If you're a 'silver surfer' – or someone in your family is – we've put together our top ten favourite apps to help you get the most out of your technology!
From useful utilities to games you can enjoy with the whole family, if you're looking for some new apps to install on your device, check our list and see which ones tickle your fancy!
SENIORS PHONE
Download Seniors Phonefor Android
Are you an Android user? Do you find that there's just too much happening on the screen to make sense of it?
Seniors Phoneis a great replacement for your phone's 'launcher'. As Agent Watling explains in this helpful article, the launcher is what you see when you're browsing through your phone's main home screen or apps lists.
We've found Seniors Phone to be a superb visual replacement – with large, clear buttons and a great help feature: if you're unsure what a particular button or feature does, simply hold your finger down on it for two seconds and the 'Help' screen will describe the app or button, and how you can use it.
Large buttons for both calling and texting are found on your home screen, as well as buttons for finding your location and sending emergency SOS messages to friends and family – making this the perfect way to make any Android phone more accessible to seniors.
Skype
Staying in touch with family members is important. But how can we make it easier to get in contact with far-away relatives? Step forward Skype, an app which lets you call mobiles, home phones and computers anywhere in the world, at a fraction of the cost of a normal phone call.
Download the Skype app to your phone or tablet, open it and create an account to begin. You can top up your Skype app in a similar way to a pay-as-you-go mobile phone, but if you persuade your family to sign up to Skype themselves, you can ring their Skype account for free!
Skype works with phones around the globe, and so can save you a lot of money if you regularly make calls to other countries. Stay in touch without worrying about the cost with Skype for iOS and Android.
Magnifying Glass & Flashlight
Download Magnifying Glass & Flashlight for Android
Download Magnifying Glass & Flashlight for iOS
Apps like Magnifying Glass & Flashlight are perfect for zooming in on tiny text or illuminating dark pages – the perfect utility if your eyesight can cause trouble.
I found this particular app very easy to use, as all the major functions are controlled by sliding your finger across the screen! Slide your finger up and down to zoom in and out, or slide left and right to change the brightness of the screen. As you slide, information will appear to show you how much magnification or brightness you're adding.
There are many instances in which an app like this could come in handy, from reading to household tasks, and having these functions attached to your smartphone means you should always have the tools to read even the smallest (or darkest) of texts! For that reason, I would recommend this app to anyone who's fed up of deciphering tiny labels or notes.
![senior apps -]()
Words With Friends
Words With FriendsDownload Words With Friends for Android
Download Words With Friends for iOS
You're never too old to enjoy a game – and digital versions of long-running classics make excellent choices for senior players. In particular, fans of Scrabble will be pleased to know that the popular tile-based game is available on smartphones and tablets around the world – entirely free – under the name of Words With Friends.
Play against your friends using a Facebook account, or pit your vocabulary against a randomly selected opponent if you feel up to the challenge!
There are other games in the ...With Friends series to enjoy, like Chess With Friends for chess fans and Hanging With Friends if you're in the mood for a bit of hangman. There's even the Boggle-alike Word Streak With Friends for a race against the clock word-spotting game!
FixMyStreet
Download FixMyStreet for Android
If your street suffers from potholes or broken street lights, FixMyStreet is the app for you!
You can easily report issues to your local council using a map and optional photographs taken from your smartphone, and let the rest take care of itself. Much easier than having to write letters or deal with the council's automated phone lines!
Use the built-in map to pinpoint the location of the problem, and even take pictures of the affected area using the in-app camera.
You can report problems ranging from fly tipping and graffiti to broken paving slabs and potholes – so if there's something that needs fixing in your area and you want to try something new, try FixMyStreet for Android and iOS smartphones.
Tunein radio
Download TuneIn Radio for Android
With TuneIn Radio, you can choose from over 100,000 live radio stations and two million podcasts, concerts or shows to stream, from the Internet directly to your phone or tablet – letting you tune in to your favourite shows without being tied to your radio!
The 'Pro' version of TuneIn Radio unlocks the ability to record what you're listening to – but if you just want to enjoy listening to the radio, then this free version will be exactly what you're looking for.
You can enjoy radio shows from around the world straight to your smartphone and listen in on a wide range of sporting events as they occur. The app can even update you with notifications when an event or concert is happening, so you can tune straight in and start listening with a few taps of your finger!
If you upgrade to the Pro version of TuneIn Radio, you'll also have access to over 40,000 audiobooks, if live music and chat just isn't enough for you. A truly excellent application to have on your handset!
![senior apps - flow]()
Flow
FlowOne of my favourite casual puzzle games, Flow is a fantastic game for any age group.
The aim is to draw lines between dots of the same colour, filling up the game board as you go. If you can fill the board with unbroken lines of colour you win the level!
Hundreds of levels are available to play through, as well as many other game types, like 'Bridge mode', for players looking to really flex their mental muscles.
I enjoy Flow because it's the ultimate casual game: hundreds of levels, varying difficulties and no time limit make this a game you can pick up and put down at will, without feeling bombarded by tasks and adverts.
It also runs on pretty much any smartphone – so whether you're using the latest Xperia or a modest Galaxy Ace, you'll be able to Flow to your heart's content!
Google Handwriting Input
Download Google Handwriting Input for Android
If your phone screen is small, and you find the keyboard too fiddly to use well, consider trying using an alternative – like the Google Handwriting Input keyboard.
This app, and others like it, replace the normal keyboard of your smartphone with a big empty box for you to write in. Use your finger (or a stylus) as a pen and write your message out word by word!
This app works surprisingly well, and can work out even the most unintelligible of handwriting styles. If you prefer to print your words a letter at a time, that works too!
I've spent a lot of time sending messages using Google Handwriting Input and found that it understands pretty much everything I write, converting it in to typed text within seconds. Perfect if you're struggling to find all the keys on your current keyboard.
Fade: Fall Detector
Download Fade: Fall Detector for Android
It's a sad fact of life that as we get older, we're more at risk of falls and tumbles. Fade is a useful tool that keeps an eye on your stability – and can send automated messages to friends, family and emergency contacts if you fall over.
This clever app uses the gyroscope in your smartphone to detect sudden downwards movement. If the phone isn't moved for a while after it detects such a drop, it begins to let people know you're in trouble.
In fact, it's not just useful for seniors: this type of app is used by motorcyclists, hikers and builders, as well as many other people, to make sure accidents are detected as quickly as possible.
Once you install the app you'll have to open it up and calibrate it: this is done by simply placing the phone on a flat surface and pressing the calibrate button. After that, all you'll need to do is set up some emergency contacts and configure a couple of sensitivity options to suit your needs, and away you go!
Have you found a few of these apps useful – or do you have any other recommendations you'd like to share? You can get in touch with us by posting a comment below! And for more great articles straight to your inbox each month, why not get your name down below for our monthly Geek Squad newsletter?