This week is the last of three Keeper Columns! – a compendium of my favorite apps and websites from my Dot.calm column this season. If you missed the last two you can read them here. Column One, Column Two
CARpe Diem
Nothing says summer like driving a pastel-colored classic car with the top down. Ron Elenbaas suggests signing up for the bringatrailer.com daily email with live car auctions featuring some of the best bargains, the best dream cars, and the best rarities out there. Check out the websites for Ocean Reef Vintage Car Weekend regulars Mark Hyman from Hyman LTD in St. Louis, MO: hymanltd.com (click on “View Inventory” and be ready to be gobsmacked); Donnie Gould with rmsothebys.com; and Richard Gorman’s vantagemotorworks.com.
What’s on Ron’s Phone?
The Hammer Price app (hammerpricelive.com) rings you right into the real-time collector car auction action: track and compare car prices, follow your favorites, and preview auction lots. The Hagerty Insider app (hagerty.com) helps determine a car’s actual value and can search and explore auctions, and more. Hemmings Classic Cars for Sale, News & Vintage Photos (hemmings.com) lets you browse thousands of the best vintage cars for sale. Go for it!
Photographs & Memories
To create a memorable summer video, download the easy to use Animoto: Slideshow maker app (animoto.com/personal) and upload photos and videos from your smartphone.
It’s a Snap
Spectre (spectre.cam) helps you take spectacular long exposure photos turning busy city streets into rivers of light and making waterfalls into painting-like images.
GoCam by Crunchfish (crunchfish.com/gocam-by-crunchfish) lets you take hands-free selfies from up to 10 feet away. No more selfie sticks for you!
All the News That’s Fit to Stream
The Great Big Story app (greatbigstory.com) is dedicated to connecting the world by inspiring wonder and curiosity with feel-good short videos by global storytellers in 100 countries.
Flipboard: News for Our Time (flipboard.com) guides you to create personalized news feeds from news sources around the world for a balanced and informed daily selection of views.
The Radio Garden Live app (radio.garden) lets you tune into thousands of live news and music radio stations around the world by spinning its Google Earth interface and tapping on small green dots. This is seriously cool.
Something to Think About
Bring out your inner-geek with a peek at what the future might bring; visit quantumrun.com for 2020 up to 2050 future trend predictions on
home, health, energy, tech and more.
Thought & Co (thoughtco.com) has in-depth articles written by literature writers, PhD’s, and experienced instructors designed to surprise, entertain and inform in a clear, easy-to-navigate format. Sign up for their newsletter “What I Learned About Today.”
The Ted Talks app has over 3000 inspiring and provocative Ted Talks videos to feed your curiosity and expand your world by some of the world’s least known and most remarkable people. Sign up for their personalized Ted Recommends newsletter at ted.com.
Do You Mind?
The Headspace app (headspace.com) is a step by step easy-to-use app demystifying meditation and helping with stress, anxiety and focus.
The award-winning Calm app (calm.com) brings more clarity, joy and peace to your daily life (who couldn’t use some of that??) with soothing nature sounds and even narrated calming stories.
Must Haves (apps I use most every day)
The free AT&T Call Protect app att.com/callprotect puts a stop to telemarketers and spam calls by detecting and blocking unwanted calls from fraudsters and scammers. It lets you choose whether or not to answer suspect callers, check with a Reverse Number Lookup, block them and report them.
The JustWatch App justwatch.com is an easy way to find where TV shows or movies can be found. Search the app across 40 online providers in 32 countries, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Google Play, CBS, ABC and NBC. Not sure what to watch? Click on the filters tab and choose by Genres or Ratings.
Art of Palm
The free Daily Art app (getdailyart.com) puts a daily dose of art, right in the palm of your hand with exceptional artwork, fascinating short stories, and crisp images.
The Sotheby’s auction house (not real estate) app (sothebys.com) is a great read with top art stories and videos by world-class specialists bringing the world of art (including furniture and photography) to life. You can even bid directly from the app at live auctions in New York, London, Hong Kong and Paris.
Stay in Touch
Ojolie.com/cards creates enchanting charmingly-animated hand-painted ecards with wonderful musical soundtracks. They are delightful.
My go-to ecard site is paperlesspost.com and its app, which sends a beautifully designed card with up to six photos that arrives in its own online envelope.
Shutterfly.com and its app makes printing cards easy: choose a layout, upload photos from your computer or smartphone and wait till they are delivered.
For something really special, visit lovepopcards.com for intricate 3D paper sculptures designed by naval engineers on cutting-edge software and then handcrafted in the Asian art form of sliceform kirigami.
Suburban Design
The iscape app (iscapeit.com) uses augmented reality (AR) to help design your outdoor living space (think yards, patios and more).
Must-Have Travel
The Duolingo app’s (duolingo.com) bright graphics, great photos, and games help you to study up to 30+ languages or brush up on ones nearly forgotten.
The Winnie app (winnie.com) helps you find parks, activities for kids, family dining suggestions, childcare options, places to play and even where kids eat free – all near your current location.
Fingerworks
In case your 4th of July is rained out, create your own dazzling fireworks right on your smartphone with the Fireworks Arcade app and doodle animated and colorful fireworks shapes and effects with your fingertips.