Examining gaming, lifestyle and educational apps from recent years
With so many apps and the mobile world at our fingertips it can be hard to find apps that fulfill our needs. Taking a look at three different niches, gaming, lifestyle and educational, I found these few apps that provide — in my opinion — a satisfactory experience for their users.
Moonbeam (lifestyle)
It seems that podcasts are all the rage these days. Whether you’re interested in current world news, the state of film and media or are looking for advice on how to get your life together, there’s a podcast for almost every niche. Although the variety is beneficial, it can be daunting when trying to find one to stick with due to the vast nature of the market. With Moonbeam, users can choose from a list of genres and have podcast series recommended to them via the app’s algorithm.
In addition to recommending users new podcasts, the app also condenses episodes into smaller increments so users can decide whether or not they like the podcast before fully committing to a long series. During a time when social media timelines are filled with recommendation after recommendation, Moonbeam helps users to narrow their focus and make the leap into enjoying this bustling medium.
Not only does this app benefit listeners, but also supports the creators by allowing them to verify their shows within the app and control how their content appears to users. There is also a function that allows listeners to tip the creators for their work if they feel so inclined.
The app is free and available via the Apple app store as well as the Google Play store. It is well organized and easy to navigate with tabs for the home/trending page, user library and a profile section which details user stats such as favorite genre and listening time.
In my short experience with the app I have been able to find multiple podcasts centered around news and media that I found interesting and can’t wait to delve further into the world of podcasts.
Among Us (gaming)
Take a moment to recall those drab quiet days in the early pandemic, nationwide lockdowns limiting our social interaction, and far too much time doom scrolling on a daily basis. Enter Among Us, the app that kept us together when we couldn’t be together.
The game is simple, a colorful party of anywhere from four to ten users is entered into a spaceship where a list of several repairs are needed. Amongst these players one (or in some settings, two) is dubbed the impostor whose mission is to kill the other players without being caught and voted out. The rest of the players are thus tasked to find out who the killer is or complete all maintenance on the ship, claiming their victory.
This free and simple app quickly took the world by storm, bringing together friends, fueling sibling rivalries and encouraging new friendships via online connections. Although the game requires a wireless connection to be played, many users of the app found that it was playable in almost any setting.
The overall connectivity is what makes the game so enjoyable, with its chat function becoming a major highlight for many players. In the game, when a person suspects they know the impostor(s) they can call an emergency meeting where the players confer about why they believe the player in question is responsible. The chat function remains enabled for players who have been killed though their conversation isn’t displayed to the “live” players, making it easy to add funny commentary or chat about other things, possibly sparking a friendship.
In a time where I quite literally had nothing better to do, and even now on slow days I find this game to be an enjoyable time filler.
Skillshare (educational)
Recently, there has been a major increase of people wanting to continue their education outside of university or their high school experience. Skillshare has provided a platform in which users can develop and learn new hobbies, organizational skills and even impactful life experience. Skillshare is a subscription based service which allows creatives and others alike to explore the world of arts, music and virtually any other category under the sun.
Subscriptions to the app start at around $10/month but users have the opportunity to try the app for one month free at the start of their skill building journey. This app has gained a lot of traction since the start of the pandemic when people were at home more often with the ambition to start new hobbies. The app also collaborates often with YouTube content creators and other media influencers to provide discounts to viewers.
In my short experience with the app, I started a class led by an artist who I enjoy watching on YouTube, Amanda Rach Lee whose channel is centered around bullet journaling. Her Skillshare class focuses on using creative journaling as an outlet for keeping track of one’s health and wellness. I have found my experience with both the app and desktop website to be smooth, and I like that the video features are similar to that of YouTube in the sense that you can pause, rewind or skip ahead when need be.
I think Skillshare is a wonderful platform that gives many people the opportunity to expand their knowledge and build upon their hobbies.
Ultimately, there’s no such thing as a perfect app and although the market is constantly developing, it’s not likely that there will be an app for every need — nor every point of accessibility. I believe it is important moving forward that mobile developers and those in the tech industry realize that in order to be as innovative as they wish, it is important to consider all possible audiences who could benefit from their apps or products.
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