We all know and love services like Dropbox, Evernote and Gmail. But if there’s one thing we love here at Lifehacker, it’s those small, lesser-known applications that make life easier.
Add your suggestions in the comments below. We won’t discriminate based on platform. Any tool is welcome! Try to format your entry along these lines so it’s more readable:
Name of app (Platform)
Download link
Description/why you find it indispensable.
Comments
16 responses to “What’s The One Obscure App You Can’t Live Without?”
Medscape (iOS, Android app stores)
Probably not obscure but not something people outside of healthcare would use – offers a complete offline clinical reference guide that I find indispensable for looking up medications or obscure diseases. One of the reasons I actually can’t swap to Windows Phone.
Night Mode (android)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pt.bbarao.nightmode&hl=en
Overrides the brightness setting so you can turn it down to almost nothing. Great when you check your phone in the middle of night. Also use it at concerts when taking photos so I don’t bother anyone.
Super Recorder (iOS/iPhone)
http://hacx.org/cydia/superrecorder_depiction_en.php
This app records every call you make or receive and stores it on your iPhone. Taking away all “evil” uses of this app, it’s really handy, You never need to search for a pen and piece of paper to write down a phone number, directions, reference number, appointment date/time, instructions, so many other things.. It really is so handy. It does require a jailbroken iPhone, but it’s well worth it.
ICS importer (android)
Lets me receive calendar invites on my phone
What is stopping you from receiving them using the Google Calendar app. Just import your calendars on the calendar.google.com site first!
GoodBudget
Android
“Envelope” style budget app
AOSP WiFi Keyboard (Android)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.marcosdiez.keyboard.latin
Hate trying to type on cramped little phone keyboards. When on wi-fi, this lets me open a browser on my desktop computer and type on a real keyboard like nature intended.
GPS Nag Me (Android)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gpsnagme
The only app on the market that deals with the issue of remote gps activation. A clever idea, check out the website too.
http://www.gpsnag.me
Macrodroid (Android)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.arlosoft.macrodroid
1000s of apps in one. An automation app like Tasker but much more user friendly.
Mine would have to be:
Offi (Android)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.schildbach.oeffi&hl=en
Perfect journey planning for Melbourne’s PT network, and allows you to save the journey as a calendar entry so you can plan ahead, then just read the calendar entry to find out what more details about your journey.
Last Time (IOS)
It’s a simple app that lets you easily track individual actions or tasks. Clean and simple design, backs up to the cloud if you want.
I use it for tracking when I last had a break (lose track of time at work), and when I last had a coffee (easy to keep knocking them back). Love it.
Hootsuite: Central hub for your social media including but not limited to… facebook, twitter, linkedin, instagram, etc
Not just an app, full blown service.
Job Drop – iOS
http://jobdropapp.com
The first step in GTD is to collect stuff into a trusted system. Job Drop makes it easy to add items quickly to Reminders. Whenever I get an idea for something I want to do later, or someone asks me to do something, it goes straight into Job Drop.
Later on I can do a GTD process to organise things better, but at least I know I’ll get a reminder, even when I haven’t had time to keep on top of my GTD as much as I should.
BeanHunter (iOS & Android)
http://www.beanhunter.com/iPhone-Android-Apps
When travelling I always NEED coffee. Without BeanHunter I’d be lost (Figuratively and perhaps literally)
Wireshare (iOS)
Allows me to copy files, music, movies etc to my iphone without having to use itunes. Great for using the phone as a memory stick at work or moving files to someone without itunes on their computer. It works through wifi.
Alarm Calendar (Android)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.moyou.alarmcalendar.free&hl=en
Set reminders that I will never miss.