Using Apps to Get and Stay Healthy

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one third of U.S. adults are obese. That means that 34.98% or 78.6 million Americans have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or more. So while almost 35% of Americans are obese, a survey put out by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that 56% of all American adults own a smartphone. If you happen to be one of those individuals which I assume you are based on the fact that you are reading a blog about mobile apps, your smartphone can help you to either get out of that pool of 78.6 million obese Americans or never get there in the first place.

1. Calorie Tracking Apps

Keeping track of calorie intake can be difficult. Often times, nutritional information is not readily available because the foods you eat throughout the day don't always come in their original packaging. Apps like Lose It! and myFitnessPal offer an easy way to plan and track calories. Simply download the app, enter in your current weight and desired weight and you will be set up with a daily limit in order to reach your goal. Calorie tracking apps offer a huge database of foods that are just a search away and not only provide calorie information, but other nutritional information like protein, fiber, vitamins, and fats.

2. Fitness Bands

Now that we've got food intake covered, the next important thing when trying to lose weight is to get out there and exercise. Fitness bands like the Fitbit and Up24 by Jawbone are increasing in popularity recently. Simply put the band on your wrist and sync it to your phone or computer and begin tracking your daily fitness levels with an app. On top of tracking steps and calories burned, more advanced models of fitness bands can even track sleep activity and heart rate. Many apps that track calorie intake or fitness activity have compatibility with fitness bands as well. Fitness bands range in price from around $75-$250 and can be a very effective way to motivate someone to lose weight.

3. Activity Tracking Apps

If you aren't willing to spend the extra cash on a fitness band but still want to be able to monitor your activity throughout the day, then you are in luck! There are plenty of apps on the app store that use your phones GPS capability to track a workout. Turn on the app, go for a walk or run and the app will track how far you traveled, where you traveled to, and how long it took as well as how many calories were burned in the process. My personal favorites are myFitnessPal, which was mentioned above or MapMyRun.

If you are someone who is interested in losing weight or staying at a healthy weight, I hope that this post has helped inform you as to some ways your phone can help you to achieve your goals, whatever they may be.

The Apple Watch and Apps

This past Monday, Apple had their Spring Forward Event in which they announce the new products that consumers can expect to find on the shelves later in the year. This year, Apple announced a new 12-inch Macbook with retina display and the much anticipated Apple Watch. The Apple watch is already available for preorder and will be sold for $349-$17,000 depending on the model. However, the Apple Watch Edition costs upwards of 10,000 dollars and is only for the high spenders so most purchasers will be spending anywhere from $349-$399 for the Apple Watch Sport or $549-$599 for the Apple Watch.

If you happen to be someone who is considering purchasing the Apple Watch then I hope this post will help keep you informed on what you can expect from it in terms of software and app compatibility. Not every app will be able to be ran on the Apple Watch so don't expect to play Clash of Clans or Candy Crush on your wrist.

Apple released the WatchKit to developers back in November so there are  apps available upon release. In addition to being able to use some of Apple stock apps like Mail, Phone, and Messages and keep track of their fitness levels , users will be able to browse Instagram or Twitter, request a ride via Uber, or even use their phone as a key to a hotel. With that said, that appears to be some of the only thing you would be able to do... 

I have high hopes for the Apple Watch but currently the lack of apps on the market for it is worrisome to me. But this is Apple we're talking about. Developers will undoubtedly arrive and make some very, very cool apps. 

Tinder Plus - The Update that Will Ruin the Popular Dating App

The developers behind Tinder have recently began rolling out an update to the popular dating/hookup app that adds in a premium membership feature. As I stated in my last blog, I absolutely hate in-app purchases with a passion, and that hatred isn't limited to just games.

Currently, Tinder allows you to swipe right on as many potential matches as you like. With the update, the user will be limited as to the number of right swipes they are allowed per day. Users will be forced to purchase a monthly premium membership to unlock unlimited swipes.

What's more is that not only will there be a premium fee, but the fee will vary depending on the user's location, gender, and even age. In the US, if you are over the age of 30, it will cost you $19.99/month to unlock unlimited swipes, and if you are under 30, it will cost $9.99/month.

Unlimited swipes isn't the only thing users would be able to unlock, they would also unlock something called "Passport", allowing them to change their location to anywhere in the world, "Rewind" which undoes the user's last swipe, and removal of ads from the app.

While there are some perks, I believe that the cost is far too much and that the reason why Tinder has been as successful as it has been is because of the fact that it is free to use. The developers need to take a look at who their target market is - college students aged 18-22. Very few people in that target market will want to pay those fees and will instead choose to uninstall the app. This is a surefire way to kill the app altogether.