Software & Apps
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Communication
Here are some communication apps that I highly recommend.
Facebook Messenger
Not exceptional, yet most people have Facebook accounts, and most also have the app on their phone. This messaging service can be used on either a computer, Android, or iOS device. Facebook Messenger can be used to make voice or video calls.
Telegram
Telegram is a free Internet-based messaging app. It can be installed on a PC, Mac, Linux, Android, or iOS device. A valid phone number is required to set up an account with them. Pictures are saved to your account on Telegram’s servers, so if you have a group chat the pictures & videos are not downloaded onto your phone. You can send large files to other users. You can easily switch between devices while using the same account. Voice calls can be made with the app as well.
WhatsApp is a free Internet-based messaging app. Voice and video calls can be made through the app. Each contact or group can have their own notification sound, which is handy. WhatsApp can be installed on a PC, Mac, Android, or iOS device.
Zoom
All versions of Zoom can be downloaded here (Android, iOS, or computer). Set up an account, and you can easily join a video meeting. Zoom is a great way to have a group video call with your family.
Productivity
Brave Browser
The Brave browser is based on the Chrome browser. Why use Brave? The browser blocks ads and website trackers. It also provides a way for users to earn cryptocurrency in the form of Basic Attention Tokens (BAT). The browser also allows users contribute BAT to websites and content creators. Yes, Canoosa Finance is able to accept BAT donations!
Dropbox
Dropbox is the company that got me started with cloud storage. Their Basic account is free and offers 2 GB & 3 synced devices. You can upgrade your account to the Plus (2 TB) or Professional (3 TB) of storage. Both the Plus and Professional accounts allow unlimited synced devices.
You can add more storage to your account by referring friends to Dropbox! With the Basic account, you earn 500 MB per referral, and it caps at 16 GB earned. The Professional account increases the referral bonus to 1 GB, with a max of 32 GB.
Evernote
Evernote is a great app for taking notes on your phone. It is Internet based, so you don’t have to worry about your notes getting trapped in a lost or dead phone! You can choose between Free and Premium accounts.
Google Drive
If you have a Google account (doesn’t everyone??) Google Drive is free cloud storage for you! 15 GB of free storage can come in very handy!
LibreOffice
LibreOffice is a free and open source office suite. It allows you to create word documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. Best of all is the price… FREE! It allows you to work with the formats of Microsoft Office, Word Perfect, and Open Office.
Mega
Mega offers the largest free cloud storage I have found – 25 GB! If you need more storage, they offer up to 16 TB of storage. Not only to they offer a good amount of cloud storage for free, it is also encrypted!
Microsoft 365
This used to be called Microsoft Office 365. If you get the Microsoft 365 Home edition, the license allows up to 6 users for the office suite and 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage each. This is the best deal I have found for cloud storage & it includes an office suite!
Opera
Opera is my favorite mobile browser. It is a solid browser that runs on a wide range of operating systems. Speed Dial is what makes it my favorite on the phone. Also, check out the “Mouse Gestures” feature on a computer with a mouse (not a touch pad).
OneNote
OneNote is Microsoft’s note taking app. My wife and I created a family cookbook with the app and we have shared it with both our families. The app is free and highly recommended.
Trello
Trello uses boards, lists, and cards to assist you with your productivity. Try in out, you might like it. Trello is free for a basic user. You can upgrade to a business account if you need additional features.
Vivaldi
Vivaldi is an off-shoot from Opera. This browser is very customizable! If you would like to try a new browser, check this one out.
Security
We live in a world that is interconnected by the Internet. While the Internet provides many great resources, we need to protect ourselves and our money.
KeePass
KeePass is an open source password manager. It allows you to use strong passwords so you can keep your online accounts more secure. It has the option for either just a password or a password and a key file. Your database can be shared through a cloud account, while your key file is only kept on each device.
Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a great VPN to use to keep your Internet connection private and secure while on open WIFI networks. It is highly recommended to use a VPN on your devices in order to ensure a secure connection. PIA has good speed, lots of locations, and they don’t keep logs!