SnapChat

I found this app. , “Snapchat”, this past weekend and I am one hundred percent addicted! My friend kept snapping pictures of herself one night and I could not her but think “what the hell is she doing!?” Finally, she showed me the ins and outs of this fun app. Basically, you snap a photo, write a caption and send it along you your friend. The catch is, you can set the amount of time you friend gets to view the picture, one second to 10 seconds. Once it has been viewed for the set time, it is automatically deleted and never seen again. The beauty of the app. is that it can be anything you want and you will not have to regret it! Unlike Facebook, that one terrible picture can be untagged but not taken down unless it is yours. On “Snapchat” you control the photos existence, its the perfect!   When the app. is launched, it resembles you regular camera screen. You can flip the camera per usual, snap the photo. The additions are the box in the left bottom corner and the stripped square on the right. 

The box leads you to the conversations you have had with people, sent and received. The arrow indicates and message sent and the ghost popping out of a box, is photos you have viewed.

The other square allows you to see my friends, find friends and log out.

When you take a photo, you can tap to add text or click the pencil icon and draw! 

Then timer in the bottom left is self explanatory and the button.

Right next to that allows you to save the photo to your cellphone. By clicking send, you choose a friend and engage in the exciting and often hilarious exchange of communication.

Happy Hour

In light of recent events, the loss of my license, the app. “Happy Hour” taunts me each and every day. It has been two weeks since I last had that little plastic card that makes me officially twenty-two years old. Trust me when I say, it feels like a century. My new license should have been here yesterday, right in time for a good night out. Of course with no luck flowing in my direction, its whereabouts are still unknown. Now that my rant is over, I would like to talk about the “Happy Hour” app. This is an insightful app. for those of you who are the legal age to drink. Upon opening the app., you are consumed with different bars and restaurants that are relatively close to your location. A list of places comes up, along with a picture and the distance form you. 

By clicking one that peaks your interest, you receive all of the information needed about the drink specials and the time. Along with this you can map it out, email to a friend and even call the location directly! 

If you decide to check the place out, you can come back late and “like it” or “eh”, those are the two options. You too can be directed to their website and flag the happy hour if you believe it is inaccurate.

If you go back to the original list, you can even filter the searches to find something that fits your time and even cuisine. I personally love this app. and highly recommend it to anyone 21+!

Shazam

“Shazam” is the greatest app. of all time! Whoever created it, thank you!  This app. allows you to “shazam” a song you do not know, but like, and it will be the answer to your prayers. Ever go into a store at the mall and just love the song that is playing? Well then Shazam is for you. When the app. opens up you first see “Touch to Shazam”. This is the main feature that will become your new best friend. On the bottom of the screen, there are four additional options, “My Tags”, “Discover”, “Friends”, “Settings”. 

“My Tags” allows you to see every song you have “shazamed” , this way you can go back and look at that song you fell in love with at the mall. 

“Discover” lets you check out the top songs on the USA charts and you can add a song to “My Tags” for later use. You too can search for other songs that you know!  Now, within “Discover”  if you click on a song, an array of options appear which you can  see below. In doing this, the app. allows you to explore much more than just the song, you can find out information on the artist as well as tour dates. Granted if you click on any of these options you will be taken to another website but they are safe and secure. 

“Friends” is just another way to connect to Facebook and “Settings” is pretty straight forward.

This app. is definitely in my top ten and you should download it!

HeyTell

The next app. is one that I used to use all of the time, “HeyTell”. It is basically walkie talkies. That description makes it sound stupid and pointless, which is probably is, but for some reason you get hooked. Instead of calling someone or texting them, the two are basically combined! What is even great about this, is I can “HeyTell” my sister who lives in Australia. So fact proven right there, social media is great for keeping people in touch with loved ones. When you open up the app, it shows your “Recent Conversations”, there is a button to “Hold and Speak” and you home tab, profile and extras. 

By clicking on one of your conversations you can go back and a listen to your old conversations, just like you can with text messages. 

I personally do not have a profile set up nor do I go into the extras. There is a button that looks like a clock on the right side in the middle section of the screen, which is used for you location. 

By clicking the check mark next to that, you can search for friends, remove and even block users.

 I use this app. for its basic functions which is more than enough. It allows you to connect with people in a new and exciting way!

Internship Seeker

The next app. I would like to talk about is  “Internship Seeker”. I came across this app over the summer as well, while chatting to a friend who had graduated from Fairfield University a year ago. Out of curiosity and the need for a fall internship, I took a shot at it and downloaded the app. When the app. opens up, you are at the home that displays “Search Internships”, “My Saved Searches”, “My Bookmarks”. It is pretty basic a straight forward, with bursts of color that gather your attention.

 “Search Internships” allows you to search for exactly what you are looking for whether it be marketing or education and then place the city and zip.

 Once you search, the list appears and in the top right there are three icons that if highlighted come along with the internship. The first is an A+ which is for credit. The second, is a clock which is for part-time. Third, is the money symbol which we all greatly prefer, a paid internship.

You then receive the description. requirements and can bookmark in order to apply later, share via email or even publish it on Facebook for a friend. 

The other home selections are what they say. Although, I did not find my internship for this fall on this app. I must say it is insanely helpful, especially if you are looking for out of state opportunities. I know for me, it would have be useful last Spring right before going home.

Travelzoo

For my first blog entry in my life, I would like to talk about the app. called “Travelzoo”. I came across this app. over the summer while interning with Regan Communications Group in Rhode Island. While sitting around the table for lunch, Larisa Kupris, who was my boss, was just naming off a bunch of great deals for vacations spots. As she named one deal after another, I knew I had to have it with Spring Break 2013 just around the corner! I downloaded it right then and there. I have to say I am quite impressed with the app. I still have it downloaded and plan on using it in the near future for booking my spring break vacation. 

When you start up the app. you are at the “Home” which lists the “Top 20”, “Local Deals”, “Deals in Other Cities”, “Travel Deals and “Deals on Map”.  

The “Top 20” is the most popular deals going like a $99 three night getaway to Las Vegas with air!

 “Local Deals” allows you to select by city. I like this feature especially if you are on a trip and are looking for even better deals where you are! 

“Deals in Other Cities” is repetitive because it is the same thing. This is one part of the app I would like to see change. There really is no use for it. 

“Travel Deals” breaks it down into airfare, hotels, cruises and so on. This way if you are looking for a specific type of vacation or just entertainment around the area, you are able to get right to it. Simple and fast. 

Now the “Deals on Map” is a bit overwhelming. Right away you and engulfed with a map of the world and pins placed every where. All you have to do, is zoom into an area and click one of the pins to find the deal of a lifetime.

 A few other features are you can sign up with the app. and receive vouchers to use on the deals and you can go into settings to change the country you are located in at that time. 

Overall, I highly recommend the app. for those of you who like to travel on a great deal. You can find anything from a car rental to airfare at very reasonable prices. Be careful to make sure that airfare is included and vice versa with a hotel. Sometimes I find myself getting severely exited over a deal that does not include airfare. For instance, it just happened. My dream city to travel to is Rome, Italy. The deal was three hundred and three dollars meals included but it was just the hotel. So that is my one warning to all who decide to download this wonderful app. Other than that, it is the perfect application to find deals that are right for you!

Introduction to my blog!

This semester I will be do some research into apps which people download onto their iPhones and macs. I plan on looking into some common apps and others which people have never heard of. My goal is for you will learn something you never knew about an app you already have or better yet, take an interest in one of the apps I write about and download it! With that goal in mind, I hope you all enjoy my blog!