Month: May 2015

If there’s one thing there’s no shortage of, it’s messaging apps. Whether you’re a first-time user looking to pick the best app, or are simply looking for one to streamline your communication, there are a few that stand out from the crowd in terms of user base, functionality, and additional features. Below are some of the best free messaging apps for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and BlackBerry.

Facebook Messenger

Facebook got a lot of heat for removing messaging services from its mobile app earlier this year, forcing users to download a separate Messenger app. Regardless of whether or not you’re a fan of the standalone app, there’s no denying that it’s one of the most popular ways to communicate on mobile with one of the largest user bases.

Arguably, making it a separate app has let Messenger compete with more classic messaging services like WhatsApp, letting you create group chats, send images, voice notes, stickers, and even make video calls. It’s biggest strengths are that the fact that it seamlessly integrates with Facebook in the browser, meaning you can take your conversation from mobile to desktop painlessly. If you thought Messenger was boring, it supports apps giving your chats a lot more life with support for gifs or videos.

Facebook Messenger also has its own web client so you don’t have use Facebook to chat with friends.

Download Facebook Messenger for Android | Blackberry | iOS | Web | Windows Phone

WhatsApp

WhatsApp was bought by Facebook for just shy of $20 billion, but that hasn’t deterred people from continuing to use WhatsApp. It doesn’t have anything that rival messaging apps don’t have, except for the largest user base. As of August 2014, it had 600 million monthly active users and continues to grow steadily. WhatsApp lets you send messages, voice notes, images and video, pin your location, share contacts, and create group chats. WhatsApp added a read receipt in the form of two blue checkmarks, letting you know when others have read your messages. You can also use WhatsApp on the web and chat with friends.

It’s also more customizable than other messaging apps, letting you change chat wallpapers and set a status message.

WhatsApp is free for the first year of use, after which you have to pay an annual fee of $0.99.

Download WhatsApp for Android | Blackberry | iOS | Web | Windows Phone

HipChat

While HipChat is designed for team communication, it works as a standard messaging app. You can create different groups so your conversations are separated. You spend most of your time on the web or desktop app, but HipChat’s mobile apps work. One problem is that you will only get notifications if someone mentions you so the conversation can continue after you leave the app. You can share files and video chat, but the best use of HipChat is sending links of pictures that load in chat.

HipChat won’t replace messaging apps you use with friends, but it makes work communication a lot easier.

Download HipChat for Android | iOS | Mac | Windows

Slack

Slack is another popular team communication app. Also designed for businesses, it uses a simple channel system. A company can use a single domain for all its communication and people within the company can create different topic channels. You can send direct messages or create private groups that are invite only.

You can post links and images and get a preview without clicking on the link which makes ignoring boring links easier. Slack can also integrate with other tools like Dropbox, Hangouts, and Twitter. If you have multiple teams working together, Slack is a very useful solution for quick communication.

Download Slack for Android | iOS | Mac | Windows

Skype

Skype rose to popularity as the desktop VOIP calling app that finally let you video chat with friends and family across the globe. In recent years, the software has taken the natural step of migrating to mobile, transitioning gracefully into a mobile messaging app. It’s primary use is still voice and video calling, and that’s apparent in the app’s simplistic structure.

Two options at the bottom let you either open the dialer to make a call, or start a chat with anyone from your contact book. The home screen houses recent chats or calls, and favorites. One of it’s great features is the ability to have video-conference calls with up to 4 people.

Without all the bells and whistles, Skype’s one of the simplest messaging apps out there if you’re a frequent user of the service and want to migrate all your communication to one app.

Download Skype for Android | Blackberry | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows | Mac

Viber

Viber’s more popular for its ability to make free VOIP calls than it is for its chat function, but its chat actually has quite a lot to offer. You can send doodles, which lets you draw an image on your touch screen and send it to a contact, as well as send photos, videos, and share your location. Like WhatsApp, it’s got customizable backgrounds and the dreaded ‘read receipt’.

The real star here though, is its VOIP calling features. Much like Skype, you can voice or video call Viber contacts for free with the iOS and Android versions of the app. The VOIP call quality varies and is very much dependent on your connection speed, but when it works, it works well.

It’s most recent addition is Viber Out, which again, similar to Skype, is a feature that lets you buy credits and make calls to mobiles and landlines at low prices. Another notable feature is a desktop client that lets you move between mobile and desktop. A recent test by the EFF, however, shows that among its competitors, it’s not a very secure messaging option.

Download Viber for Android | Blackberry | iOS | Windows Phone | Windows | Mac

LINE

Hailing from Japan, LINE may not be as popular on this side of the world, but its one of the leading messaging services in Asia thanks to its cute and furry characters, attracting over 300 million users. Not surprisingly, one of it’s token features is a copious amount of stickers, some of which you’ll have to pay for. It’s also got a Snap Movie feature, which lets you record a video, add background music, and share with friends, as well as Hidden Chats, which similar to Snapchat, lets you send secure messages that’ll disappear after a certain amount of time.

Aside from these quirky additions, LINE is popular for its voice and video calling features whose quality rivals that of Skype and Viber. Similarly, it’s also got a desktop app to take your conversations from mobile to desktop and back.

Expanding from it’s messaging roots, LINE’s also got a Timeline feature that lets you post things that your LINE contacts will be able to see, giving it more of a social-network feel. There’s also a slew of LINE games you can download for iOS and Android.

Download LINE for Android | Blackberry | iOS | Windows Phone

KakaoTalk

Like Line, KakaoTalk is the supreme chat app in South Korea. With an almost 1-to-1 install base, the chat app has evolved into its own platform for games, social networking, and photos. The app lets you share photos and video and you can make voice calls to friends anywhere in the world. You can buy new emoticon packs from popular Korean webtoons or Kpop artists or theme packs to customize your chats.

KakaoTalk supports group chat with an “unlimited” number of people. If you talk with a lot of friends on KakaoTalk, you can install KakaoTalk for PC. There is also the option to have “Secret Chats” with friends if you want.

Download KakaoTalk for Android | iOS | Mac | Windows | Windows Phone

Hangouts

Google replaced it’s default Android messaging app earlier this year with Hangouts, angering many Android users because of the fact that SMS conversations and Hangout chats from the same contact weren’t syncing in the same convo. It’s since been replaced by a separate Messages app in Android 5.0 Lollipop for those who don’t want to mix SMS with Hangouts messages. Despite this annoying bug, Hangouts is still a great messaging app.

Its got video chat with up to 10 people, syncs with the browser app in Gmail, and similar to Facebook Messenger, benefits from syncing your Gmail contacts so that you don’t have to manually look for or add people to chat with. Interestingly though, there are a few key missing features in the mobile app, including the draw feature, and “invisible” status.

Download Hangouts for Android | iOS | Windows

Kik

Kik comes off as a standard messaging app at first glance, but it’s got more than meets the eye.

Kik’s unique feature is the fact that for a mobile-first messaging app, it doesn’t require a phone number to register or use; simply sign up with an email address and username. You can then search for others using their usernames. Aside from the standard chat features, it’s got Kik Cards, optional features which let you play games, make sketches, send YouTube videos, and share sounds from SoundCloud, all without leaving the app. It also promotes itself as the first messenger with a built-in browser, giving it a bit of an edge if you’re looking for an all-in-one app. Like Viber though, it’s among the least secure options for messaging.

Download Kik for Android | Blackberry | iOS | Windows Phone

At the end of the day, most of these messaging apps perform the same functions. It all comes down to whether or not you want additional features, functionality on desktop, and most importantly, how many of your friends are using the service.

In theory, it’d be nice to have one messaging app to use with everyone. In reality though, I use at least 5 of these messaging services on a regular basis to communicate with different friends, and more than marking one as better than the other, I think they’re all pretty useful in their own way.

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Now that most people have a smartphone, it’s possible to take photos and record video all the time. The booming popularity of action cameras like GoPro to piles onto the amount of video being captured every day. But what do you do after recording all that video? Professional video editing suites like Apple Final Cut cost a lot of money and feature a high learning curve. Sometimes all you want to do is combine multiple clips and to share on YouTube or Facebook. For that, all you need is a simple, free video editor.

Here’s a look at some of your options for free video editing programs.

Windows Movie Maker

Included as part of Windows Essentials 2012, Windows Movie Maker is Microsoft’s free video editing software. You can quickly import and combine clips to make a single video. There are theme options and you can also add transitions between clips so there isn’t a jarring cut. Movie Maker is basic in presentation, but actually has a lot of good options for simple and straightforward videos. It doesn’t feature confusing advanced options and is easy to start and finish a project.

Pros: easy to use, included themes, interface is easy to understand

Cons: crashes a lot, not meant for power users

Download: Windows Movie Maker for Windows

iMovie

Apple’s included video editor is easy to use and available across all of its devices, even for the iPhone. It focuses on simplicity and can create great looking videos. You can take a bunch of clips, cut them up, and add your own personal touch with its interface. One problem with iMovie is that it supports a limited number of supported formats and longer projects take a long time to export. The app can export video into a lot of different formats but it has a tendency to crash if you don’t have a lot of hard drive space or RAM available. While Apple tries to make the learning curve relatively easy, you will have to use some trial-and-error to learn all its features.

Pros: lots of options, iOS app

Cons: limited format support, needs a lot of system resources

Download: iMovie for OS X

OpenShot Video Editor

OpenShot Video Editor is a free open source editor. That means you never have to worry about paying for it. The editor includes all the features you need to create a good movie. You can combine different clips to make a full movie, but also resize and scale them so all your videos have the same dimensions. Supported formats are based on FFmpeg which means it covers the most common formats. If you want to be really creative, add effects and animations to give your movie added flair.

Pros: free, offers a lot of features

Cons: infrequent updates

Download: OpenShot Video Editor for Windows

Avidemux

On the surface, Avidemux looks simple. However, this open source video editor is actually quite complex. It’s more than an editor and also works as a video converter. You can add multiple files, trim and crop scenes, and configure the video output. The problem with many of these options is that there’s no explanation for its different tools. One strange issue I had was that Avidemux exports in 4:3 by default and even after manually setting the aspect ratio to 16:9, it still encoded the video in 4:3. Avidemux might be better as a converter rather than an editor even though the option exists.

Pros: convert as well as edit, lots of export options

Cons: confusing interface, lacks intuitive flow to editor

Download: Avidemux for Mac | Windows

Lightworks

The first thing you notice with Lightworks is that it looks daunting. And that’s because it is. The video editor offers a bridge between the novice and professional editors. Lightworks is a free editor that contains many tools to manipulate your videos. If you don’t have any experience editing videos, then you should watch all of Lightworks’ video tutorials before you start.

However, the massive amount of options included in the free version are impressive. The free version is limited, as you can only export in 720p for YouTube and upgrading requires a yearly subscription fee. The video editor is complex for novices, but shows how much editing is possible with the right options. If you’re going to use Lightroom, the app needs a lot of monitor space because there are a lot of feature pop-up menus. But if you want to really learn how to edit videos professionally, Lightworks is the best option.

Pros: professional level editor, lots of options, video tutorials

Cons: high learning curve, confusing for novices

Download: Lightworks for Mac | Windows

VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC reminds me of a more advanced version of Windows Movie Maker. The interface is easy to understand and the toolbar shows all the options that you might need to use. The sequence wizard takes out a lot of the guesswork about how your video will look and you can add transitions between each video.

While many other editors make you set your options and then export the video, VSDC displays all relevant info about the exported video like resolution, video codec, and audio information. This information may not be that important to some people, but knowing format information is important if you’re going to upload the file to a streaming service like YouTube or Vimeo.

If you don’t like Windows Movie Maker, VSDC is your best option. There’s a slight learning curve, but you will be able to make more advanced videos without trouble.

Pros: included video wizard, easy to understand interface, great alternative to Windows Movie Maker

Cons: slight learning curve, some features need better explanation

Download: VSDC Free Video Editor for Windows

Wondershare Video Editor

Wondershare Video Editor is a free and paid video editor. If you’re using the free version, any exported project will have a watermark in the video. But this video editor might be a good way to learn how to create videos without spending any money. You can use tools like picture-in-picture, filter effects, and add subtitles. Wondershare Video Editor uses drag-and-drop editing so you drag the file into Wondershare and then drag them into the timeline. If you’re a video editing novice, Wondershare provides a lot of automatic tools to enhance your videos.

Pros: versatile video editor, lots of features

Cons: watermark in free version

Download: Wondershare Video Editor for Windows

This is only a small selection of free video editors. While Movie Maker and iMovie will work for simple projects, if you’re looking for a fuller featured editor, then Lightroom is your best bet. Learning all the tools included will make your videos look professional, just expect to spend a lot of time learning how the app works.

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After four (or more) long years, college is finished and it’s time to get a job. During those four years, the technology you used became outdated. Even though you’ve finished your degree, you can’t stop learning new skills and different tools.

Now that you’re ready to start your career, you need to replace your old tech. That laptop you used is probably close to death and your phone might have taken a lot of falls during its four year life.

Computers

Desktops are nice for jobs like video or audio editing, but most people get by with a laptop. It’s possible a job will give you a company laptop, but it’s always smart to have your own.

Budget

Chromebook

If you live online in a browser, then a Chromebook is a great alternative to a Windows or Mac laptop. During your time in college, you probably created a Gmail account and that’s all you need to sign in. Don’t expect to do much like video editing, but if everything you do is online, then a Chromebook is perfect. Don’t be concerned about battery life because Chromebooks are hitting around ten hours.

Buy from Google Store.

Standard

The ultrabook is a popular laptop category. There are a lot of different models that you can choose from, but you should always keep a couple things in mind. Ultrabooks come with solid state drives which are smaller and faster than disc hard drives. This also gives ultrabooks better battery life. The trade off is that SSDs are smaller in capacity. By default you should get at least 128 GB.

Dell XPS 13 (2015)

Dell XPS 13 (2015) is a great general use laptop. Each version comes with a 128 GB SSD and either 4 or 8 GB of RAM. There is a touchscreen version, but that’s not something most people need. If you choose the $999.99 model, you can upgrade the display to 3200X1800 pixels and double the SSD to 256 GB. If you’re a traveller, XPS 13 is rated for up to 15 hours for web browsing and 12 hours of HD video playback.

Buy from Dell.

Samsung Ativ Book 9 Plus

If you want a laptop that has a distinct design, but still has performance then try Samsung’s Ativ Book 9 Plus. It’s the premium ultrabook in the Ativ line with a 13” 3200X1800 display. The battery is rated for 11 hours which is less than Dell’s XPS 13, but the Ativ Book 9 is also older. There are a lot of different versions of the Ativ Book 9 Plus and they all come with a touch screen. You will have to choose whether you want 4 or 8 GB of RAM and the SSD size changes the price.

Buy from Samsung.

Macbook Air

Apple’s Macbook Air is always going to be a laptop favorite. You get excellent build quality and some of the best battery life out of any laptop. The 13” is the preferred model because of its 1440X900 resolution. The one annoyance against the Air is few customization options and choosing a more powerful processor, more RAM, and a bigger SSD gets expensive. But the brand is tried and true and its laptops last a long time. Just be aware that a refresh could be right around the corner.

Buy from Apple.

High-end

Alienware 15

If you’re looking for a high-end laptop, then you’re using it for a specific purpose. An added bonus is that it can probably play video games. In this arena, Dell’s Alienware 15 is a good option. It’s powerful enough to play current games, but also has the power to run video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro CC without any problems. The 15 is equipped with two hard drives: One SSD for Windows and a 1 TB drive for programs and files. Buy the Graphics Amplifier and you can get desktop grade graphics on your laptop with a new graphics card, making the laptop future proof.

Buy from Dell.

Macbook Pro

Macbook Pros are a musician and audio/video editors favorite. But these powerful machines come at a price. Depending on the model, prices vary from $1299 to $2499. Keep in mind that the only Macbook Pro that comes with a discrete graphics card is the 15” 2.5 Ghz model. But like the Macbook Air, you will be getting great build quality that will last a long time.

Buy from Apple.

Phones

Nexus 6

Nexus 6 is Google’s current flagship phone. The company decided to enter the phablet market and produced the phone with Motorola. Like other Nexus devices, it receives the latest Android updates from Google. The Nexus 6 is also a stock Android phone meaning it doesn’t have any third party launchers like TouchWiz from Samsung or Sense from HTC. You get a very plain and customizable version of Android.

Buy from Google Store.

iPhone 6/6 Plus

Choosing between the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus is a size preference. iPhone 6 is 4.7” and iPhone 6 Plus is 5.5.” The screen resolutions are different with the 6 having a 1334X750 resolution and 6 Plus with 1920X1080. There’s no dramatic visual difference so don’t worry about the screens, but the Plus has the better camera. Both phones come with the same features like Apple Pay (with Apple Watch) and Touch ID. You will also get the latest OS updates straight from Apple.

Buy from Apple.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4

If you want a phabet, but don’t like the Nexus 6, then Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 is a great alternative. The 5.7” screen has a 2560X1440 resolution and has one of the best screens on the market. If you like virtual reality, Note 4 supports Gear VR. Note 4 also comes with S Pen and TouchWiz features like split-screen apps and extra functionality like converting writing to text.

Buy from Samsung.

Samsung Galaxy S6/S6 Edge

Another option from Samsung is Galaxy S6 or S6 Edge. The difference between the two phones is that the Edge has a screen that curves on each side, giving more space for notifications. With a 5.1” screen, Samsung still packed in a 2560X1440 resolution. Unlike previous Galaxy S phones, S6 and S6 Edge don’t have a removable battery or a microSD slot. This would be a concern, but the S6 and S6 Edge get decent battery life that should last through the day.

Buy from Samsung.

HTC One M9

If Samsung or Motorola don’t interest you, the other Android phone to get is HTC’s One M9. It has a similar look to the M8, but that’s totally fine. HTC have a design that’s distinct and professional. The 5” display has a 1920X1080 resolution so everything will be clear and easy to read. If external storage is a concern, M9 supports microSD cards up to 2 TB. HTC Sense has evolved over the years and is a suitable launcher that’s easy to use.

Buy from HTC.

Tablets

Nexus 9/Shield/Dell Venue 8 7000

There are a lot of Android tablets. If you’re looking at buying one, there are a few good choices. Nexus 9 is the latest tablet by Google. It’s a 9” tablet and closest to the iPad in design. If you’re looking for something smaller, the Nvidia Shield is a powerful tablet that can also stream games using Nvidia GRID game streaming service. The Dell Venue 8 7000 is another no frills tablet that’s good for everyday use.

Buy from Google Store.

Buy from Nvidia.

Buy from Dell.

iPad

If you’re interested in an iPad, there are a lot of options. There is the iPad Air 2 with a 9.7” screen and the iPad mini 3 with a 7.9” screen. Both are great for reading, watching movies, and playing games. The original iPad mini should be ignored with its lower 1024X768 resolution, but any of the other iPads Apple offers are great.

Buy from Apple.

Must have apps

During college you probably used these apps for school work. Now it’s time to re-purpose them for work, home, or a combination of both. If you’ve never used them before, it’s time to start learning because they are required for staying connected.

Microsoft Office/Google Docs

Microsoft’s Office legacy is still hard to beat. Now with Office 365, all your work is saved online so you can access it anywhere and even collaborate with others. If you can’t live without Office, now you can take it anywhere.

Google Docs is a cloud-based productivity suite integrated in Google Drive. The best part of Google Docs is that you can use it in a browser or an app with everything synced automatically. Add collaboration tools like editing or suggested changes and in-document chat and you have a simple, powerful office suite that can export in a variety of formats including Microsoft Office. Best of all, it’s free.

Download Microsoft Word: Android | iOS | Mac | Windows

Download Microsoft Excel: Android | iOS | Mac | Windows

Download Microsoft PowerPoint: Android | iOS | Mac | Windows

Download Microsoft Outlook: Android | iOS | Mac | Windows

Download Google Docs: Android | iOS

Download Google Sheets: Android | iOS

Download Google Slides: Android | iOS

Gmail/Inbox

Gmail is a no brainer. It’s a simple and easy email service that you can customize to your needs with labels and filters. But move on from Gmail and start using Inbox. It streamlines your email to prioritize what you actually want to read.

Download Gmail: Android | iOS | Web

Download Inbox: Android | iOS |Web

Google Drive/Dropbox/Box

Instead of carrying a flash drive, use a cloud storage service. Depending on the one you choose, you get different amounts of online storage. If the free amount isn’t enough, sign up for all of them.

Download Google Drive: Android | iOS | Mac | Web | Windows

Download Dropbox: Android | iOS | Mac | Web | Windows

Download Box: Android | iOS | Web

Evernote

Evernote is the best online notebook. You can save lists, websites, photos, and other content in Evernote and access through its apps and the web.

Download Evernote: Android | iOS | Web

Chrome/Firefox

You probably already use either Chrome or Firefox, but do you use the mobile apps too? You should because you can sync your account across devices and have access to bookmarks and browsing history to pick up where you left off.

Download Chrome: Android | iOS | Mac | Windows

Download Firefox: Android | Mac | Windows

Google Authenticator

Security is important. You should have two-factor authentication on accounts that support it. Google Authenticator is a security app that generates codes for Google and supported third party sites.

Download Google Authenticator: Android | iOS

Google Maps/Uber/Lyft/Waze

Google Maps is the best general map application. It can help you discover places all over the world. If you’re traveling, you can save maps offline to use when you don’t have a data connection. Uber and Lyft are ridesharing services that make getting around easy. Just be careful of surge rates when you have to pay more when more people are looking for rides. Waze is a great navigation app that uses crowdsourced information like traffic conditions, police locations, and accidents.

Download Google Maps: Android | iOS | Web

Download Uber: Android | iOS

Download Lyft: Android | iOS

Download Waze: Android | iOS

Spotify/Google Play Music

If you like listening to a lot of music, it’s cheaper to get a Spotify subscription. You can stream millions of songs, can save music offline, and forget about ads. But if you have a lot of local music, Google Play Music is a great option. You can upload 50,000 songs to Play Music and stream or download it locally for free.

Download Spotify: Android | iOS | Mac | Web | Windows

Download Google Play Music: Android | iOS | Web

Apps according to your major

Business

Contactually

Contractually is a CRM that manages your business contacts. You can keep track of important contacts and meet new ones for possible new deals. It’s a great way to see who you know and how they could lead to new business.

Download Contactually: Android | iOS | Web

Asana

Instead of sending tons of email, Asana is a team coordination app that breaks down the workflow so everyone knows what’s happening. Asana lets you communicate while viewing tasks and increasing visibility within the team. It leads to less email and more visibility.

Download Asana: Android | iOS | Web

Skype

Communication is still the biggest part of business. While it’s easy to send email or a text, when you need a face to face conversation, Skype is still the best option.

Download Skype: Android | iOS | Mac | Windows

TripIt

TripIt is a travel organization app. It creates a “master itinerary” from all your emails. So instead of searching for individual emails or creating calendar reminders, you can see your plans in one place.

Download TripIt: Android | iOS | Web

Espensify

Keeping receipts on business trips is annoying, but it’s more annoying when you have to create your expense report. Expensify collects all your receipts and lets your boss approve your report without having to manually check each balance. Managers can create rules for expenses and streamline the entire process without wasting time.

Download Expensify: Android | iOS | Web

Communications

Chrome Remote Desktop

If you’re away from your computer, but need to access it to grab an important file you forgot, give Chrome Remote Desktop a try. You can get access to your computer on any Chrome browser.

Download Chrome Remote Desktop extension.

IFTTT

Automate your tasks with IFTTT. If-Then-Then-That is a tool where you use “recipes” to automatically complete tasks. Sharing a post on Facebook and want it to also post on Twitter? It’s possible. Check out more recipes.

Download IFTTT: Android | iOS

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a great way to find out information without relying on personal social networks like Facebook. As a place for professional information, you can trust you’ll have the relevant information you’re looking for.

Download LinkedIn: Android | iOS

Photoshop Express

If you need to make quick changes to a photo, you don’t want to load a bloated program. Photoshop Express is a streamlined app that has all the necessary features and is available on Android and iOS.

Download Photoshop Express: Android | iOS

MailChimp

Mailing lists are the easiest way to get information out to a lot of people. Mailchimp is an easy tool where you create email campaigns. The web app lets you create templates, lists, and monitor engagement. The mobile apps give you engagement information in real time so you know how your campaign is going.

Download MailChimp: Android | iOS | Web

Pre-Med

Medscape

Medscape is an app for doctors. It contains clinical answers that are easy to find and use as reference. You can also look up medications and dosages. Check drug interactions and stay current with medical news.

Download Medscape: Android | iOS

Figure 1

Figure 1 is a community of medical professionals that share clinical cases to each other. You can get a lot of information of recent diagnosis and expand your knowledge through Figure 1’s database.

Download Figure 1: Android | iOS

Epocrates

Like Medscape, Epocrates is another information app for doctors. It provides information about different providers, review drug prescriptions, and find health care insurance information for drug coverage. It’s a handy reference so you can accurately prescribe the right drugs to patients.

Download Epocrates: Android | iOS

Doximity

Want to be a part of the “largest medical profession network in the US?” Then join Doximity. It’s designed solely for professionals to manage their careers and keep up to date with curated medical news. If you’re planning on getting your medical degree, it’s a must join.

Download Doximity: Android | iOS

English

Scrivner

As an English major, you’re going to need to write a lot. But a standard word processor won’t have all the tools you need. Scrivner is designed for writers with a free flowing writing structure that’s not limited to just start and finish.

Download Scrivner: Mac | Windows

Scribed

You don’t get better at writing without reading. Scribd is a $8.99 per month reading subscription service. You can read books across tons of genres like New York Times bestsellers to graphic novels. Scribd also supports offline reading and syncing across devices.

Download Scribed: Android | iOS

Ginger Keyboard-Emoji Keyboard

You get story ideas everywhere and you may want to write a quick draft. But rather than type out a bunch of gibberish on your phone, Ginger Keyboard can also check your grammar and spelling.

Download Ginger Keyboard: Android

Grammarly

It’s important to have good grammar anywhere you post content. Grammarly is a spelling and grammar checker. You can add Grammarly to browsers and use its website for easy access. If you’re worried about plagiarism, Grammarly can also check to make sure you don’t accidentally copy someone else’s work.

Use Grammarly.

Goodreads

If you have a favorite book genre, but don’t know what to read next, then try Goodreads. It’s a service that sends personalized recommendations and browse book reviews. There are also free public domain books that you can read.

Download Goodreads: Android | iOS

Criminal Justice

Law Dictionary & Guide

There’s too much to memorize about law. Law Dictionary & Guide has 14,000 legal entries, guides, and faqs. The pro version has 23,000 entries, Black’s Law Dictionary, and copy/paste support for $0.99.

Download Law Dictionary & Guide: Android | iOS

PoliceOne

Keeping up with relevant news can be difficult, but PoliceOne updates with breaking news, tips, and videos. All the content in PoliceOne is relevant to anyone in law enforcement.

Download PoliceOne: Android | iOS

Documents to Go

If you need to create a quick Office file, Documents to Go is a great option. You can use Office formats like Word, Excel, and Powerpoint and view PDFs. It can’t replace the official Microsoft apps, but it’s great for creating quick documents.

Download Documents to Go: Android | iOS

dLaw

Keeping up to date with laws from all 50 states is impossible. dLaw is a legal reference that contains Federal rules for civil procedure, evidence, criminal procedure, and more. You can pay for state codes and laws, Code of Federal Regulations, and more. You can also save content offline and bookmark it to reference quickly.

Download dLaw: Android

Education

instaGrok

When you’re writing a paper, you need to keep track of all of the research. instaGrok is a visual brainstorming tool. It connects topics together with a visual interface and you can add notes and bookmarks to organize everything.

Download instaGrok: Android | iOS

Pocket

Pocket is the perfect app to bookmark articles that you want to read later. It also supports offline reading so you don’t need a data connection. Pocket is supported in over a thousand apps so you don’t have to worry about losing track of important articles.

Download Pocket: Android | iOS

Subtext

If you’re working on your teaching degree, Subtext is a great app for collaborative learning. The app lets you create different groups. You can share information, find content, and promote learning in a digital environment. Subtext is free, but the premium features like progress tracking and text to speech are great for younger students.

Download Subtext: iOS

Edmodo

Connecting teachers and students is easier than ever and Edmodo is one tool. With the app, you can engage and collaborate with each other. You can show a student’s progress and grades. You can also post assignments. It creates a one-to-one environment so that students can talk with teachers.

Download Edmodo: Android | iOS

StudyBlue

StudyBlue is a study guide that creates digital flash cards. You can create different study modes like flash cards or review guides to fit your preference. There is a lot of content available including student-created flash cards and notes from a digital library.

Download StudyBlue: Android | iOS

Economics

OCW Scholar: Principles of Microeconomics

OCW Scholar is a podcast that covers principles of microeconomics. There are 26 lectures and 8 problem sets to test your knowledge. If you need a refresher or are interested in microeconomics, give OCW a try.

Download OCW Scholar podcast

A2ZEconomy

If you’re interested in the economy, A2ZEconomy is an app that provides information from US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve Board of Governors, and more. This information is aggregated and shown with trends. You get a real in-depth look at different factors in the economy.

Download A2ZEconomy: iOS

ChartIQ Practice Trading Simulator

Planning on going into trading? Then get some early practice. ChartIQ Practice Trading Simulator lets you test your trading skills against historical markets. It’s a great way to test your knowledge and not spend any real money.

Download ChartIQ Practice Trading Simulator: iOS

Economy for iPad

If you want to learn the history of the US economy, Economy for iPad gives you the information you’ve been looking for. Included are about 45,000 economic indicators that detail all 50 states. There is so much information that you’ll be learning about the US economy trends for a long time.

Download Economy for iPad: iOS

Bloomberg

Bloomberg is a major resource for business news and important data. Bloomberg Business contains access to news and information that anyone in business and economics should be reading. Create personalized feeds, read news about specific stocks, and access market data all from the app.

Download Bloomberg: Android | iOS

Computer Science

Coursera

You should always be learning and updating your skills. Coursera is a site that offers free classes across tons of subjects from universities and organizations worldwide. If you need to learn something new related to your job, search here and learn on your own schedule.

Download Coursera: Android | iOS | Web

IFTTT

Automating actions is always useful. A great example is if you’re writing code and want to auto-archive it, you can find a IFTTT recipe that will do that. This makes it easier to always have a backup of what you’re working on somewhere safe.

Download IFTTT: Android | iOS

Evernote

If you need to take notes or save a website with important information, Evernote can do that for you. Since Evernote is synced across every device you use, you’ll always have the information nearby to reference to.

Download Evernote: Android | iOS | Web

Lynda

While Coursera offers free classes, Lynda is a teaching tool for specific needs. Rather than a structured class, Lynda teaches you how to use specific apps and tools. Need to learn about Photoshop or web design? Lynda has a course for that.

Download Lynda: Android | iOS | Web

Khan Academy

Another alternative to online learning is Khan Academy. The site offers a lot of subjects like math and computer programming. If you’re looking to learn something new related to your current degree, Khan Academy is a great place to start.

Download Khan Academy: iOS | Web

Good luck!

Now you have the hardware and the apps you need for your new career. Remember that these are only the start and there are always new apps to try out that could give you an edge in the job of your choice.

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