by Eric Chambers
During 2017, the Americas team hosted ten regional MeetUps across the United States and Canada. More than 200 school professionals joined us for these informative half day meetings where our goal is help you stay current and stay connected about Graduate Management Education. If you were unable to join us in 2017, we hope you can join us this year (a new event schedule will be released soon). With the start of the New Year being one to establish resolutions or seek ways to be more productive, we wanted to share a list of apps that were recommended this year during the opening ice-breaker session at the MeetUps. Is your favorite app listed?
"What is the best app you downloaded this year?"
For those who are directionally-challenged:
- WAZE – the world’s largest community based traffic and navigation app that provides real time traffic and road info.
- Google Trips – plan and organize your trips
- Google Maps - city transit, travel and real-time traffic updates
- Transit – public transit app and mapping service based in Canada
- SpotHero - a parking reservation service that connects drivers looking to reserve and prepay for parking spaces with parking lots, parking garages and valet services
For those who need to decompress after a long day:
- Podcast Addict - easy way to find, save, and listen to your favorite podcasts
- Audible - world’s largest selection of audiobooks, audio shows, and original series
- Spotify - listen to your favorite music
- Spider Solitaire - classic card game
- HotelTonight - out late, need a hotel, check out this app for last minute deals
- ESPN Fantasy Sports - create fantasy professional sports leagues with friends
- Untappd - discover and share great beers, breweries, and venues with friends
- Limebike - bike sharing - unlock and ride bikes anytime
- Shazam - identify music, get song lyrics, and artists
- WeChat - easily connect by message or phone with family and friends across countries
For those looking to be more efficient:
- Camcard - manage and exchange business cards in 17 languages
- TripIt – organizes your travel plans in one place. Find alternative flights and receive real-time alerts
- TripCase – manage travel itineraries, trips and flights
- Evernote - organize your personal and professional projects
- Pocket - save any article, video, or link you want to read or watch later
- gTasks - sync your tasks with Google/Gmail and across your Mac, iPhone & iPad
- Hopper - predicts the future of airline prices so that you book at the lowest price
For those looking to learn something new:
- Duolingo - language learning app
For those looking to keep the kids busy during the next road trip or while making dinner:
- PBS Kids – watch favorite PBS kids shows like Wild Kratts, Super Why, and Dinosaur Train
- Netflix – watch favorite TV shows and movies.
- FlipaClip – draw your own cartoon using frame-by-frame animation.
- BrainPop Jr. – animated movie every week, plus related quizzes and educational activities.
- Monster Math – math-filled adventures with Maxx, the mighty monster
- Sketch.Book – draw, pain, and sketch or just doodle with any color imaginable.
- Minecraft – dig (mine) and build (craft) in a world of varying terrains and habitats to explore.
For those looking to get in/stay in shape:
- MyFitnessPal - learn more about your food and activity habits and make healthy choices
- Lose It! - calorie counter to help you succeed at losing weight
- MyPlate - track your calories and exercise to help you lose weight
- Pacer - get daily strength or cardio workouts to lose weight, get stronger, or stay active
We hope you find something new and interesting from this list of recommendations. We look forward to learning more of your favorite apps in 2018!
--The Americas Team
Americas Market Development Team