Apps we love!
We’ve got to stay at home to stay safe for the foreseeable future. Technology is therefore more important than ever for staying in touch with friends and family, as well as keeping ourselves entertained. Here are some of our favourites that are worth downloading…
Entertainment
Netflix (obviously!)
A great substitute for rubbish daytime telly! Netflix is a streaming service which comes with quite a collection of popular shows, movies and Netflix original shows. It works on all the platforms so you can watch it on any device. You can also have up to five profiles on one account, so make sure you spread the Netflix love with family and friends. A great one to introduce the Grandparents to.
Ted
Keep your mind stimulated with Ted, as it brings you innovative thinkers and technologists on your small screen. This app comes with a simple interface, easy for anyone to use. Explore thinkers with a broad perspective, busting a lot of myths and helping people in understanding unknown facts. This can be a good medium of entertainment. You can create your own playlist and add videos that you like to watch.
Dubsmash
Dubsmash is an entertainment app with which you can make your own videos. You can lipsync your favourite phrases or songs and share them with friends. The app comes with a large library of sounds such as classic movie quotes, funny sounds, famous dialogues and more. It’s a great way to pass your time and have fun when staying at home.
Head’s Up
It is a simple concept – hold your device up to your head as it displays words that the audience have to explain or act out for you. From naming celebrities, to singing, to silly accents- this app is a party classic which gets everyone up and involved. This is one our favourite group games which it’s a great laugh to play with friends and family whilst huddled up at home.
Health
Headspace
If you are completely new to meditation, Headspace offers a gentle introduction to a concept that might feel very alien at first. But if you’re ever going to try meditation… lockdown is the time to! The app is the perfect ease into the practice. It starts you off on a free Take 10 program, which gives you the chance to meditate for just 10 minutes a day over 10 days.
You’ll also find there’s a variety of guided breathing and visualisation exercises which you can tailor to focus on what matters to you most, with options for those that suffer from anxiety, or those that might need to calm down in an emergency, such as a panic attack. The app isn’t free, but basic starter sessions are.
Couch to 5k
As we are only allowed out to exercise once a day (crazy times!) running is being picked up by so many people. Couch to 5k is a great workout you can do just about anywhere. Couch to 5K is a proven method, one that will take you from no running experience at all to a 5k run in a matter of nine weeks. The app allows you to easily track your progress. Just make sure to keep your distance from others and stay safe when running.
Tasty
We are all about fresh, delicious food at Triple Two! Tasty became popular for its overhead food videos with instructions for each step as you prepare a dish. With what you can get from the supermarket being hit and miss at the moment, this app is useful for its ‘search by ingredients’ option. The app can show you recipes depending on what you have in the fridge or cupboard. You can then add filters such as dinner, brunch or any dietary restrictions. For the easiest meals, search for ‘5 ingredients or less’ and ‘under 30 minutes’. Once you make your selection, the recipe video plays, displaying ingredient measures and other instructions right on the screen in sync with the video. This is a great way to make the most out of what you’ve got and even for trying something new- no need to be having the same breakfast, lunch and dinner every day!
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Socialising (Actually-Social Media)
Zoom
Communication is more important than ever and Zoom is here to help with that. You can stay connected wherever you go. Â Start or join a 100-person meeting with face-to-face video, high quality screen sharing and instant messaging, all for free! Award winning Zoom brings video conferencing, online meetings and group messaging into one easy-to-use app. It’s super easy- install the free Zoom app, click on “Host a Meeting” and invite up to 100 people to join. Just remember that free group meetings are limited to 40 minutes.
WhatsApp Messenger is a free messaging app used by millions! WhatsApp uses your 3G/4G connection or WIFI to let you message and call friends and family, as well as send and receive photos, videos and documents. Â Voice messages are also a great way to stay in touch with people and more personal and fun than just a text. Group chats are also a great feature- so get one started up with your nan, mum, dad and all the other family members in between!