Personally, I was sure that Augmented Reality Apps would find their way into real life, and they have seamlessly done so. From its inception, technology has always pushed the limits of what can be and continues to be a vital tool for the future.

In the Hollywood movies, they try to depict how the world will be 20-30 years from now. All this looks like a pipe dream, but it is happening in reality.

Augmented Reality Apps have found their way into almost every aspect of society as it stands. A biology teacher can now illustrate the human body better, or better yet, the human nervous system, better by using Augmented Reality Apps.

Your child can experience better gaming through these Apps, and you can see the world with different eyes through this breathtaking technology.

Imagine seeing streets avenues in 3D while driving, well, at a stop sign apparently, and seeing the distance it takes to get to your destination and the route mapped out precisely.

Augmented Reality Apps are the future, and the future is here. Let us have a look at some of the best Augmented Reality Apps currently on the market.

Top 10 Best Augmented Reality Apps 2018

1. MondlyAR

Learning a new language nowadays has never been more accessible. In the past, you needed a few books, dictionaries and maybe even a tutor. Learning a new language was a tedious long-term affair and unless you merged yourself in the actual culture of the specific language you wanted to learn, the chances of becoming fluent were pretty dim.

Today you have the internet at your disposal, and along with it, you have numerous tools and apps that are specially designed to help you learn a new language.

But the language learning sector recently got yet another update. MondlyAR – the first AR language learning app to use speech recognition, tries to supplement your learning experience with something that was really missing: interaction.

The whole experience revolves around a virtual character named Mondly, which basically substitutes a tutor, or teacher if you will. It will show you objects, animals, and even planets right there in your living room, making your whole language learning experience very futuristic.

Besides all the AR generated components to help you learn words and phrases, MondlyAR also provides a high level of direct conversation based interaction, between you and your virtual learning assistant with the help of speech recognition technology.

Overall, MondlyAR is a great augmented reality experience. Having an AI tutor spawn a life-sized lion in your room and teaching you how to pronounce it in German will not only help you retain the information easier, but it will also make it a lot more fun and exciting.

At the moment MondlyAR is available on Google Play and will be launched in the App store by the end of March 2018. It currently has seven available languages (French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, American and British English) with more to updates to come.

2. Ingress

This App is good news to every gamer in the world. It proves that there is more to the world than what you usually see; if anything, this App is the definition of seeing the world through different eyes.

The Ingress Augmented Reality App from Google turns your real life surrounding into capturable objectives in-game portals. Landmarks and points of interest are captured on your phone after it uses GPS technology access your location and gives you a virtual alternative to reality.

However, this virtual world is merely a practical display of what already exists.

In every game that I have ever played, there is always a way to add more to your health or life bar. Now imagine being able to collect these health bars or XM (Exotic Matter) as Ingress calls it in real life.

This game has two factions, the Enlightened, who use XM to advance human revolution, and the Resistance, who do not care about the exotic matter.

To play this game, you have to be on either side. The quests involve capturing the flag, neutralizing, discovering, attacking and discerning the other’s territory. Your role as a member of either faction is to use your inventory to advance your faction’s control.

Some time ago, gamers all around the world thought online gaming was the best thing to happen to them. This goal was achieved using headphones to interact with opponents or teammates who are far from them, but the two or three players are connected to the game online.

Ingress Augmented Reality App now on Android Wear

If you think that is the best way to game, wait until you try out the in-game chat on Ingress. You will not be sitting down sipping soda and eating junk food while you experience the joy of vanquishing your enemies in the game with your friend, who may be miles away, doing the same.

Instead, you will be taking over new territory while on the move breathing fresh air and exercising your legs as well. If you are looking for a game that will take you out of the house and help you experience reality in a practical way, the Ingress Augmented Reality App from Google is what you need.

3. AR Flashcards App

Learning has unquestionably taken a different turn since the technology was incorporated into the education sector. I remember my days as a young kid, my early learning days, spelling was a major hurdle for me. Even now, there are pupils all across the world that uses old methods such as charts to learn letters and spelling.

The good news about the AR Flashcards App is that you do not need to wait until your child goes to school for them to start learning. Additionally, you do not need to buy papers and charts to aid them in their schooling at home.

Having papers in your house can make it look messy, your child may even stain it, and the whole process of finding a proper chart and these academic documents is strenuous.

I bet you notice the glow in your little one’s eyes when you get them a technology related present, something they can interact. Augmented Reality Flashcards add learning to the fun; your child will know what they need to know before they go to school.

AR Flashcards work by pointing your Android or iOS device at the printed flashcards. When you do that, a 3D animal pops up on the screen, now tap the animal and you will hear the animal name and the letter.

This proves to be a fun way to learn as kids tend to remember interactions more than they would if they are just told something about an object or an animal. If a child sees it, they will remember it better than when they hear about it.

The AR Flashcards have 26 animals to help kids in preschool and toddlers as well to learn. Augmented Reality superimposes computer-generated technology over a live view of the world, undoubtedly the best way to help your child learn.

4. Spacecraft 3D

I bet you have heard about Curiosity; the six-wheeled little spacecraft NASA is using to explore Mars. Have you ever been a wee bit curious about how this machine works or looks like up-close?

Tell you what, you do not need to research it online, you can view Curiosity in 3D using the Spacecraft 3D Augmented Reality App released by NASA. Even better, more models will be added in the future. All you have to do is print out a few markers then aim your device camera at them, and you will be able to see the 3D model.

This Augmented Reality App not only helps you learn more about the various spacecraft used by NASA for space exploration but also helps you interact with them as well.

This App is a way to explore the earth and solar system in general from the comfort of your mobile device in a captivating manner. Imagine being able to view the Milky Way and asteroids in an interactive way, it would make you feel like an astronaut, wouldn’t it? I will not be surprised if kids who see and use this App decide to switch careers to being an astronaut.

The App only take up 46 Megabytes of space and requires your phone to use the 2.2 version of Android or any above that and most importantly, to have a good camera.

The current version is 3.0 that recently included a manual mode to explore models without an Augmented Reality target image. With Spacecraft 3D, you will not only be able to view the universe via robotic explorers only; if you are interested in learning about their engineering feats, this App will help you in that sense as well. Say hello to the future of space exploration, right from your mobile device.

5. MYBRANA 3D

It is very hard to choose one Augmented Reality App as your favorite, but when I used Mybrana 3D, that decision was the easiest I ever make.

Social networks now seem overrated to me as I can create my version of reality and capture what happens in the real world in real time. For the first time, fiction has somehow managed to surpass reality, and it has been made possible by this amazing App. After taking photos or videos, sometimes you edit them before sharing them to add a creative touch to them.

Mybrana 3D will turn a place that has been used to take photos multiple times into a whole new experience; this is the selfie revolution you have been waiting.

You have the ability to add animated characters to your photos and videos with Mybrana 3D. The images are projected with unbelievable precision, almost as if they were there when you took the picture or video.

You can add anything from miniature cars to pumpkins and even animals such as penguins or an octopus’s tentacles. As a creative, this is the type of Augmented Reality App that gets your creative juices or overdrive.

These features integrate impeccably with the image and enable real-time sharing of the videos or photos. This App adds a touch of humor and life to what would look like an annoying picture mainly because it is normal.

With all the technological advancements going on and wonderful inventions in the market, reality surely is a boring world for an average person let alone a creative one. However, you need a steady hand with this App; moreover, it uses your battery fast so be sure to have enough charge for running the App. Also, it is free, grab your today and experience reality in a new way.

6. Aurasma

Earlier on, we discussed an App that aids toddlers in learning; now we look at one that even adults can use. Aurasma Augmented Reality App is a new way to interact with and see the world.

As a matter of fact, it is among the very few Apps that allow you to create and share your Augmented Reality. Animations are among the leading genres of the film industry.

Social media takes to animations to create funny videos just to make people’s days. I am among the people who wonder how these amazing videos are made.

With the Aurasma Augmented App, you can not only animate, but you can also use interactive digital content to bring images, physical locations and objects to life.

As an animation lover, this is the perfect App for you as it allows you to switch from reality to an animated world in an instant. Aurasma is one of those Apps that will get you hooked like nuts to a squirrel.

The App is also embedded in the real world as it uses product packaging, books magazines, posters, books, and the likes to share experiences. It does this by putting Auras, in the form of a logo, ‘A’, in them, if you have the App, all you have to do is scan the A using the Apps viewfinder to unlock these brilliant experiences.

You can create your personal Auras using the simple step-by-step creation wizard in the App and share them with your friends and Aurasma users.

Imagine taking a video of you strolling down the street one day, everything looking normal, and then you use the App to add a 3D dinosaur on the streets. Yes, you can do that with the Aurasma Augmented Reality App.

These videos and photos of you are your auras, what more is there to say, create your aura today.

7. HomeSpotter

There are two things almost everybody hates in this world; traffic and house hunting. The process of house hunting is a long one despite recent innovations in real estate such as speedy agent availability and online sites that deal with finding homes for you.

In spite of these efforts, getting the desired home requires constant and good communication between the realtor and the client.

Communication is everything; an agent will call you and keep you updated on new houses, but what about when you need to view them and the agent is unavailable? Or you need some details and do not want to give out your email address yet, the cautiousness is understandable.

The ideal solution for you is the HomeSpotter App. HomeSpotter makes collaboration between you and your agent better, fast, and fun.

Clients and agents were used to using hectic methods to communicate such as emails and fax to send and receive documents concerning the house they intend to buy or lease.

With HomeSpotter, you can view photos directly in the message without having to open the attached files in another window. The text message interface is easy to use thus enabling efficient communication between the users.

Home searching was a personal thing not so long ago, by this I mean, unless you had whoever you wanted to share the home with you while viewing, they would have to see it when you have already bought or leased it.

However, with HomeSpotter, you can share not only photos as slideshows and links, but you can enable multiple conversations between you and your family or friends and the agent.

Moreover, you can enable communication between you and two or more agents so as to get full access to agent-only listing information.

HomeSpotter allows you to share, comment, save, and chat with everybody involved in your quest to find a home; this is a significant step towards modernizing house hunting. Don’t be left behind, download this App for free.

8. Anatomy 4D

Biologists and biology tutors must have been buzzing with excitement when this App hit the market, and why would they not when you can access and visualize one of the most complex systems, human anatomy.

Not long ago, and even now in some places, tutors use charts to explain human anatomy to eager students. As complicated as it is, students understand it and go on to become the best doctors and surgeons in the world.

Anatomy 4D shows just how Augmented Reality is embedded in every aspect of society, especially the imperative ones such as medicine.

On the main menu of the App, there is a ‘Target Library’ section; print your desired images into it. After doing that, place the printed image on a flat surface then scan it with your device, now all that is left is for you to sit back and watch as an amazing 4D experience comes to life.

This App is widely used by medical practitioners almost twice as much as teachers and students use it.

Even after learning about all there is to learn about human anatomy, you will be surprised by a thing or two considering the fact that people are different. That is why this App is vital to doctors just as much as it is to teachers and students.

A fun way to learn ensures you clearly remember as it is fun and very inspiring. This is the type of experience that the Anatomy 4D Augmented Reality App gives you.

Imagine being able to study both the female and male anatomy simultaneously with added features such as zooming in on organs and other parts of the body for precise detail.

All this is possible with this amazing Augmented Reality App. Moreover, unlike the days of old when you had one chart highlighting different organ systems, with Anatomy 4D you can focus on a single organ system such as the respiratory or the skeletal system and revert to the whole organ system at will.

9. Theodolite

Now this is the perfect Augmented Reality App for hiking, biking, boating, sightseeing, military personnel, rescue workers, geologists, architects, and surveyors just to say the least.

Imagine an App that can give you real-time information about your altitude, bearing, range, position, and inclination on your phones live camera, sort of like an electronic viewfinder.

This App has changed the approach to things such as surveying and architecture as well. As an engineer, you do not need to go through the tedious process of making a calculation on inclination with this App.

Likewise, the surveyor doesn’t need to tie strings to poles at all ends of a piece of land to determine the bearing. This App makes tasks such as these seem like a walk in the park.

For ethical and security purposes, most people will double check the Apps result with traditional methods but it its accuracy has been proven to be always on point.

The uses for this App just keep going and going, but one thing remains certain, it is the best navigation App there is on the market.

Imagine, as a golfer, having the ability to view your current position in a built-in map with live markers and seeing the whole terrain as it is, even beyond what your eyes may see.

Then imagine being able to share those markers and navigation calculator points with your friends; Theodolite surely does provide the ultimate navigation experience.

This App is also applicable to the typical user who just wants to take photos or videos.

With the Theodolite Augmented Reality App, you can take geo-tagged camera images, videos, and screenshots; not to mention the ability to save geographical data and notes made on photos and videos for later use.

I fell in love with this App after realizing it was connected to locators such as the U.S National Grid, MGRS, UTM, and the British/Irish National Grids. The App is free and can be used anywhere.

10. Car Finder Augmented Reality App

We have all been here before, haven’t we? When you find yourself so preoccupied or late for an important meeting or work and you just park your car anywhere you see parking space, only to have trouble remembering where you parked your car after the meeting.

A journalist is just the person in the profession that requires this type of hurry. If you wait to park in a place you will remember, you may risk losing the story.

It is one of the worst feelings to have especially if the meeting or work did not go as expected. Well, not to worry anymore, Car Finder is an Augmented Reality App that helps you with that issue and more.

This Augmented Reality App not only shows you where your car is but it can also help you track your car from home with its GPS Auto Track Module.

Additionally, it can give you directions to the nearest car park, so you do not have to leave your car in the middle of nowhere.

What makes it such an excellent App when it comes to finding you car is the fact that it automatically saves the location of your car the moment you turn it off.

After you are done with whatever you were doing, if you need to find your car the App not only gives you walking but driving directions as well towards your car.

With this Augmented Reality App, you will also be able to manage up to 3 different vehicles.

Imagine a friend of yours or your loved one gets their car stolen and their phone was inside the vehicle. You can track that vehicle for them and prevent it from disappearing for good.

What if you are meeting someone and want to meet them in your car, or are travelling and need to go with other people in your car; you can share your location with them and they will be able to find you without you having to move or start looking for landmarks and waving or shouting like a mad man when you can see them but they can’t.

So besides the stress got by running around trying to find your car, turns out this App prevents you from embarrassment too.

11. Continental Augmented Reality Head-up display

For the finale, we look at the App that will make your driving skills rise exponentially, reduce incidents where you get speed tickets and create a game-like experience while you are driving.

Imagine having the ability to access vital traffic information such as the speed limit without having to look up, right or left for the sign. All the information you need is displayed on your windscreen, so all you have to do is look forward and drive.

The Continental Augmented Reality Head-up display App moves essential information concerning the road and driving to the drivers’ line of sight.

At a distance of 7.5 meters from the driver, this App utilizes around 130 cm in width and 60 cm in length to insert full-color graphics into the real road.

This display is made possible by digital micro-mirror device technology or DMD that is also used in digital cinema projectors.

An App that can give you a view of the traffic conditions in front of your vehicle using virtual augmentations is just about what most drivers need to reduce not only small and stupid but major accidents as well.

Have you ever seen a car in front of you that you like but cannot get close enough or just can’t see its name on the back?

Continental Augmented Reality Head-up display enables you to detect the vehicle in front of you as well as giving you adaptive cruise control when distance controls are connected.

This App guarantees more economical, safer and comfortable driving experiences for all drivers. Moreover, it is fun; who wouldn’t like to have 3D rendering of the road on their windshield while they are driving? While it may seem like a distraction, this App is the closest thing to guaranteeing safe driving there is.

Augmented reality doesn’t relegate itself merely to gaming. AR has really proven its worth by making our daily routines more efficient and less mundane. In fact, a bevy of design brands have curated apps to help the average and not-so-average Joes and Janes transform their interiors in a matter of seconds. A sweeping lot of augmented reality apps in the design niche allow users to reimagine their interiors with new furnishings or even completely remodel the aesthetic and architectural design.

Originally we heard rumblings about such a forward-thinking app in the designer and architect industry space. It hadn’t yet been conceptualized as something non-professionals could avail themselves of. And perhaps it wasn’t originally perceived as the sort of tool regular people SHOULD avail themselves of.

Well, fast forward to the present and we’ve come to realize, “Boy, was that thinking wrong.”

1. Decolabs AR

Decolabs has fashioned our favorite kind of augmented reality app: a free one. Compatible with your smartphone, the app allows you to “explore, configure, and review” your space with your very own curated selection of furnishings. You simply aim at the space you want to redecorate, superimpose the object or objects, and evaluate if the result is the look you are after.

Unlike some apps that play liberally with the dimensions of your space and furnishings, Decolabs’ markers more accurately determine how much wiggle room you have to play with. Here’s how it works. First, you print the markers from the site. Then you place the marks on the floor where you want to place your new furniture. The markers in turn “anchor” the furniture in the space.

Bottom line: the app is straightforward and fluid. You won’t be scratching your head at how to navigate through this app’s set of functions. And while you do get what you pay for, it isn’t the only free design app on the market ready to transform your interior. So we expect future iterations of the app to take on board stronger, more intuitive functions.

2. iStaging

Not to be outdone by Decolabs’ free app, iStaging launched a similar app for smartphones and connected devices. Here’s the interesting thing about the award-winning iStaging team. They’ve bridged the universes of virtual reality and augmented reality in order to bring the strongest possible choices together in one app. The Decolabs app uses markers to pin your furnishings into your space. iStaging prides itself on using markerless AR to render your proposed furnishings at scale.

Here’s another intuitive bit of functionality. The app has wall and ceiling detection. The fine folks at iStaging are banking on the possibility that you’ll want to pull from an even larger catalog of ceiling lamps, fans, paintings, and mirrors to envision your living space beyond just standard floor furnishings. And that larger catalog boasts more than 10,000 such curated products ripe for placement in your bedroom or living room.

But what should you do if you are tapped out of design ideas? iStaging couples your AR experience with a collaborative VR experience. You can equally see your interior through the eyes of iStaging’s select group of designers. Putting on your VR glasses and enabling this option gives you the opportunity to pull inspiration from the portfolios and lookbooks of several reputable designers.

The app is an ever-evolving work of art. It’s even customized for Tango-enabled devices. Is it heavy on options? Yes. But that’s possibly what you need when redesigning your home: as many options as you can get.

3. Google Translate

Google and its team of future-driven engineers have been unabashed about their fondness of marrying the latest tech with the routine of our everyday lives. Maybe you knew this already. But Google Translate is AR-enabled.

We don’t typically reference the translation app when thinking about AR. But Google was one of the very first “brands” to put AR in the hands of the little people.

How does it work? Aim your camera phone at the text you want to be translated and the app translates it in real-time into your image display. Rather simple and unassuming sort of functionality. But when it comes to efficiency, no one really wants to type out a huge swathe of foreign and indiscernible text in hopes of translating it. The app cuts the wait time down to size by giving you your translation right before your eyes. Best of all it’s free.

4. Roar Augmented Reality

Roar is just the interesting sort of marriage that apps like Scan wish they were. Shopping just got easier by virtue of your camera phone. Imagine an app that allows you to take pictures of everything from food to movie posters and it, in turn, sources everything from prices, reviews, bookings and even ticket purchase for you in real time. This is what separates Roar from the vast array of shopping friendly apps that purport to give you full disclosure on products and purchases in the blink of an eye.

Roar’s claim to fame is that there seems to be nothing that you can’t scan or photograph (as long as it is for sale) and find out everything from nutritional information to screening times. Why is this app so powerful? We easily forget that it’s augmented reality. It doesn’t puff out its chest like other AR apps do. Instead, it relies on its ever-growing stack of functions and its extreme accessibility to do all its heavy lifting for it. Just the idea of walking past a restaurant and snapping a photo of food to get its price, reviews, details or even restaurant reservations is a big sell for the app.

Compatible with both Android and iPhone, Roar is in a constant state of growth and development. Here’s the app you get when you don’t feel like Google searching or booking online through conventional means. Bottom line: extremely practical and intuitive. Possibly one of the best multi purpose apps expressly designed to fit your day to day lifestyle needs.

Best Augmented Realiy Apps Questions and Answers

.Best Augmented Reality Apps – Conclusion

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WORKS WITH NEST
SMART DEVICES, SMART HOMES

A Nest learning thermostat can make heating and cooling your home a snap. It can also make your energy usage much more efficient. But Nest is much more than a way to make your house comfortable — it’s the first piece of your own personal home automation puzzle.

Thanks to the Nest Developer Program and Nest API, developers of practically any device can create Nest integration so that your devices can communicate with one another and more processes in the home are automated. In the past year or so, we’ve seen a tremendous increase in the number of products that work with Nest (or, to use the trademarked phrase, “Works With Nest”).

In fact, whether you’re looking to put together the more basic components of a smart home, improve the safety of your dwelling, or just make your life a whole lot easier, chances are that you’ll be able to integrate a device with your Nest learning thermostat to achieve your goal. Here are 44 Works With Nest devices and apps that can help you out.

1. Heatworks Model 1

Tankless water heaters are generally more efficient and more functional than the old tank models, and the Heatworks Model 1 is not only efficient and functional — it’s smart. And while using less water and saving money on energy bills is certainly nice, and while it’s great that you can adjust your hot water temperature remotely using the corresponding app, what’s especially useful about the Heatworks Model 1 is that it can integrate with your Nest learning thermostat.

Heatworks Model 1 Kickstarter Campaign

2. Withings Aura

If you’re interested in sleep tracking but don’t like the feel of a device on your wrist while you sleep, the Withings Aura is a great solution. The sensor is a pad that slips under your sheets, and there’s a bedside unit, leaving you free to toss, turn, and (hopefully) get some shut eye.

Withings Works With Nest to raise and lower the temperature in your home based on exactly when you fall asleep, not when you think you might fall asleep. Once the Aura senses that you’re out for the night, it syncs with your thermostat to lower the temperature. And, once you start waking up in the morning, it will bring the temperature back up.

3. Sen.se

The Sen.se Mother may have a slightly disturbing name, but quite like your own mother, it’s a monitoring powerhouse with, it would seem, eyes in the back of its tiny digital head. You can sync many Sen.se sensors with a Mother to monitor everything from room temperature to your shopping list to what time your kids get home from school.

Sense Mother Works with Nest

4. WeatherBug Home

The amount of energy you use in order to keep your home comfortable is directly related to the weather. In keeping with this maxim, the free WeatherBug Home app will show you how much energy you’re using and how much you’ll spend or save if you adjust your home’s temperature, based on the forecast for your area.

As for integration with Nest, you can sync WeatherBug to your thermostat so that it can read the temperature and give you accurate numbers. It’s a simple connection, but if you bought your Nest in order to reduce your energy usage and save a bit of money, this free app can help you out even more.

5. LIFX Bulbs

LIFX is a hubless smart lighting system that can transform how you illuminate your home. They don’t just turn on and off — they dim, change color, they can work on a timer, and can be programmed to be a part of all sorts of lighting scenes that you define with the LIFX app.

With Nest, LIFX bulbs can make your smart home a safer home too. If your thermostat is set to Away, the lights can be set to turn on and off from time to time to make it look like the home is occupied. Plus, with Nest Protect, LIFX bulbs will flash red if there’s smoke or carbon monoxide present, which can alert individuals with hearing impairments as well as nearby neighbors that something’s wrong.

6. Philips Hue Smart LED Light Bulbs

The Hue Smart LED light bulbs from Philips integrate with all three Nest products in distinct ways to improve the safety of your home. The lights will change according to your preferences when your Nest thermostat is set to Away, either by switching off and saving energy or switching on so your home doesn’t look empty. Should your Nest Protect detect smoke, the Hue bulbs will flash red to let you know there’s a problem.

Finally, Hue bulbs can integrate with the Nest Cam to ward off would-be intruders. The bulbs can all switch on when either motion or sound is detected, giving the impression that someone’s home. And of course, all of these functions can be adjusted, amended, or overridden using the corresponding app.

7. Lutron Caseta Wireless Smart Lighting

Automation and convenience are the two big draws of the Lutron Caseta wireless smart lighting system. The series of smart dimmers and switches synced with the bridge, remote, and app allow you to control lights from anywhere. What’s more, you can use any bulbs: fluorescent, LED, whatever. You can even adjust your window shades with the system, giving you control over the giant light in the sky (or how it affects the illumination in your home, at any rate).

The Lutron-Nest connection works in a few ways. First, if your Nest protect detects smoke, lights will turn on and connected window coverings will open. Also, the Nest thermostat temperature can be controlled through the Lutron app, and the app can set the mode to Home or Away.

8. Whirlpool Washers & Dryers

While washers and dryers may not seem like they have a place on a list like this, the washers and dryers from Whirlpool are different. Sure, they work to get your clothes clean, and they do so efficiently, but in a Home with Nest, they can do their job in the most energy efficient way possible.

Whirlpool washers and dryers do this in a few ways. When synced with the Nest thermostat, the washer won’t run an energy-heavy cycle when your furnace or boiler is running. And, if your thermostat is set to Away mode, the dryer will run on a more efficient cycle to keep your clothes from getting wrinkled. It’s a small convenience, to be sure, but it makes a lot of sense, and the savings will show up on your energy bills.

9. LG Appliances

In keeping with the Nest thermostat’s goal of making your home more energy efficient and saving you money, LG appliances can tap into the Nest’s Home and Away modes. When you’re away and your Nest is in Away mode, all of your connected LG appliances, like your washer/dryer, oven, or refrigerator, can go into energy saving mode too. It’s a small detail, but it’s one that can really add up.

In addition, the LG-Works With Nest connection can keep you safe. For example, if your Nest is set to Away but your LG oven is on, you’ll get a notification on your smartphone so you don’t burn your dinner or worse.

10. Haiku Home Big Ass Fans

Unprofessional names aside (yes, the company really is called Big Ass Fans), these fans are stunningly efficient at moving air around to make a home feel more comfortable. They’re made of lightweight yet durable materials, they feature brilliant industrial design, and they’re engineered to make the most of your home’s heating and cooling.

Syncing a Big Ass Fan (stop laughing) with your Nest thermostat can not only save you money but make your home a more inviting place to be. When the heat is running, the fan will push down the warm air. In the summer, it can help move the cool air around to reduce that indoor stuffy feeling. The company’s home line of fans is now a part of Haiku Home, while the moniker Big Ass Fans is still used for the industrial products.

11. Zuli Smart Plugs

The great thing about Zuli smart plugs is that they switch on and off based on where you are in your home (which is, in turn, based on the smartphone you hopefully carry everywhere with you). It’s all transmitted through BlueTooth, and you can set preferences for anything that’s plugged into a Zuli. For example, if you want a lamp to switch on every time you enter the bedroom, you just set the preference once, and it will automatically turn on every time.

When you sync Zuli with Nest, that same presence that turns things on and off can also let your thermostat know that you’re home and that the heat should be turned up. You can also set preferences for zones so that, for example, if you’re in the kitchen, the heat is on in that room but not on in the bedrooms.

12. iHome Smart Plugs

Sticking a lowercase “i” in front of a product name may be a worn out trick, but despite its moniker, iHome smart plugs are one of the easiest ways to get started with home automation. Essentially a bridge between your home’s electrical wiring and smartphone control, these plugs allow you to program, control, and automate any device that you plug into them.

The iHome’s Works With Nest functionality allows you to create settings based on the Home and Away modes on your thermostat. You might, for example, have the air conditioner switch off and only have one lamp on when your Nest is set to Away. Set to Home, that same AC unit might be on, and you’d probably turn on a few more lights plus some music. It’s all customizable, and the Nest integration makes it even more convenient.

13. Insteon

Insteon is the smart home system that you configure to suit your needs. There are LED bulbs, wireless sensors, wall switches, plugs, and more, all of which are easy to install and set up via the corresponding app. Add to it as you see fit, buy only the components you need, and set a course for total home automation.

Works With Nest is a part of Insteon’s smart home family, just to make things that much easier. It syncs with the Nest thermostat so you can read and adjust the temperature right from the Insteon app. Additionally, Insteon can set your thermostat to Home or Away based on your other configurations.

14. Rheem EcoNet Smart Home System

In and of itself, the Rheem EcoNet smart home system can take care of your home’s heating and cooling needs plus manage your hot water needs. However, when integrated with a Nest learning thermostat, the control of your energy efficiency is just a little bit easier.

When your Nest is set to Away, the Rheem EcoNet will respond by switching to a more energy-efficient setting, reducing energy usage and your bill. It’s a small but useful sync that could save you a lot in the long run.

15. Keen Home Smart Vent

You wouldn’t think that something as unassuming as an HVAC vent could have much of an impact on your home’s temperature or energy usage, but as it turns out, the impact is substantial. Enter Keen Home smart vents, which look like ordinary vents but can regulate the temperature of each room and better direct airflow to keep you comfortable.

The Works With Nest integration is what you’d expect with a product like this: it can access the thermostat’s set temperature to achieve it in the most efficient way possible. It can also read Home and Away modes to reduce energy usage when you’re not at home.

16. Mimo Smart Baby Nursery

Listen up, parents of newborns: you’ll want to know about the Mimo. It’s a baby monitor, but it’s one that your baby actually wears. Snap the little turtle-shaped device onto a compatible onesie, and it will track your infant’s respiration and sleep data, plus transmit audio. With the threat of SIDS being the stuff of every new parents’ nightmares, Mimo affords true peace of mind.

It also Works With Nest! Based on the data it collects, Mimo can tell if your baby is too hot or too cold, and then adjust the thermostat accordingly. Plus, when it’s synced with the Nest Cam, it can show you a video of what’s happening in the crib if any movement is detected. With Mimo in your baby’s nursery, you’ll all sleep a little bit better.

17. Petnet

It’s no secret that pet owners can be a bit, shall we say, obsessive about their cat or pup’s diet. It’s only the best for Fluffy or Fido — feeding our pets well is one way we show them that we love them. However, for pet owners who spend most of the day away from home (and away from their pets), a product like Petnet is incredibly useful. It’s a smart food dispenser that allows you to set a feeding schedule, release food at the touch of a touchscreen, and even order more food when you’re running low.

Of course, being away from home means that you can’t watch your fuzzy friend eating its meal, but that’s where the Works With Nest integration comes in handy. Petnet works with the Nest Cam to let you see your pet enjoying its meal and even speak words of encouragement during the feeding. If you don’t have a dog or a cat, this might not seem like a big deal, but pet owners will understand the value of a Nest-Petnet sync.

18. SimpliSafe

A smart home security system that will make you feel safer in your own home, SimpliSafe is contract-free, totally wireless thanks to wifi and cellular network compatibility, and remarkably easy to use. You’ll receive notifications if things are amiss, and SimpliSafe can even contact the proper authorities in the event of an emergency. Starting at just $200, total peace of mind is yours — and there are no ongoing costs.

As for its Works With Nest compatibility, SimpliSafe helps your learning thermostat know when you’re at home or away from home so that you can use energy more efficiently. It’s a handy feature of this affordable yet robust home security system.

19. Kwikset Kevo Smart Lock

The coolest feature of the Kwikset Kevo is that it turns your finger into a key. As long as your lock is set up and your phone is in your pocket or bag, just a touch of the lock will open up your door. Plus, since it’s a smart lock, you can grant access to anyone with a smartphone, plus get notifications on comings and goings.

Your own home or away status can sync with the Nest learning thermostat to keep your home comfortable when you’re there. You can set up Nest to automatically raise and lower your heat as you come and go, or you can configure the temperature control to work by notification and permission. Even better, Nest and Kevo can detect the presence of each individual user and remember personal temperature preferences for each one.

20. SkyBell Smart Doorbell

When your doorbell rings, it’s a good idea to see who’s waiting out there before opening up your home to just anyone. Sure, those little peep holes help, but wouldn’t a camera be better? That’s what SkyBell does. It’s a wifi-enabled doorbell with a built-in camera to see who’s ringing you up.

SkyBell also Works With Nest — or Nest Cam, specifically. If your Nest Cam detects any motion while it’s in Away mode, it can turn on SkyBell to show you what’s going on in front of your house. And, if a visitor rings your SkyBell, the Nest Cam can start streaming video to show you what’s happening inside your house. It’s a great extra security feature for safety-conscious users.

21. Scout Alarm

The big appeal of the Scout Alarm is that it’s totally customizable. You build the system that suits your needs, without running out of components or having any left over. Start with a hub, then add on the precise number of access sensors, motion sensors, and door panels you need to create the perfect security system for you. It’s easy to install, easy to expand, and easy to use.

Scout syncs with Nest in two helpful ways. First, it can set your thermostat’s mode to Home or Away based on if you’re home or not. Then, Scout can connect with your Nest Protect to sound its alarm and send all manner of notifications if smoke or carbon monoxide is detected.

22. MyFox Home Alarm

Not only is MyFox an easy to use smart security system, but it’s got an 110-decibel alarm that will scare the wits out of any intruder. In fact, thanks to MyFox’s ability to pick up on unusual movement and vibrations, it can sound the alarm (and let you know what’s happening) before the unwelcome guest can even set foot in your house.

When synced with Nest, MyFox can set modes to Home or Away, and all of your Nest temperature data will appear in the MyFox app. Additionally, MyFox connects with Nest Protect to sound its loud alarm if smoke or carbon monoxide is detected.

23. Yale Linus Lock

The Yale Linus Lock is a smart lock that can be opened with your phone or with a custom passcode, and it offers all of the conveniences of an app-controlled lock: knowing if your home is locked, allowing remote access, seeing who’s coming and going, and more.

The Works With Nest integration ensures that the Linus lock is always secured when your Nest thermostat is set to Away. Additionally, if a synced Nest Protect detects carbon monoxide, a caution alert will appear on the app, a potentially life-saving measure.

24. August Smart Lock

The lock itself is sleek and inconspicuous looking, but make no mistake: the August Smart Lock is a security workhorse. You can buzz people in remotely, set access for people coming and going, limit access based on time, and get alerts when the lock is activated. Even if your visitors don’t have a smartphone, you can lock and unlock your door remotely to let them in.

With Nest, you can sync the August Smart Lock with the thermostat’s Home and Away modes to keep your home’s temperature regulated. Plus, if you’ve got a Nest Cam, you’ll be able to see a video of who’s coming and going, all in the August app.

25. ADT Pulse

An ADT security system can make your home a safer place, but an ADT Pulse smart security system is both safe and convenient. Plus, with the home security market flooded with new companies, it’s refreshing to see innovation from a longstanding manufacturer. The app control of the ADT Pulse system means you can watch security video, control lights, and arm and disarm the whole system, no matter where you are.

The Works With Nest integration takes the convenient one step further by putting the thermostat’s temperature controls right in the ADT app. The Home and Away modes can be changed in the app as well.

26. Rachio Iro

This smart wifi sprinkler system Works with Nest to ensure the safety of not only your home, but of your neighbours’ homes as well. It syncs with the Nest Protect to keep a fire from spreading and jumping to nearby structures.
Here’s how this collaboration works: if your Protect senses smoke, and the alarm isn’t silenced, your Rachio sprinklers are instructed to turn on and wet down the area outside your home. This will hopefully keep the fire somewhat contained.

27. Hayward OmniLogic

If your backyard is where you escape to when you have some down time, then you may find the Hayward OmniLogic quite useful. A complete backyard automation system, the OmniLogic can control all of the different parts of your pool (including heaters, motors, lights, and more) plus anything else you have in your yard to make it a true extension of your home. Themes and programs can be configured and run from the base controller, the app, or any computer.

The OmniLogic Works With Nest to have pre-set themes running during Home and Away modes. You can also see and adjust your home’s temperature, and if you’ve got a Nest Protect, you’ll be able to see its status and set a theme based on its mode.

28. Skydrop Smart Sprinkler

If you want a lush green lawn, you need to water it. However, unless you pay close attention to the weather or can accurately assess the moisture content of the soil with just a quick feel of the ground, you’re probably going to give your grass either too much or too little water. What the Skydrop Smart Sprinkler system does is take care of the lawn details for you. It connects to local weather information, so it won’t switch on if rain is in the forecast for later. Similarly, it will water your grass only if the soil’s moisture is low. The result is that you get a great looking lawn, use water wisely, and save on your water bills.

The Skydrop’s Nest integration is rooted in safety. If your Nest Protect detects smoke in your home, your Skydrop sprinklers will automatically turn on, potentially preventing damage to your home or property.

29. Chamberlain Garage Doors

An ordinary garage door opens and closes with the push of a button, but a smart Chamberlain garage door enabled with MyQ can open from anywhere with a tap of your smartphone. If you’ve ever left the house and suddenly not been able to remember if you’ve closed the garage door, Chamberlain can tell you.

With Nest integration, Chamberlain can set your mode to Home or Away, as well as change the temperature on your thermostat. It also works with Nest Cam to stream video whenever motion is detected near your garage door.

30. Mercedes-Benz

You know you’ve made it in life when you can get behind the wheel of your very own Mercedes-Benz. Luxury cars like these elevate the driving experience, but more than that, they offer some extremely helpful connections and features that you just can’t get with a standard low-cost sedan.

Specifically, Mercedes-Benz Works With Nest to keep the temperature in your home perfect at all times. While some Nest partners boost the heat when you arrive home, your Mercedes-Benz automobile will get the heat cranking when you’re on your way home. That way, you open the door to a warm and comfortable house.

31. Automatic Car Adapter

Want the Nest syncing of a Mercedes-Benz but don’t have the green to afford such a high-end vehicle? No problem: just invest in a much more affordable Automatic Car Adapter.

This is a small device that easily plugs into the diagnostics port in your car. Once set up, it can also let your Nest thermostat know when you’re en route so it will bring the temperature of your home up. It also performs a variety of other functions and automation, even if it can’t make your Honda drive like a Benz.

32. Vinli

Vinli is a small device that plugs into any car’s data port. Once connected, it has a wide range of functions, but how you use it is up to you. It has a number of proprietary apps so you can, say, keep tabs on your new teen driver, or stay up to date on your car’s maintenance needs, or even turn your car into a roving wifi hotspot, thanks to unlimited 4G LTE connectivity. And if you have the misfortune of being involved in an accident, Vinli can call for help, even if you’re not able to.

Vinli also Works With Nest to warm up your home as you approach. Similarly, when your car pulls out of the driveway, your Nest thermostat will set itself to Away mode and turn down to save you money.

33. Jawbone UP

Jawbone’s UP line of fitness trackers may help you stay in shape and motivate you to get a better night’s sleep, but when paired with Nest, it can do even more. Because the slim tracker on your wrist knows when you’re sleeping and when you’re awake, it can send that information to your thermostat to automatically lower your heat at night and bring it back up in the morning.

In addition, with the current popularity of Jawbone trackers and the growing popularity of Nest, this may be the first smart home automated connection that a lot of people make.

34. Pebble

While they don’t garner as much attention as an Apple Watch, Pebble smart watches are pretty fantastic in their own right. Just like its more famous competitor, Pebble puts your calendar, your notifications, and so much more right on your wrist. The Nest Leaf app for Pebble now lets you include your thermostat and Protect on that list.

It’s a small collaboration — the app is just on your wrist as opposed to on your smartphone — but it’s a useful one. Pebble’s battery life is at least four times that of an average smartphone, so when your phone’s about to run out of juice, your Pebble should still be able to make any adjustments to your Nest devices.

35. Misfit Wearables

Another line of fitness trackers that Works With Nest, Misfit’s Shine, Shine2, Flash, and the upcoming Ray all feature minimalist design and maximum functionality. They keep tabs on your activity and your sleep, and they look great on your wrist or worn as a pendant.

And really, the integration of wearables like Misfit and the Nest thermostat just makes sense. If you’re wearing a device that knows when you’re asleep and when you’re awake, why not sync it with your thermostat to keep the temperature lower at night and higher in the day? That’s what Misfit wearables do — once you sync everything up in your smartphone, that is.

36. Stringify

Stringify puts controls for everything — your Twitter account, your smart home components, and yes, even your Nest — on one dashboard. It’s an app that serves to make life more convenient and less frustrating. Instead of flipping from one app to another, Stringify lets you do all of your tasks on one app.

It Works With Nest across the board. From the temperature settings on the thermostat to the detection details of Protect to the camera data from the Nest Cam, all of your Nest functionality can be ported right over to your Stringify account.

37. Logitech Harmony Ultimate

One remote to control your lights, your home entertainment options, and the temperature in your home? It’s a convenient idea, and it’s exactly what the Logitech Harmony Ultimate remote does.

When paired with the Nest thermostat, you can control the temperature and set Home or Away modes. It also syncs with the Nest Protect to show you its status, and you can program triggering activities (such as flashing lights) if smoke or carbon monoxide is detected.

38. Yonomi App

Nest is just one of more than 50 smart home components that the totally free Yonomi app can control. The remote control that it affords is great, but even better is its ability to run what it calls “routines,” or simple automation based on your activity.

You could, for example, program your Nest thermostat into a wake-up routine, so that just before you get out of bed, the temperature in your home rises, plus your coffee starts brewing, the lights come up, and your BlueTooth-enabled stereo starts playing your favorite music.

39. Wink App

One of the emerging issues in the smart home market is that there are a number of different platforms, and they don’t always play well with each other. The Works With Nest initiative is working to change that, but it’s not compatible with everything. Enter Wink, a smart home hub that can sync with a huge range of products and put all of the controls in one convenient place: it’s own free app. What’s smarter than that?

Once the hub is installed, Wink puts all of your Nest thermostats and Protect controls in its dashboard. Need to control the temperature or the Home/Away mode? It’s right there. Curious about what’s happening in front of your Nest Cam? Also there. Want to see the status of your Protect? There as well. Plus, should the Protect actually detect smoke or carbon monoxide, you can set up a Wink Robot, or program, so that, say, the neighbors are notified, the stove is turned off, and the lights flash. The connectivity and customizability of Wink is a huge asset in the ever-growing smart home industry.

40. Control4

Billing itself as “High-performance automation at a remarkable price,” Control4 is like a sophisticated remote control for your entire smart home. And, beyond simply controlling your devices, you can program them to interact and work together so that eventually, your input is no longer needed, and your components hum along in conjunction with one another.

Control4 works with an impressive range of products, including, of course, Nest. Both the thermostat and Protect can be integrated with any and all of your other smart home components; temperature, Home/Away mode, and detection of dangerous compounds can all trigger other actions when programmed properly.

41. Ray Super Remote

It may seem a bit old-fashioned to have a separate remote to control things in your home. After all, isn’t that what your smartphone is for? Still, the Ray Super Remote looks like a smartphone and functions like one too, with its full-color touchscreen and deep capacity for controlling just about everything around you, and if you can get past the idea of having yet another device in your home, Ray affords a brilliant level of convenience. Oh, and it makes viewing recommendations too, so you’ll never have to deal with the pesky (and often incorrect) algorithms of Netflix again.

While it’s primarily designed to control things like lights and entertainment systems, Ray Works With Nest to control your thermostat. So, when you’re settling in for a movie and feeling just a little cold, you can boost the heat without leaving your seat and watch in warm, cosy comfort.

42. Netvibes

Netvibes is like a dashboard for your entire internet and internet of things, combining home automation with electronic communication so that you’re up to date on all of the important details of your life. Through small sets of directions that you program — Netvibes calls them potions — you can say, make sure you get a text if your stock portfolio drops below a certain value, or get an email if the outdoor temperature will be too warm for a jacket.

Because Netvibes Works With Nest, this interaction can be used with your Nest thermostat and Protect. You can create potions related to your home’s temperature or the presence of smoke or carbon monoxide, keeping you and the important people in your life connected and in touch with what’s happening.

43. Google Now

This Works With Nest integration is worth noting because unlike many of the other items on this list, Google Now is something that a lot of people already use. It’s free, it’s easy, and it’s from a company that has a tremendous presence in how we interact with our devices and with each other.

All you need is the Google app, and it will sync with your thermostat to raise and lower it as you arrive home or depart for the day, respectively. And while this may seem like no big deal, do keep in mind that for many, Google Now may be the first Works With Nest connection that they really try.

44. IFTTT

IFTTT stands for “if this then that,” and it’s a free protocol that allows you to program how your smart home components, apps, and other devices interact. It’s all very user-friendly; the programs are called “recipes,” and you can easily dictate how your different things connect with one another.

Of course, IFTTT Works With Nest, and a huge appeal of this is that you can use IFTTT to make non-Works With Nest devices actually work with it. A big example of this is the Amazon Echo, which is not inherently Nest-compatible. However, a quick IFTTT recipe will allow you to tell Alexa to raise and lower the temperature on your Nest thermostat, essentially making it voice controlled.

The post 44 Best “Works With Nest” Products for your Smart Home appeared first on ChipIn.

Best Running Apps

When most people decide to get healthy, they usually begin with the simplest options; walking and running. Throwing on some comfortable shoes, grabbing a bottle of water, and jogging out the door is extremely appealing when first starting your journey into cardiovascular fitness. You have to ask your body where it wants to start and what features you want from your app. Do you want something basic and simple or something that gives you the potential to track your progress and top yourself?

1. Runtopia

Runtopia for both Android & iOS is great whether you’re running around the block or on a treadmill thanks to its duo of separate settings. For those outside the U.S., they also allow you to switch between pounds and kilograms which make it feel like an internationally accepted system. Another great feature is it’s posting/sharing ability which allows you to share on your social media or post your workout in their forum for others to like and comment. A great feature I didn’t expect was that when you stop moving, the timer stops as well and automatically starts up again once you’ve caught your breath and started moving once again.

2. Runtastic

For those who could use a little audible motivation, I would recommend a little app called Runtastic that (for $9.99 per month) will sync Google Play Music to the app. For a little added encouragement, you can opt to listen to an inspiration story while you walk or run your way to your finish line. Runtastic syncs with just about any Bluetooth fitness tracker out there and has over fifty exercises to log in. The run timer has the capability of locking the pause button so your pocket doesn’t stifle your run, but the large amount of separate menus does take some getting used to.

3. MapMyRun

MapMyRun by Under Armour is the only app I have found that syncs to smart shoes as well as fitness bands, scales, and pedometers. The app is a rather large download at 90 MB but allows logging in just about every exercise in existence as well as the ability to share your progress on literally any other app that will allow shares like Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc. Some people have reported excessive lagging issues and forced shutoffs, but I experienced no such problem. The biggest issue I had was that I apparently lost a calorie every 4 seconds regardless of whether I was moving or not.

4. Google Fit

Undoubtedly, if you’ve so much as done a search for fitness apps, then you’ve run across Google Fit in some way or another. The general consensus among their users is that it’s great if you haven’t used the premium version of Runtastic. I’ve tried Google Fit for jogging and cycling and I can honestly say its GPS is extremely accurate and useful. You can even save your trails and share them with other users or even try out other’s trails for an added challenge.

5. Pedometer & Weightloss Coach

On the other side of the spectrum is an app by Pacer Health called Pedometer and Weight Loss Coach, which is a great example of what not to download if you’re enticed by “free.” At first glance, Pacer seems to offer tons and tons of features like groups to join (their only good feature), diet and sleep analysis, and a personal coach. However, these are not a part of your free download; this will run you an additional $3.99 per month. Don’t be fooled by their supposed 4.5-star rating, because these people must not have gone further and tried additional apps. I tried Pacer’s app for myself and found that I was losing about a third of my traveled distance and just for laughs tried walking thirty steps and then walking back to my starting point; the app only registered the original steps and not the re-steps so it’s merely a GPS tracker and nothing more.

Sure, running is an amateur’s staple for getting in shape, but what about doing things you already love? Maybe you’re saying to yourself “I like swimming and biking, couldn’t I just up my frequency or difficulty of those to lose weight?” Those are gaining popularity as of late thanks to social media where you can find hundreds of groups that participate in these activities.

1. MySwimPro

Swimming, unfortunately, is unable to take full advantage of fitness tracking seeing as how water is electronic’s worst enemy. However, there is a small list of apps on the market for swimmers that want to track their progress. The number 1 app is MySwimPro which links to social media, has videos aiding you in the perfect technique, and preloaded workouts to get you started. The download is free, but if you want the whole cornucopia of features it’s going to cost you $14.99 a month or a whole C-note for the year. A little pricier than most premium apps, but they can charge it because it’s pretty much the only game in town compared to their jokingly generic competitors. Besides, you have to trust an app used by Olympic medalists.

Cycling, unlike swimming, has a much larger following thus your search will generate hundreds of apps for bicyclists. There are many different types to choose from such as the most basic app that merely tracks your time and distance to apps that link you with cyclists in your area with a matching skill level. I’m a cyclist myself and I relished the opportunity to try many of these out.

2. Google Fit (revisited)

Once again, Google Fit does a great job at tracking your workout (this time on a bike) and it’s probably their best feature. The distance from my house to my daughter’s school is 1.42 miles and Google Fit measured it perfectly whether I was walking or riding the bike. Upon logging your first trip you will see many other trails that people have posted in your area opening up a whole world of new challenges to try out. It was everything I needed from a cycling app, but there have been reports of syncing issues with fitness tracker in the Android version.

3. Bike Computer

Bike Computer by RoProducts is nearly identical to Google Fit in quality but offers just a little bit more for the pros. With a GPS tracker just as accurate as Google Fit, they’ve added the automatic pause to the timer when you stop so you only get the total time you’ve been actually moving. They’ve also thrown in elevation, altitude change, and a picture of nearby cyclists. The biggest complaints out there are inaccurate mileage and the app just stopped working mid-ride, which I have not experienced but every phone is different.

Running and cycling are great for working out your heart and legs, but what about all those other muscles? There are a whole plethora of workout apps ranging from amateur aerobics to professional bodybuilding. Some of these start easy and eventually push you into the extreme while others stick to a steady pace for maintaining a healthy body.

1. Abs Workout 7 Minutes

One of the apps I came across while searching for an app for myself is called Abs Workout 7 Minutes by Simple Design. I’m not going to lie, the first thing I thought when I saw it was 8-minute Abs from the 90’s which gave me a chuckle. They say 7 minutes, but you actually workout for forty seconds, rest for twenty, and repeat; that’s 6 minutes of movement and 3 minutes of rest. I’m not sure where they’re getting the 7 minutes from, but a nice feature is YouTube videos teaching proper form for each exercise.

2. 30-day Fitness

I couldn’t write about fitness apps without mentioning my personal favorite, which I have been using for over 2 weeks, called 30 Day Fitness. With a 2016 award for best app, it is incredibly useful if you’re just breaking into getting fit. There are five different areas to target: abs, butt, legs, arms, and full-body. Each area has 6 levels of difficulty, each with 30 days of exercises. With only a few ads before and after each workout, it is definitely worth using if you want to better a certain part of your body or want to completely transform.

3. Women’s Workout: Home Gym Cardio

If you’re a woman and feel a little weary of using an app designed for everyone, the Woman’s Workout: Home Gym Cardio app may be for you. Most of their aerobics are designed for use with light dumbbells but they recommend just using water bottles. This would be a fantastic app if it weren’t for the barrage of ads around every corner. I suggest paying the $3.99 and enjoying all of the exercises, toning workouts, and reminders they have customizable for each individual person.

4. FitProSport & FitNotes

FitProSport, which is a unisex app is great for people transitioning from beginner to workout fiend. It’s the only app I’ve seen that allows inputting body measurements and allows you to go premium for only 99 cents. The only downside is that they are not compatible for left-handed users. Lastly, FitNotes is a great app for people that need no instructions but would like to log in their workout on a chart and calendar. At only 2 MB’s, it’s a great little addition to throwing on your phone or tablet. Both of these apps have an added setting for working out with weights if you feel so inclined.

Now that you’ve seen what many fitness apps have to offer, which ones do you get? Some of these apps work great as a team, sync with each other, or even are great to pair with some non-fitness programs. I’d recommend putting two or three apps on your team.

As far as fitness trackers go, Google Fit and Runtastic will sync to just about any pedometer or wearable band as long as it’s Bluetooth enabled. In fact, most reviewers out there recommend using a tracker with Google Fit to fully take advantage of the app. MapMyRun goes one step further and syncs with bands, scales, and even smart shoes.

Some apps will even sync with one another like Strava and Bike Computer for all the biathletes out there for improved accuracy. Google Fit is one of the best for this because it can sync with 30 Day Fitness and My Fitness Pal (a popular calorie counting app) making adding your burned calories and fat to your daily nutrition even easier. My Fitness Pal is owned by Under Armour so it supports any of their other apps including MapMyRun, Runtastic, Strava, and just about any fitness related Bluetooth product on the market.

. And finally…

The post Best Running Apps – The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Side of Working Out appeared first on ChipIn.

Now, using social networks for sharing your location isn’t always private or safe. Everyone on your friend’s list can know where you are, and that’s not always something you want unless you specifically want to let everyone one in the world know your location.

So, if you ask us, the best way to use location-sharing feature is via first and third-party apps. There you can choose which people you’ll share your location with, for how long, and for what purpose. Also, you can turn the feature off at any given moment with just a few taps. Since there are more and more apps offering the location-sharing feature every day, we choose the best and feature them here. Let’s find out which location-sharing apps are the best together.

Do note that all of the mentioned apps are free to download and use. Some of them offer premium subscriptions, but they won’t force you into going premium. All of them can be used completely free, although some won’t give you access to all features until you decide to subscribe.

Best Location Sharing Applications

Google updated its Maps app, adding a location-sharing feature. Now, the feature isn’t new to the Google Maps app – if you remember back in the day, the app had a neat function called Latitude. With it, you could share your location with other people, but in a series of inexplicable events, Google removed the option and moved all location sharing features to (now mostly dead) its social network, Google+.

Fortunately, Google came to its senses and brought back the feature to the app where it belongs. The feature is quite easy to find (it’s placed in the main menu), it gives you a couple of options (how long you want to share your location, with whom) and although it doesn’t offer plenty of customization options, it’s great to have it there, since Google Maps can be found on practically every Android device, as well as on most iOS devices, so you don’t have to find an app to use with your friends because chances are that you all have Google Maps installed on your mobile devices.

Pros

• Easy To Use
• Practically All Android (And Most iOS) Users Have It Installed

Cons

• Google shares your personal information throughout their services and with advertisers
• Not Many Additional Features
• Can’t Make Different Friend Circles
• Have To Add Contacts Every Time You Want To Share Your Location

Download: Android – iOS

You can share your location with your Foursquare/Swarm contacts, which can be especially handy for group vacations

Foursquare’s popularity saw a massive drop, but the company made a comeback with a new app called Swarm. Instead of letting you find new places, the primary function of Swarm is location-sharing. You can share your location with your Foursquare/Swarm contacts, which can be especially handy for group vacations, or when visiting music festivals (especially when visiting music festivals). Of course, the social side of the app may be a too much for some users, but don’t worry, there are plenty more location-sharing apps out there.

Pros

• Cool Design
• Easy To Use
• Familiar User Interface (For Foursquare Users)
• Integrates With Your Social Network Accounts, As Well As With Your Messaging App
• Turn Off Your Location Sharing With Just One Tap
• Perfect App For People Who Always Hang Out on Social Networks

Cons

• Flawed And Unfinished Foursquare Integration
• Limited User Base
• Not For Users Who Don’t Use Social Networks

Download: Android – iOS

Turtler is the only app on this list that’s still in development, but we had to include it because the app will feature some pretty cool options once it goes live.
For instance, Turtler will offer uncompromising data encryption and privacy with AES 256-bit encryption. In other words, it will be practically impossible for someone to hack your account or access your location without your permission. Only your friends and family will be allowed to see your location, no one else unless you specifically choose to share more publicly.

Turtler will offer private and public location sharing options. While the private option is the feature most of us will use, the public option will allow blog owners to share their location with their readers. For instance, if they want to let their readers know where they will be, for a meet and greet purposes at a special event. Also, Turtler will allow for users to check on your location without having the app installed, by sending them a secure link that will lead them to the Turtler website. Since Turtler uses AES 256-bit encryption you can be sure that the link will stay secure.

And the best thing about Turtler is the “Shell” device, allowing location sharing without having a smartphone with you. The device supports 3G, 2-way voice calling and GPS tracking, and is a great tool for large companies to use location sharing of their employees with customers or for families to use with their children. Overall, Turtler looks very promising, and we can’t wait for the app to get released.

Glympse in another location-sharing app out there. The good sides of Glympse is that it offers plenty of customization options (you can select who can see your location, for how long, whether your location will be followed in real-time or will the app make “shots” of your location every couple of minutes, and more), it has a good-looking UI, and it’s quite easy to use.

Some of the downsides are the fact that the app is a battery hog, that it can freeze from time to time, and that your location can get inaccurate (probably another bug). The good thing is that your friends can know where you are without installing Glympse; you can just send them a secure link and they can use any browser to find out where are you.

Pros

• Ok To Use
• UI Uses Material Design
• Your Friends Don’t Have To Install The App In Order To Check Out Your Location
• Social Network Integration

Cons

• Menus Can Be Overstuffed and Feel Unintuitive
• UI Could Use Some Upgrades
• Battery Hog
• The App Can Crash From Time To Time

Download: Android – iOS

Life 360 (now known as Family Locator) has a great idea. The app lets you build different circles (close friends, family, your partner, work colleagues) and then share your location with one or more circles. This is awesome because the app lets you choose which people to share your location with (you don’t have to enter contacts every time), and you can message your circles from within the app as well.

Life 360 has usual location sharing features like setting a timer for how long you want your location to be shared, and it is a great choice for those seeking a location-sharing app that allows them to share their location both with close family and friends. Really, circles option is the app’s strongest side.Now, Life 360 Family Locator is available in two flavors. The free version offers some features such as check-ins, locations, and messaging. On the other hand, we have the premium version that comes with all features but costs $5 per month ($50 per year), which is too expensive. Users have lots of cool – and free – location sharing apps, and $50 per year subscription is just too much.

Pros

• Easy To Use
• Lots Of Features
• Precise Location Tracking
• Circles Feature Is Excellent

Cons

• The App Is A Battery Hog
• The App Is Known For Being Unstable
• Premium Subscription Is A Bit Expensive

Download: Android – iOS

Yik Yak isn’t your everyday location-sharing app. It is more of a location-based social network. With Yik Yak you can choose to share your location anonymously and to track other users of the app that are nearby. Other users – as well as you – can post comments, and if they are in a ten-mile radius from you, you can read them. Now, comments can give you useful info; you can find out about nearby fast food joints, or about the best coffee you can drink nearby.

The problem is that, in most cases, comments are just random ramblings from random people. They often contain threats and swears. Basically, Yik Yak is like a 4Chan of location sharing. You can stumble upon really cool stuff, but in the most cases, users will just post silly comments that aren’t informative or helpful.
Neat UI, cool feature, and the option to stay anonymous are Yik Yak’s best features. If you want to stay anonymous and glimpse at other user’s location along with their posts, Yik Yak is the app for you. Just don’t expect too much from the app. Yik Yak can be fun to use for a while, but before long you’ll probably as yourself “why did I install this app in the first place?”

Pros

• Cool Idea
• The App Gives You The Option To Stay Anonymous
• Extremely Simple To Use
• Comments Can Be Hilarious
• You Can Find Useful Info

Cons

• Comments Are Awful In Most Cases
• The App Becomes Tedious And Boring To Use Very Fast
• It Serves As An Interesting Proof Of Concept, But Not Much More
• UI Is Basic At Best

Download: Android – iOS

Find My Friends is an excellent app to use for long trips, or for journeys outside your country

Find My Friends is an excellent app to use for long trips, or for journeys outside your country. The app enables you to quickly share your location, to select people you want to share location with, and to select for how long you want your location to be visible to others. One nice addition to the app is the fact that it shows you nearby police stations, hospitals, and other POIs (points of interest) that can be useful when traveling abroad.

The app can be downloaded for free, and with the free version, you have access to most features. New users can try the premium version for 30 days before deciding if the app is worth the purchase. Premium version costs $5 per month (or $50 per year) and it offers an expanded location history (cool for trips abroad), an unlimited number of check-in locations, roadside assistance and support for simple, feature phones (cellphones without smartphone features). Although the price is a bit too high, the app is handy, especially if you often travel.

Pros

• Simple To Use
• Free Version Offers Lots Of Features
• The App Won’t Drain Your Battery As Fast As Other Location-Sharing Apps
• Great For Users Who Often Travel Abroad
• The App Shows Lots Of Helpful POIs (Points of Interest)

Cons

• Design Could Have Been Better
• The App Looks A Bit Dated
• Premium Version Is Too Expensive

Download: Android

For those who are looking for a real time location sharing app that lets you meet up with all of your friends and family while still maintaining control over who you share with and when, we may have the app for you. Karavan is a new location sharing app that puts power and privacy back in the hands of the user.

Share your location with your friends and see in realtime where all your friends are

Karavan is a real-time ‘group map’ app that is currently free in the App Store. Karavan allows users to make secure groups that require either an invite or the leader’s selected password to join a group. Once you’re in a group (or in a “Karavan” as they call it), you can see everyone in your Karavan on the map in real-time.

Once in the Karavan app, you can drop pins for the rest of the group to see. Also within the app, you can tap a button to launch Apple Maps or Google Maps to automatically give you the directions to your friends or their pins.

Karavan is made for anyone who’s ever tried to meet up with friends or family at a crowded music festival, busy bar, amusement park, or even a new restaurant. Karavan makes meeting up and staying together seamless without using up your phone’s data plan and battery life (thanks to their sophisticated algorithm).

Putting the user back in control of their privacy is what sets Karavan apart from other location sharing apps. You can easily shift from one group of friends to another from within the app. Or if you want to stop sharing your location with your groups completely, simply swipe the app closed. The makers of Karavan are adamant about user privacy and believe the power to control when you share your location should be entirely in the user’s hands.

Pros

• Simple To Use
• Free Version Offers Lots Of Features
• Great for Festivals and Parks

Cons

• Everybody needs to use the same app

Download: iOS

The post Best Location Sharing Apps – Share your Location With your Friends appeared first on ChipIn.

An Announcement in Barcelona?

CES 2016 attendees were bombarded with smart home tech, skinny TVs, and VR toys, but what they absolutely did not see was the brand new Sony Smartwatch 4.

Even though rumors had been swirling for months about the product’s launch at the annual Las Vegas electronics show, Sony kept quiet and did not make any new product announcements.

So, the question remains: where is the Sony Smartwatch 4?

There has been a great deal of speculation that it will finally be launched at this month’s Mobile World Congress (or MWC) event in Barcelona. Sony has called a press event for the morning of February 22, and while this could mean the announcement of a new Xperia tablet or a demo of their amazing new X930D television, many industry insiders and consumers are hoping it’s finally time for the Smartwatch 4 to make its big debut. Fact is – it didn’t happen.

With the Apple Watch leading the smartwatch pack, Pebble hot on its heels, and heavy hitters like Samsung, Motorola, Asus, and even Fossil throwing their products into the smartwatch arena, it may be a little hard to get excited about yet another product in this interesting but not quite booming category. Why all the hype over the Sony Smartwatch 4?

The Sony Smartwatch 4 will come in a variety of colours

Well, for starters, the previous iterations of the Smartwatch (a term that Sony trademarked several years ago) were popular, though they were not without their problems. Industry buzz suggests that Sony appears to have gotten it right on the fourth try. Additionally, the release of the Apple Watch last year, along with the release of Android Wear in 2014 (and its subsequent upgrades) have brought more awareness to the smartwatch market. You can also make the case that fitness tracker owners are discovering the limitations of their fun but somewhat flimsy wearables and are looking for a more powerful replacement.

Finally, the Sony Smartwatch 4 has just been built up so much. People are talking: when will it finally come out? Will it be better than the Apple Watch? As we’ve seen so many times in the past, the anticipation of a new gadget can drive its perceived value way up, and that could be part of what’s happening here.

Even though the forthcoming Smartwatch 4 should offer a number of improvements over the Smartwatch 3, the current version of Sony’s high end timepiece did have some big selling points. For starters, it was the first smartwatch to have built-in GPS. While a few other Android Wear watches have since added GPS and GPS support as notable features, the fact that Sony has had this for a while gives it a huge advantage over the competition. Notably, it’s one thing that the Apple Watch hasn’t got.

The Sony Smartwatch 3 came with a host of amazing features

Finally, the 420mAh battery on the Smartwatch 3 offered up to two days of power before needing a re-up, and this battery will also be on the Smartwatch 4. However, as a result of some energy saving features on the latest version of Android Wear (we’re up to 1.4 now), the same 420mAh battery could last significantly longer on the latest Smartwatch.

The latest version of Android Wear also boasts support for built-in speakers, which the Smartwatch 4 should have. It’s sort of the old Dick Tracy cartoon come to life: wearers will actually be able to take and receive calls from the wrist. Music and radio playback is also an option, which could be annoying to others if you’re, say, on a train, but does present some useful possibilities. There’s no word on the audio quality of the speaker, but we have to believe that Sony wouldn’t put out a sophisticated device like the Smartphone 4 only to have the speaker sound like a tin can.

The all new Sony Smartwatch 4 is expected to come with a host of new features including LTE

A final new function of the Smartwatch 4 that’s well worth noting is 4G LTE compatibility. While users will need a smartphone-like contract to take advantage of this feature, it essentially turns your watch into a full-fledged mobile device, allowing you to leave your smartphone at home.

We should preface this section by saying that no official photos of the Smartwatch 4 have been released yet, so much of this is based on what’s already been leaked. We can safely assume that the Smartwatch 4 builds on the minimalist design of earlier iterations; it is rumored to be slimmer and sleeker, with a slightly lower profile. It has an unassuming look — it’s not exactly the type of wrist worn wearable that coordinates with, say, a fine Italian suit, but it won’t clash with it, either. Plus, the stainless steel wrist strap that Sony released for the Smartwatch 3 definitely helps it in the looks department.

Android Wear is improved considerably over the last 2 years and should work perfectly with the all new Smartwatch 4

Under the glass, the Smartwatch 4 has some pretty good numbers. It’s powered by a Snapdragon 400 1.2Ghz processor with 768 megabytes of RAM and four gigs of onboard storage. You won’t fit your whole music collection on it, but there’s certainly room for a few hundred favorites, plus all the apps and data you’ll download. There is no memory card slot, which may seem trivial, but it could help for users who do treat the Smartwatch 4 like a phone rather than a phone extension; four gigs isn’t much in the grand scheme of things. And, the Smartwatch 4 is certainly large enough to accommodate a slot.

It’s wifi and BlueTooth enabled, so you don’t have to burn your 4g LTE contract all the time. As for charging, the Smartwatch 4 still needs to be plugged into a USB cable. It’s a move that may seem a little outdated, especially given the snappy ease with which the Apple Watch charges, but it will get the job done. Just don’t lose your dongle.

One consumer demographic who will undoubtedly buy smartwatches consists of people who have used a basic fitness tracker for a while and are now after something with a little more oomph. Like the other smartwatches on the market, the Sony Smartwatch 4 does not disappoint in this category. In addition to working with several fitness apps (RunKeeper, Endomondo, and others), there’s an onboard optical heart rate sensor — another feature missing from the previous version.

The Sony Smartwatch 4 will come with built in GPS, so you can leave your SmartPhone at home

As mentioned earlier, there’s GPS on the Smartwatch 4 as well, making it a complete, phone-free fitness and tracking solution. Pair up some BlueTooth earbuds to listen to your tunes (thanks to the aforementioned BlueTooth and onboard storage), and you’re ready to hit the road, trails, or whatever.

The Sony Smartwatch 4 sounds great, but still: where is it? With any luck, the February 22 event will give us some more details, including visuals, regarding this device and also tell us when we can get our hands on one. After speculation about it being released toward the end of 2015 fell short, current guesses are anywhere from next month to late summer.

The very popular Smartwatch 3

As for pricing, expect it to fall in the mid-$300 range. That might seem sort of steep at first, but remember: the lowest you’ll pay for an Apple Watch is $349, and the Sony Smartwatch 4 has GPS, a feature that often adds at least another $50 to a product. Also, given what some people pay for high-end non-smart watches (Breitling, Tag Heuer, Patek Philippe, and so on), $300-$400 is relatively harmless.

We’ll be sure to update you once we know more about the Sony Smartwatch 4. Our fingers are crossed for an official announcement this year.

The post Sony Smartwatch 4: Everything You Need to Know appeared first on ChipIn.

Altogether, those quick glances and longer sessions of use add up to an average of 90 minutes of phone time a day. In a year, that daily time adds up to 23 days and over a lifetime to 3.9 years looking at a screen. As our smartphones gain more functionality and become more common, it seems reasonable to expect that number to go up.

So, what are people doing on their phones during that time? The most used app category is social media, which makes up 14% of smartphone use time. TV, video and telecommunication apps come in second with 9% and the communication apps take up 7%. Gaming, maps, music and several other categories follow the top three.

Multitasking via Smartphones

As smartphone use continues to rise, some are asking whether we’re wasting that time we spend on our devices. One thing’s for sure. The number of things you can use your smartphone for are certainly varied. Developers offer plenty of productivity applications, games and apps that seem to have no real purpose at all. The answer to the question of whether our smartphones are making us more or less productive gets a little complicated.

According to Merriam Webster, being productive means “having the quality or power of producing especially in abundance” or “effective in bringing about.” Producing is “to compose, create, or bring out by intellectual or physical effort.” In economics, productivity is defined as a measure of output versus input. The inputs are things like time and labor, while outputs include revenue, business inventories and the like.

What is meant by Being Productive?

So, judging strictly by those definitions, smartphones seem like they certainly have the potential to make people more productive. They serve as a way to remain connected to work at practically all times. With smartphones, times you would normally spend sitting around (for example, when you’re on the train or waiting for an appointment) can be spent working.

You can work at times you otherwise wouldn’t be able to, meaning you can produce more. In reality, of course, it’s more complicated than that. People are not merely producers. When you spend your time working, you’re not spending it on something else. There’s a cost to working more. Whether the added productivity is worth the price is up for debate.

If you consider using smartphones’ connectivity to your advantage during times when you would normally be working anyway, you can discount the cost of missing out on other opportunities. This reveals what is clearly a major advantage to smartphone use.

Say you’re a salesperson out on the road or a truck driver or that you’re on a business trip. Smartphones allow you to correspond with your coworkers through email, texting and phone calls no matter where you are. You can also access the information you’d normally access at the office through cloud storage. This can enable you to work more effectively when you’re on the road. For example, a salesperson could access data about a customer, competitors’ prices, information about their company’s products and speak with their bosses to authorize giving a customer a special price all from their phone.

Smartphones can also be used to keep you organized. You can keep track of meetings and appointments on your smartphone’s calendar and have your device remind you to do important tasks. Smartphone users can also download plenty of apps aimed at helping them to improve their productivity and better manage their time. Additionally, smartphones offer practically unlimited opportunities to gain new knowledge and learn new skills. You can look up anything on Google, download apps to help you learn new languages; and can also listen to educational podcasts and watch educational videos. Of course, the individual user needs to decide to take advantage of these functions, but the potential is certainly there.

There’s the obvious advantage of having many devices in one. There’s no longer any need to carry around a phone, flashlight and pocket calendar because your phone can effectively perform the functions of all of those things.

Of the many productivity apps out there, Evernote may be one of the most popular. It helps by allowing you remember things by taking down notes and save web pages you want to visit again in the future. It also supports collaborating with colleagues and syncs across your devices, so that you always have access to your saved items.

Another popular app, Workflow, is designed to save the user time by allowing them to automate the tasks they normally complete on your smartphone. For example, you can have the app call you an Uber before your next meeting and have it send a text that you’re on your way when your ride arrives. The only limit with this app is your imagination.

Any.do

Any.Do-A task management app

Any.do is an app designed to help you keep track of everything you have to do in a day. You can use it individually or create a collaborative to-do list. Any.do even prompts you to review all of your daily to-dos each morning, so that you don’t get caught off guard during the day.

Asana

Asana – An app for team task tracking and project management

Asana is a collaborative workflow management tool that’s great for businesses. With this app, you can create workspaces and project, assigns tasks to people and communicate with colleagues. This app is extremely flexible and can be customized based on the kinds of tasks you need to complete.

Slack

Slack – App for real-time messaging, archiving and search for modern teams

Another useful app for businesses is Slack. With this app, you can message coworkers and access company files. It’s aimed at making collaborating on projects easier by creating chat rooms for project teams and keeping all your related correspondences in one place. Its message notifications are meant to keep you up to date while being nonintrusive so that you can stay focused on your work.

As you certainly know, smartphones don’t always lead to more productivity. It’s easy to spend hours playing around your phone, scrolling through social media, playing games and reading articles.

If you look up from your phone, though, and are shocked to see that an hour has gone by and feel upset that you lost that time, this may mean that there is a problem. If your smartphone keeps you from accomplishing important tasks, it may start to have a serious effect on your life. Whether or not personal time spent on a smartphone is wasted really depends on the feelings of the individual. There’s no one formula that applies to everyone. If you ask employers, however, most of them will say that the use of devices has resulted in lost time. In one study, 55% of employers said the biggest distraction for employees at work is smartphones.

Remarkably, your phone can make you less productive even if you don’t look at it when it buzzes. Participants in a Florida University experiment scored 28% worse on a test when they were called during it even though they didn’t answer their phones. This drop in productivity can even carry over to the next day. Another study found that sending job-related emails the night before work makes you less productive the next day because you never get time to recharge. The inability to focus may become long-term too. According to the science of neuroplasticity, our brain changes over time based on what we repeatedly do. So, if we spend all of our time being distracted by our phones, we’ll eventually become worse at staying focused.

Our smartphone use also affects other areas of our lives. Similarly to how consistent smartphone use can eventually make you less able to focus, it can also reduce your memory and inductive reasoning skills over time. The ability to Google information at any moment and take photos of things to remember them enables us to not have to use our own brainpower to do these things. With steady smartphone use, our skills in these areas may diminish over time.
Smartphone use can also reduce the quality of our social interactions by serving as a distraction.

When engaged in a social interaction, getting sidetracked by your phone may cause you to miss important parts of the conversation. It may happen even if you don’t look at your device when it buzzes. Phone use may also lead to relationship dissatisfaction, because the other person may feel like you’re not giving them your full attention. The ability to remain constantly in touch with work may also become an issue if it causes other areas of your life to suffer. Constantly being pulled away by your job may reduce the quality of other important things like spending time with family and friends.

Apart from the cognitive and social effects, there are also the physical dangers of distracted driving. In fact, one in four accidents in the U.S. is caused by texting and driving. We’ve all observed people’s’ attachment to their phones, but this dependence has recently gained credibility in the field of psychology. Psychologists now call the fear of being without your phone nomophobia, as in no mo(bile) pho(ne) phobia.

It’s a common problem to feel that your phone’s become more of a distraction than a boost to your productivity. If you feel that may be your situation, there are some things you can do to change that. The first step to changing your mobile phone habits is to pay attention to the way you use your phone. It might seem a little counterintuitive, but if you need a little help keeping track of your cell phone use, there are apps for that. App stores offer several that track how much time you spend on your phone and how you spend that time. Another strategy is to put a background on your device that jolts you out of mindless scrolling mode.

1. Establish No Phone Zones

If you want to cut down on phone time, it might be helpful to establish ‘no phone zones,’ where you won’t use your device. You could make a mental commitment to yourself or a verbal one to a friend or family member not to use your phone while at the dinner table, for example, or after nine p.m. When and where to this time away from screens should be is up to the individual.

2. Establish Blocks of Time

You could also establish blocks of time in which you commit to staying focused on a certain activity without looking at your phone. Also, you can promise yourself to complete one important task in the morning before checking your gadget. A neurological research, The Pomodoro Technique, suggests working for 25 minutes and then taking a five-minute break. Putting your phone on airplane mode and setting a 25-minute timer can help you get away from any distraction.

3. Retrain your Brain

Since the brain is somewhat malleable, you could also work to retrain your brain to rebuild the capabilities that smartphone use deteriorates. Practice focusing on a task that requires concentration, meditate or avoid multitasking to build up your concentration abilities. Play learning games and practice memorizing things to improve your memory. And, of course, living a healthy lifestyle with adequate sleep, a balanced diet and regular exercise will improve your mental functioning.

4. Disconnecting completely from work at home

Organizational psychologists recommend segmentation and detachment for long-term mental wellbeing and productivity. This helps doing away with the distraction and temptation of working from a phone. That means disconnecting completely from work for at least part of the time you’re at home. Research shows that if one of your colleagues does this, it’ll become easier for the others as well. Maybe you can start the movement.

5. Make Your Smartphone Simpler

Another way to make your phone less distracting is to just make it simpler. Delete apps that you don’t really need and that will sidetrack you. Adopt a minimalist mindset when it comes to your cell phone and keeps only what adds value to your life and what you feel is necessary.

The post Your Smartphone: Productivity Booster or Time Waster? appeared first on ChipIn.

Best Mindfulness Apps 2017

In a world filled with noise, from social media to a culture of constant busy-ness, mindfulness has become a rare commodity. As a result, cultivating the art of being mindful has turned into the modern pursuit of our times. While you’d think that smartphones wouldn’t be part of our quest for mindfulness, it’s blatantly clear that they’re no longer the enemy of mindfulness.

In his 8-week course Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Jon Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness as “paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment.” While it’s unclear whether in-person mindfulness programs, which have been proven to lower anxiety, stress, and depression, are more effective than their mobile app counterparts, some benefits have been derived from the latter’s use.

As it turns out, we can actually use smartphone apps as tools to assist us in our journey back towards mindfulness. Not only can they teach us about mindfulness, but they also can help us practice it even as we journey through the sometimes overwhelming busy-ness of our lives.

Indeed, studies show that daily meditation does positively affect your brain in the long-term. This, in turn, leads to increased health benefits, enhanced creativity, as well as a generally positive outlook when it comes to life and relationships in general.

Here are 12 of the top apps to help you bring mindfulness with you wherever you may go:

1. Headspace

No matter what your level of mindfulness is, it coaches you to set a daily or regular mindfulness routine

Possibly one of the most popular mindfulness app, this iOS and Android app guides you through 10-minute daily meditations. No matter what your level of mindfulness is, it coaches you to set a daily or regular mindfulness routine. Happiness studies suggest that users who tried the Headspace app for 10 days showed improvement in mood and fewer symptoms of depression. While you can start it free for the first 10 days, you can sign up for memberships priced from $12.95 a month to $95.88 a year, $149.76 for two years, or $419.95 if you prefer a lifetime subscription.

2. Calm

If you prefer multi-day courses as opposed to individual sessions, this app is for you

This free iOS and Android app starts with a “7 Days of Calm” course to introduce you to mindfulness meditation. In order to unlock the remainder of the content, you can subscribe on a monthly ($12.99/month), yearly ($59.88 per year), or lifetime ($299.99) basis.

If you prefer multi-day courses as opposed to individual sessions, this app is for you.

3. Stop, Breathe, and Think

Stop, Breathe, and Think has an option to purchase additional meditations

This is a free iOS, Android, as well as a Web app which also offers the option to purchase additional meditations. What I really like about this app is that it lets you check in by asking you first how you’re doing, and allows you to pick a meditation of your choice. If you think you don’t have time in your schedule for mindfulness, this app is a great way to get started on this practice.

4. Simply Being

You have the option to choose background, voice, and sound volume durig the meditation sessions

If you need guidance to start building a meditation practice, this iOS and Android app is perfect! At $1.99, it allows you to customize your own guided meditation experience.You have the option to set it for 5,10, 15, 20 or 30 minutes, with the option of using a guiding voice, sounds of nature, music or a combination of these. While there is no free option, the ability to customize your meditation through this app is definitely a plus!

5. Take a Break

Take a Break-Set timer for each minfulness session!

This app is similar to Simply Being, however it does offer a free option. In addition, it also offers a couple of additional guided meditations.

6. Omvana

There are different mindulness session to opt for with Omnava

This iOS and Android app can be downloaded for free, and gives you access to a variety of meditation tracks, from simple ones to fully guided ones. If you’re not sure whether you want to spend money on a meditation app or not, Omvana is a great choice as it allows you to access a number of free tracks before committing to paying ones.

7. Quility

A range of meditation routines including parenting, daily work/life balance

Calling all mothers everywhere! This free iOS and Android app is targeted at moms. Its primary purpose is to teach mindfulness to mothers through guided parenting sessions, mindful eating teachings, along with other tools for mind. While this app is free, you can unlock additional content for $8.99 a month, or $39.99 a year. It’s aimed at mothers, however anyone can find value in this app.

8. Relax Melodies

While the app doesn’t offer guided meditations, it provides tracks to accompany your meditation sessions

This app, available on iOS and Android, is the perfect background setting for your meditation. While it doesn’t offer guided meditations, it provides tracks to accompany your meditation sessions. If you already know how to meditate, this app will be a great complement to your practice!

9. Remindfulness

Remindfulness reminds you to take some time out to be mindful

Too busy to remember to be mindful? This app, available on iOS, reminds you to take some time out to be mindful. I love that it comes with pre-loaded quotes, and you can even add your own quotes. You can also set your own reminders at your convenience. At $2.99, it’s a great app for anyone who needs to get their mindfulness on.

10. Mindfulness Daily

The Mindfulness Daily reminds you to meditate a few minutes in the morning

This iOS app helps you establish a mindfulness habit, by reminding you to practice it a few minutes in the morning, in the middle of the day, and in the evenings. It also helps you track how long you’ve stuck to your meditation practice. If you need someone holding your hands and keeping you accountable, well, there’s an app for it!

11. Welzen

Welzen is available on iOS and Android, and provide guided meditation as well as individual mindfulness sessions

This free app is available on iOS and Android, and provide guided meditation as well as individual mindfulness sessions. What I really like is that it even offers an option for kids. While some features of the app can be accessed for free, premium meditations’ costs range from $9.99 a month, to $59.99 a year, or $149.99 for a lifetime.

12. Just Be

“Just Be” allows you to load your own quotes and set the app notifications and reminders

This mindfulness reminder, available from Android, allows you to load your own quotes and set the app notifications and reminders. Although it doesn’t offer any pre-loaded quotes, it’s a great app if you want to be reminded to take a mindfulness break throughout the day. This app is available from Google Play for $1.99.

In addition to these 12 apps, I’d also recommend these devices to help ease your meditation process.

1. Muse

The headband to guide through an effective meditation session

Ever felt like your brain is way too active to withhold an entire meditation session? You’re not alone. Countless people think they’ve “failed” at meditating because their mind doesn’t keep still long enough. That’s where Muse comes in. This brain sensing headband uses the real-time state of your brain to guide you through an effective meditation session by adjusting sounds you listen to. It’s as easy as putting your headband on, launching the app, and immersing yourself in the experience. When you’re calm, you hear peaceful sounds. When your brain starts becoming too active, the sounds intensify to bring you back to a state of calm. Think of it as your personal meditation assistant!

As a bonus, you can even review your stats and performance, so you can keep improving your mindfulness practice. At the cost of $249, it’s a great investment in your mindfulness and peace of mind!

2. Thync

Thync works by stimulating the nerves on your head and neck with safe electrical pulses

Heralded as “the first technology that actively changes the way you feel”, Thync works by stimulating the nerves on your head and neck with safe electrical pulses. It offers calm programs, aimed at lowering stress, reducing anxiety, and improving sleep quality. There are also energy programs, which help you feel more awake and energetic. Thync is made out of little adhesive strips that can attach to your skin to deliver soft electrical pulses. It’s also connected to an app which records the results of the process.

All in all, each one of these apps and devices can help you be more mindful, which goes to show that technology is not necessarily an enemy of mindfulness. Actually, if you set clear goals and are intentional about the process, your smartphone can turn out to be one of your greatest allies. Just make sure to look for these things when considering which mindfulness app is best for you:

• Understand its purpose: Do you have any clear ideas as to why this particular app would help you? If it is to reduce stress, then how will it go about it? If it is to improve sleep quality, then what useful parameters will be included?
• Obtain the research behind it: Are these apps’ claims backed solid by research studies? Do these research studies confirm said benefits?
• Don’t confuse music with mindfulness: While many apps feature the use of music and soothing sounds, these do not help in fostering the sense of awareness needed when seeking to attain a state of mindfulness.

However, it’s worthwhile noting that mindfulness can also be attained without the help of technology. Taking a quiet walk outside, sitting in silence, or just taking the time to actively breathe, can be simple ways to disconnect and practice mindfulness.

As a bonus, please see below the 5 most common questions asked about the general topic of mindfulness:

What is mindfulness?
“Mindfulness is about paying attention in a particular way to things as they are in the present moment.” Jon Kabat-Zinn
So often, we let our minds wander away from the present moment, back to the past or fast forward to the future. As a result, we end up being restless, unproductive, and bitter. The practice of mindfulness allows us to recognize when our minds have wandered too far off, so we can bring it back to the present moment. It’s a skill that’s developed with time, effort and discipline.
What are some of the most important benefits of practicing mindfulness?
Mindfulness has a lot of benefits, at the emotional, mental and spiritual levels. Some of the most important benefits include:

• Improved mental health
• Better physical health
• Increased energy levels
• Improved creativity
• Better work and life balance
• Improved relationships

Some of these benefits even expand to the workplace, to include better job performance and satisfaction, improved negotiation and communication skills, increased resilience. It also improves leadership and decision-making abilities.

Are apps effective for productive mindfulness?
Yes and no. For people on the go who need a quick, hands-on tool to practice mindfulness and meditation, mindfulness apps are great alternatives. They’re also effective ways to learn about the practice itself, as well as ways to incorporate them into their daily routines.
However, you must take into account that too much technology can impair your ability to practice effective mindfulness. Learning to limit your app use, as well as selecting some of the best apps on the market, can make all the difference.

How long does it take to notice a real difference?
The answer is: it depends. The results do vary from person to person. However, in general, it’s common for most people to report a difference after a couple of weeks. You’ll note that in most cases, friends and family are the first ones to notice a difference in how you approach certain situations differently.
After some dedicated mindfulness practice, you’ll start noting an expanded sense of peace and freedom, as you face situations with a calmer, more purposeful perspective.

Where can I use a meditation app to practice mindfulness?
The easy answer is: everywhere! A less easy answer would be: everywhere you feel comfortable sitting (or standing) in quiet. This could be a room in your house, an empty conference room at home, or even sitting in your car during lunch breaks. Actually, it’s been proven that meditating at work helps advance one’s career.
As you’re beginning your mindfulness practice, it’s important to be in a place where you won’t be distracted. As you grow more comfortable with meditating, whether using a mindfulness app or not, you can take your practice pretty much anywhere, including to the part, in your car, or even in line at the store.

. How to reach Zen?

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The title of Best Innovative Mobile App has been awarded to Sliide Airtime Africa. While it doesn’t affect worldwide users, Sliide Airtime has a huge effect on the connectivity rates in Nigeria, and will soon open for South African users. What Sliide Airtime does is send news and ads to every user’s lock screen, and use 65% of the ad revenue to purchase more data for the users so they get free extended online usage.

The Global Mobile Awards (GLOMO)

The Best Overall Mobile App (Judge’s Choice) award was presented to none other than last summer’s pop culture phenomenon, Pokemon Go. Having been downloaded over 650 million times and rapidly expanding its roots into pop culture, the game has received praise not only for its ingenious way of combining augmented reality and GPS usage in order to create fun and engaging gameplay, but also for the way it managed to get people walking around their cities in order to catch Pokemon.

Orange’s VR1 virtual reality gadget has received the Best Wearable Mobile Technology award for providing a premium VR experience at an affordable price. Sony’s newly revealed Xperia XZ Premium, which is extremely over-specced for the current state of the market, has also received an award, namely the Best New Mobile Handset, Tablet or Device at MWC 2017.

Given that many of the keynotes hosted at MWC 2017 put a huge emphasis on 5G connectivity and its future, the biggest pioneers in this field were rewarded. Therefore, the popular Chinese company Huawei has received the Outstanding Contribution for LTE Evolution to 5G, as they have made huge efforts in aiding the telecommunications market to make the transition to 5G. In the same category, Huawei has also received the Best Mobile Infrastructure and Best Technology Enabler awards, marking the beginning of a new golden age for the telecommunication company.

American company Altiostar presented the world’s first virtualized Radio Access Network technology, which enables operators to reduce the customer churn and offer a better return on investment while rolling out 5G. This technology has brought them the Best Mobile Technology Breakthrough and Outstanding Overall Mobile Technology – The CTO’s Choice awards.

In order to end the article on an unexpected note, there was an award given to the Government of Pakistan, namely the Government Leadership Award, for the fact that they are actively consulting with the industry as they roll out their new regulatory reforms.

All in all, the GLOMO awards were an exciting part of the Mobile World Congress for tech enthusiasts and fans of anything mobile: from Pokemon Go to the Government of Pakistan, it can be argued that the awards were very comprehensive.

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WakeMode, launching today, is a new sleep and fatigue management tool that predicts fatigue levels during the day using advanced data analysis technology. WakeMode provides users with a quantified evaluation of their wakefulness based on the amount and quality of sleep from the night before and other personal parameters. WakeMode was created by SleepRate, a medical tech sleep solution company.

WakeMode is the first app to use a number scale to evaluate a person’s fatigue levels based on their sleep analysis. Similar to the way cell phones display a bar indicating battery life, WakeMode shows you YOUR battery levels, based predominantly on how much rest you got during the night. This feature enables users to pinpoint their “inner battery level” and provides them with actionable tips on how to boost their energy throughout the day.

It also lets them know when it’s time to “recharge” their battery and head to bed (or at least call it a night). WakeMode relies on advanced sleep evaluation technology (developed by SleepRate) to assess sleep quality, structure and diagnose obstacles to a good night’s sleep. WakeMode pairs with almost any Bluetooth-enabled wearable or contactless device, with or without a heart rate sensor, to monitor sleep patterns using motion and heart rate to first analyze the user’s sleep patterns and then create a personalized actionable sleep improvement program that is provided via the app.

WakeMode takes sleep monitoring technology one step further than sleep trackers by utilizing machine learning to supply users with individualized sleep improvement plans that are medically supported. As users convey detailed information about their sleeping habits and activities throughout the day – such as when they napped or how much alcohol they drank at happy hour – WakeMode’s fatigue analysis becomes increasingly accurate.

“With SleepRate, we gave our users the opportunity to learn about and improve their sleep patterns, but we also wanted to give them a way to be more engaged and understand how better sleep could affect their lives,” said SleepRate CEO and Founder, Dr. Anda Baharav. “WakeMode enables users everywhere to actually SEE how their sleep habits affect their day and encourages them to commit to an actual lifestyle change in order to improve their sleep habits and alertness during the day.”

WakeMode’s Main Features Include:

• Tracking and analyzing sleep habits and patterns with Bluetooth enabled wearables
• 24/7 energy updates and boost opportunities for fatigue regulation (caffeine intake/naps etc.)
• Customizable notifications that indicate critical fatigue levels or optimal bedtimes
• Social sharing with friends and family for enhanced motivation and engagement

About Sleeprate

SleepRate is the sleep solution company behind WakeMode, founded in 2006 by Dr. Anda Baharav. SleepRate combines reliable and accurate sleep tracking, evaluation and individually tailored e-coaching, all into a single user-friendly app. SleepRate’s mission is to help people all around the world improve their lives through better sleep-life balance and aims to help them realize their peak mental and physical potential – all through better sleep. The core technology utilizes behavioral sleep medicine practices developed and implemented at Stanford University’s Behavioral Sleep Division.

Based on these practices, Dr. Baharav’s in-depth knowledge and experience, and the input of countless experts and medical advisers, SleepRate’s unique solution for better sleep-life balance was developed. SleepRate is based in Sunnyvale, California and Petach Tikvah, Israel.

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