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9 Nifty Apps You Didn’t Know About

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Mercer chapter.

With the new iPhone 6 recently being released, people are looking for different ways to make their phone worth the cost. Facebook, Snapchat, and Candy Crush are the first apps people will generally buy, but what about after those? Here’s a few ideas to help make your phone more useful and awesome.

1. DuoLingo

Free for Apple and Android

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/saltzman/2013/12/24/best-ap…

With this app, you can learn different language for free with daily exercises and a points system to keep track of your practices. The different languages offered are German, French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian. This app could definitely be helpful to people taking a language class. Some users wish more languages could be offered along with practice with grammar. Overall, DuoLingo offers many opportunities for free, and you should check it out before paying a bunch of money for other lessons.

2. WOD Deck of Cards

Free for Apple and Android

 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wod-deck-of-cards/id590984741?mt=8

With this nifty app, your workout depends on the card that is drawn. This app is great for quick workouts, especially if you can’t make time to make it to the gym today or can’t afford a gym membership. It logs and tracks your workouts to help you reach your goals. The app has overall very good ratings and comments.

3. MyScript Calculator

Free for Apple and Android

 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/myscript-calculator-handwriting/id578979…

This app is new and different because it lets you use your own handwriting when inputting math problems. For some reason, people like this a lot better than pressing buttons like normal calculators. Just make sure your handwriting isn’t too messy!

4. Doorsteps Swipe

Free for Apple

 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/doorsteps-swipe-for-real-estate/id839814…

This new app has been dubbed the “Tinder for Real Estate.” You can quickly swipe through different apartments or houses for sale or rent just by downloading a free app. Some criticism this app has gotten is that there is no satellite view which shows the surrounding area, and it also does not give the lot size. Overall, the app has much potential and is a good starting point.

5. Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock

$.99 for Apple and Android

 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sleep-cycle-alarm-clock/id320606217?mt=8

This alarm will track your sleeping patterns throughout night and wake you up during your lightest sleeping phase, so you will wake up feeling refreshed. There is a 30 minute window for your alarm to go off, and when you wake up, you can view your data from the night. The data consists of when your lightest and deepest sleep cycles were based on your movements during the night. It has been the #1 Top Paid App in the US, UK, Japan, Germany, and many more.

6. PhotoMath

Free on Apple

 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/photomath/id919087726?mt=8

Can’t figure out some math homework? You can easily download this app, snap a photo, and have the result within seconds. It also gives step by step explanations as to how it came up with the answer. Most of the criticism for the app is because some math is “too advanced” for the app, so the app is rendered useless. It does not cover inequalities or many algebra equations.

7. Pizza Compass

Free on Apple and Android

 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pizza-compass/id642652985?mt=8

This app is exactly what it claims to be: a compass to find pizza. Many different features of the app help you find the location of pizza closest to you. The pizza will start steaming the closer you get, and it even tells you if the store is open or closed. Perfect for the pizza-monster in you!

8. Waze

Free for Apple and Android

 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/waze-social-gps-maps-traffic/id323229106…

Download this app and add your friends, so you can warn each other about accidents, trash in the roads, and even lurking police officers. Use the app as your GPS and earn points for every mile you travel with the app open. You can log traffic, debris, and construction that can delay the commutes of your friends or people around you. Some minor errors in the app include warnings that should go away after a certain time and rotation. Still, try it out. What have you got to lose except a speeding ticket?

9. RescueTime

Free on Android

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rescuetime.android

This app stalks how long you spend on email, social media, and other apps on your phone. You can rig it to alert you when you have spent too long procrastinating and should return studying. This can be very helpful for high school and college students. It also logs your progress over time, which is a feature many people seem to enjoy.