Last week we compared some of the key device differences between iOS and Android. This week the EZTakaful blog looks at the Apps that run on these platforms and allow you to do many fun and cool things on your smartphone!
What Are Apps?
‘App’ is the short form for ‘application’ – which means a computer program. When people talk about apps they normally refer to programs that run on mobile devices, such as smartphones or tablets.
Today’s modern smartphones all come with powerful web browsers, meaning you can use them like desktop computer to surf the net. However, fiddling with a URL bar and managing bookmarks on a mobile device is cumbersome and not user-friendly. As a result many online sites and services now have standalone Apps for a better browsing experience for their users.
Overwhelmed By The App Options?
Nowadays there really is an app for everything; you have plenty of choices – in fact, too much choice! So you are not alone if you feel overwhelmed.
According to data released a week before the unveiling of the Apple iPhone 6S, the following are the top 10 Apps by global download since 2010:
- Facebook Messenger
- YouTube
- Skype
- WhatsApp Messenger
- Find My iPhone
- Google Maps
- iTunes
We imagine that the apps on this top 10 list look very familiar. Items such as Facebook and WhatsApp are essential to communicate with your friends and family! In light of this EZTakaful has discovered some great apps you might not now about…but you need to have!
For those in the Android camp, below are some of the best apps you can download.
Hexlock
You can lock your whole Android smartphone with a PIN or pattern, but you can’t lock specific apps. That’s where Hexlock comes in. It lets you set a PIN or password and apply it to apps of your choice, so even if someone borrows your phone you can control what they see and access.
Maybe you want to keep your messages private for example, or stop a child accessing the browser or Google Play. To make things even easier you can set up multiple profiles which lock down different apps and switch between them with a tap. Source: www.techradar.com
IF
IF was formerly known as IFTTT, which stands for “if this then that”, concisely summing up what this app does. It’s a simple ethos that gives you a huge amount of options for making your Android device do some pretty cool things.
You can create simple statements such as “if any photo is taken then add them to Dropbox”, or “if my location is home, send a text message to my partner saying “I’m home!”” which can also be shared with other IF users. You’ll be amazed how much you can do with such a simple premise. Source: www.techradar.com
Snapseed
Google’s free photo editing app Snapseed is one of the best tools you can get for your Android device to edit your photos and make them look better than ever before. You can manually tweak your images or let Snapseed do all of the hard work with settings such as Auto Correct as well as a number of ready to use filters and effects. Source: www.techradar.com
For die-hard iOS fans, here are some most wonderful apps you should be aware of:
Last Pass
With the launch of iOS 8, LastPass integrates with TouchID, the fingerprint scanner on iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus, and new support for extensions in mobile Safari. That means your fingerprint will let you unlock your phone and log into websites automatically. It’s safe and smart because you don’t have to try and remember all your passwords. LastPass takes care of that, meaning you have can unique passwords for all your logins.
Mint
Mint is the best one-stop shop for keeping an eye on your finances. It provides insight into all your financial accounts, from current and savings accounts to credit cards. You can see pending transactions, account balances, your total net worth, and even the remaining balance in your personalized monthly budget.
Hyperlapse
Hyperlapse shoots polished time lapse videos that were previously impossible without bulky tripods and expensive equipment. When you shoot a time lapse video with Hyperlapse, your footage will be instantly stabilized to smooth out the bumps from the road and give it a cinematic feeling. Capture an entire sunrise in 10 seconds—even from the back of a moving motorcycle. Walk through the crowds at an all-day music festival, then distill it into a 30 second spot. Capture your bumpy trail run and share your 5k in 5 seconds.
However the number one must have app for Android and iOS is….the EZTakaful app – making it even easier to arrange affordable protection for you and your family.
Download our free app now to learn more about EZTakaful and cover everyone you love!
In the third instalment in our Technology series where we discuss how smartphones and technology have considerably changed our lives.
Happy Reading!