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We all know that smartphone utility extends far beyond making calls and receiving texts, especially with the dawn of apps, which have risen to the forefront as a means of augmenting the mobile experience.
The multitude of apps on mobile stores means that users are spoiled for choice, but the sheer number has also become a bit of a double-edged sword.
Sorting through countless apps to find useful ones can be a daunting task, considering their volume, so here are recommendations for apps that are worth exploring.
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With regular reports of phone scams making the rounds (and an unlucky few having lost millions in savings to fraudsters), having a good caller ID app has become particularly important.
Truecaller and Whoscall are good options, with the latter having a partnership with the Royal Malaysia Police Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID).
With the rise in fraud, mobile apps like Whoscall and Trucaller are invaluable for identifying and blocking calls from scammers.
Both mobile apps will display the name of a caller based on an online database of user reports while also flagging scammers and spammers.
Whoscall has an additional advantage: it incorporates phone numbers listed in the CCID’s Semakmule system and will tag them as “Scammer (Verified by PDRM)” when one is detected.
Whoscall’s premium plan, which adds better protection against spam, removes ads, and scans SMSes automatically for malicious links, costs RM8.49 a month or RM85.99 annually.
The premium version of Truecaller, which has largely the same features as Whoscall but also allows users to check who viewed their profile, is slightly more expensive at RM9.90 but has a cheaper annual plan than Whoscall at RM71.90 a year.
Architect of your finances
For those looking to track their spending better but don’t feel motivated to do so on a daily basis, Fortune City might be exactly what you need.
Fortune City gamifies your finances in a little city management game, where all your daily spending becomes a building that can be upgraded over time.
The type of building constructed will depend on what you have been spending on, which can also help to visualise your shopping habits.
Fortune City gamifies your finances by transforming your daily spending into a city-building game.
The app incentivises regular budget and spending updates in order to progress and develop the city.
Fortune City is available for free, with the option of monthly (RM11.99) and yearly (RM99.99) subscription plans that get rid of ads while adding budgeting tips and offering more tracking tools.
There are also more generic options, like Wallet: Budget Planner Tracker, for users who would prefer something simpler instead.
In good books
Moon+ Reader (and its premium ad-free counterpart, Moon+ Reader Pro for RM42.99), is a versatile reading app with support for most popular ebook formats, including EPUB, PDF and MOBI, as well as various comic standards.
The reader itself is highly customisable, offering multiple themes and control schemes. It provides options to select custom fonts, adjust their sizes and colours, and choose paragraph styles.
Those looking for new books to pick up can check out the Project Gutenberg page of Moon+ Reader’s Net Library, which contains a collection of over 70,000 ebooks in the public domain available for free.
Strangely enough, it also has support for DOCX (Microsoft Word documents) and HTML, despite not being able to edit those files.
Double defence
Another essential security measure is a two-factor authentication (2FA) app. Without it, all it takes is a leaked password for an account to be compromised.
By linking an account to a 2FA app, any would-be hacker will need the device that the app is installed on in order to get a login code.
Sorting through countless apps to find useful ones can be a daunting task, considering their volume, so here are recommendations for apps that are worth exploring. — 123rf.com
Among the popular choices, Google’s Authenticator app stands out, along with alternatives such as Authy or 2FAS, both of which offer a browser extension for convenient access to login tokens.
Services that support 2FA apps include PayPal, Facebook, Instagram, Zoom, X (formerly Twitter), Amazon, Microsoft and, of course, Google itself.
Speaking of security, if you are looking for a standalone password manager, it is worth exploring Bitwarden.
This tool encrypts and securely stores user passwords in the cloud, providing convenient access across various devices.
Bitwarden has a distinct advantage as it is open source. This means the community has the freedom to review and audit the app’s code, ensuring it adheres to specific standards.
A simpler option would be to resort to the built-in security managers in Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, both of which also encrypt your data.
Government apps aplenty
For those who may not be aware, and it appears that many aren’t, given the app’s relatively low installation count of about 10,000 on the Google Play store, the Malaysian government has an app called Gamma.my. This app essentially functions as a gallery, showcasing all the apps released by various government entities.
In total, there are 231 apps on offer from 107 different government agencies, including apps that most should already be familiar with, such as MySejahtera and MySPR Semak.
Those looking to go cashless can try Google Wallet or device-specific apps such as Samsung Wallet or Apple Pay, all of which can be used for payments almost anywhere that support contactless payments, as long as your mobile phone has NFC (near-field communication). — 123rf.com
Highlights on Gamma.my include the Price Catcher from the Domestic Trade and Costs of Living Ministry, which features daily updated pricing for basic grocery items along with information about the marketplaces where they are sold.
On the other hand, those who no longer want to carry a physical driver’s licence can opt to use the MyJPJ app to store a digital copy of it. The app can also store your road tax, though this is not a must even if you have opted for a digital road tax.
MyJPJ can also be used to check traffic summonses, bid on licence plate numbers, and check driving test results.
Audio add-ons
Music enthusiasts have a plethora of app choices. For those looking to broaden their music collection, Swipefy offers a unique approach, functioning similarly to a dating app.
Shazam is still one of the most popular apps for identifying songs.
Instead of swiping left or right on people’s profiles, users swipe on recommended music tracks based on their connected Spotify account’s music library.
The app is available for free, though users have the option to upgrade to Swipefy Pro for RM14.99 a month, RM39.99 a year, or make a one-time payment of RM88.99 for an improved recommendation algorithm and to sync liked songs with Spotify.
There’s also Wavelet, which is an equaliser that can be used to customise audio profiles either manually or based on the Harman target curve for a specific headphone model. Wavelet is available for free without ads but has a Pro version (RM19.99), which adds a bass tuner, virtualiser and reverberation effects.
Shazam, now owned by Apple, is an app that many will be familiar with, as it’s a popular app that’s used to identify songs that are playing.
Other options
For those seeking to eliminate the need for a USB cable when transferring files from desktop computers or laptops to a mobile phone, Solid Explorer offers a wireless solution.
However, setting this up will require some initial configuration, with the app providing documentation to guide users through the process.
It comes with a two-week trial, after which users will need to pay RM19.99 to continue using the app.
Those looking to go cashless can try Google Wallet or device-specific apps such as Samsung Wallet or Apple Pay, all of which can be used for payments almost anywhere that support contactless payments, as long as your mobile phone has NFC (near-field communication).
The apps can also be used to store loyalty cards and boarding passes, though support will vary depending on service providers.
Another worthwhile installation is Splitwise, particularly for those who tend to go out with large groups of friends and end up splitting the bill.
The app serves as a payment tracker for the individual who covered the expenses during the outing.
Once the expenses have been entered in the app, the person can specify how they should be divided – the app can accommodate uneven splits – among the members within a group.
Those who rely a lot on public transportation may want to try MyRapid Pulse, which is centred around journey planning along MyRapid-operated networks. — 123rf.com
Subsequently, group members can use the app to indicate when they have settled their owed amounts.
Splitwise is available for free, with a premium option priced at US$2.99 (RM14) a month or US$29.99 (RM140) a year, which removes ads, unlocks receipt scanning, charts and graphs, along with the ability to attach images and PDFs.
Those who rely a lot on public transportation may want to try MyRapid Pulse, which is centred around journey planning along MyRapid-operated networks, covering the MRT, LRT, KL monorail, and Sunway BRT lines, along with all buses under the Rapid brand in Penang, Kuantan, and Kuala Lumpur.
