It’s always fun for me when people share their favorite smartphone apps. It seems I always learn something new, find a cool way to get something done, or discover a way to enhance my work or make it more efficient.

Here are ten apps that I really enjoy and use often. Maybe you’ll find something new here, something to help you in your daily workflow, or a way to enhance your hobby or leisure time.

1. Google App. It’s just Google. But the really cool thing about it is it’s voice recognition software. Speak into your phone and whatever you say will be “googled.” I’ve used it more frequently than I’d care to admit.
2. Creative Whack Pack. I used to own the physical deck of cards. Now I just shake my phone and it gives me a whack on the side of the head to stimulate my creativity. It’s a virtual deck of 84 cards that gives thinking strategies and questions to get you going.
3. Shazam. Have you ever found yourself in a place where you heard a song in the background and really wanted to know the title and artist? Open up Shazam, let your phone “listen,” and it will tell you both the title and the artist. It will even give you links to purchase the song if you like. And it’s free. Amazing.
4. ESPN ScoreCenter. This app does what you’d expect it to do: It gives you the scores for all the games. You can even set it for your favorite teams. But what I really like about it are the in-game alerts. When your favorite team (or their opponent) scores, you will receive an immediate alert and the circumstances. I love it when it tells me that Prince Fielder has hit a home run with Ryan Braun on base.
5. Yelp. Yelp is an app that will tell you all the nearby coffee shops, gas stations, drug stores, and banks. But what I use it for is a guide to local restaurants. With the help of Yelp (I’m a poet and I don’t even know it) I have found incredible restaurants in cities other than my own. It was really helpful when I found myself in New York City surrounded by hundreds of restaurants. The reviews (sometimes to be taken “with a grain of salt”) are especially helpful.
6. HeyTell. Without signing up for an account you can instantly communicate with friends and family. HeyTell turns your smartphone into something resembling a walkie talkie. It comes in handy for quick conversations on the run. Try it. You’ll love it.
7. Instagram. Instagram is a new kind of social media, allowing you to share fun, quirky, and unique photos on almost any other social media platform. Instagram is its own platform, too. You can connect with others who use it, and see the wonderful photos your friends (both near and far) take and and share. You can run your photos through filters that make them look incredible.
8. FlightTrack. This app has been useful when I have friends or family traveling. I can literally follow them through the air while they’re flying. It instantly tells me whether the flight is on time, where it is, and even how fast it is flying at how many feet in the air.
9. Evernote. Want to capture notes and ideas on the run? This is your app. It syncs with all of your computers. You can even cut and paste web pages with it. It’s too complex to explain in a couple of sentences. Suffice it to say that once you use it, you won’t be able to live without it.
10. Talking Carl. You have to see Carl to believe him. Trust me. He will make you laugh. Check it out.