Stacey is a 20-something social media enthusiast who is proudly Type A and incredibly silly. She loves new shoes, chocolate, wine and her DVR. Stacey is a Community Manager with a passion for meeting new people and connecting others. She volunteers with Susan G. Komen and PINKK (Professionals Inspiring New Komen Knowledge). Most people call her Stac.
I’m Stacey, and I blog at Stacface.com. I’m a lover of dogs, wine and social media, but I’m intensely passionate about making connections with people. I love making new friends and connecting my friends with each other. Tying all of these things together – people and social media – is easy with the right tools.
Social media accounts + a good smartphone = an easy, go-to way to stay connected.
At least, that’s how it should go. Unless you’re like me.
I was late to the iPhone party. For a few years I was chained to Blackberry phones through my employment. The last two companies I’ve worked for have relied on Blackberry phones as their method for staying in touch and keeping up with email. I wanted to join the iPhone generation, but not having the financial resources made it difficult. I decided to wait until my Blackberry malfunctioned, which would present a good opportunity to make the switch. Then it happened. My work-issue Blackberry crapped out on me for the second time in seven months and I thought “there’s no time like the present.” Now I’m an enthusiastic iPhone owner, and friends, it has changed my life.
Here’s my story as a first-generation iPhone user – how I use it and the apps that have made me swear allegiance to the iPhone for better or worse, for richer or poorer (ack! The bill!), in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live (or until I get a newer version).
Top three free apps I couldn’t wait one second to download
1. Twitter: I love Twitter. In fact, now that all of my closest girlfriends have Twitter accounts, it’s the primary way we stay in touch. You can follow along with me as I share pics of my Siberian Husky, Demon, and partake in weekly #winoconvo @stacface1.
2. Facebook: I have such a love/hate relationship with Facebook. It’s great for stalking, but full of annoying oversharing of personal information. However, it is the primary way I stay updated on who is getting married/divorced/pregnant.
3. Instagram: My phone cameras have been devoted to pictures of my pets, especially my dog. Now I can play with the appearance of the photos and share them easily and instantly with my friends.
Top five apps I never knew I couldn’t live without (until now)
1. MyFitnessPal (Free): MFP makes it easy to keep track of my eating and exercise choices with simple math. Calories Consumed – Calories Burned = Net Calories. I’m a fanatic about staying within my goal range, and no other diet or plan has made me as enthusiastic about going for a run or playing a game of tennis in order to stay within my range while still enjoying the foods I love. What I particularly love about MFP is the ability to store frequently-prepared recipes in the database for quick addition to my daily intake.
2. Instapaper ($4.99): Since I’m constantly browsing through Twitter and various online sites, I frequently come across an article or blog post that’s been shared that I want to read, but don’t have the time for. Instapaper makes it easy for me to bookmark these items to come back to later, perfectly optimized for viewing on my computer or iPhone. No more “mental lists” or multiple Post-It notes of things to Google later. Now it’s all stored away for easy reading when I have the time.
3. Kayak (Free): I’m a girl who loves to travel; unfortunately, the financial expense of travel means that I don’t get to partake in this passion as much as I’d like. I browse online for deals and fare prices quite frequently. Eventually, I come across a destination that is too good to pass up, and I become motivated enough to begin setting money aside for it. Kayak is the perfect tool for planning my travel dreams.
4. Pandora (Free): Everyone knows Pandora. (Mostly) everyone loves Pandora. This is my go-to source for new music inspiration when I don’t have time to sync up my iPhone to my computer and explore new music online.
5. Epicurious (Free): I love food, and I love to cook when I have time and I’m properly prepared. Epicurious takes the best recipes from Bon Appetit, Gourmet and dozens of other professional resources and makes it a cinch to browse, search and save recipes directly to your phone. The best part is the shopping list. Recipes that you’ve saved can be added to your shopping list, allowing you quick access while you’re in the store. You can even share recipes with friends!
My iPhone and I have just begun our relationship. It’s been a fun experience to get familiar with it and discover its abilities. I’m a total iPhone convert now. There’s no other phone for me.
What are some apps I’m missing out on? Share your suggestions with me!
Check out Stacey’s Appolicious App Library.
