The 10 Coolest Apps Of 2013 (So Far)

There's An App For That

BYOD is here to stay and for employees and business executives, there will always be an "app for that." From an app that tracks the status of a device to an app that manages money, here are 10 of the coolest apps of 2013 (so far).

Last Message

When out on the road, a low battery on a smartphone is never a good thing. But fear not, with Last Message, this Android app will make sure that a contact knows they aren't being ignored. Created by Android app developer Fat Brain, Last Message literally sends the last message. This customizable solution will notify the chosen contact(s) through Twitter, Facebook, email or SMS to let them know that the phone battery is low and the phone will be shutting. The message can be personalized to say whatever is necessary, and the user can choose at what battery percentage to send the message. Last Message also includes additional information about the battery, measures its temperature and usage. If a charger is available, a start and stop time can be set to refrain the app from sending messages. This free app requires Android 2.2 or higher.

PowerLine

Maintaining a device's stats can be quite difficult. However, PowerLine makes it easier to view battery life, CPU, memory, signal, Wi-Fi, network usage and storage. Created by app developer Urbandroid Team, this Android app is great for monitoring all activity. PowerLine uses smart indicator lines in different colors to indicate such conditions as health level, danger zone or low level of a device's status. The line's transparency level, thickness, color, high health and low health, and border can be adjusted. It is always visible on the lock screen and can also be positioned to any edge of the screen. This app also addresses unread messages and missed calls. The free version of PowerLine will allow two indicators to be added at any time. At $1.49, the Pro version is well worth the cost, and it has no restrictions.

IFTTT

Created by information technology and services company IFTTT, the eponymous IFTTT iOS app creates a connection between Internet services and devices that are used, including Facebook, Gmail, Twitter, Etsy, Philips Hue, Belkin WeMo and more. IFTTT works by creating a "recipe," or task, to fulfill "If This Then That," for which the acronym stands. The "this" part of the recipe is also known as the "trigger" and the action is the "that" part. An example of a task is having any new photos taken on Instagram, for instance, automatically uploaded to Dropbox. By creating a combination of triggers and actions from active channels, it becomes a personalized recipe. Currently there are 67 channels to choose from, including Evernote, LinkedIn and Dropbox. The customizable IFTTT app is free.

Outlook Web Access

For those familiar with Outlook Web Access, now there is an app for the iPhone and iPad. Created and released by Microsoft, OWA will help business executives access their email right from their iPhones. Email can be organized quickly and efficiently, just like the Outlook Web Access template, including View Conversation, Mark as Junk, Flag and Categories. This app can shedule meetings, view shared calendars, and using voice technology, can look up a contact or schedule. For the security-conscious, the app uses remote wipe erases for corporate data without touching personal data on the device. This app requires the latest version of Office 365 and can be downloaded for free.

PDF, DOC, XLS, PPT, TXT Reader

Whether working in the office or relaxing at home, business executives can read just about any type of file directly from their iOS device with PDF, DOC, XLS, PPT, TXT Reader. Created by independent developer Kirill Mazur, this app supports portrait and landscape modes and files and can zoom 30x, preventing eyestrain. Bookmarks can be created to easily organize and open up files. The app has an integrated Wi-Fi server and a built-in Internet browser. A password setup keeps important files secure.

Audiolio

Sometimes there's not enough time to take accurate notes during a meeting or a presentation. Audiolio is the perfect solution. Created by app developer and design studio Escape Velocity Apps, this app is a multitasking note-taker, audio recorder, bookmarker and text expander. Bookmarks can be used to include text notes, sketches, timestamps and images during the recording or after. Recordings can be exported and shared as an audio file, text and audio, or PDF through email, iTunes file-sharing and Dropbox. This iOS and Mac OS X app is useful for meetings, presentations, interviews or lectures. It is available for $1.99.

Spendee

Money can easily slip through the fingers. To help manage personal finances, there's Spendee. Created by app developer Cleevio , this iOS app will analyze income and expenses and give advice on how to spend and handle money. By simply typing in the numbers, Spendee provides infographics that show where the user's financial data stands. Adding a transaction records it as an expense (or income) that can be categorized. There are nine categories to choose from, including food and drink, shopping, or family and personal. The aesthetically pleasing infographic breaks up into percentages how much is being spent for each category. Users also can see what day of the week they spent the most money. An overview shows the number of transactions, along with added income, on a graphic chart. Pictures of bills or personal notes also can be taken and added to the app for storage. Spendee forces one to spend wisely.

Network Signal Speed Booster

Nothing is more irritating than a low network signal. With Network Signal Speed Booster, the name says it all. Created by app developer Professional Android Apps, this $9.99 app will improve the signal reception of an Android phone. By simply downloading and launching the app, it will automatically raise signal bars, making the connection stronger. Network Signal Speed Booster works by resetting the radio, connecting to the next best closest cellular tower and maximizing the power of the broadband radio. With this app, send text messages from almost anywhere and don't worry about dropping calls.

DocPrinter for iOS

Wires aren't necessary when it comes to connecting a device to a printer anymore. That's exactly what makes DocPrinter for iOS so enticing. Created by business app developer EuroSmartz, this $4.99 app makes it easier to browse, email and print files, photos and web pages that are stored on the device or in iCloud, Dropbox and Google Drive. This printing app uses either Ethernet, Wi-Fi, USB or Bluetooth to print. It also prints remotely though a 3G/4G connection without additional software. In addition, DocPrinter also will open a file from another app to print. DocPrinter for iOS supports Microsoft Office files from 2007, XP, 2003, 2008 and other file types, including doc, docx, rtf, xlsx, txt, html and pdf.

Cubby

Young children keep their belongings in one kind of cubby, and business executives can keep their files in this kind of Cubby. Created by remote-connectivity solutions company LogMeIn, Cubby digitally stores files in the cloud, allowing for easy access. This app can be used on Android and iOS platforms, as well as desktops. Initially, this free storage service allows for up to 25 GB of cloud storage. For those that require more storage, Cubby Pro is available for $6.99 per month for 100 GB of cloud storage. To keep data secure, Cubby has a Cubby Lock, which requires an account password to access or share a Cubby file. Cubby's cloud-off option, called DirectSync, acts as a peer-to-peer system that syncs from one device to another without using cloud storage. This online storage tool is a cool app to add to any device.