When I first started contributing here at the SuperSite for Windows last January I shared information about the hardware I use on a daily basis (Part 1 and Part 2)
One thing I did not write about back then was the software, both Windows Store apps and desktop programs, that I use to accomplish my daily work and leisure routine. Now that Windows 10 has been on the market for seven months I wanted to give you an idea of the software that gets me through each day.
I am fully converted over to Windows 10 in my house so some of these apps may no longer be compatible with Windows 8 but the desktop programs should work just fine on Windows 8.
Let’s begin with the Windows Store Apps:
Nextgen Reader (PC and Mobile)
Ever since Google Reader shut down I have used other tools to read my RSS feeds from Feedly. Nextgen Reader was an early app partner of Feedly so it was one of the first Windows Store apps to gain access to the Feedly API. It is very customizable and I am able to share content directly to Twitter, OneNote and other channels directly in the app.
Poki for Pocket (PC and Mobile)
There are several Pocket clients in the Windows Store thanks to third party developers and I have tested quite a few of them. Ultimately, I keep coming back to Poki because it has been the most reliable. If you are unfamiliar with Pocket it is a handy repository to store links that you can return to later and read at your leisure.
Tweetium for Windows (PC and Mobile)
The official Twitter app for Windows 10 is horrible and lacks many of the standard features of its counterparts on other mobile operating systems. I have been using Tweetium for Windows since it was pre-release and although it takes a bit of time to get used to the flow of your timeline it is now my default Twitter app. In the last couple of months a few other third party Twitter apps have arrived on Windows 10 but just like Poki I keep coming back to Tweetium after short flirtations with these new apps.
You can definitely tell the difference between a mature app and those that are early in their development process.
Microsoft Health (PC and Mobile)
This is where I can peruse all of the data from my Microsoft Band 2. In the last couple of weeks the app and Band 2 have received a few updates to add more features and actionable data.
Microsoft Photos (PC and Mobile)
This app was pretty rough when Windows 10 first arrived but over the last seven months it has become quite stable and useful for me. I tend to keep it set as my default image viewer and it allows me to do quick crops of other images as I need them. It is also easy to save a copy of that cropped image and keep the original intact as well.
I do not use this image for a lot of organization of my images as I do that manually already based on the date and subject I shoot.
I have two other desktop graphics apps that I use for more in depth image editing and they will be listed in the desktop version of this list.
Microsoft Edge (PC and Mobile)
I know it is not a Windows Store app but it is only available on Windows 10 and for me it is my default browser. Yes, I keep Firefox and Chrome on my system for compatibility purposes but over the last few months Edge has become much more reliable with most websites.
I even figured out how to manage favorites in Microsoft Edge (video available as well) that at least make them useful.
Alarms and Clock (PC and Mobile)
This is one of the first party apps included on Windows 10 and it is my daily alarm clock now in combination with the alarm feature on my Microsoft Band 2.
Groove Music (PC and Mobile)
I subscribe to the Groove Music Pass and stream music to my desktop as I work, my Xbox One and to my Lumia 950. Although some tracks and albums are not available for offline streaming, the collection is extensive enough to build several play lists that give me all the music I am looking for and frankly most of my streaming is online anyway.
INRIX Traffic (PC and Mobile)
Jacksonville is a huge metropolitan area and like any large city has its share of traffic issues. I use INRIX for a quick check as I am heading out the door if I need to go from one side of town to the other. If there are traffic issues I can easily choose alternative routes.
This app on my Lumia 950 recently saved me about 3 hours on I-95 when it alerted me to an accident ahead of me that had all lanes heading north blocked. I was able to come off an exit before the accident and bypass it with it only costing me an extra 15 minutes.
LastPass (PC and Mobile)
Although there are browser extensions for Lastpass on Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer it is still handy having this app for quick look ups of usernames and passwords.
OneNote (PC and Mobile)
I cannot say enough about OneNote. The organization and reduction in paper usage it has helped me with are tremendous. If you want to share items to OneNote using the Share tools built into Windows 10 you will need this app installed and setup on your device.
Package Tracker (PC and Mobile)
This app uses cloud syncing to share the package you are tracking across all of your devices and includes the ability to track the various stages of your shipments status. Included are map and access to the shippers tracking website.
In my follow up to this article I will list all of the desktop programs I use on my systems.
What is your favorite Windows Store app that you could not live without each day?
