Time-Wasting Apps

A dozen apps that will help you waste time on a plane, train, or bus. In the case of the last app on the list it will show you why you got nothing done today.

Cheezburger (Free. iOS and Android) If you like silly pictures of pets and hilarious memes this is the time waster for you.

Songify ($2.99 iOS and Free Android) Record yourself talking or singing and the app will allow you to add musical accompaniment and auto-tune. So, you too can sound like the Black-Eyed Peas or a silly You Tube video. 

Whisper (Free. iOS and Android) If you've ever seen the PostSecret books you will know that they are about anonymously sharing your deepest darkest secrets. This app allows you to post your secrets with meme-like art. You can also read others secrets, comment on them, like them, and share them within the app.

Sago Mini Doodlecast ($3.79 iOS only) Really an app for kids but parents may use it to distract little ones. It records the doodling and the sounds that occur while they are creating their masterpiece. [If you don't have kids, some parents like to record their baby / toddler gibbering.]

Meme Generator (Free. iOS and Android) Creating short message silly graphic art is called a meme. [If you are not sure what I'm describing Google it.] Sometimes to be funniest you have to be fast or inspiration may hit at anytime. The meme generator app helps you create with stock art and the requisite fonts to quickly create hilarity.

1 Second Everyday ($2.99 iOS. Free with in-app purchases Android) A very popular trend in the tech world / social media is the creation of one-second a day videos. You can see how your life changes over time or snippets of a trip. Create different sets for your children, pets, or spouse, then assemble a video days, weeks, or years from now. You can also share your one second video with others to create a group project. [If you saw the movie "Chef" the son uses the app to document his trip with his dad] 

Picr (Free with in-app purchases. iOS only) -  Take a selfie each day, then at the end of a month, year, decade or more, you'll be able to generate a movie of your facial changes through time. 

FrontBack (Free iOS and Android) - Your phone has a camera on the front and back and this app uses both. Take a picture that shows what you're are seeing and what you look like seeing it. The app allows you to e-mail it or share via social media.

Moodies Emotions Analytics (Free. iOS only) The app records you talking for 20 seconds and then reports your primary and secondary mood by analyzing pitch, volume, timing, and energy used. 

Unstuck (Free. iOS for iPad and web) Feeling stuck in your rut, looking for personal growth, or motivation. This self-help app has won both a Webby [website awards] and Appy [yeah you guessed it an app award]. Give it a spin and see where it takes you, there are worse ways to waste your time.

Original Virtual Bubble Wrap (Free iOS and Android) It is what it says it is, virtual bubble wrap. You pop bubble wrap and that’s about it.

Moment (Free. iOS only) The opposite of a time waster this app helps you see how much you use your phone and for what.  It will tell you how many times a day you pick up the iPhone, track where you take the phone, and set limits for how often you can use it. If family members have it on their iPhones you can see how much they use it and set times when everyone in the family has to go without a screen.