By Shannon Devy
As usual, we’ve been very busy finding and trying out cool stuff so that you don’t have to, and today we’re diving into the digital with 12 Cool Apps You’ve Probably Never Heard Of!
Here are our favourites, in no particular order:
Shazam
Ever heard a song playing at the Pick ‘n Pay and wish you knew what it was? Shazam is a magic little app that can identify any song playing in almost any environment. Just whip out your phone, open the app and it’ll kick up the song and artist name in no time. Great for music lovers on the hunt for new tunes!
Zombies, Run!
It’s a known fact that we run a lot faster when being chased. If you’ve wondered how long you’d last in the event of a zombie apocalypse, this app is for you. Add a bit of fun and a lot of motivation to your next run with Zombie, Run!, a fitness app turns your run or jog into an interactive game. Here’s how it works: simply put in your earbuds, start the app, and follow the instructions for your mission. Outrun zombies, earn supplies and practice for the end of days, all before breakfast!
Drunk Locker
We’ve all been there. Three glasses of wine in and it’s time to message the ex! But no more dronkverdriet slip-ups – Drunk Locker allows you to block social medial, email and other messaging apps to keep you from posting or calling people until you’ve had a Rehydrate and a Wimpy breakfast and come back to your senses.
iNaturalist
iNaturalist is an incredible app that helps you identify flora and fauna. Just snap a pic of the plant, bug or animal, send it to the app, and it’ll come back with an identification and some cool facts about it!
Done
Done is simple, clean, colourful and very easy to use habit tracker which will help you move quickly towards your goals. Whether you’re trying to cut down on coffee, be nicer to your mother in law or get more workouts in, track your progress, keep notes and journal, all in one place.
Programming Hub
Learn to code in your spare time with this super cool free learning app. With over 20 programming languages to choose from and lessons that are broken down into easy-to-understand steps, you’ll be hacking into the mainframe in no time.
Stellarium Mobile Sky Map
Heavens! Explore the night sky and learn about stars, constellations and planets by simply pointing your phone at the sky! A lovely app for anyone interested in some star gazing.
Grammarly
Grammarly is like having your old English teacher in your pocket. Much more than a spell-checker, this app helps you write clear, effective and mistake-free emails, assignments and documents by highlighting errors and repetition, and making suggestions for corrections. An absolute must-have!
Photomath
Know any students struggling with maths? Photomath solves maths problems for you. Simply take a picture of the problem, and it’ll give you the answer.
Forest
Forest helps you stay focused with a super simple but strangely effective mechanism. When you begin a task, you plant a tree. Your tree will grow as you focus on your work. If you leave the app mid-task, your tree dies. Over time, you’ll have planted a whole digital forest, and the bonus is that the app partners with an actual tree-planting organisation, helping to plant over 1.5 million real trees!
22Seven
A wildly powerful app produced by good old Old Mutual that syncs with your bank account to track your spending, savings and personal wealth. It automatically logs your banking transactions into their proper categories, so you can see exactly how much you’ve been spending on those cheeky flat whites month to month and reign it in when you’re over budget.
Duolingo
If you’ve ever wanted to learn a new language, Duolingo is the only app you need. Keep motivated to practice daily with streaks, track your progress and enjoy easy-to-understand lessons delivered via an engaging, easy-to-use interface.