WHERE Lite: If you’re in a strange neighborhood, who you gonna call? Forget Ghostbusters. Your best bet may be to use the free Android app WHERE. This app helps you discover nearby restaurants, bars, stores, and more with just a few taps. You get access to special offers and deals at local businesses, as well. And you can save your favorite places and share them with friends. Nearly 50,000 users have given WHERE a grade of 4.3. One WHERE fan believes “there’s not much you can’t find with the app.” Another user summed the app up nicely: “Where is amazing!” And still another said, “I’ve been a longtime owner of this app and it has never failed me, at all!” Simply put, WHERE answers the question: Where should I go next?

 

Mint: There’s an old expression that goes, “Rich or poor, it’s nice to have money.” No matter how much or how little money you might have in your checking account, it’s good to know how much is really in there at any point in time. You’d probably also like to know if you are over or under your monthly budget. Mint is a free, password-protected Android app that can tell you these things and more. The app enables you to track, budget, and manage your money—all from your smartphone. Mint users have awarded the app a grade of 4.1. One happy Mint user called it, “The perfect app if you are looking to control all your expenses.” Mint is full of charts and graphs and can even send you a weekly email about your spending. It’s great for showing others—especially grandkids—how you keep track of your spending.

 

Hamilton Mobile CapTel: People who experience hearing loss no longer need to worry about missing out on conversation when traveling. They can download the FREE Hamilton Mobile CapTel Android App on their own at any time. The app enables you to read captions of what’s being said to you during cell phone conversations as you listen and talk with people on the go! In a process that’s similar to captions on a television, word-for-word transcriptions of what’s said are displayed on your smartphone. You’re able to listen to what you can, and read what you can’t hear. Again, the app is free and fully compatible with Consumer Cellular smartphones.

 

WebMD: Another don’t-leave-home-without-it smartphone app for Boomers and Seniors this summer is WebMD. This indispensable app gives you virtual 24×7 access to health information and decision-support tools. Take, for example, the pill checker option. It can identify just about any pill and relay vital information, such as potential interactions with other pills and side effects, to you. The symptom checker is also incredibly useful, especially if you (or a loved one) become ill during vacation, when you’re away from your regular physician. You can even retrieve local health care listings in case you need to find a doctor.  As a bonus, the app gives you access to first aid information without having to be connected wirelessly, which is critical if you don’t have Internet access at the time.  Visiting the Great Outdoors this summer? Don’t forget to load WebMD on your smartphone. The medical advice given is, in the words of one reviewer, “absolutely accurate and spot on.” The WebMD app is fast, easy-to-use, and free–with a 4.4 overall rating.

 

Kayak: If boots are made for walking, the free Android app Kayak is made for travel. Kayak is a user-friendly smartphone app that can help you find everything you need for your next trip. You’ll be able to save money and time by finding special deals on flights, hotels and car rentals. The real beauty is, those deals will result in cheaper prices than most commercially advertised deals. That’s because the app’s search engine retrieves pricing information from travel agencies andfrom vendors’ own sites. Simply type in the city you’re in and the one you wish to visit.

Presto. Travel options appear like stars in a desert sky. You can check a flight status, even look up baggage fees or see the layout of the airport terminal where you will be arriving. Plus, the app’s My Trips feature makes it easy for you to keep your itinerary at your fingertips. An excited user said it was “One of my favorite apps by a distance!” Another said it’s their first choice for the best trip info. The only thing better than this app, according to still another traveler, would be free luggage. Kayak has an average rating of 4.4

 

Phonotto: Ever wonder when they would offer a senior-friendly smartphone, a phone that’s light on whiz-bang features and heavy on more practical features? Wonder no more. Phonotto, otherwise known as the Simple Phone for Seniors Android App, is free and available now. It’s basically an application that can convert a feature-rich smartphone into a simple cell phone for seniors. It provides an interface that offers a simple design, including large buttons for easy phoning and texting. Although the current product generation is considered as a beta or test app, Phonotto has already received a 4.5 average rating and is destined to go even higher. Now instead of recycling your smartphone, you can give it to an older relative or friend who might not need or want any of its fancier features. One man said his mom loved it; another said “sometimes simple things are best.” The large home screen is optimized for elderly people and those with weak vision. In short, Phonotto gives users more cell phone options. And that’s music to our ears.