5 Helpful Apps
Apps that save you time and hassle
A year ago I did a post called 5 Useful Apps I’ve Discovered. Due to its popularity, I’ve received a lot of tips on apps I should check out. A year later, I figured would be a good time to share five more helpful apps that I have come across. I hope you find these apps useful and they might even save you some time and hassle.
I can’t tell how many times I’ve been at a coffee shop or restaurant and heard a song that I’ve wanted to know the name of. Enter Shazam.
Shazam identifies the songs that are playing around you. Just open the app and tap the Shazam icon in the center of the screen and it starts listening. Within seconds the name and artist of the song will pop up. There is also a history showing all the songs that you’ve Shazamed. This is how I’ve discovered and downloaded most of the songs on my phone. This app has come in handy so many times for me.
Finding good books is challenging. Just like JustWatch, which I’ve highlighted for finding good movie and TV show suggestions, Likewise is just like that but for books.
It took me some time to build the likes for the books that I’ve enjoyed. Then Likewise really started to suggest some great books that it turned out were titles I otherwise wouldn’t have thought of. To build the app’s algorithm faster, I suggest you go search for all the books that are your favorites right away and tell the app you like them. This allows it to suggest better books for you right away.
After you get a book suggestion, do you buy the physical copy of the book? Or do you download the audiobook? I always buy the physical book and depending on the type of book I may read or listen to it. If I do listen to a book, it’s on Audible.
The library of books they offer seems to include most everything I’ve ever searched to listen to. Scrolling the library, searching and viewing suggestions is very easy. If you stop and start books frequently like I do, it always resumes exactly where I left off. It offers various listening speed options with a clean user interface and crisp quality. The pricing of the audiobooks are also reasonable.
Anyone who knows me is aware of my love for my Peloton bike. But what’s just as good is the Peloton app that anyone can access. You don’t need a bike, tread or rower to sign up for the app. This allows you to pull up all the workouts that you can on your bike screen right on your phone.
I use the app when I’m traveling, doing yoga, outdoor runs and other workouts when it works better to watch on my phone instead of the bike screen. I also use it to set my weekly workout schedule.
Picking your favorite instructor is part of the fun. For strength and weightlifting I prefer Adrian Williams and Tunde Oyeneyin. For yoga if I don’t go to my local studio, I prefer Denis Morton. When I bike I usually do live rides with Ally Love, Kendall Toole or Alex Toussaint. If you see SpilledCoffee in your class be sure to give me a high five!
I’ve tried using both Spotify and Apple Podcasts. My opinion is that Apple Podcasts has such a simple to use and crisp interface that I keep going back to it and now it’s all I use for podcast listening.
You can search for any podcast and if you like it you save it. Then anytime they upload a new podcast you’re notified. The various speeds of which to listen is very handy depending on the type of podcasts you’re listening to. Finding older episodes is also easy to do. I now listen to all my podcasts through Apple Podcasts. I think it’s the best app Apple has currently. My favorite podcast currently going is the All-In podcast.
What are some of your favorite apps? Do you have any that help make your life easier? I’d love to hear about them. Feel free to email me at spilledcoffee@substack.com.
The Coffee Table ☕
I loved Darius Foroux’s post 10 Harsh Lessons From 10 Years Of Entrepreneurism. Speaking from experience these points are spot on. If you’re in business I’m sure you’ll also find yourself agreeing.
I’ve been watching the new show on HBO called The Last of Us. I didn’t think this was the type show that I’d like, but it has been phenomenal. The popularity and trailer made me curious and now I’m hooked. From episode to episode so much happens while you’re on the edge of your seat. It’s very well done.
This was such an interesting chart that I had to share it. To see how fast this trend has changed really made me think of what age we’ll allow our kids to have their own phone.
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