It’s the time of the year where summer is coming to an end and school is starting back up again. I know some of you guys have already started school. Some of you will be starting very soon. But I wanted to give you about 10 must-have back to school apps for Android that will keep you kind of organized, focused and productive. So stay tuned here on PhoneDog.com for a video highlighting several back to school apps for iOS. Some of the apps in this video though are iOS compatible but not all of them. So you can expect the second video with completely different apps that are guaranteed to work on iOS. So just throwing it out there, stay tuned for that.
Google Calendar
The first app that we’ll be taking a look at is one of three Google apps that I think are essential for Android users and especially those of you who are in school. The first is Google Calendar, of course. With Google Calendar, you can plug in all of your classes, set the location of your classes and have Google remind you about the event and when to leave so you can actually make it on time. You can add attachments to your events through Google Drive, which is pretty cool. I actually didn’t know about that feature until making this video. All these info can be synced across various emails and contacts. You can pull it up on your smartphone, tablet, computer or whatever device you have pretty much. As long as it’s connected to the internet, you can access Google Calendar which is awesome. It’s probably the best way to stay organized in my opinion.
Google Keep
The second Google app is Google Keep. I wouldn’t recommend taking class notes through this app, this app is perfect for just reminders and to-do lists. Not only can you share your notes with people but you can color code and create labels for your notes to stay organized. You can also add pictures to your notes, you can copy your notes to Google Docs. There’s also a pretty sweet widget that displays your notes up front and center that I really like and I use it now and then.
Google Drive
I’m kind of a Google addict. The first step in addiction is to admit you have a problem. Yes I have a problem—I use too many Google apps but this is the last Google app in the entire list but it’s my absolute favorite so far. Google Drive is its name and it offers a lot of functionality. Not only can you create a document, spreadsheet or a slideshow with pretty advanced features that actually rival Microsoft and its services—but you can upload images, documents—pretty much any sort of file to the Cloud. I’m a huge fan of Drive since everything is online and is located in the Cloud, I can access it on every device I’m using. It’s pretty awesome. You guys should definitely use it if you guys aren’t already using it.
AnkiDroid Flashcards
AnkiDroid or AnkiDroid Flashcards app is a pretty sweet app. It’s super simple but super useful for studying. You have the option of creating your very own flashcards by card or by making a complete deck of your own. You also have the option of downloading one of many free shared decks online from all sorts of categories like anatomy, math, history; the list goes on and on. Depending on the subject, someone might have already created flashcards for it. So you can go ahead and download it for free and study whatever is online there. That’s pretty cool. The app itself uses space repetition algorithm to determine when you need to see cards based on how well you were able to answer them, which is a very useful for retaining information. I’m definitely going to be using this app when fall-term starts.
My Study Life
The My Study Life app is great for staying organized. The dashboard gives you access to the classes you have today, tomorrow and the rest of the term. You can schedule tasks and schedule exams that are due. There is actually a full on calendar built into this app to help you stay organized and check your schedule. I do still prefer Google Calendar but if you like the layout of the My Study Life app, hopefully you’ll use it; hopefully you’ll stay organized.
OneNote
The OneNote app made it on the list. It’s kind of like Google Keep but from Microsoft. So if you’re in the Microsoft ecosystem, you’ll really love this app. It has a lot of similar functions to the Google Keep app. But there are some differences and some of the differences include the ability to use a stylus or digital ink to write down your notes. I would say there are also more formatting options and you can even record audio straight from the app itself, which is super neat and would be great for recording a lecture or something like that.
Wolfram Alpha
Wolfram Alpha is a must-have app for research. It’s especially great for math problems and math enthusiasts as you can check your answers and there’s really no other site out there that can present info in such a clean layout. You can try plugging in complex math problems far more complex than I can ever answer. If you try plugging in complex math problems to Google, you will most likely not find anything resembling an answer or a solution. But you will with Wolfram Alpha. It does cost a few dollars though on the Play Store so you’ve got to keep that in mind to kind of weigh in your options. But I definitely think it is worth it.
CamScanner
Every smartphone has a camera and that has really hurt the printer/scanner industry because apps like CamScanner make scanning apps so easy. With CamScanner, you can scan physical documents and turn them into PDFs from your phone. You can add a notation and search for them afterwards and you can enhance the scanned images directly from the app itself to make them wider and do all sorts of color edits. If you find yourself needing to digitize documents, you should seriously check out this app.
MathStudio
MathStudio is probably the most comprehensive math app for smartphones and tablets. It does finance and most things that Texas Instruments calculator can do. The layout and appearance is pretty boring in my opinion. I could definitely use a refresh. But there are a ton of options here that can really help out any math major.
Duolingo
The last app is Duolingo. It’s a pretty popular app for learning languages. You might have heard of it. I was going to include one game on this list to pass time when you’re bored or just need a break. But Duolingo is actually pretty fun and it can almost be classified as a game I think. Learning, in general, is pretty fun. I’ve actually been using this app every once in a while to learn Spanish. And I enjoy it more than a game because it’s far more productive. I feel like I’m actually doing something. So if you haven’t already used this app but really enjoy learning or are looking for an app to just pass the time, check out Duolingo.
Which app is your favorite? Leave a comment down below.