“I have about four (apps) that I use on a daily basis, but there are so many in my phone,” said Wright State University student Spencer Deer. “I’m not even sure why I have them all.”
So, how does one decide which apps to choose? Which ones are worth the storage space and which ones are a waste of time? Russ Shirley, one of the professors for Wright State University’s social media and personal branding class, suggests giving the following four free apps a try.
DROPS (iPhone only): This app helps users learn languages such as Spanish, French, German, Italian and English. In just five minutes, users will begin to learn key words and phrases that will allow them to understand roughly 60 percent of an everyday text or spoken conversation. "Let's face it, who has time to learn a new language with our busy schedules today?" Shirley said. "Drops makes it easy and fun to turn five minutes of downtime into a learning experience."
WAZE (iPhone/Android/Windows): Shirley lists this app as one he uses on a daily basis. It is described as the "largest community-based traffic and navigation app in the world." It allows users to share real-time traffic information such as construction delays, accidents, and bad weather. These updates alert other users to the delays in advance, saving them time by finding new routes.
FANCAKE (iPhone/Android): This is the app for sports lovers. "It is a new way to interact with your favorite sporting event in real-time, earning you points and prizes along the way," said Shirley. Predict the games, from who will win, points scored, fouls made and more, and earn point and credit payouts that are redeemable for gift cards, sports gear, and other rewards.
DUBSMASH (iPhone/Android): The app that calls itself the "fun way to communicate!" "(This) is one I have been using for the past few weeks," Shirley said. "It changes how you communicate with your family and friends." The app allows the user to pick a preloaded famous quote, such as the line "I'm ready" from SpongeBob Squarepants, and then has the user record a selfie video. Once both steps have been completed, Dubsmash will combine the quote and the selfie together to make a dubbed video you can share with family and friends.
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