I have always been a great user of apps for every different aspect of my life as my phone is with me everywhere (yes I am one of those!!) I find the app world quite an interesting place where I can choose to install at will any app that appeals. I think it is the immediacy & variety of it all that I find quite exciting.
I decided to write this post as there are a few that I think are just brilliant for any readers out there and are all FREE….WOOHOO 🙂
GoodReads – Goodreads is a social media approach to connecting up readers of the world together in one place. The catalog of books available is more than 12 million, with more than 35 million members.One of my favourite features is the virtual bookshelf. Here you can store the names of books you have read, the book you are currently reading and also a list of the books you would like to read (a to-do list!!!). The app has thousands of reviews from readers of all the world, aswell as the publishers description of the book so it really has a wealth of information & a bit of fun aswell.
BorrowBox – My latest find!!! Once it is available through your local library, you can simply login using your membership number & PIN number. For local readers this facility is available with Cork City Library & is a free service. Once you are set up, you have access to a collection of both audio & ebooks. The catalog of books available is updated & expanding all the time and features different search categories ie new releases, author read etc, so is extremely user friendly. One of the joys of this app is the speed. You can borrow a book instantly or if you wish (or if the book is already booked out), you can reserve for a later date. Another nice feature of BorrowBox is that once you download your chosen book, you are listening/reading OFFLINE. It even has a sleep mode (timer) for those of you who like to be lulled to sleep 😉 It is not currently available for Kindle but I have no doubt that that is will be optional in the future….
Podcast Addict – I am relatively new to the world of the podcast so after a bit of online research I discovered this easy-to-use app that allows me to manage all my audio podcasts in one location.
“With Podcast Addict, manage all your audio & video Podcasts, Radio on Demand, Audio books, Live stream radio, aswell as your YouTube channels and RSS News Feeds”……so the blurb goes!!!
How or what you use it for is obviously your own choice but I personally use it for audio only. There is a vast array of podcasts available from all around the globe so you get a very good insight into other societies views of life. Also, for me, it has widened my choice on reading. I have heard about books that would never have crossed my path in my daily life. It has opened my eyes to a completely different section of the media that I never had listened to before…..all in a very positive way.
Here is a list of some of the podcasts in whose company I pound the pavements with.
- The Librarian Is In – this is the newest edition to my podcast library. It is New York Library’s podcast about books, culture and what to read next.
- Slate’s Book Club – Slate’s critics have monthly discussions on new & important books. You can read the book club selections ahead and then listen in as they hold lively debates about the works.
- The Good Life Project – This is hosted by Jonathon Fields and is all about inspirational people and their stories and insights into the world we live in. It is a podcast that hopes to inspire, motivate & invoke happiness & meaning into everyday life.
- Stuff Mom Never Told You – This podcast is hosted by Cristen & Caroline as they explore the fact, fiction and controversy surrounding the Stuff Mom Never Told You. At times hilarious, at times annoying but all together an interesting listen to life across the waters.
- This American Life – This is a weekly public radio show hosted by Ira Glass. It is an insight into society, culture & the arts
- IT Women’s Podcast – Hosted by Kathy Sheridan, this podcast is brought to us by The Irish Times News Group. It is a podcast by women for women & has a variety of guests from the political to the literary world and everything in between eg sport, beauty, music etc.
- Róisín Meets…. – Again an Irish podcast hosted by journalist Róisín Ingle where she interviews & chats with some fascinating people from all walks of life eg Emma Donoghue (Room fame), Dawn O’ Porter (Chris O’Dowd’s wife), Joseph O’ Connor (writer ) and many more including a number of artists from the music world.
Take a look yourself & discover a whole world of interesting people waiting for you…Enjoy!!!
Bloglovin’ – This is THE app that brings all of your favourite blogs together, from the worlds of fashion, food, DIY, travel, books, sewing & the list goes on…. It is a simple way to read blogs & share posts no matter where you are. Bloglovin’ currently has over 20 million people using it. At the moment I am using it for books & for some very interesting guides/tutorials on sewing (I need all the help from everywhere I can get it :)) The volume of information available & on your fingertips is phenomenal.
Some of the Blogs in my book feed are:
- A Little Blog of Books
- Bookswept
- Caffeinated Book Reviewer
- Me, My Shelf & I
- The New York Review of Books
Sewing Blogs in my feed include:
- Sew Mama Sew
- Sew Crafty Chemist
- Maureen Cracknell Handmade
- Creating In The Gap
I’m only on the tip of the iceberg with Bloglovin’ so go ahead, dive in & see where it takes you!!
This is a collection of some of the apps I am currently using. There is a vast selection available for you to play around with so don’t be nervous. GO FOR IT & discover for yourself what’s available that suits your life.
Til next time
Mairéad
xxx
