Charity Miles: Give Back While You Get Fit

Getting fit is becoming a national phenomenon.  Everywhere you turn newspapers, magazines, TV and the internet are telling us all the benefits of getting fit.  Even though we know it is good for us, many lack the motivation to start their fitness journey.   Charity Miles is an app that can help you with that.  For every mile you bike or walk/run Charity Miles makes a donation (10 cents per mile you outdoor bike and 25 cents per mile you walk/run) to the charity of your choice.  There are several charities to choose from including Stand Up to Cancer, The Alzheimer's Association and Autism Speaks.

The app is very easy to use.  You set up a profile, select your charity, start the app and off you go.  The app keeps record of how far you go and will also let you set up "reminders" to let you know when it is time to work out.  This app also allows you to Tweet or put a post on Facebook regarding your progress.  So give your workout a purpose and download Charity Miles.

Name of App:  Charity Miles

Audience:   Adult and Teen

Platform:  iOS and Android

What the App does and why we recommend it:  The app tracks your activity and gives a donation to a charity of your choice giving you extra motivation to work out.

Cost (at time of the review) :  Free 

Goodreads App: An App for Readers on the Go

Sometimes keeping track of your reading can be challenging, especially if you are an avid reader. I see many people come into the library with notebooks where they keep their lists of books that they want to read or have read. There is another option for those of you who would rather keep that information with you wherever you go--after all you never know when you will be popping into the library or a bookstore.

Goodreads.com is a website I use to track all the books I have read. With Goodreads, I can track my reading, keep a list of the books I want to read, and even add shelves to organize books based on genre. I can even rate and review books on the website so I can remember what I thought about the book when I first read it.  Goodreads.com is also a social site, so you can make friends, follow other reader's reviews, follow authors, and just keep adding to your lists of books.

Goodreads.com also has a free app. While the app isn't my favorite place to write reviews (I personally prefer typing reviews on a full keyboard rather than a touch screen), it is a great place to keep track of the books you have read, look up books, and scan books to add to your shelves.  For instance, let's say you are visiting a bookstore while on vacation and see a book you would like to borrow from the library, but are afraid you will forget it when you get back. You can open the Goodreads.com app and scan the book using the scan feature in the app, or just look it up using the search function. You can then just add it to your "To Be Read" shelf and look it up again when you get back to your library.  The app can also help you remember if you have read a book or not. If you add all your read books to Goodreads.com you can search for the book, or search your "Read" bookshelf for the book to see if you rated or reviewed it. 

I use Goodreads.com to keep track of all of my books. The app is a great resource you can take with you on the go.

Goodreads App

• Name of App: Goodreads
• Audience: Adult and Teen
• Platform: iOS, Android
• What the App Does and why we recommend it: The app will help you keep track of the books you have read and the ones you want to read, so at a glance you can see if you have read a book you are looking to check out or buy.
• What platform we used to recommend the app: iOS 
• Cost (at time of review): Free

Vroom

It's no secret that the first five years of a child's life are the most meaningful when if comes to brain development. Daily Vroom activities help parents and caregivers nurture their children’s growing minds during these earliest years. Daily Vroomturns everyday moments into brain building moments! Vroom activities differ from other app based learning activities because it takes the focus off the device and places it on the world around them.

Daily Vroom is available in English and Spanish.

Vroom allows you to create a daily, personalized activity for you and your child. Each tip is paired with a science-based Brainy Background explaining how the activity supports your child’s brain development. Whether it’s counting cars at the bus stop, learning about textures at the grocery store, or talking about shapes during snacktime, Daily Vroom offers imaginative ways to make the most of your family’s everyday routines.

Vroom offers activities from more than 16 categories to encourage brain building interactions no matter where you are or what you’re doing, and you can receive age appropriate tips for multiple children. It is also available in English and Spanish

• Name of App: Vroom
• Audience: Children and their caregivers
• Platform: iOS, Android
• What the App Does and why we recommend it: Encourages brain development in everyday, routine activities
• What platform we used to recommend the app: iOS
• Cost (at time of review):  Free

Stitcher - Your place for podcasts

Podcasts, audio files available on the internet that can be downloaded to your computer or mobile device, are becoming extremely popular.  According to the website Statista, in 2015 17% of the population had listened to a podcast and from January to March 2016, that figure had jumped to 21%. http://www.statista.com/statistics/270365/audio-podcast-consumption-in-the-us/

If you are an avid podcast listener or would like to try one out, why not try the Stitcher app.  Stitcher allows the user access 40,000+ podcasts and radio shows via their mobile devices.  Topics range from News and Politics, Education, Games and Hobbies, Science and Medicine, Entertainment, Technology and others.  You mark your favorite podcasts for easy access.  Stitcher will also give you suggestions on podcasts you might like to try.

• Name of App: Stitcher
• Audience: Adult and Teen
• Platform: iOS, Android
• What the App Does and why we recommend it: This app allows user to listen to podcasts that might be of interest to them
• What platform we used to recommend the app: Android
• Cost (at time of review):  Free

My Library Rewards: Sign Up, Earn Points, and Get Rewarded

Get rewarded for using the library! The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library has recently added a new program that will reward you for checking out materials. How does it work? 

1. Visit any KHCPL location. 
2. Check out some items and earn points for the items you check out. 
3. Sign up for My Library Rewards at MyLibraryRewards.com. 

Once you fill out the registration it will add your points from your recent visit and you are ready to start earning some rewards. Scroll through the many different offers available to you on the website, or download the app to take My Library Rewards with you on the go. With the app you can review your points, scroll through offers, and even redeem your points.  

My Library Rewards

• Name of App: My Library Rewards
• Audience: Adult and Teen
• Platform: iOS, Android
• What the App Does and why we recommend it: The app will allow you to track the points you earn by checking out items from the library and will help you redeem those points for discounts at local businesses.
• What platform we used to recommend the app: iOS 
• Cost (at time of review): Free

Brain Quest

Keep your child’s brain active this summer with this fun app from the makers of the popular Brain Quest card game. Brain Quest is a relatively challenging curriculum disguised as a quiz-show-like trivia game. It never feels like homework! Questions are given in a variety of formats such as multiple choice, true or false, fill in the blank, and more. This forces kids to think in different ways and work different parts of their brains. There is a unique app available for each elementary grade.

With Casey, Jake, and Gizmo by their sides, kids journey through the jungle or set sail for the Wisdom Islands while honing their skills in math, English language arts, science, and social studies. Each app reinforces the skills appropriate for the grade level. You can track scores for up to 3 individuals or combine forces and play the Pass and Play challenge making the app fun for the whole family. 

• Name of App:  Brain Quest
• Audience:         Children
• Platform:          iOS 
• What the App Does and why we recommend it:  Allows children to learn in a fun and exciting way that feels like a game not homework
• What platform we used to recommend the app:  iOS
• Cost (at time of review):  $2.99 

Verizon IndyCar Series App

The 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 will be held Sunday, May 29, 2016.  You can keep track of the race and other IndyCar races by downloading the Verizon IndyCar Series app.  Among the things this app lets you keep track of are: real-time leader board with running order, optional on-device alerts when IndyCar races starts and for breaking news, and current track conditions.  You can also select your favorite driver to keep track of them.   Verizon Wireless customers can get some exclusive content which includes live in-car video streaming for select drivers during Indy Car races and live INDYCAR radio broadcast audio streaming during all track activities.

May can be a very busy month.  Let the Verizon IndyCar Series app help you keep track of what's going on at the track.

• Name of App:  Verizon IndyCar Series App
• Audience:         Teen and Adult
• Platform:          iOS and Android
• What the App Does and why we recommend it:  App allows user to keep track of IndyCar races during the IndyCar racing season.
• What platform we used to recommend the app:  Android
• Cost (at time of review):  Free with enhanced features for Verizon Wireless customers.