Mobile Technology

5 apps to make your commute more worthwhile

5 apps to make your commute more worthwhile
5 mobile apps to make your commute more worthwhile
5 mobile apps to make your commute more worthwhile
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Screenshots from Headspace for desktop and mobile
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Screenshots from Headspace for desktop and mobile
AnyDO is a straightforward task manager app with useful location-based reminders
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AnyDO is a straightforward task manager app with useful location-based reminders
Audible, an Amazon-owned app for audiobooks
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Audible, an Amazon-owned app for audiobooks
The crowd-sourced navigation app Waze offers real-time road condition feedback from other users in your area
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The crowd-sourced navigation app Waze offers real-time road condition feedback from other users in your area
Triplog automatically creates mileage logs and business reports
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Triplog automatically creates mileage logs and business reports
5 mobile apps to make your commute more worthwhile
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5 mobile apps to make your commute more worthwhile
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Sometimes, the daily commute feels like a black hole where too much of your time and energy disappears. It's no secret that smartphones help pass the time, but you may be able to get more out of those moments. These handy apps can help convert mind-numbing to-and-fro travel into anything you want it to be, from educational to entertaining.

Headspace

Despite being a thousands-of-years old practice, meditation is receiving a new moment in the spotlight. Numerous scientific studies have confirmed cognitive and psychological benefits of meditation; one Harvard study even suggests that it leads to changes in brain structure that boost well-being over the long term.

To invite these benefits into your daily life, try using the Headspace app during your commute. Through simple audio instructions, Headspace teaches you how to meditate anytime, anywhere. The app and the starter series are free; if you like it, you can opt for a monthly subscription (starting at US$12.95 per month) with unlimited access to hundreds of hours of guided meditations catered to different mental goals, from creativity to clarity. Headspace also has programs designed specifically for commuters.

Screenshots from Headspace for desktop and mobile
Screenshots from Headspace for desktop and mobile

Meditation is a great way to transition the mind before and after work, especially if you take public transit and a mental departure from your surroundings would be particularly welcome! Rush hour drivers are better off with their full attention on the road, though a short stress-reduction meditation might be the perfect companion for a gridlocked traffic jam.

The app is compatible across platforms and devices, with a simple, bright, encouraging interface appealing to heady spiritual types and straight-laced skeptics alike.

App download is free for iOS, Android and desktop. Full access requires a monthly subscription starting at $12.95 per month; monthly fee drops with longer subscriptions.

Any.do

AnyDO is a straightforward task manager app with useful location-based reminders
AnyDO is a straightforward task manager app with useful location-based reminders

Losing hours each week to a daily commute is frustrating on its own. It's even more galling to zombie through the drive home, only to realize that you went right by the dry cleaners without picking up your clothes or completely forgot to stop at the store for dinner ingredients.

Any.do is an award-winning task management app. Not only does it create, sync and share to-do lists across devices, it also helps you avoid the aforementioned "I was just there!" despair. It issues location-based reminders, so if you're in the vicinity of an item on your task list, you'll get an alert.

Location notifications are probably most useful for folks who drive to and from work, but transit commuters can still take advantage of Any.do's other task management features, such as list making and delegating. Plan your day on the train, make a grocery list on the bus, or assign tasks to family members while you wait for an Uber.

Free with in-app purchases for iOS, Android or desktop.

Audible

Audible, an Amazon-owned app for audiobooks
Audible, an Amazon-owned app for audiobooks

Listening to the right audiobook can help you meet your personal or professional goals without taking any additional time out of your day. The Audible app and accompanying store is an excellent resource for finding the right title.

If you're already listening to books from Google Play or iTunes, then you're overdue to try Audible. It's an industry leader in audiobook sales and listening for several good reasons.

One, it saves money. Audible requires a $14.95 monthly subscription, which gets you one book download per month. Since many bestselling audiobooks cost upwards of $20, that's a discount right out of the gate. Two, as an Amazon company, they have excellent customer service: If you're unsatisfied for any reason, you can exchange the book within a year of purchase for full credit. Three, Audible makes it easy to download and re-download your books for listening on all your different devices.

If one book per month doesn't cut it, you can purchase additional credits from the Audible store. One credit equals one book. Book prices vary, but purchasing credits still saves about 30-percent over what you'd spend buying one book at a time from iTunes.

Subscription for content is $14.95 monthly. App download is free; compatible with iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Amazon devices and more. Complete app list and download links here.

Waze

The crowd-sourced navigation app Waze offers real-time road condition feedback from other users in your area
The crowd-sourced navigation app Waze offers real-time road condition feedback from other users in your area

You can expect to see indications of heavy traffic on Google Maps or Apple Maps, but that's about it in terms of real-time reporting. It takes time for traffic to show up, and smaller problems like road closures or construction may not appear at all.

Enter Google-owned Waze. It's a community-based GPS app with all the navigational maps and prompts you'd expect, with the addition of real-time route feedback from other Waze community members. The app works by passively collecting route information while you're using it; you can also follow a few prompts to actively report additional conditions. Meanwhile, you can plan your own route like you have eyes and ears all over town.

Due to its crowd-sourced nature, the quality of the Waze experience relies on the number of active users in the area. Unfortunately, the app's utility drops in areas where it's less popular.

Free, for iOS and Android.

Triplog

If your job requires you to do a lot of driving, Triplog could eliminate some of your administrative duties. Use the app to automatically create driving logs and generate mileage reports, which can then be used for tax purposes or expense reports.

Triplog automatically creates mileage logs and business reports
Triplog automatically creates mileage logs and business reports

While it won't necessarily make your commute more rewarding (unless you're a die-hard numbers geek), it will cut down on the overall amount of time spent on travel requirements, and that's a major plus.

Free with in-app purchases for most individual users. Subscription plans for companies and fleets are also available; iOS and Android compatible.

Without a doubt, there are plenty of reasons to snuggle up to a smartphone during your daily commute. But what if you prefer less productivity, and more recreation? If the above apps strike you as a little too productive, check out the latest in mobile gaming.

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4 comments
4 comments
navmed
Not sure if meditating during driving is the best way to get where you're going.
PrestonPetty
How about an app that tells you to just concentrate on your driving and ALL the vehicles around you? Lack of concentration is far more dangerous than speeding, not wearing your seatbelt, or following too close! :-)
Aloysius
I think some commenters need to read the article more carefully a second time.
KateHall
"Apps while commuting"? Great! Just what we need. Even more drivers distracted by their phones! We need an app that forces a phone to get TURNED OFF when it senses the motion of a car. I am SICK of getting stuck behind some moron doing 40 mph in a 65 because they are busy texting and not paying attention.