Best Apps of 2016

I decided that I would limit my list this year to free apps and not include game apps. There are some apps that I left off the list because they seemed too niche for most people; the kind of app users only need in a certain situation and then delete it later; and apps that have had major issues in the last year (crashes, data loss, questionable future). I tried to give the main reason the app is on the list and eliminated any app that is not available on both Android and Apple phones. Doing all of that is tough, there are some great apps that are perfect for really specialized tasks or are available but only for Android, iPhone, or they cost money. If I forgot one of your favorite apps or you think... why isn't this on the list! Please let me know.

I linked the name of the app to it's website where the developer usually explains the app, has tutorials, and links to the app's download link for each platform. If they don't have a website (or the website does not link to the app downloads) I added the links to their spot in the App Store (iOS) and Google Play Store (Android). One of the issues with apps is that many apps do not work on all versions of the operating system. If you have an older phone you may find that less and less apps are able to be used on your device. I see this happen more with Android apps but it can also be true of older Apple devices. In some cases users can "side load" an app but it may not work correctly and it does take some more advanced technical skill.

Outlook - great calendar and e-mail integration

Gmail - (iOS and Android) upgraded user interface and graphics make it even better     

ProtonMail - encrypted e-mail that allows multiple security features

Facebook - (iOS and Android) Live video, groups, and almost everyone you know

Instagram - (iOS and Android) adopting some video features,updating the interface, and cutting down spam makes it better

SnapChat - it's where everyone under 30 is, group chats added, and users can save their snaps

LastPass - one of the best password managers is now free on mobile, plus interface upgrades

Chrome - (iOS and Android) one of the best mobile browsers improved the amount of memory it uses

Opera Mini (iOS and Android) - the fastest light weight browser with the best privacy features

Waze - a navigation app that gives users traffic and location information, and remembers where you parked

Google Maps - (iOS and Android) the information it can provide about locations on top of its navigation keep it great

Opera VPN - a free Virtual Private Network can come in handy on free Wi-Fi, easy to use

(Facebook) Messenger - video messaging (now includes groups), stickers, and encryption if you want it.

Signal - the best messaging app for the privacy minded, full encryption

MyFitnessPal - (iOS and Android) user interface upgrades

and added features

SwiftKey - a great keyboard that learns how you type and the remembers things you frequently type

Gboard - (iOS and Android) best keyboard if you're a frequent emoji user

Spotify - the best at suggesting new music and playlists, ease of use, and developing exclusive content

Netflix - improved interface, download option, and new exclusive content

YouTube - (iOS and Android) Video content that runs a wide

spectrum. For the younger generation it is indispensable.

Prisma - turns your photos into art and adds new modes frequently

Google Photos - (iOS and Android) save your photos and your devices space, users can edit photos, make videos, and more

PicsArt - Lots of photo editing options, fun stickers, make a meme

Photoshop Fix - the Photoshop features most people use

YouCam Perfect - the ultimate selfie app with all kinds of photo editing features specific to creating the perfect selfie

OverDrive - when it comes to library eBooks, it's the best available

Hoopla - music and videos available from your library

Duolingo - learn a language, their new chat bot helps with conversational language

Pocket - save articles and find new things to read, easy to use interface, multiplatform

Nuzzel - (iOS and Android) find articles through social media connections and the "discover" feature, create your own newsletter based on what you are interested in, reccomend, or read.

CamScanner - scan documents, send them as pictures or PDF, easy to use

Heirloom - scan old photos and share them with family or friends

Yummly - (iOS and Android) find and share recipes easily

Evernote - (iOS and Android) still the best productivity app user interface-wise

Google Keep - (iOS and Android) best productivity app storage-wise

Google Hangouts - (iOS and Android) best video chat app, works with pretty much every device

Fitocracy - learn new workouts, get plans based on your goals, share your progress

My Asics Running Coach - running plans for every distance and adjusts based on your schedule and goals 

Nike+ Run Club - user interface upgrades, additional features, running community, better Apple Watch integration

Strava - the best tracking app for cycling and hiking

WhosCall - caller ID app that helps you avoid scam and spam calls

Cash - send people money by using your debit card powered by Square, nice for splitting a check

UnTappd - beer ratings, reviews, and a community of users. Sale and event notifications are handy.

Mint - the best personal finance app hands down just got some nice graphics and feature upgrades

Weather Underground - crowd sourced information helps it be accurate, the smart forecast allows you to set conditions and it will show you when those are met. Great for runners and other pastimes.

Weather Channel - background is a nice local photo, provides a lot of helpful information in a quick easy to use screen.

NPR One - National Public radio's app has a lot of great content. This app brings both local and national shows, recommends things you'd like, and allows you to share great stories you find.

Yelp - (iOS and Android) lets users know what businesses are available around them and reviews from users

Google Translate - (iOS and Android) 100 languages translated from audio, handwriting, or typing.

ESPN - (iOS and Android) scores, sports news, and content from their magazine, radio, and television channels

Want to know more, see what I read:

Popular Mechanics 23 Best iPhone Apps: http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/apps/reviews/g1805/the-23-best-iphone-apps-to-download-now

CNet 100 Best iPhone Apps: https://www.cnet.com/topics/mobile-apps/best-mobile-apps-ios/best-photo-apps-for-iphone/

Time's 50 Best Apps of 2016: http://time.com/4549647/best-apps-year-2016/

New York Times 2016 in Review, Best Apps: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/14/technology/personaltech/best-apps.html

Digital Trends 100 Best iPhone Apps: http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-iphone-apps/

Fast Company 10 Best Apps of 2016 https://www.fastcompany.com/3066678/tech-forecast/the-10-best-free-apps-of-2016

PC Magazine 100 Best Android Apps 2016 http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2393097,00.asp

PC Magazine 100 Best iPhone Apps 2016 http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2391521,00.asp

Photo Apps

Camera / Photo Editing
 
VSCOcam (Free. iOS and Android) This camera, photo editing, and photo sharing app packs a lot of features into a very easy to use user interface. The camera gives you a lot of control with  manual focus, shutter speed, white balance, and exposure settings. The photo editing gives all of the basic editing tools and an extensive filter library that includes many that are premium features that range in price. The user has control over the degree to which the filter is applied. Once users are finished with editing photos they can be saved and shared via social media of choice including VSCO's own photo sharing site.

Snapseed (Free. iOS, Android) Considered one of the essential  photo editing app Google's Snapseed gives users almost every tool they could want (it lacks curve editing controls). Some of the tools that are on Snapseed but lacking in other apps include: brushes, spot repair, and focal point editing (selective). Filters have multiple controls so that users have a high degree of control. The user interface utilizes gesture controls which is handy as it keeps the screen from being cluttered but it less intuitive.

I found a helpful website that will teach you how to get the most out of Snapseed: http://iphonephotographyschool.com/snapseed-tutorial/

Faded (Free. iOS only) One of the newer photo apps allows users to take take and edit photos. It has 34 included filters and 36 premium filters each giving users control over how much the filter is applied. I found that switching between filters gave me a blank screen but if you move the slider at the bottom the photo will appear. Two of the unique features available with Faded is the availability of 18 frames users can apply and the ability to overlap two photos. All of the premium filters and effects can be unlocked for $4.99.

Although it has a very user friendly interface the website gives some basic instruction and shows some photos to inspire users: http://madewithfaded.com/

Darkroom (Free. iOS only) A photo editing app that has straight forward easy to use tools and twelve filters. Unfortunately it does not give control of applying those filters but switches over to traditional photo editing tools so users can make manual corrections. There are a myriad of aspect controls including the 1:1 square that makes using in Instagram easier. Curves control is 2.99 extra. Made to be quick and easy it doesn't have all the tools of some other apps but is what most people want.

Photo Storage

One Drive (Free. iOS, Android, Windows) 8GB of free space if you enable automatic backup, more space if you get referrals, and Microsoft Office documents don't count toward your storage total.

Flickr (Free. iOS and Android) The app has camera and editing features that are good not great; where it shines is the 1TB (1000 GB) of free storage space. Users can also share their photos with other Flickr users or use a website plugin to share their photos easily on a personal website.

Photo Sharing

Instagram (Free. iOS, Android, Windows) A photo sharing social media platform that allows users to add filters, tag photos, add hashtags, like, comment, and follow contributors.

Storehouse (Free. iOS only) Users can group photos together and add comments to create a narrative that tells a story then share it with others.

500px (Free. iOS, Android, and Windows) A photo sharing platform for hobbyist and professionals that want to show off their best work, get inspired, and maybe get critiqued. Photos can be seen in all their glory because it allows for larger file sizes.

There were two apps that I actually did not get a chance to look at personally because they cost money but they look amazing.

Pro Camera ($5. iOS only) Giving you all the controls of a nice digital camera:  http://www.procamera-app.com/en/

Enlight ($3.99 iOS only) Here is a very thorough review that makes it look amazing.

http://iphonephotographyschool.com/enlight-app-overview/