Mobile technology becomes more exciting and readily available with each passing week. The proliferation and adoption of “smart devices” signals that we are now, and forever will, live in a mobile world.   Smart devices are becoming smaller, faster, and more powerful.  This coupled with the application world growing daily and becoming more user-friendly, interactive, and relevant to our daily lives means we will now look for an “app” before we hit a website, pick-up a phone book, or even figure out what to do with our families on the weekend. 

The number of mobile apps being released through the various “app stores” is growing daily, and if you have the patience to “dig” through and separate the good from the bad you can find apps for all aspects of life.    Many companies have developed apps to help their customers keep in touch with their favorite specials, ads, articles, news, etc by having the app with them as they go through their daily routine.  This gives us the ability to be constantly connected and to stay “in-touch” or “caught-up” when we have a few minutes to spare in-between all our other tasks.  Below are the top five different uses for mobile applications.

Real Estate

People who are interested in Real Estate can go to a website like Zillow.com and be directed to download their app onto their iPhone.  Now, they have a constant connection to the latest MLS listings, and GPS based mapping to route them to the nearest open house. With the housing market still on the rebound, you can find the best homes in your area, how much they sold for, and what your house is worth.

Music

Another great application that is seeing tremendous growth is Pandora.com.  Pandora, music lovers can listen for free and expand their music library to include all their favorites. Listeners input a few of their favorite artists, and the site analyzes the Genome to serve up an endless stream of recommended music.  You can listen to the digital music you like and skip the ones you don’t.  Pandora is currently the fourth most popular free app and is constantly expanding their database of over six-hundred thousand songs.  


Eco-Frugal Life Guide

Have you ever wondered if there was a way to get that coupon you forgot at home, or printed out from a website and didn’t bring it with you?  The answer is Yes.  There is an application available for download that provides access to it anytime and be environmentally friendly while saving you a few bucks!  Coupon Sherpa is an application that gives you access to over one-hundred stores just for the mobile phone.

Travel Guides and Destination Apps

Planning a vacation where you never been to?  Want to find out what to do with your partner, or your family, over the weekend or during your stay in a “new” town? Regardless, if your family that has an hour-by-hour agenda or your “winging it” from day-to-day, there is probably an “app” that has information on everything your particular destination has to offer the first time visitor or the returning tourist.  Mobile apps can provide you information on where you want to go in the world whether it’s planned ahead or on the go. You can search for hotels, restaurants, guide books, even create a blog discussion to get other peoples first hand experience on where you plan to travel.

Credit Card Processing

Many business owners are always looking for a way to be productive, cut costs and save time whenever and wherever possible.  One of the top applications that are great for retailers or any business that has credit card processing is an app called, ProcessAway.  This great product turns your iPhone into a mobile credit card processor – which means you can accept credit card payments anywhere, and at anytime.

The value of living in a mobile world and being more efficient is found through the applications that make our lives easier, keep us informed, and help us stay connected with the groups we call our “communities.”  Whether you own a small retail business, are going on a vacation, or looking for the next great deal, remember that applications are essential to our mobile lives.