Favorite Smart Phone Apps?

All my dreams came true last December when I got my first iPhone. Maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but I had no idea how handy a smart phone could be. Whether you have an iPhone like me, or another fancy schmancy phone, there are some super cool apps out there. I want to share a few of my favorite apps today and I'd love to know what your favorite apps are! 

Not a sponsored post; I'm just a little addicted to my handheld technology and am perhaps also a bit nosy. Please tell me I'm not the only one who loves to "collect" apps.

*I download my apps by going to the "App Store" on my phone and searching for them there.

1. Instagram
I use this app all. the. time. You can upload/edit photos and share them with people all over the world. I love browsing photos to "Heart" while I'm waiting somewhere. For bloggers, it's a great networking tool...another way to give your readers and blogging friends sneak peeks of upcoming projects. I love having a spot to catalog everyday life...fun pics of coffee, my kids doing something crazy, a cute outfit or home decor item I want to remember. My instagram username is serenitynowgirl.

2. Twitter and Facebook
If you like social media, use it to promote your content, or you just like to connect with readers or other bloggers, these apps are a must! It's so much easier to click on the apps, as opposed to trying to log in from your phone's internet browser.

3. Pandora
Oddly enough I mostly use the Pandora app when I am at home. I plug my phone into my little Sony speaker thingie and blast my favorite radio stations while I clean, cook, or work on stuff around the house. Great for entertaining too!

4. Pinterest
Well, I mean, how could I not have the Pinterest app?! I love that it connects right to my regular Pinterest account, and I can browse new Pins, comment, etc. while I'm waiting for the girls' dance lessons to be over. It also makes for nice entertainment when you're stuck in traffic and your husband is yelling at the other cars. Not that I know firsthand or anything. You can find me on Pinterest here.

5. QR Reader
We're seeing more and more of those funky looking black puzzle picture thingies on ads and business cards, in magazines, etc. They are scannable codes that take you directly to a particular website. I have one on my business cards that, when scanned by a smartphone, directs the person to my blog.

6. allrecipes.com Dinner Spinner
This one is so cool. You plug in the kind of recipe you want (Beverage, Main Dish, Bread, Soup, etc), ingredients (chicken, vegetables, cheese), and the amount of time you want to spend (20 min or less, 45 minutes or less, slow cooker, any, etc.) and it "spins" to find you a whole list of clickable recipes. Too cool!

7. Angry Birds
A game with an annoying background song. It keeps my kids occupied in sticky situations. Enough said.

8. GPS Drive MotionX
LOVE this app! The download is just $0.99 and I believe you get 30 days of free voice guided navigation. After that, you can purchase the voice navigation for a year for only $9.99. Wow! There's a less expensive package, but the year was really worth it. I can't tell you how handy this one is.

I know people who spent a couple of hundreds of dollars on expensive GPS systems and still have to pay yearly to update their stuff. This MotionX thing has direction lists, maps to follow, searches for food/shopping/hospitals/parking, etc. Well worth the buck to try it out. Has given me accurate directions on every trip we've taken!

9. Lines (Disney Touring Plans)
This was a pricey, but very much worth it if you're planning on spending several days in Disney parks. It gives you approximate wait times for the rides, and also offers wonderful customized touring plans for all sorts of groups who might be exploring Disney (families with young kids, families with older kids, seniors, newlyweds, college aged kids, etc)

10. The Flashlight App
There are several flashlight apps. I'm not sure which one it is that I have, but it is bright! It came in very handy when I was walking the dog while we were at my Nannie's house.

That I have 2 apps in my "health" folder on my phone (MyFitnessPal and another one), but 9 apps in my shopping folder is telling.

So, I've shared my top 10 apps. I'm dying to know...

What are your favorite apps?


I'm back tomorrow with a Giveaway from emeals!