We’ve survived the end of the Mayan calendar and the end of another year in our own Gregorian calendar. But if you’re like me, after running the gauntlet of parties and family meals from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, you’re entering 2013 with a little ‘holiday weight’. If that’s the case, I have a timely app to tell you about. It’s called Lose It! This month I’m also happy to announce to our iPhone users the return of the ever-reliable and very popular Google Maps. Please read the articles below for more information about these practical, everyday apps—and don’t forget to download them to your smartphone.
Lose It!: Available on Android and iPhone.
It’s the beginning of a new year and as good a time as any to set goals. One worthy goal is to manage weight gain and exercise. Lose It! is the ideal smartphone app to help you reach those goals. Lose It! takes your profile and goal weight and puts together your personal daily budget. In other words, it’s designed to enable you to create a weight loss plan that fits your life and makes sense to you.
Lose It! is about more than just losing weight, however. It helps you create and manage a total wellness plan that sets goals for sleep, exercise, blood pressure levels, and consumption of macro-nutrients. It also integrates with other popular fitness devices such as pedometers and workout apps.
I learned about the free app Lose It! from AARP blogger Susie Mitchell. As a blogger specializing in smartphone apps, Susie is as app-savvy as they come and she says that she uses Lose It! more than any other mobile phone app. For instance, she loves the app’s bar code scanner, as well as how it keeps a personalized database of foods you’ve eaten.
Susie’s not alone. According to their website, Lose It! users have already lost a combined total of more than 14 million pounds. The app has been featured on the Today Show, CNN, and Forbes.com, as well as in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The New York Times.
Whether you’re counting calories or nutrients, keeping track of your exercise regimen or managing your blood pressure and your sleep, you’ll soon find Lose It! to be the most seamless weight loss and wellness system available. This is one app that helps you win by losing.
Google Maps: Available on Android and iPhone.
Called “the world’s most popular online mapping system,” Google Maps is once again available to iPhone users. As many of you know, about three months ago Apple Maps replaced Google Maps as the iPhone’s built-in navigation system. The results were unsatisfactory so the tried and true Google Maps was once again made available, which was welcome news for iPhone users around the world.
Best of all, during the interim, Google enhanced their mapping system for the iPhone. The newly designed and streamlined interface makes for easier navigation. For example, one new tool in the free iPhone mapping app is voice-guided, turn-by-turn directions.
If you’re a new iPhone or Android user, here’s the skinny on the app: Google Maps is a free smartphone app that helps you get from here to there efficiently, with accurate directions, 360-degree street views, a searchable database of addresses, and the capability to sync your searches between your computer and your smartphone. You can even use this app to discover places to dine, drink or shop, backed up by ratings and local reviews. Plus, you don’t have to travel by car; Google Maps helps you find your way by train, bus, subway, walking or biking directions.
In the words of one Google Maps user: “Got me home safe. Just decided to try out navigation today. Drove to a friend’s house during a snowstorm and needed a quick way back.” Another one called the app his “co-pilot.”
Our Android users have always known to trust Google Maps and now, once again, so can our iPhone users. The shortest distance between two points could very well be on your smartphone.
From all of us here at Consumer Cellular, we wish you all a healthy, happy, and prosperous new year. And, of course, may the Apps be with you!
Having the right app is very important so I would like to suggest you try out MyFitnessPal. Like LoseIt!, it is also a free app… And it helps you keep track of your calorie intake and exercises… But it is easier to use, has a far more comprehensive database, makes it easy to input your own recipes and exercises, and has a large wonderful community of users who help support you in your quest for better health… I think you should check it out and share your findings.
Thanks for sharing that recommendation, Jeanette. It's always great to hear which smartphone apps other people find useful. Thanks again.
Doesn't Google Maps for directions/navigation (get me home safe) use data the whole time it's in use? Wouldn't this use a lot of data and make it cost prohibitive on a Consumer Cellular plan?
Hi Joleen. You're right, Google Maps does use more data than most apps. You'll want to monitor your usage to make sure you're not using too much data. I personally use the app about 3-5 times a month and find that I can still stay within the limits of my cell phone plan.
Here's a handy tip I've found with Google Maps. Get directions to wherever you're headed while you're on WIFI at home. Then when you leave, you can turn data and wifi OFF but leave GPS ON (GPS alone uses no data) and reach your destination!
Hi,
I just found your blog. I have had your service for about a year. My daughter was in the hospital in September and her PA told me about the Kindle App for android phones. I got it and I just love it. I can read anywhere I am. It is the best thing since peanut butter.:)
I can even read on those nights when I can't sleep and it doesn't bother my husband. It doesn't require the light on so.
I just wanted to share it with you all.
Thanks for letting me share it with you.
Great websites and great apps, thanks for shared..