9 Essential Apps To Download
(credit: Twin Design/shuttesrtock)Apps have become some of the most important tools we utilize each and every day. These days, apps come out for the iPhone or Android devices every day. From interesting photo filter apps to video conferencing apps and apps that will deliver food from top notch restaurants for you, there seems to be no shortage of options. But, with the millions that come out, which apps are the best to download to help out your life in Los Angeles? We've done the research for you to find ones you won't want to miss out on.
(credit: DailySage)1.) Daily Sage
iPhone
Los Angeles is a town of eternal sunshine and positivity. So, why not be awakened each morning with some inspirational advice? Available for iPhone devices, Daily Sage is a new app which sends daily inspirational quotes to your phone along with a beautiful high resolution photo to your phone. The daily messages, which are curated from a collection of professional entrepreneurs, mental health counselors, life coaches and comedians shows up automatically on your notifications screen by 9 a.m. to provide some much needed inspiration. Once received, you can choose to save it to your personal collection within the app if it resonates with you, or share the post via SMS and email, or to your social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, & Pinterest. And, if you really love a Daily Sage message, you can also save it to your camera roll. Build your own personal collection to go back to time and time again! The app also lets users submit their favorite quotes for review. So, if you have something truly inspirational to share with the world, you might just get your quote pushed out to millions of people who have downloaded the app. Daily Sage is available free for 7 days, and then you can choose to subscribe for just $0.99/month or for $9.99/year. Daily Sage can be downloaded here, or on the iPhone App Store.
iPhone
Android
We've all come across articles, videos or links we wish we could save for later viewing. Well, now you can. Pocket, which offers a mobile, tablet and computer version of its software, allows you to save anything you see and come back to it whenever you want, even if you're offline. With a beautiful interface, you can also follow users to discover new stories they recommend as well. The app is free, but if you want unlimited storage, or tags to quickly organize your stories, and for other features, you can upgrade for a small fee to the plus package. Think of this app as the ultimate bookmark tool taken to the next level!
(credit: Wachiwit/shutterstock)3.) Boomerang For Instagram
iPhone
Android
Want to have a little more fun with your videos on Instagram? Download Instagram's Boomerang app. Use it once and you'll be hooked. The standalone app makes videos fun by looping a series of photos together. You can then import the video and upload it to your Instagram feed, and save to your camera roll for later viewing as well. To use the app, find something or someone moving and press one button. It will then take a series of 10 photos of the movement and stitch them together in a loop. It's great fun to use with friends, or use the front-facing camera to take funny selfies! And, with all the great venues in Los Angeles constantly in motion, you're sure to find some great videos to turn into fun loops with this app!
(credit: JW)4.) Todoist
iPhone
Android
Living in Los Angeles can be quite hectic. With all the activities to take part in, as well as daily life and business tasks, Todoist will help make your life easier by attempting to organize all of those tasks. Todoist keeps things simple and is a great task manager to help keep your list of things to do in order. The app, which offers a free and premium version, is neatly designed and has a very intuitive interface as well. And, with a web, mobile and desktop version of the app, your task list will be synced automatically between all your devices. While other apps can be overwhelming with so many bells and whistles and guides on how to operate them, this app is easy to open and start using right away. Add tasks and notes/attachments to them, categorize projects and do so much more. You can also collaborate with others in shared tasks, making it a perfect app for business. A full list of features can be found here.
(credit: A. Aleksandravicius/shutterstock)5.) Prisma
iPhone
Android
Since Instagram transformed the way we interact with photos with great filters, things were never quite the same. And, while many apps have been introduced that add filters, very few have captured our attention. But, Prisma has taken the world by storm by transforming your photos into works of art using the styles of famous artists like Van Gogh, Picasso and other greats. Take great photos of Santa Monica Beach, Malibu, The Hollywood Sign, or other terrific views and turn them into pieces of art with this top app. Download it today and turn your photos into something to brag about.
It's a common scenario: you want to travel somewhere, but want to make sure you're getting the best price you can get for airline tickets. With Hopper, the award winning mobile app tells you when the best time to buy that ticket is and can facilitate the purchase as well. Simply search for a trip by tapping on dates on a color coded calendar, and then get Hopper's prediction about when your flight will be the cheapest. The app then recommends if you should book the ticket now, or wait until it'll be less expensive. If you choose to wait and follow Hoppers advice, the app will keep watch on your trip and send you notifications the instant the price drops. Or, if Hopper says buy, book your ticket straight from the app in just a few clicks or taps. Never pay full price again!
(credit: Roman Tiraspolsky/shutterstock)7.) Shyp
iPhone
Android
We all know that traffic can be a nightmare in Los Angeles. So, the next time you need to ship something, skip all the work of packing it, driving to the post office and dealing with all of the other details. Shipping is made easy with Shyp. The good people behind this iPhone and Android based app will pick up your items, package them, and then send it for the lowest price available. You won't even need to leave your home. How does it work? Think of it like Uber, but for packages. Simply open the app up, click the big green 'new shipment' button, fill out your info and a courier will come to your residence to pick up your item or items. Your item(s) will be packed by trained experts using only high-quality materials and ship them at competitive prices. Pickup is just $5, and you can also choose to package the items yourself, or let the experts do it for an additional charge.
(Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)8.) Bandsintown
iPhone
Android
Los Angeles is a music town with concerts happening daily at some of the best venues in the world. Bandsintown is not a new app by any means, but if you love music, it's essential. Never miss a concert by your favorite band again. Bandsintown not only lets you know about upcoming concerts coming to your area, but it tells you about shows you want to see. The app, which syncs to your music library and pulls data from music services you use like Spotify, even analyzes your Facebook likes to deliver a complete list of bands you're interested in. So, instead of researching your favorite bands and when they're going to play a show, leave it up to the app to notify you with push notifications. Book tickets through the app, find upcoming shows for your favorite bands and do so much more.
Looking your best is a must in Los Angeles. With the myriad of gyms, spinning classes and great workout classes, it can get quite expensive. But, with Sworkit, you can lose weight or tone up for free. Skip the gym or personal trainers and this app will guide you with high quality videos showing you exactly what to do and how to do it. Once you open the app, select the type of workout you're interested in from a main grouping like strength, cardio, yoga, stretching or others, and then select a workout type. Tell the app how long you want to work out and follow along to videos by trainers who take you through the workout. So, the next time that gym wants to sell you a high-priced membership, remember you can get your full-body workout using this handy app for free. The exercises also require very little, if any equipment, too.
