As 2023 draws to a close, we’re thinking back to some of our favorite apps that made everyday life a little easier this year. While fancy new AI applications and competing social networks grab the headlines, sometimes the most useful innovations slip under the radar. The apps on our best-of list may not have made it to 2023, but they’ve become everyday essentials that streamline our work or bring small moments of joy. Read on for the top apps we’ve turned to time and time again when we need to get things done, connect with others, or just have more fun.
Mimestream
Details: A Mac app for Gmail (Mac)
Who chose it: Ivan Mehta
Why it’s a favorite: I have used and reviewed many email clients over the years. I’m still sad that Inbox by Google is no more. Mimestream is a simple yet excellent Gmail client created by ex-Apple engineer Neil Jhaveri. The app has a split view so I can quickly see the content of the email. Additionally, swipe gestures allow me to archive or delete emails from the Inbox queue quickly.
There are also additional features such as multi-account support, an extra menu bar, Gmail aliases and quick tagging (which I found useful for categorizing emails)
The bonus states: Audiopen (a web app for transcription), Obscura (an iOS camera app for professional photography)
Tinyview
Details: Bite-sized comics app that supports their creators (iOS, Android, web)
Who chose it: Anna Heim
Why it’s a favorite: Let’s be honest: If I started using Tinyview, it’s because it allows me to read some of my favorite webcomic strips — Itchy Feet, Fowl Language, and They Can Talk — in a convenient, easy-to-navigate format. But over time, I learned that it makes writers happy too, because as one of them noted on Thanksgiving Daythey get “a real living wage”, much more than through Patreon or book sales.
The app is free, but paid users have access to bonus tables and more. Aside from the extra content, however, paying for the app is also a way to support the creators. If you particularly liked a comic, you can also share the ‘love’ individually by sending them a ‘cookie’, ‘coffee’, ‘art supplies’ or ‘pizza’, each corresponding to a different tip level .
MacroFactor
Details: Macro Tracking App with Minimal Indicators (iOS, Android)
Who chose it: Natasha Lomas
Why it’s a favorite: This is actually the first (proprietary) macro tracking app I’ve used — I came across it via a recommendation from a climbing guru Hooper’s Beta — so I can’t speak to how it compares to the rest of the market. But I appreciate its Zen-like minimalism. If you’re looking for a no-nonsense tool that won’t bog you down with annoying notifications, but will help you better understand the nutritional slant of what you’re eating, you can’t go wrong with MacroFactor.
Beware it is not free (there is a short free trial), so you will need to pay for a subscription. But honest work deserves honest pay, as they say. And you can be sure that your data is not sold to Mark Zuckerberg. The setup is simple: You just answer a few basic questions about your body, your training schedule, and set your weight loss goal (if you’re actually aiming to lose weight, I was more interested in understanding my macronutrient intake), and the app will generate custom calorie and macro goals for you that adjust, week to week, as you weigh yourself. The food logging interface is also decent, with cute icons that add a Pokémon-like “gotta catch them all” touch to prompt you to change what you want to eat. Balanced diets FTW!
MMDC (MeetMyDogChallenge)
Details: Social Networking App for Dogs (iOS, Android)
Who chose it: Lauren Forrestal
Why it’s a favorite: As a new puppy mom, finding other dogs with the same temperament as my rambunctious nakko can be difficult. A lot of dogs in my neighborhood are big, older dogs who don’t necessarily want to play with a tiny little speed machine with short legs jumping around. MMDC allows me to set up playdates with other little dogs, find nearby group meetups, and share photos of my pup in her new raincoat (she absolutely hates it).
Image Credits: Meet my dog
My favorite feature is the availability schedule so everyone can see which days we are free. While this new canine respiratory disease has put many personal plans on hold, MMDC is also great for chatting online with other users I can connect with our adorable doxies.
Libby
Details: Borrow e-books and audiobooks from the library directly on your phone (iOS, Android, Web)
Who chose it: Amanda Silberling
Why it’s a favorite: Whenever I meet someone new and learn that they like to read, I ask them if they have a Libby. Since the start of the pandemic, I’ve read at least 50 books every year, and I couldn’t do it (or afford it, presumably) without Libby. The app lets you link your library cards (yes, cards, plural – don’t ask about my moral judgments about having multiple library cards) and then you can search for books to borrow as e-books or audiobooks . If you borrow an e-book, you can sign in to your Amazon account and send books directly to your Kindle. It’s easy, it’s cool, it’s beautiful, Libby. Bonus suggestion: Share a Libby account with a friend and judge each other for all the awful shit you both read.
Image Credits: Libby app (opens in new window)
PSPlay
Details: A third-party client for PlayStation Remote Play (Android)
Who chose it: Kyle Wiggers
Why it’s a favorite: Well, I am very late to the party, but my partner and I just started using the PlayStation 5’s Remote Play feature — a real godsend on those days when our bed sounds a lot more appealing than the couch. Because the PS5 is in the living room and we don’t want to move it. In anticipation of holiday travel, I’ve been researching ways to take Remote Play beyond the confines of our apartment Wi-Fi, and the procedures seem a little… involved, to say the least.
Image Credits: PSPlay
PSPlay makes it easy — it’s Remote Play on the go, as advertised. Beyond that, it offers features that Sony’s official Remote Play app lacks, such as support for third-party controllers, picture-in-picture mode, and screen capture — making it well worth the $5.99 price tag.
