Durban – Most moms I know lead frantically busy lives. They’re almost always the family “social director” and keeper of the calendar, the person who reminds you it’s Auntie X’s birthday.
Many are also responsible for putting bread on the table, literally and figuratively.
But even supermoms need a helping hand every now and then. Today’s selection of apps is designed to help make life just that little bit easier. Most are free, with paid for enhancements that make great gifts for the mom in your life.
Cozi
Organising the family calendar, making shopping lists, managing to-do lists and assigning chores is exhausting work. Cozi.com helps you to spread that burden with the other members of the “team”.
Their free Cozi iPhone, Android and BlackBerry apps mean everyone in the family old enough to have a phone can log in and update items and ensure they’re all on the same electronic page. No more excuses for dad forgetting to fetch the kids when mum’s out of town on business.
Zomato
Speaking of business trips, finding a good place to eat in a strange town can be a hassle.
Not if you’ve downloaded the Zomato app, though – available for free on all smartphone platforms. It has an impressive directory of restaurants in South Africa, which includes contact details, full menu, operating hours, directions and, most importantly, user-generated reviews.
Cities covered are Cape Town, Durban, the Garden Route, Hartbeespoort, Joburg, Pretoria and Richards Bay.
It’s also a great choice for dads looking for somewhere classy to take mom to make up for forgetting to fetch the kids.
Mango
If you’ve found yourself running to catch a flight and wishing you’d checked in online, this free app, available for most makes of smartphone, is for you.
If you’re a Windows 8.1 user, however, you’re in for a special treat. To celebrate the launch of the app on this platform, Mango and Microsoft are offering Windows exclusive fares available from R1 for a limited time and with certain terms and conditions. The offer is limited to the first 10 000 seats.
Allrecipes
One of the best foodie resources online, with over 50 000 options, is Allrecipes. It has a community of more than 40 million cooks.
Sift for ideas by cuisine, ingredient, dish type etc. Recipes include photos, nutritional information or step-by-step video instructions. Perfect for busy moms looking for inspiration… and dads looking to treat mom to a romantic meal at home after a long day at the office. Available free on all main smartphone platforms.
Dropbox
A computer crash or cellphone theft can turn an already hectic day into a nightmare. That’s when you’ll be glad all your valuable files and precious family photos are backed up to Dropbox’s ever growing corner of the “cloud”.
Just log into Dropbox from another computer or via an app on all major phone platforms and you’re back in action. The first 2GB of storage are free, thereafter a variety of paid plans are available.
Uber
High-tech taxi service, Uber, has quickly become a favourite among busy, tech-savvy moms in South Africa. The Uber app makes it a breeze to order a ride for yourself in a strange city, but it also makes for the perfect emergency chauffeur service for your kids if, for example, your flight home is delayed.
But you may be understandably concerned by recent allegations of sexual assault against Uber drivers in New Dehli, London and Portland in the US. So you’ll be relieved to hear that Uber SA recently announced additional measures aimed at making rides safer for passengers and drivers alike.
The app now uses an additional layer of software called Twilio to hide users’ cellphone numbers from drivers and vice versa, replacing them with temporary ones that won’t work once the ride is over.
Riders and drivers will also no longer be able to SMS one another, preventing potentially inappropriate contact between drivers and passengers. One example that springs to mind is a driver pestering a passenger with calls or text messages asking her out on a date.
Safekids.com
OK, this isn’t an app. But the website safekids.com is a must-visit resource for any mom – and dad – concerned about their child’s safety online.
Published by globally respected expert in the subject, Larry Magid, the site is chock-full of incredibly useful information on protecting your children from cyber-bullying, whether under 13s should be on Facebook, and how to monitor your kids’ internet and cellphone usage without resorting to creepy Big Brother tactics.
The ultimate aim of the site is to help parents empower their children to be confident, responsible and safe “Netizens”.
As Magid puts it, “The best way to assure that your children are having positive online experiences is to stay in touch with what they are doing. The best filter – the one that lasts a lifetime – doesn’t run on a device, but on the software between your child’s ears.” I couldn’t agree more.
Questions, comments or suggestions? Email [email protected] or follow @alanqcooper on Twitter.