REPOST: 8 essentials apps for the Apple Watch
The Apple Watch is out and IGN.com is suggesting a couple of apps to install once we get our hands on one.
The real question is: Do you want all of those things on your Watch? Some apps look like shrunken versions of what's on iPhone, but you don't necessarily need access to every smartphone function on a tiny, wearable screen. So we've gone through and picked the apps we think will be among the most useful—the ones that not only fit on your wrist, but actually belong there, offering useful info or functionality at a glance.
When a great idea strikes, what do you do? Pull up a phone app and type it out, or maybe record a short audio message? Evernote's Watch app splits the difference for a smart, wrist-friendly approach: it'll dictate your spoken notes and save the text to your account so you can view it anywhere. You can also search through existing notes and pull up anything you need to see in a hurry.
Automation is a beautiful thing. If there's a common task you tend to perform regularly—like saving a note to Dropbox, or creating a QR code—you can use Workflow to get you there instantly, rather than fumbling through various apps. Numerous workflows are already available to use, or you can customize your own. On the Watch especially, this can be a huge time-saver.
Designed to help you stay atop your busy schedule by automatically lifting relevant info from email and social media, Tempo Smart Calendar looks to be plenty brainy on Apple Watch, as well. The attractive interface shows you at a glance how packed your schedule is—while highlighting gaps in the day—and can let you alert colleagues or friends with a tap if you're running late, en route, or just arriving.
Here's a Watch app designed to break language barriers. Simply speak a phrase into the watch and Alo will translate it into the language of your choice, right before your eyes. Not only will it list the translated phrase, but you can also play an audio version from your iPhone's speaker. Alo also has a list of common phrases available in each language to help you learn the basics and get around.
Loads of news apps will be vying for your eyes on the Apple Watch, but we're most intrigued by one that's kept things simple even on iPhone: Yahoo News Digest. Keeping the mentality of getting you essential info in a hurry, the Watch version will deliver hourly news bulletins as Glances, informing you in seconds without it feeling overbearing. Breaking news alerts will be available as notifications, as well.
Many of us already use apps to figure out how long we'll be waiting around for trains and buses, but Citymapper has seemingly nailed the idea of wearable public transit info. On individual, clear, and contextually relevant screens, it'll point you to a station or stop, show when the next vehicles arrive, and display useful elements like stops ahead and service alerts. It could be hugely helpful.
Love looking up at the stars? Sky Guide will alert you when an astronomical event is about to happen above your current location, even showing an image on the screen to help guide your eyes. There's a full calendar of upcoming happenings included, as well, plus the app will tell you when the International Space Station is about to fly over—you know, in case you want to squint and imagine you saw something.
Not every social network is likely to make a perfect translation to the Apple Watch; browsing Twitter in particular just sounds laborious. But as a mostly visual experience, Instagram looks like something we'd actually want to view on the Watch, with a feed of bright images putting that Retina display to good use. And you can even leave emoji comments, if you'd like.
David Topolewski is the CEO of Qooco, an education and technology solutions provider developing language learning tools for computers and smartphones. For more information, visit this website.
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