Great Smartphone and Tablet Apps for Seniors

Last week we discussed how to make technology easier for seniors, and touched on the names of a few apps in the process.

This week, we’ve compiled a more thorough list of easy-to-use iOS (Apple operating system) and Android apps to make your or your loved one’s life easier:

BrainHQ, by Posit Science

Brain HQ is a fun—free—brain training app backed by testing from the Mayo Clinic; University of California, Berkley; and Department of Veterans Affairs. It claims to sharpen attention, improve moods and improve memory function. While I can’t validate that, I can certainly verify the free and fun parts. I actually had so much fun testing it that I downloaded it for keeps.

Over 40 Magnifier and Flashlight, by TLA Investments

This is a magnifying glass that uses your iPhone’s or Android’s camera to help you see. It’s a fun app that looks great and will only set you back $1.99 on iOS. It’s especially useful on iPhones. As a bonus, it’s a lot more convenient than wearing a monocle.

Songza, by Songza Media

Songza has recently taken the mobile music app market by storm thanks to one key omission—commercials. Unlike other popular music streamers like Pandora or Spotify, Songza does not utilize audio ads. You simply choose the type of music you’d like to hear based on recommendations by the time of day and your mood, and Songza handles the rest. It’s an essential for any music lover young or old.

Skype, by Skype Communications

Skype is one of the most well-known communication apps available. In fact, Skype predates the smartphone and tablet boom altogether. Skype allows you to video chat over multiple platforms, unlike FaceTime for iOS, which will only chat from one Apple device to another. With Skype, you’ll be able to video chat with family members on Android devices and computers (PC or Mac) as well.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, by Encyclopaedia Britannica

You don’t have to rely on a search engine or Wikipedia to fact check. Often, sources from those locations can be unfounded at best. Instead, you can have an Encyclopaedia Britannica app for free. With over 80,000 articles, it’s likely to have the fact-checked and trusted answer you’re looking for. This makes it a fantastic app for those who love to teach younger people about the world or just love to win arguments.

Downloading a few of these apps will start you well on your way to taking full advantage of your smartphone or tablet. Remember, to download an app all you have to do is click on the App Store if you have an Apple product, or the Google Play store on Android; and of course, you’ll have to enter your password.

If you don’t remember your password, see last week’s article for steps on password recovery, and consider playing a few more rounds of Brain HQ.

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