Apps for Mums by The Church of London

Apps for mums. Make the most of your smartphone on the go.

On the Go.

On the Go. This apps for mums guide is designed to encourage mums to look at ways to save precious time and add a level of convenience to their busy lives. At Three our research* showed that mums like to be online and use the internet at home, but they didn’t realise that with a smartphone they could enjoy the benefits of using the internet on the go. With a smartphone, you’ll be able to access the internet and see web pages in the same way as on your PC. You’ll also be able to sync your email and calendar straight to your phone. For easy access to the internet you can use applications (or ‘apps’) – they are probably the biggest benefit of having a smartphone. No matter what smartphone you’re using, you’ll have access to a range of apps available to download straight to your phone. Apps are there to make your life easier. Apps can be used for almost anything you can do on the internet, from checking the weather and updating Twitter on your phone, to providing directions. They can all be downloaded from an online app store on your phone – some for free, others for a small fee. This guide introduces some of the most popular apps for mums as recommended by Jen Leo, mum and co-founder of BestKidsApps.com Visit facebook.com/ThreeUK where we’ll be offering even more tips on making the most out of your smartphone. For more information on smartphones go to page 18.

*One poll survey and focus group research.

A note from Denise van Outen. I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to realise how amazing smartphones are. I spend a lot of time in rehearsals, waiting in dressing room s, and on the road, but now I make the most of this downtime and can actually use it productively. From updating Twitter, to checking emails, buying househol d items online, to searching for family days out, I really do believe that my smartphone has made my life easier. Making the most out of mobile inter net has been a great eye-opener, and I’ve been disco vering some really clever apps which have helped put so many useful things at my ﬁngertips. I really hope that this guide inspires other mums to try out some of the new apps, and hope that they manage to save time too.

Denise.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mums could save 135 hours a year if they were more mobile internet savvy.â&#x20AC;?

Inspiration. We know that mums like looking for inspiration that can fit around their busy days. Here are some apps to help.

Jamie’s Recipes.

Bupa Fitness.

Cook up a storm thanks to Jamie Oliver.

Keep in shape.

With 13 delicious Jamie Oliver recipes to tantalise your family’s taste buds, you can whip up an impressive meal in minutes.

This fitness app helps you shed any extra post-baby pounds by creating a personalised fourweek workout plan – with photo and video demos of exercises.

You can also use the app’s helpful shopping list feature to find out exactly what you need for each and every dish. It can then be accessed while you’re out and about.

First it assesses your fitness level with four quick tests in flexibility, balance, core and strength and then it creates a unique personalised workout.

Free Available on iPhone.

Free Available on iPhone, Android coming soon.

New ideas. It can be hard to keep coming up with new ideas to entertain your kids and make the most of your quality time together. Here are some apps that can help.

Kidtivities. Fun activities for the whole family.

Mission Explore: London.* Discover the wonders on your doorstep.

With more than 120 fun and educational activities for you and your child, this inspiring app suggests fun things to do using imagination and things around the house.

Trying to fill a free afternoon, weekend or school break? Why not get your kids (aged 6-11) out into the real world to explore their surroundings and think about geography?

Most activities are inexpensive or free, making the most of your natural environment. Tips are written out, with easy-to-read instructions on how to play or create the games and crafts.

This creative app will have them racing around the city to complete their tasks. You can also use your mobile internet to check out the website where there are more than 1,000 activities with live missions all around the UK.

ÂŁ1.19 Available on iPhone.

Free Available on iPhone.

* Available in various cities 06

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Over half of mums think they would benefit from being able to use the internet while on the move.â&#x20AC;?

Quick fixes. It’s well known that mums rarely have a spare moment. But sometimes when waiting at the doctors for an appointment, or while on the bus, it would be great to tick off the small tasks on your to-do list.

BabyBump Pregnancy Free. Top tips for those expecting.

RedLaser. Scan a barcode, save some cash.

Make the most of your pre-natal free time and read up on some top pregnancy tips, or connect with other mums-to-be, with this helpful app. You can keep a journal, get weekly info about your growing bump and use the forum to connect with other mums around the world.

Want to know if you can get what you’re buying cheaper by buying it over the internet? This impressive app scans barcodes using the smartphone’s camera and then finds the cheapest prices from thousands of local and online retailers in the UK and US.

Free Available on iPhone and Android.

Voucher Cloud. Don’t forget your discount.

Forget clipping vouchers from newspapers. This time-saving app collects vouchers and discounts and sorts them so you can easily find the ones you’ll need for dining out, DIY or that cheeky spa treat. Free Available on iPhone and Android.

Baby Tracker: Nursing. Expert timing for the early days.

If you’re a new mum and need to keep track of feeding your brand-new baby, this app is for you. The best of its kind, this clean and easy-to-read app shows your last feeding time and offers additional information if you have twins or triplets. £2.99 Available on iPhone.

Mobile shortcuts. It can be hard to look after your baby while browsing the web on your home PC. Thankfully, multitasking just got a whole lot easier.

Facebook.

eBay Mobile.

Socialise with friends on the move.

Keep track of bids while out with the kids.

Love using Facebook to upload photos and connect with friends, but feel restricted to using the computer at home? It couldn’t be easier to log in, browse and connect with this app.

This clever app brings the online marketplace straight to your handbag, allowing you to keep track of those items you’ve been watching, bidding on and selling, too.

Check up on your friends’ updates on the go so you can stay in touch and on the ball, or take a picture on your phone and add it to your page to share the ups and downs of your day with all your friends around the world.

Not only does it save your searches, it also sends you reminders so you don’t forget your next move while you’re away from home. You can even reply to messages straight away, to get the best deals, in the easiest way.

Free Available on Android, BlackBerry and iPhone.

Free Available on Android, BlackBerry and iPhone. 11

Brain games. Sometimes it can be difficult to entertain the kids – especially when you’re trying to do a hundred other things at once. Why not let them play an educational app? Here are our top recommendations for all ages.

Stack The Countries.

Interactive Alphabet.

All the fun of the classroom at the kitchen table.

Let your little ones loose with the ABCs.

Your kids may be expanding their minds at school, but you can keep the energy up at home with this excellent geography-lesson app where kids answer questions to win countries and get them to the next level. Lite version, free Full version, £1.19 Available on iPhone.

Learning can be fun too. Keep your restless toddler or preschooler from getting bored with this fantastic alphabet app. Using education to entertain, the letters, music, colours and animation of this great app will delight and amaze. £1.79 Available on iPhone.

Weet Woo!

Park Math.

The safe way for kids to enjoy YouTube.

As easy as 1-2-3.

Kids love YouTube, but how can you be sure the videos they watch are good, clean fun? This app filters videos that parents can trust. Select an age range (3-5, 6-8, 9+) and choose a category (animals, fun shows, learning videos, music, people or places) and your kids will have a world of wonders at their fingertips.

Inspire your kids through the joy of learning with this great numbers app. Set in a play park, this addictive app teaches toddlers and preschoolers to count and add. ÂŁ1.19 Available on iPhone, Android coming soon.

ÂŁ2.39 Available on iPhone.

Framing the family. Thanks to these easy-to-use, fun apps, you can upload, edit and share your snapshot moments with friends and family anywhere, anytime.

Snappy Snaps. Immortalise those special moments on the fly.

Snapfish by Hewlett-Packard. Personalised greetings with a mobile twist.

Photos are made to be shared. And thanks to the new Snappy Snaps app, it’s simple. You can take pics on your smartphone, use the app to order direct from your camera roll, and pick up your prints in person or have them mailed to your home. Or if you’re feeling generous, you can send them straight to a friend. A timesaver all around.

It’s easy to make cards and photobooks on a computer with Snapfish, and it’s even easier to upload the pictures straight from your smartphone. This creative app allows you to upload pics straight to your Snapfish account, as well as viewing and sharing photo albums from your hand. Perfect for sharing those birthday party pics.

Free Available on iPhone.

Free Available on iPhonexs.

Out and about. There are some apps out there to make difficult situations like getting lost or trying to find a parking space that little bit simpler.

Google Maps.

AA Parking.

Navigate your way through the day.

Cut through the rat race to find a car space.

Lost? Running late? This essential pre-installed app is your go-to guide for everything. Search an address or specific destination e.g. petrol station, and pins for the locations nearest you will pop up. Click on a pin and you’ll find contact details including phone numbers, address and website. Use the ‘Directions to Here’ link and you’ll get precise, turnby-turn directions. Free Available on Android, BlackBerry and iPhone.

Does it ever feel like you’re losing weeks of your life driving around looking for a place to park? This road-savvy app provides a list and map of all the cheap (and free when available) places to park with parking details. Search areas by name or postcode, find one you like and get directions to it via Google Maps. £1.19 Available on iPhone. AA Breakdown & Traffic and AA Route Planner available on Android.

Babychange.

AroundMe.

Don’t let nappies hold you back.

Reach out locally to find essentials.

Exploring new areas can be difficult for the family when you have a young baby that needs to be regularly changed. But thanks to Babychange, an app developed by the UK’s leading parenting charity NCT, this brand-new map-based app shows you where the nearest babychange spot is. What’s more, you can add your own locations and rate the hygiene of the bathroom to create an app that is for mums, by mums.

Ever been on holiday and run out of baby formula? This handy app is great for finding petrol stations, banks, coffee houses, hospitals, chemists and more, so you’re never left holding an empty bottle. Free Available on iPhone and Android.

Free Available on iPhone. Willia mson Squa re

Roe Street

Smartphone guide. There’s a huge range of smartphones to choose from (see three.co.uk for Three’s range). Here’s a selection of our favourites.

iPhone 4.

BlackBerry Curve.

The iPhone 4 has a simple interface with a touchscreen, allowing you to find and use any games, photos or videos on the go.

The BlackBerry Curve has a QWERTY keyboard for you to write messages super quick, and the handset syncs with email systems like a dream.

Key features.

5-megapixel camera with a built-in LED flash and HD video – perfect for capturing special moments in the highest resolution.

2-megapixel camera and video-recording system for you to shoot and record your family fun times with ease and speed.

Great search functionality allows you to browse your entire phone for contacts, documents, lists or apps to enrich your busy day.

The BlackBerry Messenger function lets you have real-time conversations with friends and family throughout the day so you can get the nitty-gritty sorted with minimum fuss.

Optimised for Apple’s App Store where you can find thousands of apps for everything from recipe inspiration to fitness tips.

Long-lasting battery with 5.5 hours of talk time so you don’t have to keep charging your phone when you’re on the go.

HTC Desire S. The latest design from HTC is compact with a high-resolution touchscreen built on Googleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s state-of-the-art Android operating system.

Key features. The Friend Stream function lets you see friendsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Facebook updates, Tweets and Flickr photos on the same screen. You can also update your profiles all at once. 5-megapixel camera and HD video camera with autofocus. Playback function lets you watch your favourite videos time and time again. Choose from loads of apps at the Android Market to help keep the whole family entertained and inspired all day long. 19

A note from Lowri Turner. Thanks for reading Three’s apps for mums guide. I hope you found it really useful and informative, and most importantly, that it will help you win back some well deserved ‘me time’. I’m a busy mum and work as a journ alist, while managing my own business as a nutritional thera pist, running my house and looking after three kids. Add that all together and it means I’m constantly racing around trying to ﬁt everything in.

I spend a lot of time on my laptop, researching articles, organising bookings with clients, and trying to get day-to-day tasks sorted out, like emailing my mum and siste r, buying games and books for my kids and keeping up to date with friends.

I’ve now started to use a smartpho ne to help me keep on top of everything. It means I can organise my daily tasks and don’t have to ﬁnd time to sit by my laptop. I can use my smartphone to buy things, ema il my family, contact my editors about deadlines and liaise with my clients. I hope this guide helps you get the Enjoy the journey!

Lowri

best out of your smartphone.

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Let’s Go! We hope you’ve enjoyed this guide and found it both useful and fun. Hopefully we’ve inspired you to try out a few apps and, if so, we’d love to hear which ones are your personal favourites and how you’re getting on. Why not visit us on our Facebook page and comment on our wall? It’s a great place to keep up to date with all things mobile and Three related. Let us know what you’re excited about or if you’ve found any brilliant shortcuts or timesaving apps recently.   You’ll find our page at facebook.com/threeuk And don’t forget to ‘like’ us!