5 Business Apps I Barely Use (But Can’t Delete from My Phone)
This is an article about the apps I could probably live without. But they are so damn good I keep them on my phone anyway.
Most articles about apps are about the best most awesome apps.
But what about the pretty good apps.
Here are my top five business apps that I could live without (but I really, really don’t want to).
Blinkist
You can summarize most non-fiction books on a single page. But publishers can’t sell you a single page for $26.95. Not to mention the book technology involved in making a single page hardback!
So publishers make books thick to justify the price. Unfortunately, that means if I were to read every non-fiction book that struck my fancy, I’d spend a lot of extra years reading books I didn’t need to.
Tip: If you want to get 80% of the applicable information out of a non-fiction book, just read the table of contents and the last page of each chapter.
The Blinkist app is an ultra-concise version of just about any non-fiction book you’d ever want to read.
So when I see a book that looks interesting, I read it on Blinkist first. It takes less than five minutes. If I’m intrigued, I buy the actual book.
Learn more about this app here.
Primer
What do you get when you put successful entrepreneurs, learning experts, and children’s book writers in the same room?
Primer!
Primer is a Google app that teaches you about business. From market research for beginners to choosing the right long-tail keywords for social media advertising — Primer has you covered.
Plus, the entire app design makes business feel like a kid’s game. They achieve this with a few nice touches in the app:
- Vibrant and friendly illustrations on every screen.
- Information is presented in small chunks, so it fits on a smartphone screen.
- No technical jargon. The people at Google explain things in a way anyone can understand.
Learn more about this app here.
Product Hunt
Ever have a neat little idea for a business that you write down and then forget?
Product Hunt is an app (and a website) that lets anyone share a neat new tech business they discovered. Then the Product Hunt community upvotes their favorites.
Here are just a few of the things I’ve discovered on their lately.
- An online service that offers handwritten letters mailed for you.
- An app that increases the resolution of a photo with AI. No pixelation.
- A website that auto-summarizes any online article so you can look smart without reading it.
Do I need this app? Nope. I’ve probably looked like a zombie in the grocery checkout line a few dozen times staring into this app.
But I have found software on here that has saved me time, inspired me, and even some businesses I’ve considered buying.
Headspace
There are two types of people in this world. Okay, three.
People that use Calm, people that use Headspace, and people that think paying for an app to meditate is dumb.
I fall into the Headspace category.
Do I need an app that charges $12.99 a month to meditate? Nope.
But that’s the wrong question.
Would I pay $12.99 a month for an app that keeps me accountable and helps me meditate almost every day?
Yes.
Learn more about this app here.
Fun Fact: According to Forbes Headspace is estimated to be worth 250 million dollars.
Alto’s Adventure
This app is like a glass of fresh cool water for the mind. Technically, it is just a game where I snowboard down a hill for infinite — but it’s so much more.
Sure, I could try to sum it up in words. Those words might be…
- Llama and windmill heaven
- Beautiful digital sunsets
- Snowboard tricks
But you wouldn’t get it.
Do yourself a favor if you’re stressed out, download Alto’s Adventure and play it for 15 minutes. Then write a comment and thank me.
