What's your favorite smart phone app?

[Midrsv]

I was recently with a group of friends that were all in their 60's and 70's and we got into a discussion about our smart phones. While I don't profess to be an expert on the iphone I have had one since the 3G model and I was amazed at how little these friends knew about their phones and what they could do with them. So I began sharing some of my applications with them and they began to see light so to speak. One person who didn't have a smart phone made the comment that he didn't see the need for one. After our discussion he decided he needed one after all. Especially after I explained how my phone saved me over $200 at Lowes on a dishwasher. After reading other discussions here where smart phones were mentioned I thought it might be helpful to all of us if we shared some of our favorite apps and what they do for us.

 

I'll start. One of my most used apps is the Amazon app. I am an Amazon prime customer and anytime I need something Amazon is my first stop. Even when I'm in a store I will often price check with Amazon. In the app there is a camera icon in the upper corner that allows you to scan barcodes to check prices. Last Sunday I was in Best Buy to pick up an ink cartridge. It was $19.99 at Best Buy. While in line at the check out I scanned the barcode with the Amazon app and found it for $13.45 and Best Buy will match the Amazon price so I saved over $6 on that transaction. Lowes will also price match with them.

 

Another price comparison app is Red Laser. It scans barcodes and shows prices from competitive sources. A couple of years ago I ordered a new dishwasher from lowes.com to be picked up in the store. Our dishwasher failed and I didn't want to take time to do a lot of shopping so I just went to Lowes.com found one we liked, placed the order and went to the store to pick it up. When I got there they couldn't find the model that I ordered although the web said they had inventory. So the dept manager felt bad and said he would give me the next better model for the same price. Great I thought. So while standing at the service desk while he took care of the paperwork I pulled out my phone and scanned the barcode on the box. It popped up at Home Depot for nearly $200 less. I then asked the manager about the great deal I was supposed to be getting and showed him the results of my scan. He immediately offered to match that price plus an additional 10% off. I figured that transaction paid for my smartphone plan for a few months.

 

I use Google Maps daily. Either for trip planning or as a GPS. It's much easier to use than my Tahoe's built in GPS.

 

I have more apps that save me money or makes life easier but I'll wait for other to chime in with theirs.

 

Dennis

[videoarizona]

Raindar. Gives me weather anywhere. Bonus... It also gives me traffic... Far faster than maps!!!

[Karaboo]

Garage Buddy. Plenty of tools, all in one easy reference.

[Midrsv]

Raindar. Gives me weather anywhere. Bonus... It also gives me traffic... Far faster than maps!!!

 

I looked up Raindar and it is for Android devices only. For weather radar on iOS devices I use Radarscope. It displays NOAA radar sites in realtime. It's my go to app when I am touring and see storm clouds forming. No traffic info though.

 

[Midrsv]

Another app that I use is the Walmart app. While I hate Walmart it seems that we all have to shop there. I use the app for their "Savings Catcher" feature. As I walk out after check out I fire up the app, hit Savings Catcher and it scans a barcode on the receipt. The app then compares everything I bought to around 48 competing stores and if anything is found to be cheaper somewhere else they refund the difference. Sometimes it's only a few pennies and sometimes its dollars. When I accumulate about $10 I request to get it back. It's free money. You just have to ask for it. I get back about $100 per year and we aren't big Walmart shoppers. This can also be done on a computer without a smartphone app.

[ragtop69gs]

One that I find useful at work is Bubble Level, Great when hanging pictures or setting leg levelers on tables. Google Earth, Waze, Craigslist, Armslist and fraction calculator get used a lot also.

[Midrsv]

One that I find useful at work is Bubble Level, Great when hanging pictures or setting leg levelers on tables. Google Earth, Waze, Craigslist, Armslist and fraction calculator get used a lot also.

 

Speaking of levels, did you know that the iphone compass has a level function? Open the compass app and swipe the screen to the left. Works good for me. i did go to the app store and look at bubble levels. Wow, there are a lot of level apps available.

[bostonlawman2003]

I will use the Gas Buddy app when I am traveling, quickly helps find the cheapest gas in the area, can search by price, grade, diesel, or distance. Has saved me a lot of money when I am on the road out of state and not familiar with the area.

[Venture n Dixie]

[\QUOTE]One of my most used apps is the Amazon app. I am an Amazon prime customer and anytime I need something Amazon is my first stops

I'll 2nd that. Last Saturday I was headed to Huntsville to get Mom. Remembered I was supposed to get her a giant print NIV bible. Got off the interstate and went to Life way book store. Looked it up on Amazon. $15 with free shipping. Went in and she shows me a $50 model. I pulled out the phone just to see if they had the cheaper model. Before I could say Anything she says we match internet prices if it's the same product. (Barcode #) she found the same one and charged $15 instead of $30 regular price. I'll start trying that trick in the future. Would rather buy local anyway.

[Eck]

Man keep the Apps coming... I just happen to be one of those 60's guys that don't know much of anything about these new phones.

 

Many thanks to you too Dennis for starting this thread!

[eagleeye]

I use Raindar more than any other ap. but the reason that I got a smart phone to begin with was to get the Navonics Lake Map ap. I did pay 9.99 for that one, and it's worth it to me. It has all north American lakes, contours, stumps, routes and many other options. In the summer or winter I can go to any spot on any lake that I want to go to.

[Freebird]

I paid for Navonics also. Great app if you spend any time on the water.

[Zzyzx]

My favorite app is the OFF button

 

[djh3]

When I had Sprint and unlimited data, probably my most used app was Pandora. Long drives to work, and trips I used the heck out of it. Now that I have changed jobs, dont travel hardly at all and have a new service (Verizon) and pay for data I really dont use many apps unless I am on wi-fi. But the raindar sounds interesting. I also recently bought an I phone 4 (mainly for the ipod function) and am thinking about swapping over to it as a phone. I have been android since we got smart phones. Dont know if I want to completely learn phone systems all over.

[Midrsv]

Here's another one. Glympse, It's an app that lets someone follow your location in real time. I know a lot of people don't want to let people know where they are. But, for me, I use it so my wife can see that I am still moving and she doesn't have to worry about me being in a ditch somewhere when I'm out for a ride. I just send her a "Glympse" via text and she can bring a map up and see my location at anytime. And she'll have an idea when I should be home.

[friesman]

I use Glympse when on a long ride in a large group. We can keep track of one another if we get separated,.

Here's another one. Glympse, It's an app that lets someone follow your location in real time. I know a lot of people don't want to let people know where they are. But, for me, I use it so my wife can see that I am still moving and she doesn't have to worry about me being in a ditch somewhere when I'm out for a ride. I just send her a "Glympse" via text and she can bring a map up and see my location at anytime. And she'll have an idea when I should be home.

[Trader]

Garage Buddy. Plenty of tools, all in one easy reference.

 

is. Garage Buddy available on iPad?

I don't see it anywhere

[Karaboo]

I don't know if it has an apple version. I don't have any Apple stuff.

[Freebird]

If you search Garage Buddy with Google, you will find some IOS versions. I don't find it in the app store however. I saw some comments that it didn't work with the newer versions of IOS so maybe it was removed from the store.

[saddlebum]

My favorite apps in are:

1. ConvertPad. - It has a huge list of conversions including fuel consumption if you want to convert between L/100km, miles/gallon us, miles/gallon Canadian/UK, or even KM/Litre and maney more. you simply enter what you know and below it will list all the equivalent conversions.
   
2. Listmaster - create check lists and sublists
   
3. TomTom go - I find Google maps can be a little more accurate or up to date on the odd occasion but the nice thing with TomTom Go is that it does not require Data or a phone a signal to work as it only requires a satallite signal to function just like a regular GPS. If you do turn Data on it will show traffic issues and reroute you around any serious ones.
   
4. I also have an app used in conjunction with an ELM 327 code reader that allows me to check fault codes on my cars. Mine is a WFI (Actually given to my Wizard as he went to a blue tooth unit) so I am limited to only a few apps. the two free ones I use are Piston and Scanmaster. The paid versions give you much more detailed info and the Bluetooth units have a bigger list of apps to choose from. For the ELM 327 Bluetooth unit you can even get an app for big riggs that are OBD compliant.
   Make sure if your buying this unit that you get the actual ELM 327 as there are a lot of cheap knock offs avaiable.
   

Edited March 27, 2016 by saddlebum

[Condor]

Solitare.... Raindar comes in a close second.....during the winter along with weather underground.... :-)