Knowledge
Can smartphones be used wisely to benefit your brain? Absolutely! Donna A. Norton shows you how…
Today we are here to show you 10 amazing ways to use smartphones wisely and benefit your brain. Here are the top 10 apps to be smarter in various areas—languages, mathematics, physics, psychology, history, and more. All of them are free to use and available on both iOS and Android platforms.
We often hear how harmful the influence of gadgets can be—especially when they are inseparable from us 24/7. Some of us constantly argue with parents and teachers to show the benefits of smartphones; others are working to decrease their use. Even scientists have found pieces of evidence for both the negative and positive effects of smartphones.
So what’s the truth? Can these gadgets be useful at all?
The short answer is yes! Today we are here to show you 10 amazing ways to use smartphones wisely and benefit your brain. Here are the top 10 apps to be smarter in various areas—languages, mathematics, physics, psychology, history, and more. All of them are free to use and available on both iOS and Android platforms.
TED
Like to spend time browsing YouTube channels? Then just replace this procrastinating hobby with TED Talks! TED is a regularly updated collection of innovative lectures. Each video is usually just about 15 minutes long—which means you can watch them while having breakfast or waiting for the bus.
TED is one of the greatest brain development apps. Why? Because it supplies you with the newest ideas in technology, science, and other important areas.
The guests of the forum are remarkable speakers and representatives of the scientific world. The content is both inspiring and educational. By watching TED Talks, you will learn many new topics—for example, 3 Principles for Creating Safer AI and The Nerd’s Guide to Learning Everything Online can teach you a lot of new things.
Playlists, podcasts, new speeches—all these are available on TED every week. It isn’t a brain stimulating game, but it’s still one of the most useful apps online.
For more information or to download the app – http://onelink.to/phgk36
Lumosity
If you are looking for the best mind games for iPhone or Android, Lumosity is something that you should try out.
This app offers more than 30 top brain games, which have been developed with the help of 40+ university researchers.
The app presents 6 categories: memory, attention, problem-solving, flexibility, speed, and language. Every day, the app offers 3 different games that are free to play. But you can always buy the premium version, too— 59.99 USD per year.
For more information or to download the app – http://onelink.to/q2md9m
Memrise
Language learning is a great exercise for the brain. Why? We know at least 34 reasons. The biggest benefit of Memrise is its use of mnemonic devices.
If you are searching for apps to help with memory, pay attention to this one. Memrise will not only give you excellent examples of Chinese or Spanish language learning but will also train your long-term memory.
Memrise is a great platform to compete with your friends while learning one of 200 languages. You can study anytime and at any intensity you need.
Funny word associations will keep you in tune to continue training and increase your vocabulary.
For more information or to download the app – http://onelink.to/s564ty
Elevate
With Elevate, you can develop many skills—memory, attention, flexibility, and more. But the main focus is on language. No, it’s not an app about language learning; it’s about the English language, and it’s perfect for both native and ESL speakers.
Elevate presents five categories: writing, listening, speaking, reading, and math. Once a day, you get three free brain exercises to train your cognitive functions. Every game is pleasant to play and has perfect design.
To get full access to other games, you must open a premium account, but even with the free version, there are many benefits and a lot of fun to be had. For example, everyone can see your performance—letting you and everyone else keep track of the progress of your exercises.
For more information or to download the app – http://onelink.to/czw6pt
Duolingo
If you want to become a polyglot, this brain exercise app is a must. We all know that to learn a language, it’s necessary to spend at least five minutes practicing every day.
Duolingo is the best brain trainer for those who want to learn Spanish, Greek, or Polish (many other languages are available as well).
This app allows you to train your skills in listening, speaking, writing, and reading. There are several types of exercises in Duolingo—one teaches you how to structure sentences, while another helps you remember new vocabulary, and so on.
For more information or to download the app – http://onelink.to/5yqvxb
Coursera
Education is the best hobby in the world, right? And the best way to spend your time with a smartphone is to visit Coursera.
Coursera is the greatest resource for students and specialists—really, for anyone who wants to know something new. There is a great choice of universities and courses in such spheres as programming, biology, history, psychology, art, data analysis, and more.
Many companies trust Coursera’s results regarding its users’ performances. You can even earn a certificate to prove your knowledge!
Coursera is especially convenient because it’s also available offline. Just download the lectures you want and listen to them whenever you want.
For more information or to download the app – http://onelink.to/g79h4n
Peak
Looking for brain games like Lumosity? Try Peak!
Peak is a well-designed app that is helpful for developing cognitive functions. Just like Lumosity, it has several categories. Since the categories are different, though, it’s beneficial to use both.
Peak helps you train mental agility, problem-solving, memory, language, coordination, attention, and emotion control.
It has more than 40 amazing exercises, and you can track your progress with the help of various graphs. Peak also allows you to compare your results with people of various age groups and professions.
For more information or to download the app – http://onelink.to/2ef9h6
Curiosity
Are you a curious person? If the answer is yes, we have good news—now you have a brain booster app to make you smarter.
Every day, Curiosity presents five fantastic facts for you to enjoy. With this app, you will learn how time travel could be possible, why swimming makes you hungry, and why one kind of caterpillar eats plastic.
These daily facts, available in many different areas, are accompanied by several videos. It’s a great way to expand your knowledge.
By the way, you can find a lot of interesting YouTube channels with the help of Curiosity.
For more information or to download the app – http://onelink.to/zk3v8j
Feedly
Brain stimulating games are great, but reading is still the best way to search and find new information. Feedly is a unique app that stores articles and blog posts.
You may have a lot of interesting blogs you want to read but don’t want to spend time checking all of them to see new publications. With Feedly, you won’t have this problem anymore. You can collect every piece of information in one place. You can even add YouTube videos!
The biggest benefit of Feedly is that you can sort your posts. There are several ways to do it—by adding your blogs, scrolling through topics, or using your own keywords.
For more information or to download the app – http://onelink.to/u2bwqq
Issuu
Magazines are a wonderful source of knowledge—as long as you know where to look for it. Some people think that magazines are just a way to entertain yourself. Remember all those times you have been waiting for a dentist appointment? There were people with magazines there for sure.
But what about How It Works, Think, History, or Knowledge?
These magazines—and many others—share a lot of information on scientific topics. Access to such knowledge is an exciting opportunity to become smarter every day.
For more information or to download the app – http://onelink.to/76e5cv
Whether you are looking for a memory exercise app, brain games, or language training, you can find anything you want with almost no effort.
In this article, we shared the top 10 apps to be smarter. But the point is—there are tons of similar programs out there! Find your own collections of articles, brain stimulation games, or language exercises. They will be just as useful as the trusted and exciting sources we have listed here. Use these fantastic apps and become smarter, but never forget to try new things!
About The Author:
When Donna A. Norton started writing in school, it literally changed her life and predetermined her profession. During her studies at Texas A&M University, she helped her fellow students with writing academic papers and sought opportunities to get published. Donna is proud to be a writer at Custom Writing Blog and enjoys traveling the world. She has visited many European and Asian countries and has even managed to take a few trips to Africa.
This article was originally published in the June 2017 issue of ScooNews magazine. Subscribe to ScooNews Magazine today to have more such stories delivered to your desk every month.