John O’Malley’s Must-have Apps

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While I’ve never really considered myself a “techie,” when you’re a public relations guy for a wireless company, it kind of goes with the territory. That said, I do catch myself marveling at all the things I’m able to do on my Samsung Galaxy S 4 smartphone. From engaging via social media and Googling random, yet vital, information, to getting driving directions and calculating the tip after dinner, my smartphone is like my own pocket-sized personal assistant. And the more apps I learn about, the more indispensable my smartphone becomes.

Most of my must-have apps revolve around trying to keep my life organized. And trust me, I need all the help I can get in that department.

  1. Manilla – This is one I just started using. It helps me keep track of my recurring monthly expenses like credit card payments and household expenses, linking to my accounts and sending reminders when payments are due. Instead of looking for statements in my briefcase, I just open this app.
  2. Mobile Banking – I use my bank’s secure, easy-to-use mobile banking app to help me keep track of my account balances, transfer money between accounts and pay bills. I have a daughter in college, so it’s not unusual to get a text message asking for an emergency “replenishment.” This app makes it easy to handle all those items in one place.
  3. Evernote – This has been a go-to app for me for a few years. I’m a list guy, and Evernote helps me create and organize to-do lists, notes, reminders and more – all of them accessible from my smartphone, tablet and laptop. I can even take a photo of a home project I’m working on and refer to it when I’m shopping at Home Depot. And it has lots of other capabilities I haven’t tried yet.
  4. Flipboard – I started using this app on my iPad and now I use it on my smartphone. It’s great for kicking back and browsing social media, as well as news and magazine articles on a variety of topics that interest me. I can personalize my Flipboard by picking topics, categories and publications that I want to follow, and then it all gets curated for me on the app. All I have to do is just “flip” through the pages.
  5. Flightradar24 – There are some apps that don’t really serve any practical purpose; they’re just cool. And Flightradar24 is one of them for me. This app lets me channel my inner geek by monitoring airplane traffic nearby and around the world. I live on a flight path to my local airport. With this app, I can identify the planes that are flying over my house. With the paid version, Flightradar24 Pro, I can see a pilot’s-eye view of the area the plane is flying over, and I can even point my phone at a plane flying far overhead and see where it came from and where it’s going.

What are your must-have apps? Tell us on Twitter at @VZWnews or @VZWjohno.

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This is part of the Verizon Wireless “Must-have Apps” series, which provides insights into the apps that people use every day to embrace the mobile lifestyle.

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