Ever feel like you could do with your own personal assistant? With all the apps available now, your smartphone can act like one, as you can do all sorts of things, from booking taxis to managing your budget. Here is a selection to get the ball rolling.
ICABBI
Platform: iOS
Initially launching in Dublin and Cork and going nationwide in the coming months, iCabbi allows you to find and book the closest taxi to your location on your mobile phone at the touch of a button – without speaking to anyone.
You can get the details of the driver who is collecting you directly to your phone prior to pick up and watch your taxi’s progress on a map on your phone. It’s handy if you leave stuff behind on your journey, as you can always trace the taxi you took, and there is a facility that emails all the details to two email accounts, including the route taken.
AN POST MOBILE APP
Platform: iOS
Introduced last November, this app allows you to track and trace letters or parcels from acceptance to delivery.
It lets you find the nearest post office with built-in Google mapping services, providing GPS and a built-in compass.
You can calculate postage rates on packages, as well, and the app lets users access all of An Post’s online services from their mobile devices.
An Post has said the app will be updated regularly with new services and features.
THEFUELAPP
Platforms: Android, iOS
With this free app you can find the best petrol and diesel prices at your fingertips wherever you are.
TheFuelApp gives you instant access to all the petrol and diesel pricing information collected by Pumps.ie, the country’s most popular fuel price comparison website.
It uses your location (either GPS or network location) to find the nearest petrol stations to you, giving you their address, fuel prices and even allowing you to plot a route on a map to help you find them.
DAFT.IE
Platform: iOS
Recently upgraded with more search options and integration for saved searches and ads, the Daft.ie app allows you to search through 100,000 properties across Ireland.
The app now has most of the functionality of the full Daft website. You can choose from property for sale, property to let, house shares, holiday homes and commercial property.
You can also view full property listings and photos; rotate your phone to view photos in landscape mode and swipe to change photos.
It allows you to save properties to favourites, email a property listing to a friend and you can email or call the advertiser direct from your iPhone.
EVERNOTE
Platforms: iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Palm Pre, Windows Phone 7
Evernote makes it easy to remember things using your computer, phone and the web.
Chances are if you can see it or think of it, Evernote can help you remember it. Type a text note. Clip a webpage. Snap a photo. Grab a screenshot. Evernote will keep it all safe.
Everything you capture is automatically processed, indexed and made searchable. If you like, you can add tags or organise notes into different notebooks.
An example of one of its uses would be to capture plane tickets and confirmation numbers, hotel invoices and receipts for your expense reports.
COPPERS – BUDGET MANAGEMENT
Platform: iOS
In just a couple of taps, with this app you can enter your monthly budget and begin tracking your expenses immediately. You can quickly view your current progress or enter the summary section to get detailed statistics and graphs of where your money is going.
Useful features include quick expense entry, built-in expense categories and it supports all major currencies.
SNIPMYTAX
Platform: iOS
Do you feel you’re paying too much tax? This app makes it easy for you to cut your tax bill by claiming your refunds.
You just enter your tax details on your iPhone and submit them. You then get a free estimate and your tax refund. The handy medical expenses tracker lets you photograph your medical receipts and record them as you go along.
Have a boxful of old receipts? You just send them to SnipMyTax and it will sort them. SnipMyTax takes a small commission on the refund you receive.
Click to launch the full edition in a new window.
