As you know, Adam is a featured blogger over at iPhone Life. As an all-things-Apple guru, he gets to test out and review truck loads of gadgets and even more apps. But Adam is not the only one here who gets ears deep into them!  We design apps at GLAD WORKS and so we are always looking at the design and functionality of the various apps that are out there on iTunes right now. We are well versed in the ways of the app, so you know if one of us likes a certain one, it’s gonna be a winner.

Read on and you just might find your new favorite among them!

Brittany: Pixlr Express is my favorite right now. It’s a really powerful photo editor that helps you crop, rotate and tweak any photo you want. There are a couple of million combinations of effects, overlays and borders if you like to experiment with that sort of thing. It’s way better and more fun than Instagram.

Kristen: The apps I use most often are My Fitness Pal, Runkeeper and You Rule.

My Fitness Pal helps me keep track of my nutrition to make sure I’m getting enough fiber, protein and calcium. I can also log my water intake and exercise for the day so that I know I’m getting what I need to stay healthy and feel my best.

Runkeeper is my go to for running and going for walks during my lunch break. I love it because it tells me how long I’ve been out, my speed and distance and my heart rate. If I’m running too fast, I know when I have to slow down and when I’m out walking during my lunch break, I know when it’s time to start heading back. I use this app at least once if not twice a day.

My whole family uses You Rule. My husband and two kids (ages 9 and 5) use it to help keep track of who is doing their daily and weekly chores so that we can see who’s pulling her weight. The girls get to choose little avatars that represent them and when they’ve done all of their chores, they are awarded coins that power up the avatar and make it do different things. The coins also go toward a parent chosen reward at the end of each week. The kids are obsessed with this and rush to log their chores so they can collect their rewards. It has been a lifesaver!

Liz: I really like the basics that came with the phone! For example, I love Sudoku for killing small increments of time, like waiting for the bus. I also use the timer so I don't hog the shower and all the hot water. Otherwise, I would take 40-minute showers and my poor husband would have to have an ice bath. I make frequent use of the stopwatch for checking my heart rate because I’m a delicate flower like that.

For all the things I do use, I don't use Notes or Tasks, because I actually put a paper sticky note on the outside of the phone where I’ll see it even if I’ve forgotten that I wrote myself a note.

My husband and I are looking into birthing/newborn care apps to do things like time contractions so he knows when to take me to the hospital! If anyone has a suggestion for a good one, I’m open!

E: I really like the PBS Kids app. I have it on my iPhone and my girls love it! They can watch a number of videos about Curious George, the Cat in the Hat, Daniel Tiger and many more!  Plus, it's full of educational games so they're learning while "playing." It’s also age appropriate for my toddler.

My other favorite is the Lowe's app. I often feel overwhelmed when I go into those gigantic home improvement stores, so sometimes I prefer to do my shopping online. Their app is well organized, and they store my previous purchases so if I need to buy something again, I don't have to worry about remembering what the paint name is for the color I used in my bathroom 5 years ago. Plus, they have a great store map that allows you to see where a specific product is located (rather than walking down aisles and aisles trying to find it). 

Melyssa: Open table is my favorite app, but I have to admit I am obsessed with The Knot wedding planner app right now. I love them both because they serve a purpose and work exceptionally well. Function before form is for me!!

Matt: My Fitness Pal is a nifty app that you can use as a guide to help keep yourself in shape. I can log my calories manually or I can scan a barcode for nutrition information if one is available. I can also log my exercise routines. The app also gives suggestions based on the fitness goal that you set. 

While I’m working out, I love to use Spotify for easy to use and fast access to a wide variety of music playlists. 

CrossMe is a simple but addictive Japanese crossword puzzle game where you find a hidden picture by filling in cells on a grid.

Adam: I like to use BillGuard so I can monitor all my bank accounts and credit cards to sniff out fraudulent charges. I use Buffer to load up social media posts to blast when I’m sleeping (you gotta love that!). Feedly is awesome for loading up all my favorite blogs and news feeds so I don’t have to go hunting around for them all the time. EasilyDo helps me remember birthdays, see popular photos on social media and generally makes sure I never miss anything. Bodytrack.it helps me keep track of my workout progress so I can compare measurements over time. It also allows me to take pictures and overlay photos to see visual improvements. 

Mattie: I am obsessed with birds, plus I love to go hiking, so my favorite app to bring with me is Audubon Birds Pro. It’s awesome because it’s a mobile field guide equipped with many ways to drill down your search to help identify what you’re looking at. It’s a little on the pricey side at $9.99, but you’d pay that for a paper field guide that you then have to lug around in your backpack. This app is more portable and easier to use so it’s totally worth it.

Piero: Make it Rain: The Love of Money is a completely stupid and pointless game, but I love it. It’s easy, difficult and fun all at once and I am totally hooked on it. You just swipe your finger across the screen and money piles up. Once you have some money, you can start making investments. But, watch out!  Maybe the feds come sniffing around and they try to take your money!  Better be ready to bribe somebody or lose it all!

There you have it, GLAD WORKS friends!  What are YOUR favorite apps?