Discovering New Apps/Software

By Danielle PorterENGL 4045-63452February 20, 2016

Nine Apps Enhancing Your PC/Smartphone Experience

Evernote (PC/Android/iOS)

Evernote is an app that helps organize ideas, business contacts, web articles, and more. You can chat with collaborators and save handwritten notes by taking pictures. There are four versions of Evernote, all of them will sync across phones and computers, allow you to share and discuss with associates and clip from anywhere on the web:

Service Price Benefits:

Basic free of charge Organize ideas, business contacts, web articles, and more. You can chat with collaborators and save handwritten notes

Business ($12/month per user) lets you keep team projects and work together, fast on-boarding and SSO (single sign-on), central user administration, and enhanced security with SSL (secure sockets layer).makes sure no third parties can look at or tamper with messages.

Plus ($24.99/year) offers 1 GB of space, offline access, and adds a passcode lock on mobile apps.

Premium ($49.99/year) offers 10 GB of space,offline access, turns notes into presentations, adds a passcode lock on mobile apps, allows you to scan and digitize business cards, see content related to your notes, and search in Microsoft Office documents and attachments.

Pros and Cons of EvernotePros:• Downloading

Evernote for your phone and PC will sync information with your phone and computer.

Cons:• Evernote is

easier to use if you are on mobile.• An account is

required to use Evernote. If you only have text notes, use your phone’s memo pad.

Evernote on mobile

Additional Information• You don’t have to be in a business to use Evernote. Aspiring writers

can use Evernote to keep up with story ideas, websites to publishing companies, or anything that keeps your creative juices flowing. If you have bad handwriting like me, try not writing it in pen or in a diary.

Evernote on PC

AdGuard (PC/Android/iOS)• Many sites and content creators on the internet suggest not

using an ad blocking program on their site or add their site to its whitelist.

• Some sites will refuse to let you view content if you have an ad blocking program enabled.

• Online advertisements are a way most sites get money, but some can slow down computers, give them viruses, or irritate users browsing on mobile browsers, apps, and games.

• Adguard is a Google Chrome extension that not only blocks apps, but doesn’t let sites recognize it as ad blocking software.

Pros and Cons of AdguardPros:• Doesn’t interfere with most sites

preventing users from viewing their content because they have ad blocking software.

• Is an alternative to AdBlock

Cons:• Has an app but it’s not in Google

Play or the App Store so you must download it from adguard’s site.

• This involves allowing your phone to allow instillation of apps from both trusted and unknown sources. This is not recommended if you are wary of turning on this option.

• If you have the mobile app, it won’t work on most apps showing ads.

• AdGuard is not enabled to block ads on apps like YouTube or Twitter.

AdGuard on PC

500 Firepaper (Android Only)

• 500 Firepaper is an app that changes the wallpaper to your home every couple of minutes, depending on your settings, and takes the struggle of finding a quality wallpaper every month.

• The slides’ backgrounds are screenshots of 500 Firepaper’s wallpapers from my phone.

500 Firepaper’s features• 500 Firepaper has a wide array of

wallpapers showcasing nature, landscapes, abstract art, city and architecture, concerts, and more. • You can support the creator of 500

Firepaper by upgrading to Pro, but all of the features are already available on the free version.

Pros and Cons of 500 FirepaperPros:• Colorful, high quality

photos.• Pro version is optional.• You can change how often

the wallpaper changes.

Cons: • There’s an option to

leave your phone on full brightness during daydream mode, despite if your phone is at its lowest brightness setting. If you leave this setting on, it will drain your battery life.

Drippler• Drippler is an Android/iOS app that provides tips and

apps for enhancing your Android/iOS experience.

Pros and Cons of DripplerPros:Informative, impartial articles.

Cons:Articles are released once a day.

Drippler’s MenuArticles on Drippler

Battery Doctor (Android/iOS)

• Batter doctor closes apps running in your phone’s background and draining your battery life.

Battery Doctor logo

Pros and Cons of Battery Doctor Pros:• Battery doctor will detect and fix

issues in your phone’s battery life.

Cons:• Forces you to download apps, such

as Save Power and Clean Master, in order for it to work properly.

• It may give the user the feeling that installing these apps will take up more phone storage than app already installed on the phone. 

• If you have your phone on low brightness most of the time, close all apps, and keep your phone charged as needed, there’s no need for Battery Doctor.

Clean Master (PC/Android/iOS)• Clean Master removes caches from apps, boots battery life,

and improves computer/smartphone performance

Pros and Cons of Clean MasterPros:• Cools down phone

temperature• Hibernates apps that slow

down your phone and drain battery life• Removes caches leftover

from apps

Cons:• In older

computers/phones, this app isn’t effective.• Installs apps (1 Tap

Boost/Hibernate) that you may not need

QR Code Reader (Android/iOS) Only• an app that scans QR

codes.

QR Code Reader logo

A QR code. Download the app and scan it!

Scan this one, too!

Pros and Cons of QR Code ReaderPros:• Scans QR codes well

Cons:• According to marketers, QR

codes aren’t recommended to be used unless you are involved in marketing.

• very few people use QR code scanners from advertisements.

• http://gizmodo.com/5969312/how-qr-codes-work-and-why-they-suck-so-hard

• http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/05/qr-codes-for-the-dead/370901/

• http://www.sentrymarketing.com/2015/03/qr-codes-the-final-wordprobably/

A random QR code from google images scanned by QR Code Reader

Lumosity (PC/Android/iOS)

• The famous brain training site has an app! • Has games training your Speed, Memory, Attention,

Flexibility, and Problem Solving.

Pros and Cons of Lumosity

Pros:• Ad Free• Premium is optional• Different games every day

Cons:• Free version lets you

play three games per day • Premium lets you pay

five games a day.

Photo Editor Pro(This version is Android only)

Don’t have Instagram or Twitter? Photo Editor pro enhances your photos without

an account or a social media app.

Before Photo Editor Pro After Photo Editor Pro

Pros and Cons of Photo Editor ProPros:• Easy to use• Creates a separate folder

for edited photos.

Cons:• You have to install a

separate app for stickers and frames.