New Yorkers are known for tackling fast-paced lifestyle without losing their elegance. They can be trapped in the ancient subway system as well as the bizarre fusion cuisines. Thanks to technology, city dwellers now can manage their world on-the-go with mighty smartphones and tablets. As a member of the Aurnhammer marketing team and an avid Android user, I want to share four of my favorite Android mobile apps that help me get on the Big Apple without missing a beat.
I use an Android phone because of its freedom of personalization, and its capability of linking my Google account to the entire device. Like most people, I spend a lot of my time browsing mindlessly on Facebook. But there are many other less frequently mentioned apps that have brought me eye-opening experience.
Snapseed
A photo app I use everyday. It has everything you need but doesn’t drown you in hundreds of useless fancy functions. The incredible level of control makes it the easiest photo-editing app I’ve ever used. Besides beautifully engineered filters, Snapseed’s autocorrect button makes your picture instantly prettier in a natural enhancement. Time to make your foodporn sexier.
(Picture taken by Yichan. Edited on Snapseed)
Field Trip
Living in New York City has immuned me from over-populated tourist spots (Howdy Wall St!). But the city has endless interesting places beyond cliched travel guides, thanks to its rich history and diverse demography. Field Trip stands out as an innovative travel app that guides you to the cool, hidden, and unique things around you in the world.
The application runs in the background of your phone, and pops up an information card when you are close to something interesting. Its database includes historical experts of Arcadia and Historvius, shopaholics like Inhabitat, trendsetters from TimeOut, and foodies of Zagat and Food Network. I’m in love with its beautiful presentation and amazing suggestions.
Foodspotting
It’s Saturday 5 pm. You are in Astoria, starved, searching for the best exotic food that gives the neighborhood its flavor. You Yelped the nearby restaurants, but got lost in the vague ratings and dollar signs.
In this kind of emergency situation, Foodspotting becomes a great app to the true foodies. It has a beautiful visual presentation that displays all mouthwatering details of dishes instead of restaurants as in other food apps. This window shopping experience directly stimulates your craving for specific food items, and drives you to make the choice more easily. Open it when you want something filling right here, right now.
Google Keep
I have tried several note-taking applications, and stick with Google Keep in the end. Its size is only 1.5 MB, which is 1/10 of Evernote. It is simple, user friendly, and easily accessible. I put a shortcut on my phone’s home screen, and captures what’s on my mind with texts, photos, and audio notes. The color-code categorizes my notes for easier browsing. Its fluid checklist design is perfect for creating shopping lists.
Hopefully you will try these apps after reading this blog if they are available on the mobile platform you use. Feel free to comment below about how you feel about them, and let me know if there’s any mobile apps that make your life much, much better.
About Me
Hometown: Tianjin, China
Years in New York: 3.5
Favorite neighborhoods:Lower East Side & Greenwich Village
How to kill spare time in the city: food hunting, visiting random bookstores and coffee shops, or just wandering on the streets
I’m likely to be spotted at: St. Marks, Museum Mile, Angelika Film Center, Central Park Lawns
Tech gadgets: Sony Xperia ion with Android Jelly Bean system & iPad (at home)