6 iOS apps everybody should own
SCAN BOT
Free (IAPs) scanbot.io
Apple’s Notes can scan paper docs directly into a note, but Scanbot Pro’s standalone nature arguably makes it a better bet. In its free incarnation, it can scan, enhance and share docs. Go Pro to create searchable text, sync over iCloud and edit your docs.
> Take the tutorial
Tap the cog to open up the app’s settings. Next, you'll want to tap Show Tutorial. Find a flat surface and Scanbot will challenge you to a speed–run competition that teaches you how to successfully line up documents for the perfect, most efficient scan.
BEAR FOCUS TIMER
$0.99 bearfocustimer.com
Your iPhone is a great tool, but also a source of distraction. This app is vital for bringing back concentration and discipline to your life when it’s time to work. The timer begins when you place your phone face down. Cheat and you’re growled at.
> ADJUST TIMINGS
Tap the cog to access timer options. By default, these echo typical Pomodoro timings (25 minutes of work, followed by a five–minute break). If you find that this routine isn't exactly working for you, there's always the ability to adapt it within settings.
Free getpocket.com
If you end the day with unread tabs in your browser, use Pocket. You send stories and articles to the online service, which are then downloaded to the iOS app. The reading view strips them of cruft, leaving only the important bits — text and images
> LISTEN TO ARTICLES
Tap the headphones icon and Pocket will instantly transform your reading list into a playlist that reads articles to you. The result works a bit like how we imagine a robot podcast would, but it's handy when cooking, cleaning the house, or driving.
SNAPSEED
Free support.google.com/ snapseed
You can make basic changes in Apple’s Photos, but Snapseed is more versatile, with a broader range of tools, such as: a Curves tool to fine–tune tonality; a healing tool to fix blemishes; and Expand, Crop’s inverse that tries to fill in any space appearing at the edges.
> CREATE CUSTOM FILTERS
Snapseed’s edits are non–destructive; tap the Undo button, then View Edits to make changes. To save them as custom one–tap filters, tap + at the right end of the list in the Looks tab.
SOULVER
$2.99 acqualia.com
Traditional desktop calculators still rule the roost, but this app instead asks you to write calculations in (largely) natural language. This gives context to your figures, which it intelligently extracts and tots up. Sheets can be saved and shared as emails/PDFs.
> BUILD DYNAMIC SUMS
Tap the number in a row’s right column to add a reference to it at the insertion point. This ‘token’ is updated live, enabling you to construct dynamic formulae to manage complex sums.
CHEATSHEET WIDGET
Free/$2.99 overdesigned.net
We make all kinds of notes, and some need more immediate access than others. Cheatsheet Widget places the little things you never remember in the Today view. Useful for office door codes and phone numbers; just don’t store a bank card’s PIN in it, say.
> PUT CHEATS IN ORDER
You can store as many cheats as you like in the app itself, but only a limited number are shown in the Today view widget. There is, however, an easy way to remedy this. In the app, tap the cog, then go to Widget Settings to see all available layout options.