Cost: Free
Review: SUPER easy way to create your own blog or wesbite. You can upload photos or content directly from your iPhone. Lots of cool themes to choose from.
TechnologyApp: freespeech (Robin’s friend Neil developed this app! She says it’s awesome and was featured in an Apple commercial)
Cost:Free
Review: Mass emailing is so 2010. With freespeech you can set up group text messaging right through your iphone. All texts are FREE and can be used internationally too. (You can even see if your texts has been read yet or not.) You can use it to: make group dinner plans, talk fantasy sports smack, keep track of your crew at concerts and events, rally friends at bar time.
App: Incredibooth
Cost:$0.99
Review: Robin says, “Love this app! Its like having a photobooth in your back pocket. Not only is the design interface cool, but its from the makers of Hipstamatic so you know its going to be a hi-quality app. Plus you can easily share your photo threads with friends via social media.”
From Midori Connolly, our @Green_AV girl extraordinaire (and owner & Chief AVGirl of Pulse Staging): Can’t live without voice memos, Evernote, RedLaser for QR Codes, Kayak, Starbucks Mobile Card, Shazam, Keynote Remote and ESPN ScoreCenter.
And from our friend Nicole Shull (@shullySD): Talking Tom & I am T-Pain for fun, Shazam and Car Minder, keeps track of all those oil changes and nonsense that I can never remember to do!