We’re living in an age in which the next big thing always seems just around the corner. And, though we may not know what’s coming next, one thing is for sure.
It’s getting harder and harder to keep up.
There are so many smart phone or tablet applications (“apps,” for short) on the market, and the number is constantly on the rise. Among this ever-expanding number of applications are many you would probably never have the slightest need for, or one iota of interest in. But there are definitely some that can do interesting, entertaining, and sometimes amazing things—and even seem equipped to improve your life in some ways.
Following are five apps seniors may find benefit or enrichment in using with smart phones or tablets.
1Password
How many times have you forgotten your login information or passwords for all the websites and services that require them?
If you’re like me, you can’t even estimate the answer to that question. Chances are, though, you’ve gone on a wild goose chase many times to track down lost passwords. Or maybe it’s almost become a habit for you to click “Forgot your password?” whenever you go online to shop or pay a bill. That’s what some of us do—only to find, once we’ve provided our pet’s name or our mother’s maiden name as requested, that forgotten password isn’t delivered immediately to our email inbox as promised.
I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.
So do the makers of 1Password, which PCMag.com has named among its best 100 iPhone apps. According to PCMag.com, 1Password, available for $9.99, keeps all your passwords and logins safe and “can log you into password-protected websites, so you don’t even have to look up the passwords you’ve saved—just tap the app and open sesame.”
Google Voice
How many times have you regretted giving out your real phone number? Perhaps there have been times you wanted to check out a promotion, or needed to contact someone by telephone, and wished you could have done so without exposing yourself to return calls from the other party. Even companies we legitimately do business with often abuse the business-client relationship by flooding our homes with calls to offer new promotions we don’t have any interest in hearing about.
Google Voice, available at no cost, may be your solution to those unwanted calls to your smart phone number. According to PCMag.com, Google Voice ensures you’ll have another number to use when you don’t want to give out your direct smart phone number. It also “lets you screen calls, gives you a free voice-mail system, and … enables free text messaging and calls” within the US.