5 Thanksgiving Apps to Download Right Now
November 22nd, 2011
By Terreece M. Clarke
Where are you right now? In an airport? Headed into holiday traffic? Wrapping up a few last things at work before knocking off for the long weekend? Wherever you are, if you plan on enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday, you cannot do it without downloading these cool apps.
Ratio (iPhone, iPad, Android)
Imagine yourself staring down the business end of a raw, cold and naked bird. Is this really the time to focus on fractions? With the Ratio app you don't have to figure out how to half, double or triple Grandma's recipe for stuffing. Ratio does it for you. This app is easy to use, has a cool design and is something you'll keep on hand when you have a cookie craving and only one egg. It's not a recipe app and it doesn't create a grocery list for you, it simply helps you figure out how to make a recipe you already have work with your available ingredients.
Table Manner (Android)
A great app to brush up on the things that make dinnertime pleasant. Eating at your desk and on the go in the car, it's easy to forget elbows off the steering wheel, um table. One of the reviewers said,"Just do what it says." Simple advice, much like this app. Beyond making your family proud by not placing your face level with the table and shoveling this Thanksgiving, the app also helps with eating manners in other countries.
Open Table (Variety)
If you haven't heard of this app, you've been missing out. Open Table is a good backup app for Turkey Day disaster. The app help you see what restaurants are open and you can even make real-time, confirmed reservations. After the holiday the app is rock solid for on the go reservations. Let's face it, leftovers get old real quick. The interface is intuitive and easy to use and more restaurants are added all the time. The one problem with the app are the ads. There are ads in a lot of apps, but these can get in the way.
Black Friday Survival Guide (iPhone, iPad, Android)
Have you been good this year? Plan on buying yourself a little treat on the cheap at the Black Friday sales? This app will help. Black Friday news, sales and deals sent directly to your phone. Diehard shoppers will likely use the app to coordinate a comprehensive plan of attack with a group of fellow shoppers. This app is highly rated, though some complain of freezing, in-house tests found the app very responsive.
Shop Savvy Bar Code Scanner (iPhone, iPad, Android)
Another app useful for Black Friday and beyond, this app scans the barcode of an item and tells the prices in surrounding areas and online so it's easy to find the best price for any item. Previous versions of the app weren't very good, the scanner had trouble registering the correct product or any product at all, so it is a pleasant surprise to see it improve so much. It is also a QR code reader eliminating the need for two separate apps.
What did we ever do without apps? Scan the paper for sale circulars, bust out the paper and pencil to figure out the mathematics of a partial recipe and eat a crusty, dry turkey after baking disasters. And while apps, smart phones and tablets have made life easier, they haven't made a family app yet and never will. Be sure to unplug for a while this weekend and enjoy quality time with the people you love.
Terreece M. Clarke
