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Gadget Countdown 2: Apps, glorious apps

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6th Dec 2013
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“There’s an app for that,” is no longer just a slightly annoying Apple slogan. In 2013, we’ve seen apps for literally anything and everything you can think of.

As part of our gadget countdown 2013, here are some of the weird, wonderful and downright amazing apps we’ve come across this year - and feel free to add your own suggestions at the end.

The handy one: LogMeIn Ignition (free, with additional computers costing $8.80 a month)

Irish accountant Neal Morrison praised LogMeIn as the app that changed his working life at the UK200 conference recently - so we had to check it out. 

It’s completely free, and works with LogMeIn on your PC or laptop to provide remote access to users - basically you can access your desktop from anywhere, on any device

It’s particularly handy because it lets you use all applications stored on your computer wherever you are. "Pro" features are available for a monthly subscription starting at US$8.80 per computer that will let you save and transfer files between mobile device and computer, and accessing cloud apps via LogMeIn such as Dropbox.

The go-anywhere, work any time nature of LogMeIn makes it a contender for the handiest app of 2013; the only down side is that it means snow days will no longer be an excuse not to work!

The financial one: Money Dashboard (free)

I’ve been reading many reviews about personal finance app Mint and lamenting the fact that it’s still hasn’t reached the UK.

But Money Dashboard promises to fill the gap Mint is so strangely leaving wide open. 

While it's not strictly an app (it's a mobile optimised version of its website), Money Dashboard aggregates your current, savings and credit card bank accounts together to give you a relatively clear picture of how your personal finances are doing.

Version 2.0 was recently launched and offers a pretty intensive drill-down into your finances - a daunting prospect, even for a journalist.

Intelligent tagging helps it recognise and categorise similar transactions (ie Shell  = oil, etc) to give you tailored reports on each expenditure stream.

You can set personal goals and budgets and everything is tracked and highlighted in colourful, neat charts and diagrams.

Special mention: Billguard - This is a free finance app (with some paid for features) that keeps an eye on fraudulent or recurring credit card charges. A great new addition to the finance app store.

The healthy one: Moves (price: £1.20 approx)

This app is basically a pedometer for your iPhone - with a bit of a difference. If you leave on the “background app refresh” function on iOS7, it will track how many steps you’ve done in a day, where you’ve been, how long you walked for and how far and where.

It’s quite fun trying to beat your previous day’s record and to see if you can reach the 10,000 steps ideal. You can also connect it to other apps or share your progress on social media.

I like it as a health app because it’s always on, it’s incredibly simple and it’s not strenuous or overly complicated and will appeal to everyone.

Special mention: 7-minute workout - Anyone who’s a bit of a fitness nut will like this simple, free health app too. It’s basically what is says on the tin: a 7-minute workout. The app’s ‘voice’ announces which workouts will come up next during a 7-hour circuit, which you can extend to as many rounds as you like - make it a 14, 21 or 28-minute workout. The exercises include crunches, wall-sits, step-ups and lunges, and shows you a diagram of how to do them. A great app for those cold nights when you don’t feel like hauling yourself to the gym.

The downright creepy one: mSpy app 24.99 per month for family, over £50 a month for business)

I spotted this featured in the press recently - and not for the right reasons. mSpy is a surveillance app, meaning you can keep an eye on whomever you like once it’s installed on their device. And, it’s “virtually” undetectable.

You can buy it for your business, or for your family, and it will let you you view call records, record calls, intercept instant messages, track GPS locations, restrict calls and monitor internet use. I can see why some overprotective parents might want to use this to keep an eye on their teenage children - but perhaps it’s not a good choice for accountants to use spy on their colleagues. It does get a full 10/10 for the creepiest app of 2013, however.

The productivity one: Easilydo Smart Assistant (free)

Too short on cash to get your own PA? Then download this productivity app that does everything except the washing up.

It’ll remind you of birthdays, import and organise your contacts, tell you about bad weather, check the traffic for you, track parcels and remind you when you’ve got to pay overdue bills.

It synchs with your iOS calendar, social networking sites and email to give you a one-stop-shop reminder and organiser which is great for very busy, very forgetful people.

It can also be customised - which may be very useful for busy accountants to schedule client meetings, when their returns are due, when their next networking event is and delete the most recently tagged, unflattering picture of them at the office party on Facebook all from one app, instantly. 

The photography one: Adobe Photoshop Express (free - with paid features available too)

It’s all well and good taking a picture, but what about prettying it up before you upload it?

I’m not purely talking about that buzzword of the year, selfies, here - if you’re quite into your photography and want to straighten, crop or add a bit of edge to your pictures, then this is an amazing app. It also works quite well for headshots too - so no more paying professional photographers.

The app provides filters, an auto-fix function, the ability to remove red-eye, crop, rotate, adjust colour and add borders.

Then, feel free to share your pictures on social media.

Special mention: Instagram - This free app isn’t just about sharing pictures of cats and food, you know. More and more organisations are using it to promote their brand and give a ‘behind-the-scenes’ view of their firm. @accountingwebuk even have an account - why not download, play around with the video and picture functions and give us an add?

The sports one: ESPN SportsCentre (Free)

As a rubgy-nut, I love this app, which is updated round-the-clock with sports news and the latest scores.

You can set your favourite teams and disable the breaking news function, which allows you to customise a feed completely tailored to your interests.

It also integrates quite well with Twitter, for those of you who enjoy hashtagging your favourite games.

A must-have for the sports fan who finds themselves working when their favourite games are on.

Special mentions: Our American editor has stepped in to alert baseball fans to MLB.com's online app, which gives you up-to-date scores and match-ups for all the day's baseball games. You'll have to pay to watch live updates or video on your mobile. But free baseball broadcasts are available (along with occasional rugby, Premier League football and US college football games) on the BT Sport app. The browser-based BT viewer is a bug-ridden travesty, but the iPad/iPhone app viewer works very smoothly.

The newsy one: Flipboard (free)

Free app Flipboard is a news aggregator app, that pulls in interesting stories based on your preferences.

When you sign up, you tick off a list of interests and can even include websites you want to follow (like AccountingWEB).

What you get is a flipchart of top stories in each section, which you can use to flick through quickly. Great for those short on time, but wanting to keep up to date with the latest news in each sector.

It’s also extremely easy to share anything you might find interesting on most social media channels. 

The beer-y one: Untappd (free)

This is one for those who love a good pint of beer - and love to talk about it, too.

The app allows you to share pictures and descriptions of the beer you’re currently drinking, and where you’re drinking it too.

It’s great for those who are ale or craft beer-heads who want to discover new or upcoming pubs, breweries and beer-haunts.

Possibly a good way to suss a place out to take a client for a drink if they’re particularly fond of a brew!

And finally… the Christmas one: 12 days of Christmas app (free)

Free stuff - how can that ever be bad? (As long as it’s not a client bearing a shoebox full of receipts with no late premium).

I download this app every year, as starting on 26 December all you do is click on it like an advent calendar - et viola! It gives you a free gift in the shape of an app, song or other iPhone titbit.

I wasn’t particularly impressed with my present of songs from Ed Sheeran’s acoustic album (not a fan), but I did love my football game app, cookery app and geography game app (thrilling) that would otherwise have cost a packet if downloaded together.

What are your apps of the year? Share them below (be they weird, wonderful or otherwise) for us and other members to try out.

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Replies (7)

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By GaryMc
10th Dec 2013 09:34

Moves

I tried Moves when it was available as a free app but found that it had a bad effect on my battery.  On a phone that needs to be charged daily, extra drain is not a good thing.

The workings of it were very good and it was simple to set up and use although, as with any type of pedometer, you can 'cheat' the system by moving your phone up and down to record steps.

Having tried out a number of running apps, Strava is my current favourite.  The segments idea where sections of your run are compared to other users is a big selling point although Nike+ is still better in terms of feedback on the move.

thetrainline.com app is a useful one - especially as it tells you your platform before the information boards.  Very helpful at somewhere like Paddington

And I couldn't be without TuneIn Radio.  Streaming rock stations from the US is great.

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By Rachael White
10th Dec 2013 10:09

Thanks!

Good point Gary - although I didn't dream of cheating on Moves! 

I do love Strava for cycling and running, and love that you can drill down to split your pace between each mile or KM, and that you can compete with other runners/cyclists in your area. The monthly challenges (i.e. run 20km this month) are great for a gamer like me too. 

Thanks for your suggestions - some really great additions there. 

Thanks (1)
Nigel Harris
By Nigel Harris
10th Dec 2013 11:36

Big Nike+ fan

I started running this year, and have done 5Ks, 10K and my first half marathon. I have found the Nike+ app invaluable to track my training and help me sort out speed and pacing. I wouldn't be without it.

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By Rachael White
10th Dec 2013 16:07

Thanks Nigel! 

Thanks Nigel! 

I think this has very much been the year of the sports app. 

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By User deleted
12th Dec 2013 16:26

I wonder ...

... how some people get any work done!

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By Rachael White
12th Dec 2013 16:31

Apps can help you get work done OGA! Expenses apps make it quicker to file expenses, Google Drive helps me work on the train. 

And the beer and running ones are for later on in the evening... :) 

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By User deleted
13th Dec 2013 09:27

Hmmm ...

... there is only me so expenses not an issue and I have a 10 minute drive to work!

I did mean more though the time spent findingthe one you want in the veritable forest of the damn things people who use them seem to have, not to mention clutering your brain up remembering what they all do. At my age I have to be selective with what I load my brain up with!

I just get saddened that we spent hundreds, if not thousands, of years developing one of the richest most flexible languages in the world and within a decade or two we have regressed to monosyllables, cave paintings and finger jabbing - roll on the zombie apocolypse!

The only thing I want my fingers to be stroking is the soft white sensuous skin of a hot blooded flame haired Silvan nymph - especially if her name were Lydia Rose - Bewley!

Damn, not going to get to sleep now - oh to be 30 years younger!

When I do go on the train I don't work, a) because I like to look out the window and experience the world around me, b) I don't think my clients would like the world and his wife being ale to see their financial and other data, and c) it makes me feel nauseous!

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