iOS: Finding time to read is hard, but if you fancy yourself a fan of classic literature, from the likes of Jane Austen, Jules Verne, or Charles Dickens, then Serial Reader's a clever app that allows you to essentially subscribe to classic books in a serial format that's sent to you daily.

Chrome/iOS: There's no shortage of ways to organise recipes you find around the web, but they come and go so quickly it's nice to see a new one. Chef's Hat is a bookmarking and snipping tool that saves recipes you find around the web so they're easy to find -- and cook -- later.

iOS: If you aren't a beer expert, you might not know if you'll like a certain beer. With so many craft beers out there, you're likely to find one you've never heard of. SipSnapp takes a beer list from a restaurant and looks up ratings for each brew.

iOS: If your iPhone battery can't quite make it through the day, your apps may be draining your phone. Normal finds those apps sucking down your battery and makes suggestions on how to resolve it.

Over two years ago, Public Transport Victoria -- in a manner so clandestine it would have impressed the pants off most international spy agencies -- released a revamped version of its transport app for iOS. Unfortunately, the app went from a glorified, though extremely useful, electronic timetable to an overly streamlined, difficult-to-use toy that myself and other uses quickly abandoned. Earlier this month, it finally received a massive update that's essentially brought us full circle, transforming it into a modern version of the classic Metlink app.

Chromecast, Google's video streaming widget, officially arrived in Australia last month. If you've been looking for the perfect app to partner with it, iOS users will be pleased to learn that the developers behind VLC are working to add support for the device.

Jet-lag is one of those conditions that you just have to endure, unless you're willing to ingest copious amounts of caffeine or staple your eyelids open. That said, next time you're suffering from a radical shift in time zones, you might want to give Entrain a go. It's an iPhone app that claims to get you back into sleeping sync as quickly as possible, by aligning your circadian rhythms with that of your environment.

The traditional way for housemates to stay in-sync regarding bills, chores and social activities is a notepad, pen and centrally-positioned, fridge-shaped object. If you're looking for a more technological method, then the upcoming Fairshare app, developed locally in Melbourne, might be exactly what you need.

iOS/Android: Instead of a messy whiteboard to keep track of chores, a fridge notebook to list groceries and a spreadsheet to track bills, make life easier for yourself and your roommates with HomeSlice, a free and cross-platform app.

iPhone: Tracking your daily activities over a long period can help you figure out what changes you need to make to be happier. You could fill out this one-minute form every day, but if you want something similar on your iPhone, then OptimizeMe is what you need.

iPhone: Lytro's shoot-now-focus-later feature is pretty cool and if you want something like that on your iPhone, then Tadaa SLR is what you need. It's essentially a blur-and-bokeh filter app, but the interface makes it almost foolproof.

iOS/Mac: Sometimes, you just need to get something from your Mac to your iOS device instantly (or vice versa). Command-C is an (awkwardly named) app that makes it so you can copy clipboard data -- that includes images or text -- across iOS devices or between Mac and iOS.

iOS: Fitness trackers are pretty easy to come by these days, but not many of them help you use the information they gather to get you to eat the right foods. Fuel My Run is a pretty simple app that tells you when to eat and drink.

Web/Chrome/Firefox/iOS/Android: If you want a simple cloud-based clipboard that syncs notes across different devices, then Belt.io gets the job done without much fuss.

Web/iOS: If you can't find the time to read the whole book, Blinkist takes you through the most important parts of non-fiction writing. The app is entirely human-powered, summarising lessons from the book in simple language, shortened for a quick read.

iOS 7: The one thing stopping you from taking that risk -- whether it's entrepreneurial or personal -- is the fear of failure. AppSumo's new app, Failure Games, is designed to make risk-taking a part of your life and get you accustomed to failure, embarrassment or other negative emotions that hold you back.

iOS: Sometimes you just need to quickly get down an idea without fumbling around with buttons. Say&Go is a simple app that, once launched, instantly starts recording a very short voice memo.

iPhone: The iPhone has a lot of options for great podcast apps, including our favourite, Downcast, but not everyone needs something as comprehensive as that. For those looking for something a bit simpler, Pod Wrangler has everything you need.

Android/iOS: You have a lot of options for apps that will track your run, but few of them help you train and improve your times. My Asics is an app that features an adaptive system that looks at your runs and helps you improve your times.