Smartphone Apps of the Month- September 2015

I’ll always be the type who prefers to seize the day rather than just tread through it. Naturally I want to plow through my to-do list, efficiently complete my errands, save time for exercise, and oh yeah….relax and reflect with some me-time!

Thankfully, life’s far more feasible and enjoyable with two popular apps that I now put to good use. One’s a handy tool and the other’s a fun game, but each helps me make the most of my precious time.

Moves – for Android and iPhone

When I hear “moves” I usually think of dancing the night away. But this Moves is a highly-rated fun app that automatically tracks your everyday life and exercise. It focuses on how you budget your time by looking at where you go and how often.

At first, I wondered if it would be smart enough to tell the difference between walking, running and cycling, but it magically does!  Moves displays your progress on a fun timeline with your daily routes displayed on a map. A built-in pedometer feature counts your steps, so you can set simple goals. I use it, for instance, to see if my new jogging route is shorter despite more hills and whatever crazy potholes I need to hop over.

Toward the end of the year, I have so many things to catch up on, too, so discovering it now was perfect timing. Since it’s right there on my cellphone, it goes where I go and remembers my every move. It’s nice because you used to need to carry a second device. Now it’s all tucked inside your phone with the Moves app.

I actually look forward to setting more goals for myself now. Who doesn’t like a good challenge, especially when it improves your well-being?

Pictoword – for Android and iPhone

Pictoword is a new addiction for me, too. The good kind! It’s often what I do over breakfast to get my mind going each morning. Pictoword is one of the most popular word games in 30 countries. Download it, play it, and you’ll soon see why.

I’ve never been the crosswords type. Instead, I gravitate towards games that encourage me to think visually, so Pictoword is a perfect addition to my routine. You just “read” a series of pictures to discern which word they sound like when combined. It’s that simple. My family now begs me to play Pictoword with them whenever we get together.

Let me give you an example of how you play the game. Pictoword may show you a picture of a CAT and a LOG. Think about the word you hear after combining the two words associated with the images. Did you hear the word “CATALOG”?

Some are a bit more challenging than that example. No problem! If ever stumped, just say the words out loud or ask a friend. Soon you’ll both be shouting out answers and having a great time, too!