15 Must have Applications for Smartphones

Mobile phones always make life easier, most especially applications for smartphone. They are tools for making life more efficient.

Nowadays, some mobile combined everything you may need together such as: Mp3 player, video camera,

camera, Wi-Fi, GPS etc.

As an Author, I use my BlackBerry for posting to my blog, moderating comment, research, business, taking picture/videos, listening to music/radio stations, keep in touch with my friends on Facebook, Twitter, Gmail etc. mobile phone has been very useful for me.

There are thousands of smartphone applications for BlackBerrys, iPhones, Androids, ipad, but they are some useful and most have applications as a smartphone user to install first. Having these applications will add more values to your smartphone.

1.     Facebook

Smartphone without Facebook is not complete. According to my research, Facebook approximately have 800 million users worldwide.  Facebook application can easily update your status, post to wall, post pictures and videos, comment on your friends’ update, up-to-date on your notifications.

Facebook is a free application and available for all smartphone platforms.

2.     Twitter

This is also a social networking application like Facebook. Many website include their icons on page that allow visitor to easily like or follow that particular website. However, this application is amazing with breaking news stories before any other new media broadcast them.

Twitters also have many free applications just like Facebook for smartphones.

3.     Skype

Skype can make free international calls to other Skype users or video chat amongst the users. For people who traveled across the country, Skype can helps in getting in touch with your friends, partners, family etc. while you can avoid the high phone call rates.

Skype designed an application for smartphone users. But it works with Wi-Fi signal. You can also reach another Skype user through voice or instant message.

Skype is free application for BlackBerry, iPhone, Android and Windows mobile users.  

4.     Opera Mini Browser

This is a web browser application that supports any smartphone platforms. The application is fast and accurate and it has the facilities such as: start page, bookmark, saved pages, history, downloads, find in page, share and help.

The application is also free and available for any smartphone platforms.

5.     UC Browser

This is also a web browser application. However, it is fast and accurate. It can display pages that the other browser cannot. It also can display PDF files directly from the browser environment easily. Some of the unique features are: resume from previous pages, bookmark, saved pages, history, tab utilities, share option, page tools and file manager.

UC Browser application is free and available for all smartphones.

6.     Adobe Reader

This is an application is a must for professionals and students. This is basically use for opening and viewing PDF files on your smartphone. It allows you to send PDF files as attachments to email, and to view PDF documents you receive. It also allows you to search and bookmark PDF files.  It has utilities like viewing PDF documents in portrait or landscape mode, zoom in or out, open encrypted PDF files with passwords.

Adobe Reader is a free application and available for all smartphone platforms.

7.     Dropbox

Dropbox is similar application to Evernote. If you want to access your pictures, document, video etc. inside your computer on your smartphone. Copy the files to a Drapbox folder, and you will be able to access them through your smartphone.

Dropbox is a free application and available for all smartphone platforms.

8.     Evernote

Evernote allows you to view, edit and share files through your smartphone. The basic application is free. You can also upgrade to premium Evernote to increase your storage capacity to one gigabyte per month. The cost per month for premium version is $5, it will include additional features.

9.     Dragon Dictation

This application allows you to use voice-recognition to draft emails, text messages and also update your Twitter and Facebook status. You can simply use the application by pressing the record button and create your text by speaking choose whether to email, send as SMS or post in social network of your choice. The application is fantastic by including punctuations, paragraphs and saves for later use option.

Note: Dragon Dictation is a free application and available for BlackBerry, iPad and iPhones.

10.  Pandora

Pandora is a popular streaming application available for smartphones. It allows you to pick artist that you like or enjoy and listen to various radio stations. Pandora sells music. Although, you can listen to songs, it is free.

The application is free and available for any smartphone platforms.

11.   Genius Scan

This application is very useful. It helps to convert your smartphone into a scanner device easily. It allows you to take pictures such as documents; receipts etc. and convert them to JPG or PDF files. It can easily save your scanned documents for future use, or share them via emails, Facebook, Twitter.

Genius Scan is a free smartphone application, you can also upgrade for limited access cost $2.99. The application is only available for Apple products, iPads and iPhones.

12.    Adobe Photoshop Express

This application is one of best smartphone applications for editing images. You can easily make adjustments, cropping, applying filters, adjusting contrast, color, exposure, applying special borders and effects.

You can easily upload pictures to Twitter, Facebook or Flickr through this application.

Adobe Photoshop Express smartphone application is free and available for all smartphone platforms.

13.    PicMix

This application is used for editing images, share pictures and make friends. The application is like Adobe Photoshop Express.

        

PicMix is a free application and available for BlackBerry and Apple.  

14.   RedLaser

Redlaser is an application for shoppers. The smartphone application can easily get you the best price of item you want to buy. Simply convert your smartphone to QR-code or barcode reader. Scan the information with your Redlaser application and you will get the prices of the same item at the nearest store.

The application can also remind you if you are not ready to purchase by email with barcode attached.

The amazing things about this application: the scanning of barcodes can also provide information on nutritional values of food item and qualities. Scan product features, videos and reviews. You can also find out books your local library by scamming the barcode.

Note: readers from Nigeria cannot use this application. The application is not configured with shops in Nigeria.

Redlaser is a free application and available to all smartphone platforms.

15.   Camcard

This application helps you to take a picture of a particular business card and save the contact information to your address book.

The application recognizes a number of different fonts and support 12 languages. The information you import will be password protected because the application is not free application and available for BlackBerry, iPhone and Android platforms.

Cheers!