If you find you get a bit restless, sunning yourself on the beach or by the pool, there’s a mobile app out there somewhere to keep you entertained while you top up your tan. There are literally hundreds of apps around that you can download to while away the hours on holiday and the best thing about them is, they don’t use up any luggage space, so there’s more room to fill up with bikinis. Win-win! We’ve scoured the never ending range of mobile apps to bring you our choice of the best beach apps for sunbathing this summer.
1. iBooks
A decent day laying out in the sun is nothing without your favourite read. If you don't want carry your kindle or a big heavy book in your beach bag, you can use your iphone which you never go anywhere without anyone or an ipad if you prefer. iBooks is an Apple app. In the same way you buy music through iTunes, you buy books through Apple’s iBooks store. The books are laid out in a virtual bookcase and it’s simple to use, you just click the ‘store’ button above the bookcase to go to the iBooks store to buy the book you want, then read it on your device. The app is available for iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone. You can change the font size and type if you want and the screen is a subtle, slightly off white colour so you don’t feel like your straining your eyes. No more lugging heavy, cumbersome books around. On the other hand, there are still plenty of refuseniks who swear by a good old fashioned book and can’t imagine moving on from paperbacks. Not for everyone, but for converts it’s a gem of an app. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/ibooks/id364709193?mt=8
2. Visual Supply Company (VSCO Cam)
One for the real photography enthusiasts and artistic folk out there, this app is brilliant. Spot something beautiful while you're enjoying being outdoors then snap it and turn it into a work of art. VSCO Cam takes filters to the next level. It mimics real photographic film products from a time when film was the only way to take a photo and applies the subtle colour shifts and contrast shifts etc.. to your image transforming it into something amazing. You'll be addicted to VSCO. Laters Instagram. http://vsco.co/vscocam
3. Wordpress
Always wanted to start a blog? Here's your chance. Whilst your feeling at your most inspired after having read a particularly good chapter of a book whilst listening to some serene music and adding a masterpiece photograph on your VSCO grid, all whilst laying on a beautiful beach in the sunshine, it's time to put down your mind-wanderings on virtual paper. The wordpress app allows you to manage your blog wherever you are. Add quick drafts of moments of clarity using the app to go back to later and post fully or blog on the fly. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/wordpress/id335703880?mt=8
4. Scrabble
Now for the addictive Scrabble. There are various Scrabble related apps out there, both free and paid. First up is the classic Scrabble Tile Rack, a free app that transforms your mobile device into a scrabble board and includes a dictionary. Words with Friends is a cross-platform app you can play against your friends on Android or Apple devices. While away many an hour on the beach or lounging round the pool. Careful, though, you might get to the end of the week and realise you hadn’t done any of the sightseeing or activities you had planned!
5. Spotify Mobile
Spotify Mobile This is one thing that I have on my phone that I'm glad I pay for. If you're like me and can't be trusted to look after a cd let alone take the time to add it to your itunes and you find downloading music a bit out of budget because you love so much of it, then spotify is the way to go. Popular music as well as some more obscure bands, I've hardly ever been unable to find a certain song I want to listen too. If you’ve ever used Spotify to listen to and discover new music, you’ll know how great it is. If you’ve got a Spotify Premium account (£9.99 a month) you can get a free Spotify Mobile app that lets you sync your favourite playlists to your mobile as well as search for new music from Spotify’s 13 million song library. You don't even need to be online to play your favourite playlists if you sync them first. If you’ve got a free, open or unlimited account, you can download the mobile app and listen to your tracks or buy Spotify playlists. Premium accounts are compatible with almost all handsets. If you’ve got any of the other, cheaper or free Spotify accounts, Spotify Mobile will work with an iPhone or Android. There’s nothing quite like listening to your favourite music to help you properly relax and drift away in the sunshine. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/spotify-music/id324684580?mt=8
Feel free to check out 5 Essential Travel Apps.