What did we do before apps came along? Apps have become such a big part of most people’s lives that it is hard to imagine what we would do without a smartphone or tablet to keep us entertained. If the train is delayed or your date hasn’t turned up yet, as long as you have a handy device, you can open up the Sun Bingo app and stave off boredom for a few minutes – or in the case of rail delays, an hour or more.
Apps are the best thing since sliced bread, so here are five of the best – and most entertaining – apps for smartphone users.
Netflix
Life wouldn’t be worth living without Netflix. With a Netflix log-in (anyone’s will do, so don’t despair if you don’t have an account), you can catch up on your favourite shows, binge-watch the latest boxsets, or browse through the entire catalogue to pick a movie to watch this evening.
Spotify
Spotify has revolutionised music for travellers. You don’t need to load up your device with tunes anymore. Instead you can open up Spotify and play any random playlist you like. Choose a music genre or play it lucky. You can listen to Spotify for free if you don’t mind random ads interrupting your music experience. If not, sign up for an account.
Facebook detractors claim Facebook’s days are numbered, but for now it is still one of the best entertainment apps. Use your Facebook app to update your friends on the go, share your experiences, and chat to people via Facebook messenger. You can even stalk your exes if you are that way inclined, which is entertainment of a twisted kind.
Instagram is always entertaining. Depending on who you follow, Instagram opens up a whole new world of fast cars and privilege. Use Instagram to dip into the lives of people you follow or share your own photos with fans. There is a whole niche world out there of cute kittens and puppies wearing jumpers, so dive in and start sharing the love.
YouTube
You can lose hours of your life on YouTube. One enthralling video leads directly to the next, and so on. Still, YouTube is a fun way to kill some time if you have nothing better to do. You can also open your own YouTube channel. Upload your own videos and keep other people entertained – there is always an audience for makeup tutorials and film clips of cats chasing their tail.
Google Play Books
Google Play Books is for Android devices. This cool app lets you upload your library of e-books to Play Books, so you can access them from any Google synced device. Start reading a novel on your tablet and then carry on where you left off at work during your coffee break. How cool is that?
There are plenty of other apps out there, including Snap Chat, Shazam and Clash of Clans, so start exploring the iTunes or Google Play stores right now.