Embarking on an App Adventure

When it comes to Apps I can be very guilty of having shiny object syndrome, as soon as I see a new one I am already picturing using it. Sometimes I even dive in and sign up eyes all wide with excitement to realise that I am so embedded with a different tool the move would be crazy.

The App Ecosystem

I am not going to hide from the fact I am completely all in with the Apple ecosystem and have been for nearly a decade. I used to be Windows and Android all the way but moving over to Apple devices has been one of the best tech decisions I have made. There is just something magical about the reliability, I have never had a mac crash, I probably pushed it close though when I had the Mac Mini and was working with several power intensive apps at the same time.

The joy of discovering new apps

As I mentioned I have shiny object syndrome which can lead to it’s own problems. However, by staying up to date with what is happening in terms of new apps in development I have made some of my best financial transactions. I am a fan of the AppSumo store where new and upcoming Apps are listed and you can get a Lifetime Deal for a single payment. Some of my best purchases have been SocialBee and Vista Create (formerly Crello). In both cases I acquired a life time deal for less than the cost of a couple of months of subscription. Without the amazing deal I couldn’t afford to use either of them.

A non-technical way to discovering new apps

One of the best ways to keep up to date with what is coming through the door at any one time is visiting Product Hunt. This is where new software is regularly launched. Of course some is in the early stages, possibly still Beta testing. What’s that? I hear you ask

What is Beta Testing

Imagine you’re a chef who loves creating new recipes. Before you serve a dish to your customers, you invite a group of your closest friends to your kitchen to taste your creation. These friends give you feedback on the flavour, the presentation, and any improvements that could be made.

In the world of apps, beta testing is quite similar to this cooking scenario. When app developers are creating a new app or updating an existing one, they want to make sure it’s as delicious and enjoyable as possible for the users (like you). But instead of inviting friends to taste the food, they invite a group of people to try out the app before it’s officially released to the public.

Taste Testing for Apps

This group of early testers, often called “beta testers,” gets to use the app and explore its features just like you would when you download an app from the app store. They’re like your taste-testers, checking if everything works smoothly, trying different features, and reporting any issues they come across.

The developers pay close attention to the feedback they receive from these beta testers. It’s like getting valuable advice from your friends about your new recipe. If the testers find something that doesn’t work quite right or could be improved, the developers go back to their “kitchen” (the place where they create the app) and make adjustments based on the feedback.

Early birds can land very cheap worms

Beta testing helps make sure the app is as delightful and easy to use as possible before it’s officially available to everyone. It’s like refining a recipe until it’s just right before serving it to your restaurant guests. So, when you see an app inviting you to be a beta tester, know that they’re inviting you to be part of the taste-testing team, helping make the app better for everyone!

Apps for so many purposes

I have a few particular areas of interest and knowledge when it comes to Apps. One of the biggest categories is productivity apps. I am likely to put some of them through their paces on the Productivity Page. In the last year of so I have become particularly interested in Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) and I will be talking about the established and increasingly common start up applications for this field of interest. See the PKM Page for more on that.

Of course, as creativity and crafting, which are regularly talked about on my sister blog, Living Creatively with Fibro are such big passions of mine I will be diving into many apps in this category from industry level graphical packages to something altogether simpler and more fun to use.

Unveiling App origin stories

When I come across something new that resonates with me I always look out for the story of the developer or team of developers who came up with the idea. What led to the idea conception, was it a problem they needed to solve, a simple matter of curiosity, what if… or just for fun. Developers and coders are some of the most influential entrepreneurs these days. The world of AI will no doubt makes the ability to enter this market space both more accessible but equally highly flooded. I’m here for the ride.

The magic of finding your flow

With productivity apps in particular there is much conversation about finding your flow. That is curating the perfect set of applications that will allow you to work seamlessly and get the very best out of each tool.

I was for a long time seriously caught up on that journey too, now I am a bit more relaxed about it. I love trying new apps and seeing what they can do but I am bedding down with some of my apps of choice and trying to put the blinkers up to distraction. A bit like a Youtube cosmetics influencer who off camera had a small bag of make up they stayed loyal to.

So let’s explore apps together

So here, with you I am going to make the most of my experience and provide you with an overview of how many of the wonderful apps floating around perform, from the perspective of someone with a Chronic Illness. Someone who is sometimes a little mentally slower than I would like and can be forgetful. So let us get on with the job of using and talking about apps.

My Current App Stack

If you are interested in my current App Stack you can see it in my Digital Garden.

Until next time,
Susan