We highlight four mobile/cellular applications (apps) that should help you capitalise on the summer, but may also be useful all year round.

 

The summer of 2019 is likely to be one of the hottest on record. However, in the northern hemisphere, it is also the time when students are on an extended school break, and individuals and families go on vacation.

With about a good six weeks to go before going back-to-school and buckling down at work for the last quarter of the calendar year, hopefully there are several barbecues and days at the beach still in your future. Below are four mobile/cellular applications (apps) we recommend you consider to help you get the most of this hot(!), but wonderful time of the year.

 

1. AccuWeather

Every phone needs a good weather app. Although the current weather might seem quite straightforward – you don’t need an app to tell you that it’s hot – with temperatures reaching or exceeding all-time highs, more precautions and care may be needed before one goes out and about.

Further, in the north Atlantic, we are also in the hurricane season, and have about four and a half months to go before the season officially end. So having access to live weather forecasts and storm alerts and severe weather warnings, is crucial.

Available on: Google Play;  Apple  App Store; Microsoft App Store; Amazon Kindle

Cost: Free

 

 

2.  UVI Mate — Sun Safety Coach and UV Index Forecast App

In the tropics, and especially for individuals with darker skin tones, we tend not to pay attention to the prospect of sun burns, sun damage and skin cancer. However, with the continued thinning of the ozone layer, and increasing greenhouse gas emissions, we cannot afford to be as cavalier as we have been in the past.

UVIMate is one of the best sun safety applications on the market. The app focuses of two key aspects: (i) advising on sun safety, and (ii) being an ultraviolet (UV) index tracker. Some of the features included in the app are:  real time UV index and forecasts; recommended sunscreen SPF factor;  time to burn and sun burn control timer; and best protection time during the day.

Available on: Google Play;  Apple  App Store

Cost: Free

 

3.  My Water Balance

With the heat, being hydrated becomes even more important. Sadly, many of us do not drink enough water – and even the some fluids that we drink, such as caffeinated beverages, can undermine our overall bodily hydration.

My Water Balance is one of the many popular apps on the market, which calculates how much water you should drink each day based on your personal details, but also allows you to customise your water requirements to suit your unique needs and circumstances. The app can factor in a wide variety of drinks and beverages, and to determine their contribution to your daily water intake.

Available: Google Play;  Apple  App Store

Cost: Free

 

4.  Sworkit

If you have not gotten rid of the excesses of the 2018 Christmas season by summer, it is likely that you will carry that extra weight into Christmas 2019. In order to make exercise less of a chore, there are a variety of workouts from which to choose.

Although there are scores of fitness apps on the market, one to consider is Sworkit, which includes routines and workouts ranging from yoga, cardio, strength training, to stretching. Also, workouts can adjusted to suit the time available, and video demonstrations of exercises are also provided.

Available: Google Play;  Apple  App Store

Cost: USD 14.99 per month;  USD 89.99 annually

 

 

Image credits:  Pixabay (Pexels);  Google Play