An App For Every Occasion [And Any Smartphone]

Today’s second Ypulse Youth Advisory Board post is from our resident techophile Michael Hayball on the apps he loves and why. Though the brand of smartphone (Google’s Android vs Apple’s iPhone) might put him in the minority, his apps of choice and enthusiasm for all devices converged aligns with other indicators we’ve seen (iPhone moms, rapid rise in tween/teen iPod Touch owners) that the elusive point of mass adoption remains just on the horizon.

Remember, you can communicate directly with any member of the Ypulse Youth Advisory Board by emailing them at youthadvisoryboard at ypulse.com…or just leave a comment below.

An App For Every Occasion [And Any Smartphone]

Since the invention of the iPhone and subsequent creation of the app store, applications for cell phones have shot into the mainstream improving the quality of life for folks (err.. smarphone and iPod Touch-owning folks) around the world. I for one can’t go a couple hours without checking my cell phone, something that I would have done two, maybe three times a day in the past, and that’s if I got REALLY bored.

Now with my Droid, I can get my email, texts, chat, music and internet all on my phone, among other distractions. Side note: if you missed that brand dropping, I’m running Android, so your mileage may vary in regards to these apps.

Like most, my apps vary in their purpose, but one of the main functions is to serve my musical needs. Shazam, for instance, is a great app that tells me what song is playing on the radio at any given time, or Pandora, which is a mobile-version of the delicious multi-purpose musical app that I use as a radio in my car, for relaxation during a nap, and anytime I’m tired of my music collection. Speaking of which, another notable app, iMusic, allows me to obtain “legally owned songs” from the internet. Again, one step closer to never needing to open my iTunes on the computer.

As far as social networking, Facebook on the Droid is also pretty great. Facebook on Android, or at least on my phone, connects to my phone like the Na’vi to Pandora. I can type in a name on my phone, and even if I don’t have their name, as long as they have a phone number on Facebook, they will show up. This unfortunately means that my phone is also a bit of a creeper…

It won’t come as a surprise that chatting with my friends is also a priority, and AIM (AOL instant messenger) for Android is a godsend. This is not just because it’s better than the third-party apps, but because the newest version of AIM connects your Facebook chat to your phone, which means you’re one step closer to never going back to a computer ever again.

Unlike what Steve Jobs would like you to believe, for me the phone is actually a great way to read books, and Aldiko is my reader of choice. It has a sizable bookstore of free, original ebooks, and allows you to import your own.

There are also more irreverent apps with little practical use at all. I have one that allows you to “imitate” Mario of Nintendo fame. There’s an app for the creation of lolcats, and a synthesizer app that allows you to make music by just moving your fingers around the screen. There’s even a dog whistle app! This ironically attracts my cat more so than annoys my dog, though. Apps in smartphones are huge these days, and as you can tell, they come in wide varieties. I may have an Android phone, but even I can appreciate that there really is “an app for that.”

About Michael

Michael lives a simple life in Allen Park, MI. When he is not attending Henry Ford Community College for his Associates, he can be seen chatting and socializing around campus and the local coffee shop. He enjoys a good iced caramel cappuccino, or a regular coca-cola. Michael loves what he calls “The Blog Music,” and he was and still is raised on a steady diet of electronic music and old-school hip hop. Michael hopes to work for Spin magazine one day, and screams like a little girl every time a new issue comes to the local coffee shop.