7ish iPhone Apps I use at Uni
I am one of the thousands of students heading back to uni this week (shout-out to my fellow Pol/Journo students and a second shout-out to first years) and maybe the most crucial item of tech I’ll be taking is my iPhone. 📱
It is pretty crazy that we have access to such powerful machines. My mind boggles when I reflect back to year 10 and I was using a Nokia C3.
The reason iPhones are such incredible computers is apps, here are the seven apps I use most for uni.
7. Pocket
See, at uni, you are expected to read a lot of stuff. My tutors send me dozens of articles every week and with all the other great content being produced online it is impossible to read everything.
Pocket is a place for me to save all of the articles I intend on reading when I have the time. It downloads the article for offline access and it offers automated article read back which is great when I just want to listen in.
6. Reddit
Any journalism and/or political student worth their salt knows about Reddit — the self-proclaimed ‘front page of the internet’.
This is where I stay in the know on all the trending news and public opinion by subscribing to subreddits like r/politics, r/AusPol, r/worldnews. So when my tutor asks me a topical question I generally have an idea of what they’re talking about.
With the 2.0 update, it made the UI streamlined — something that Reddit online most definitely is not.
Side note — if you’re not already aware, cross-check information you find on Reddit before you take it as gospel… and use it as a source in an essay.
5. CamScanner
Paper handouts were the most scarring moments of my childhood. I would get one, then another and within a week my bag was brimming with enough paper to compile Artamène ou le Grand Cyrus. Did I know what went where? No.
CamScanner isn’t the cure for paper handouts but it is treatment. The app lets me take a photo of the handout/s and it digitally enhances the image so it is easy to decipher when I need it.
I can save the snap as a JPEG or more often I’ll save it as a PDF which I can directly save to the appropriate folder on Google Drive.
I am slowly recovering.
4. Airmail — $7.99
I hate email but for Airmail made it a little more bearable. UOW, like I imagine every university in Australia, requires their students to have a separate uni email address for interacting with tutors, IT, admin, get emergency updates etc.
There are a lot of decent free email clients on the App Store but none of them are able to integrate multiple accounts and manage Gmail like Airmail. I am able to sync my Gmail and my Uni Exchange account seamlessly, allowing me to interact with it as a combined inbox or separated.
It also has a stack of customisation options, inbuilt to do lists, snooze functions, colour coding and integration with a number of other services such as Pocket and Google Drive.
I hate email I little less now. 😌
3. Pocket Cast — $5.99
If I am honest, I am not the best at reading and that has led to me become an indulgent consumer of podcasts. My first podcasting app was the stock iOS client on my iPod Touch but since I spend over 2 hours a day listening to podcasts I felt it was worth paying a bit to get a premium experience.
It has an aesthetically pleasing UI with one of the best podcast discovery sections I have used. I listen to a range of podcasts about current affairs, tech, sports and interviews so there is rarely a walk to class that isn’t filled with me listening to a show.
If you are into football you should check out my five football podcast recommendations. ⬇️
2. Google Apps
Google’s FREE services easily account for most of my phone usage, here are my five favourite Google apps.
Google Drive (and docs) — all my uni work is sorted and stored here. Being able to access my work on any device is a godsend.
Google Calendar — Everyone needs a calendar and after the death of Sunrise which integrated well with Google this is the best alternative.
Google Keep — Notes, all sorts of notes. Checklists, memos, reminders, helpful quotes and photo notes. The whole focus is getting a note down and like all of Google’s services, it syncs with all my devices.
Youtube — The amount of knowledge on Youtube is incredible. If your tutor sells you short, you’re sure to find answers on here.
Google — The classic search app is the quickest way to win (or lose) an argument.
Below is a link to the Google developer page on the App Store, you can’t really go wrong with anything on there.
1. Twitter
Similar to Reddit, all 21st century political and journalism students should have Twitter. It keeps me in the loop with everything that is important to me and as a writer, it gives me the initial platform to share my work.
Also, don’t mention Facebook, I hate it.
And you can actually follow me on Twitter @dylaneloiarvela.
