Sometimes it is more comfortable to spend the cold winter months indoors entertaining ourselves with our electronic devices and mobile phones. While our phones are a great source of amusement, they can also serve as tools to help you learn a new skill, save money, and keep ahead of the weather forecast. Here are some of our favorite apps to help you enjoy the next few months to the fullest!
Duolingo
Free – iOS, Android, Windows
Spend time practicing the language you’ve always wanted to learn while you’re cooped up inside this winter with Duolingo. Choose from over 30 such as Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Italian, or even High Valyrian for you Game of Thrones fans. Duolingo teaches language using a multi-pronged approach of reading, listening, and speaking lessons so what you learn will stick.
ShopSavvy
Free – iOS, Android
Save some money this holiday season with help from ShopSavvy. This app lets you scan the barcode of any product and compare all the best prices online or at nearby stores. You can also find out if the product is eligible for price matching. ShopSavvy lets you save items, so you can find what you want in the future quickly.
Dark Sky
Android – Free, iOS – $3.99
This app uses your phone’s GPS to tell you the weather forecast exactly where you are standing with eerie accuracy. Use its detailed predictions of when it’ll start raining or snowing to help plan your day. What sets it apart from other weather apps is it easily allows you to see a very detailed forecast. Its radar map is more advanced as well.
Simple Habit
Free – iOS, Android
With all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it’s important to take a break and focus on your mental health. Simple Habit is a meditation app that’s personalized and practical. Choose from their library of meditations to help you drift to sleep, reduce work anxiety, feel less tired, or prepare for a great first impression. One of our favorite aspects of the app is its “On the Go” feature where they will recommend a session for you based on the timeframe you have available and what you’re doing at that moment such as commuting, sitting at work, or preparing for a big event. Their app offers sessions from different teachers so you can find a voice that speaks to you. The app is free but subscriptions with perks are available.
Santa Tracker
Google Santa Tracker – Free, Android
Video Call Santa – Free – iOS & Android
Follow Santa’s magical trip around the world with one of these apps. With the Google Santa Tracker, you can play lots of fun winter games anytime or track Santa’s journey on Christmas Eve. If you want to make a video call to Santa, he’ll answer on the Video Call Santa app.
