Moms do it all. Whether they’re rushing home to check homework after a long day at the office, or waking at the crack of dawn to iron out the family’s daily schedule, mothers have mastered the art of organizing, planning and protecting–and most tasks from the look of things.
But mom doesn’t have to rely on her cape and undeniable superhero capabilities. Technology has added a new tool to her arsenal: the smartphone. Thanks to the rise of these smart devices, mom can turn to her apps for some assistance.
With Mother’s Day around the corner, MSN Money tapped tech-savvy moms to get their picks on cost-efficient, must-have apps:
Talk.to (free): Anne Mangan, a communications coordinator for the Portland (Ore.) Development Commission, used this text-messaging app the day of the Boston Marathon bombing to connect with her daughter Dorothy, a Boston University senior who was watching the race with friends a mile from the finish line. “Calls weren’t getting through,†Mangan says. “I told her what was happening where, and she kept me up to date with where they were as they made their way back home and out of harm’s way.â€
The app allows users to chat with Facebook and Google Talk friends. Talk.to is compatible with iPhone, Android and Windows Phone devices.
Instagram (free): This photo-sharing app is not reserved for tweens and teens. Debra Aho Williamson, a Seattle digital marketing industry analyst, uses Instagram to stay up to speed with what her tween-age daughter is doing.
Instagram is compatible with the iPhone and iPad, as well as Android devices.
Pandora (free): “I don’t have time to download and organize music on my phone or computer,†says Liz Sheffield, a human-resources writer and mom of two boys. “This provides me with a variety of music anywhere – at the gym or at my desk.â€
The Pandora app is for iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, Nook and Kindle Fire devices.