Apps

iOS 13 has a whole slew of new editing tools for you to explore—from auto editing, to vibrance, to color saturation, to photo cropping. And with the new features of the dual camera on the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, including the Ultra Wide camera, Night Mode, an upgraded Portrait Mode, Smart HDR, Quick Take videos, and slow-motion selfies (a.k.a. slofies), you will never want to stop taking photos and videos! If you want to take your photo editing skills to the next level, check out these photo apps that will enhance your shots.

The Best VPN apps for iPhones and iPads can be difficult to choose. Between looking for VPN apps that don’t track you, that provide good server coverage, good customer service, and all the different features, there is a lot to check up on. We’ve written before about what a VPN is and what to look for when shopping for a VPN, but here we’ll list our favorite VPN apps, with a special emphasis on ease of use and simplicity rather than feature bloat. 

At the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, I had the opportunity to try ReliefHeat smart heat wrap ($99). I had just spent about eight hours flying to Vegas, so my back was sore and this was just what the doctor ordered. In fact, I might have given ReliefHeat an iPhone Life Best of CES 2020 award, but the company didn't have a formal booth at CES, just an exhibit at one of the evening events for the press. Still, it was a great example of smartphone technology that meets the everyday needs of consumers.

These days, anyone can be a weather nerd. There is so much information from so many good sources that we can plan our vacations and outings with greater confidence than ever before. Using our iPhone weather apps, we know when the sun will rise and set, we can see the paths of impending storms, and we can even see whether lightning is striking the ground or vice versa. What we love about having access to all of this information is that there is a weather app for everyone. Between free weather apps and paid weather apps, there is no limit on the information available for the casual user or the full-on weather enthusiast. So here are our picks for each category.

We've already shown you how to buy Kindle e-books on your iPhone or iPad, but did you know that there's a whole library of free e-books available for anyone who knows how to find them? There are literally thousands of books to read, in e-book form, and audiobooks as well, if you know where to download them. Come along, bookworm, and we'll reveal the reading apps that offer more free books to read than you can get through in a lifetime. 

Getting out of town is great, but what if you don’t know what to do once you get there? Whether you’re planning a solo outing, have some free time during a business trip, or are planning your annual family vacation, these travel apps can make your trip memorable and avoid having “sitting in the hotel room” be the most-used description when you’re back home. Our list of the best travel apps for 2020 includes familiar favorites like Groupon and Lime, as well as some you may not have used before, including a coupons app, parking app, a concert tickets app, and of course, a restaurant app. These travel apps will help you create an itinerary of concerts, historical sites, and unique restaurants for your best trip yet.

Whether you’re kissing someone at midnight in Times Square with your 2020 hat pushed back on your head or lounging on the couch in PJs reminiscing over years past while listening to “Auld Lang Syne,” there’s one thing that’s guaranteed to cross your mind that evening: the time-honored tradition of setting New Year’s resolutions. There is something truly magical about a new beginning, a fresh start, or a chance to better yourself. New Year’s is the perfect time of year to reevaluate your life choices and prioritize the change you want to achieve. Don’t wait for the ball to drop to make your resolutions. It’s time for you to take your self improvement into your own hands, because this is your year! Since the majority of people fail to stick to their resolutions, I have gathered the best apps possible to help you on your journey toward your goals. These functional apps will help you to get motivated and make some big life changes and tackle all your resolutions. Whether you're looking for fitness apps, job search apps, diet apps, or apps to organize your finances, and even your inbox, we have you covered. 

Cue the madness. From Selection Sunday (mark your calendars for March 15) to the Final Four, you won’t want to miss out on any of the excitement that the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is known to elicit. With 68 teams competing to participate in NCAA March Madness and become the national champion, trust us, you won’t want to be left out of the loop. Just to reiterate: That’s a whopping 67 games played over 21 days. Phew. Now, I don’t want to speak for anyone else, but who doesn’t love filling out an NCAA basketball bracket with your predictions (Go ’Hoos!)?

With the convenience of iPhone apps, finding sports news and filling out a bracket is so easy that even the most novice sports fan will want to get in on the fun. Throw in a little friendly competition with coworkers and the potential to take home a fancy-schmancy prize should your bracket come out on top for the optimal March Madness experience. Get hyped to cheer on your favorite teams with these seven best NCAA tournament apps that will help you make informed bracket picks while providing 24/7 game highlights. The best part? All of these apps are free!

You can keep your navigation history a secret in Google Maps on your iPhone by using the new Incognito mode feature. This new way to hide your location history in Google Maps on your iPhone is similar to Incognito mode in Google Chrome, which offers a private browsing window and deletes browsing history when it's closed. This tip will show you how to keep your Google Maps location searches, maps, and navigation history private by using Incognito mode in the iPhone Google Maps app. And what information doesn't get hidden by Google Maps Incognito mode.

Longtime readers of my reviews know that I like the juxtaposition of traditional materials like wood and leather with the latest in technology. A great subscriber to that philosophy is Nomad, and the company has numerous technology products featuring their high-end Horween leather. Nomad sent me its newest example, the Passport Wallet (79.95). The higher priced option includes a slim Tile Tracker as described below.

In every issue of iPhone Life magazine, we feature the iPhone Home screens of people from different walks of life, so our readers can see how they use iPhone apps to meet a variety of needs. In our Winter 2019 issue, we featured public relations specialist Lauren Mims, who uses her iPhone for editing photos, social media marketing, and staying on top of her email accounts. If you have a story and apps you'd like to share, email me and we may feature you in an upcoming issue of the magazine!

When I was a kid many moons ago, Christmastime was my absolute favorite time of year—even more so than my birthday. As an adult, I love to reignite that childlike spirit at the end of each year. I get so excited when I think of Santa hats, holiday tunes, festive lights, mouthwatering feasts . . . I could go on. This year, I’ve discovered entertainment, recipe, shopping, and gift-giving apps that can help make this holiday season more magical than ever before.

One of the neat things about writing product reviews for iPhone Life for over a decade is getting to see enhanced versions of products I've reviewed in the past. Case in point, Twinkly sent a review unit of its updated Smart LED String Lights (starting at $148.95). As with the previous generation, they are intelligent holiday lights that can be programmed to display solid colors or patterns.

Taking on a home project can be a challenging and rewarding experience. If you have tackled this type of task before, it can be downright daunting. Fortunately, a variety of applications are available to help alleviate anxiety and move your renovation toward a fun and satisfying conclusion. The tools and materials you’ll need will depend on the scope of your endeavor. Finding the right app for the job is equivalent to finding the right tool in the physical world; there are so many that identifying the right one can be a challenge. Fortunately, I’ve tested a diversity of apps and will share a handful here that can help make your next home-improvement effort a success.

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