There's an App For That

I'm an Apple-aholic. To me, there's no more perfect computer, electronic instrument, or insta-cool gadget than those produced by Steve Jobs and his think tank. I've always been an Apple-maniac ever since my college roommate had an old-school, green screen, Apple desktop that we shared for four years. It never crashed. It never burped. And it never failed - even as we stayed up all night chatting with boys from the Air Force Academy.

So certainly I have an iPhone and an iPad. I also have a lot of apps for both. I thought I'd share with you my top picks for dog folks who prefer the superior technology found on a Mac product.

1. Instagram: I'm seriously addicted to this photography app. It lets you take really cool, old-school photos and share them with your friends via Facebook, Twitter and/or on the Instagram feed. The photos you see on this post are made using this app. I don't use any other photography app these days. While it can't turn you into Patrick Demarchelier, but it can sure make you feel like a Vogue genius.

2. The GreytLife: This greyhound-friendly app, among other things, includes resources for greyhound events nationwide. This is a pretty all-inclusive list for those of us who like to get together with like-minded greyhound folks across the country. This feature alone has helped me to plan my vacation this year.

3. Simply Postcards: I've started sending postcards to our nieces and nephews (this includes all of our close friends who have kids) when Kevin and I are doing something fun or just want to say hi. This app allows you to create a postcard from any photo on your iPhone, write the text for the back and they will print and mail it to the recipient for you for a couple of bucks. Seriously, no more crappy location postcards and looking for stamps in the middle of vacation.

4. Goodreads: I was a serious bookworm as a kid. Then I went through a phase (of about 10 years) where I didn't read for pleasure. Now my addiction has resurfaced and I'm constantly looking for new books to read (on my iPad of course). Goodreads allows me browse thousands of book lists created by Goodreads users and create a "must read" list so when I finish a book at 2 a.m. and I'm ready to read something else, what to start next is a no brainer. This service also includes reviews on dog training books!

5. SiriusXM: If you know me, you know that I have a crude sense of humor. I love Howard Stern. I think he is a genius. I love his wife, who is the spokesperson for the North Shore Animal League. When I'm on the road, I must have my Stern. This app lets me listen to Stern and my other favorite SiriusXM channels no matter where I might be (ok, the NYC subway is a bit sketchy, but anywhere above ground, it works great). One warning, it is a suck on your data usage, so if you don't have an unlimited data plan, you may want to only use this in emergencies. Babba Booey.

These are just a fraction of the apps you can find on my iPhone (which is attached to my body at all times) and the collection on my iPad (which is carried with me frequently) is growing steadily. Apps make your life a better place, no doubt. Now, if they can come up with an app that will pick up dog poop...

"Once you go Mac, you never go back."