I use my phone as a PDA more than anything else. I want it to help me remember things and to remind me of things, and I like apps that help me automate simple routines so I don’t have to think about them.
- AutomateIt. This app allows you to create rules which are pairs of Triggers and Actions and is a lot easier than Tasker. It has several pre-built and many available from other users, like Volumes off at 11pm and Volumes on at 7am. Here are mine:
- Speak an alert when disconnecting from my car bluetooth.
- Start the application Screen Filter weekdays at 11pm. This dims my screen for bedtime reading. I also have the Rule to kill the application at 7am.
- Speak the words “Please plug me in!” when the battery gets below 10%.
- Touchless Notifications Pro. This is a step up from Readittome which hasn’t been updated in a long time. My phone speaks texts, chats, notifications, and anything I select whenever it’s connected to Bluetooth or headset. The interface has an easy and a detail mode, and the features are hugely configurable. I’ve personally experienced great support from the developer.
- Wifi Web Login automates the nag screens for free wifi. Every starbucks makes me open the browser and click the “I agree” button and who needs that? Record my steps once with this app and never do it again.
- Craigslist Notify has my searches already running and pings me when an ad appears to match it. This is way better than “Want to buy” adds which don’t work.
