Zero Hour: Timely App Review | 26 Android Apps in April for the #AtoZchallenge

It’s the end, the last letter of the challenge. And hence appropriate I think that I’ve saved the app I start my day, everyday with for the end. :)

Alarms and timers are a very important part of my life, they help me stay on track, stay on top of things. Without my trusty alarm I’d miss many a morning and then slog through the day trying to catch up with time. And without that nifty timer, I’d burn many a dish and motor with my absent-mindedness.

 

What the Timely App’s supposed to do

 

Timely offers 3 options to keep you on time. The alarm section allows you to create as many alarms as you want. You can set the alarm as a one time or make it recurring. You can choose which days of the week it should ring on.

You can also set up a challenge in the alarm, based on math, a pattern or matches, that you have to complete before you will be allowed to switch off the alarm. It’s an excellent way to make sure you don’t switch the alarm off and go back to sleep.

There is also a smart rise option, that makes the alarm go off gently and slowly 30 minutes before your set time. With smart rise you wake up gently and are not rudely awakened by a loud alarm.

The other options offered are a timer and stopwatch. These work as standard and don’t have any special frills.

 

How I’m using the Timely App

 

The alarm and timer are my most used options. I have a variety of alarms setup to wake up in the morning. Mostly in summer I wake up at the same time everyday but in winter I wake up at different times on different days based on the days plan.

By setting up a variety of alarms I don’t have to worry about setting up an alarm every night. Based on the schedule I’ve setup Timely makes sure to wake me up at the right time on the right day. I also set up two alarms as i have a bad habit of snoozing. So, a back up alarm. And on days when I can’t allow a snooze, I setup a challenge to force me out of bed on time.

The timer is the other option that is my lifeline. I use overtime I have to do something that involves an interval. If I’m cooking something that needs to be left to slow cook or I’ve switched on the water motor, I put on the timer. It makes sure I don’t forget to switch things off (I have a history for forgetting and burning stuff).

 

My thoughts on the Timely App

 

When I said this app is an app I wake up to, I wasn’t kidding. Timely is one of the most important apps in my android arsenal, it’s an app I can’t live without and one of the apps I use the most.

A very useful app in day to day life. Timely is simple, clean and to the point. It’s pretty but it doesn’t have too many frills. What it does have as options and functions, work really well and are very useful. If you don’t have Timely, get it. :)

What do you use for alarms and timers?

 

App details and link

 


Stars - ★★★★★
Developer - Bitspin
Devices - Android
Size - 9.4M
Installs - 5,000,000 - 10,000,000
Link - Android Store

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Yummy Yields: Burrp App Review | 26 Android Apps in April for the #AtoZchallenge

Che I are not big eating out people, we used to be but in recent years we’ve cut down a lot for various reasons, some in our control and some not. But we still do eat out, only now it’s quite an event, it’s given a lot of thought and it’s appreciated a lot more.

Most often when we eat out, it’s Che who does the choosing of where to eat. He’s good at it and his app of choice is Zomato but recently I got introduced to the Burrp app and now I think I’m going to try and choose.

 

What the Burrp App’s supposed to do

 

This app does so much that I’m not sure if I know all it does and it makes me wonder if it’s spreading itself thin and trying to do too much. But anyway… The app allows you to search for restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs nearby. You can also search based on type of cuisine. Search results are filtered based the distance from you, rating and price.

You can also mark places as favourites and want to try. Check-in, add photos, rate, leave a tip and writing a review is also offered. When looking for a place to eat you can view your favourites and call history to revisit a place.

You can also see places that are currently trending, hosting events or have offers running.

 

How I’m using the Burrp App

 

I haven’t use the app until now so this section is difficult to fill. :D

 

My thoughts on the Burrp App

 

I quite liked what I saw of the app and it’s search results were tempting enough for me to want to try. There’s a lot this app can do but even at the simple level that I would use an app like Burrp, it works well and I think it would be really helpful the next time I’m trying to choose a place to eat.

There seems to be an attempt at community building around food that the Burrp guys are attempting, and for those who eat out a lot, review restaurants or use apps like Burrp and Zomato, this community might just offer good benefits and advantages.

Do you use food apps? Which one do you use? Have you used the Burrp app? Which is your favourite food discovery app?

 

App details and link

 


Stars - ★★★★☆
Developer - Network18
Devices - Android, IOS
Size - 9.8M
Installs - 100,000 - 500,000
Link - Android Store | iTunes Store

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X Marks The Spot: 7 weeks App Review | 26 Android Apps in April for the #AtoZchallenge

Wikipedia defines a Habit as a routine of behaviour that is repeated regularly and tends to occur unconsciously.

Habits are hardy things, difficult to make and break. Earlier in the #AtoZchallenge Glenda had posted about habits. Here’s what she had to say...

"We form habits through repetitive behavior. Often our habits attach themselves to our lives much like a ganglion cyst. Changing a habit requires behavior modification for many, concerted effort and cognizance of the habit for others."

One trick to building a habit or making a certain behaviour a habit is doing it consistently for 7 weeks. That means tracking it everyday to make sure you do what is required everyday for 7 weeks.

 

What the 7 weeks App’s supposed to do

 

You create a calendar for each habit you would like to track and set a start date. You can also enter a reason for why you are trying to make something a habit.

In settings you can choose the theme as light or dark and also select morning or evening reminders. Each day mark the calendar with a not or cross based on whether you completed the habit or not.

Along with a calendar view of the 7 weeks for each habit, the app also offers statistics about your habit and performance.

 

How I’m using the 7 weeks App

 

I have been using the app to track my goal of reading the news everyday on the Inshorts app. (I spoke about this habit I want to form in my Inshorts app review)

I also use the app to track non-habit things like days when Cuckoo showed leg pain or Senti had a tummy upset. Not exactly tracking a habit but the app is great for showing trends/days at a glance.

 

My thoughts on the 7 weeks App

 

This is a very simple app but it’s really useful as it helps build a habit and makes you feel good everyday when you check off another successful day into the habit. A good way to get reminded and track a habit too!

 

App details and link

 


Stars - ★★★★★
Developer - 7 Weeks
Devices - Android
Size - 4.3M
Installs - 100,000 - 500,000
Link - Android Store

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Writing On The Go: Evernote App Review | 26 Android Apps in April for the #AtoZchallenge

I am an impulsive writer, I know I must train myself to write on demand and that I must be disciplined about it but I write some of my best stuff on the spur on the moment, when I write with emotion and the words just flow.

And these moments they come at all sorts of places, waiting in line to pay a bill, at the coffee shop, on a bus across town, as I sit watching and waiting for the dogs to finish eating,… At most of these times I don’t have a computer handy, and sometimes even pen and paper are difficult to find but almost always my trusty phone is with me. (I can’t believe I just said that, that’s how I felt and how I’m supposed to feel about pen and paper).

But to be able to write whenever, wherever and about whatever, all my writing needs to be readily available at all times. It should be accessible across devices and should constantly sync, and having a clean and easy to use interface is imperative.

 

What the Evernote App’s supposed to do

 

Evernote is a rather simple looking app that packs a punch. It syncs across devices and saves locally and on the cloud when internet is available. Inside of Evernote, many notebooks can be created, each holding a variety of notes. Notes can also be tagged for easy search.

In the edit mode, you can add and format text, attach (or create) an audio clip, photo, file, and video to the note. You can also add handwritten notes and scan a document into a note.

Notes created by you can be viewed and accessed from any device, as all notes reside on the cloud.

 

How I’m using the Evernote App

 

I use Evernote as my writing tool. Whether I am writing on my computer or my phone, I write on Evernote. When I’ve written an article on the phone, I can come back home, access the note, proofread and edit it and then post it up from a computer. It’s a great way to work across my phone and computer.

The notebooks option is another one I find very helpful as I can compartmentalise my notes based on topic. With it I can have a large number of blog posts and articles in work-in-progress mode and access them anytime anywhere.

 

My thoughts on the Evernote App

 

There are a lot of writing tools out there for serious writers but these tools are really expensive and are local. On the other hand Evernote has almost all the features from those tools in it’s free version and it syncs across devices and the cloud.

Evernote is an excellent tool for note-taking, documenting research and writing.

 

App details and link

 


Stars - ★★★★★
Developer - Evernote Corporation
Devices - Android, IOS
Size - Varies with device
Installs - 100,000,000 - 500,000,000
Link - Android Store | iTunes Store

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Video Editing: VivaVideo App Review | 26 Android Apps in April for the #AtoZchallenge

From way back when I realised I could record videos on a mobile, I’ve been looking for a video editor. An app that did a lot of cool stuff would be nice but one that even did the simple job of trimming and rotating would been enough. But I have never found one that I’ve been fully satisfied with.

For many months now I’ve been using VivaVideo. Saying I’m a fan of it would be an over exaggeration but until I find something better, it’ll do. The rest of this article is about VivaVideo but if you know of or use a video editor you really like, please let me know in comments. I’d be grateful. :)

 

What the VivaVideo App’s supposed to do

 

This app allows you to create and edit videos. You can put together photos to create a slideshow or edit and process videos you have taken to create a video.

The app allows you to trim videos, string together a collection of video clips, add music, choose a theme, clip videos, and add effects, stickers, text and transitions. There are a lot of free themes, effects, stickers and transitions to choose from apart from the paid ones.

Once the video is ready you can export it directly to a video sharing site like Youtube or save it as a draft.

 

How I’m using the VivaVideo App

 

I have used VivaVideo just a couple of times to edit videos. It does a decent job with editing and I guess if I spent more time understanding how it works, it would become easier to use.

One of the things I’ve noticed when using it, is that if I choose music from inside of VivaVideo, YouTube gives me trouble later on with the copyright of it.

Also in the free version of the app the videos have a watermark on the video after completion.

 

My thoughts on the VivaVideo App

 

This is a decent app and it seems like it has a lot of options and tools built in but I’m not video expert so…



Finding a good and easy app to use for video editing would be really nice, something like Snapseed for videos. Do you shoot a lot of videos with your phone? What do you use for editing the videos?

 

App details and link

 


Stars - ★★★☆☆
Developer - QuVideo Inc.
Devices - Android, IOS
Installs - 50,000,000 - 100,000,000
Link - Android Store | iTunes Store

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Utilities and Groceries: BigBasket App Review | 26 Android Apps in April for the #AtoZchallenge

Things have changed so much over the years. I still remember a time when Mom would send me to the little store down the road to buy groceries and to buy in bulk, she went to the central market once a month. With time, the little stores got killed by supermarkets and those in turn by superstores like Spar.

But it didn’t stop at Spar and it’s likes either. From there it progressed to online stores where you could buy groceries and even ready to cook (cleaned and chopped) vegetables. And today it’s all doable on an app, you can buy all your groceries right on your phone.

I resisted this for quite a while, for over a year but I finally gave in and decided to try. The experience changed me into a regular on-the-phone-grocery-buyer. I now shop once a month for all my groceries online and enjoy having it all delivered at my doorstep.

 

What the BigBasket App’s supposed to do

 

BigBasket is one India’s first phone app grocery stores. Now a big name in this sector and a popular service, it boasts of Shah Rukh Khan as it’s Ambassador.

The apps a variety of ways to shop, you can go through the whole catalogue (which is a large one), see the catalogue based on category, use the Smart Basket option that offers products based on your previous shopping, create your own lists or look at Quick Shop which shows the most popular items in each category.

There are also offers, discounts, promotions and bundle packs offered. Once you have selected your items, you go through to the cart, recheck and place an order. You will then be asked for your preferred delivery slot and you can even choose express delivery for certain items.

That’s it. Now just wait for it all to turn up at your doorstep. While buying it seems like I do save money but I’m not sure about that, however I don’t mind paying a little extra for the convenience.

 

How I’m using the BigBasket App

 

I use BigBasket at least once a month, on rare occasions, twice a month. What I really like about it is the convenience of home delivery, the ease of comparing products and prices, and choosing a delivery time so I can plan my day.

My favourite feature though is the lists option. I’ve created lists for things I need every months, things I need to stock up on every so often, gardening stuff I need, etc. These lists make it easy for me to shop and make sure I don’t forget to buy something. I can also keep adding items as and when I notice the need through the month and they keep getting added to the cart.

Earlier I would make paper lists and go to the store and I always forgot to get something. With these lists I’m less likely to forget and since it’s on the phone and I’m at home, I can quickly check and see if I need a particular item on the list.

 

My thoughts on the BigBasket App

 

The app is well laid out and shopping on it easy and enjoyable. And with each update I see the app and service getting better.

I miss the small around the corner stores and going with Mom to buy the months supplies but I also enjoy the convenience of online shopping. It takes away the experience but saves so much time.

I’m learning to strike a balance between them all, once in a few months I take time to go to the central market, in-between in the month I buy from the local store and every month I buy the bulk of my supplies online. It seems like the best of all worlds. :)

 

App details and link

 


Stars - ★★★★★
Developer - Bigbasket.com
Devices - Android, IOS
Installs - 1,000,000 - 5,000,000
Link - Android Store | iTunes Store

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