My Favorite iPhone Apps (Part 1)

Last year, I got an iPhone for my birthday. It was love at first sight, especially since I upgraded from a phone that barely functioned well enough to make calls, and sometimes it didn't even do that. Since then I've become a bit of on app-aholic. I love discovering new apps and using them to make life easier, more organized, and fun. :)

I plan on doing a series of posts with my favorite apps in different categories. Today's post includes the apps I use the most and can't don't want to live without.

Gospel Library

This is probably my all-time favorite app. I have all the resources I could possibly want all in this blessed little app. I use it daily! Although I prefer to read my physical scriptures, this is very handy if we are traveling or if I need a little inspiration on the run. It also has all the general conference talks from 1974 to the most current session, and that includes text, audio, AND video for all of them! Plus, I never have to bring any manuals to church because this has them too. It's amazing. 

Pros:

Easy to use

Nothing is left out, it really has everything! Scriptures, manuals, magazines, General Conference, music...

Multiple languages, meaning I can use it to practice Russian

You can bookmark pages, add notes, and highlight important stuff

Cons:

It crashes sometimes without any warning and makes me lose my place :(

Instagram

Anyone that follows me on Instagram knows I love and use this app... a lot. I am a picture-taker. I take pictures of everything. Instagram makes it easy for me to share some of the many, many pictures I take with my friends, plus it is so much fun to look at their pictures as well! As far as social media goes, I like it much, much more than Facebook. 

(Click here to follow me on Instagram)

Pros:

Easy to use

Some of the filters are fun

Good privacy settings

Cons:

It cuts pictures into squares. Sometimes that works, but when it doesn't I use Whitagram to override that glitch.

Some of the filters really diminish the quality of your picture. Minor flaw that doesn't bother me too much.

Facebook

Ah, Facebook... we have a love/hate relationship. Still, I use it pretty often to keep up with friends and family, especially since most of the people in those categories don't live close enough for me to see often. It's also a good place to keep my pictures, partially to share with others and partially to have them organized so I can look through them myself.

Pros:

The app is reliable and easy to use, especially with the most recent updates

Convenient to communicate with people if you don't have their numbers

Good for keeping in touch with people you don't see often

Cons:

Mediocre privacy

Constantly changing settings (see above)

There is definitely such thing as too much information

...etc, etc, etc

Pinterest

I love Pinterest. It's chock full of recipes, tutorials, and great ideas. It's a little overwhelming, to be honest. I use this one pretty often too, although I much prefer to peruse Pinterest on the computer. 

(Click here to follow me on Pinterest)

Pros:

Very easy to find ideas, no matter what you are looking for

If I am making a recipe I found on here I can look it up while I'm at the store if I need to (For example, sometimes I'll forget how much of something I need)

Cons:

I like using Pinterest on my laptop much more than the app

Grocery List Free (Buy Me a Pie)

This is the free version of Buy Me a Pie. I love how easy it is to make shopping lists. Plus, this organizes the items and saves paper too! :)

Pros:

Easy peasy

Lists can be shared (although I haven't done that yet)

Cons:

Haven't found any yet!

Gmail

I can't stand the email app that is built into the iPhone. Drives me crazy. The Gmail app lets me organize my emails the way I'm used to and is a lot easier for me to use. Plus, I think the interface is a little more visually pleasing, which isn't important (but really is, at least for me since I'm a very visual person). 

Pros:

More flexible

Easier to use

Cleaner interface

Cons:

A little slow opening up (first world problems, I know)

Not compatible with Siri

Google Maps

I love (and hate) Google maps for a lot of the same reasons I love (and hate) Gmail. The built-in Apple maps is incredibly mediocre and has lead us astray a time or two. Google Maps is much more reliable, the interface is cleaner, and it doesn't have Siri's I've-been-smoking-for-40-years voice directing you. (Tangent: Am I the only one that hate's Siri's voice? It's like a dull knife cutting through cardboard! The male option isn't much better either, in my opinion)

Pros:

Reliable

Easy to use

Visually appealing

Cons:

Not compatible with Siri

Well, there you have it! The next installments with hopefully be a little more interesting and fun, but these are the apps I use the most.
What about you?