For the longest time, I was a BlackBerry user. I carried one of those devices for several years, and enjoyed its capabilities. But, inevitably, I had to let it go. There simply were not enough applications being developed for it, to meet my needs and wants. I switched to an Apple iPhone 4, and haven’t looked back
As I learned how to navigate the world of the iPhone, I found that there were tons more apps available, plus more in development, and they seemed to be much more stable than the old platform I’d been using.
I was more than satisfied with my options. Soon after I made the switch, Apple released the iPhone 4s. I did not upgrade. The added feature of Siri wasn’t enough justify the purchase. When the iPhone 5 hit the market, I drug my feet again, waiting until the iPhone 5s was released before I pulled the trigger on a new purchase.
With that purchase, I upgraded by three generations, and increased my storage capacity by a huge margin from the 8G that I currently had. It made a world of difference in almost every way.
Now that I’ve had a while to dig through and become familiar with the Apple interface, I’ve identified several apps that are my go to apps. Over the next few days, I want to share with you my top apps in several different areas: productivity, social media, Bible and reading, photography, and games. I may add more areas as I see fit, but these are what I have planned for now.
My Top 5 Productivity Apps
Agenda
I’ve looked at several different calendar apps and have found Agenda to be the best out there. Created by Savvy Apps, this calendar is easy to use, integrates with the native iPhone calendar as well as my Google calendars. It’s simple and fast, and syncs seamlessly with my other devices. It’s currently $1.99 in the App Store.
Evernote
Evernote is my file everything digital cabinet. I use it on every device I own, and it holds so much of every aspect of my life and ministry. I’ve used it for to-do lists, for notes, for writing blog posts (although I’m switching to Scrivener for that now), and so much else. Evernote has helped me move to a much more paperless existence, and downsize my physical file cabinets. It’s free in the App Store.
Nozbe
When it comes to getting things done, nothing works as well as Nozbe does. I use this application across all my devices as well. The app for the iPhone is very helpful for seeing what I have to get done today at a glance. Nozbe offers several different levels of use, depending upon your needs and budget, from free to business sized solutions. Though the app seemed to be pretty buggy at first, especially when trying to sync, it has smoothed out since I purchased it. It’s currently a bit pricier at $4.99 in the App Store.
RoboForm
There are a lot of password keepers on the market. Everyone seems to have a favorite, and no one seems to use this one. I was introduced to this particular piece of software several years ago by my brother-in-law, and I’ve found it to be pretty comprehensive and secure. Roboform is currently available for $9.95 for the first year, and the app is free in the App Store.
Pandora
As I work, I like to have some music playing softly in the background. My musical tastes are varied and and eclectic, from 80s bands such as Duran Duran to Depeche Mode to Genesis. I also have built several stations around classical crossover groups such as Escala and Bond. I have a Johnny Cash station, a Nickle Creek station, and a Chris Tomlin station. My usual go to station while working though is the Epic Movie Soundtracks station. It’s great for my productivity. I subscribe to Pandora One, eliminating the commercials for $3.99 a month, but the Pandora app is free in the App Store.
Bonus: Bloom
As a bonus, I’ve included Bloom. This is an app that help me make my coffee. It’s a timer designed to be used as you use your Chemex, Beehouse, V60, or other pourover coffee method, or even a french press. When I get to the office and start making my coffee, I can easily get distracted by turning on Pandora, booting my computer and opening my Bible, forgetting that I have a brew going. Bloom helps me remember, and helps make the perfect cup of coffee every time. You can tweak the timers to fit your personal tastes, and share your favorites with friends. It’s currently $2.99 in the App Store.
There are my top five, plus one, applications that I use my iPhone for frequently. Each of these really help me to focus on getting done the things that need to be done each day. Over the next few days, I’ll look at some other categories of apps that I find helpful and use most frequently.
Question: What productivity apps do you have that help you be more efficient? Are there any that you can’t imagine doing without? You can leave a comment by clicking here.