It’s been a veeeerrrry long time since I wrote THIS BLOG recommending the apps I found most useful on my phone. So I thought it was time for an update.

Before I get on to the new stuff, I would just say that every one of those original recommendations still firmly stands. Will the possible exception of the exercise one, for reasons that will be clear when you read on. So please do consider adding any of them to your app collection if you don’t already have them. I guarantee once you do, you’ll wonder how you managed without them.

The same can equally be promised for these:

If, like me, you like to stay current when it comes to news, but find the torrent of the 24-hour news cycle frankly overwhelming, then I can promise that, like me, you will find The Knowledge a boon. Started by Jon Connell, founder of The Week, a brilliant publication that rounds up all the best news, culture, sport, health, entertainment and business stories from around the world every week, The Knowledge does the same but in a daily email that promises to take no more than five minutes to read. And never does. The Knowledge app means you can get your cleverly edited, daily helping of the most important news stories, incisive comment, and useful info on the move, on your phone. Easy to read, informative and entertaining, this app helps me to stay abreast without feeling overwhelmed.

I know I’m uber-late to the party when it comes to Vinted, but if you haven’t joined the millions who use this brilliant app to buy and sell preloved clothes, then do consider joining me, and them. I finally climbed on board the Vinted juggernaut the last time I had a batch of clothes I’d cleared out of my wardrobe. Rather than take them to the charity shop I thought I’d see what all the Vinted fuss was about and I snapped pics of each item, following the better examples of other users (most feature a shot of the make and size labels to show the item is genuine), then filled in the easy information guide to describe each one and, again using the guidance of the pricing of similar items, set my prices, and uploaded them. Several items, which included a pair of Boden shoes, sold straight away. Others have taken longer, but of the original batch of 14 pieces, only 4 remain. When an item sells, I just wrap it up, print out a postage label that’s generated by the app, and take it to whatever the relevant local pick up point is. Once the seller - who has the cost of postage automatically added to the price they pay - receives the item and is happy with it, their payment is transferred to your account, which can be linked to your bank, so the money goes straight in there. It’s all incredibly simple and surprisingly, and delightfully, satisfying.

Oh, and if you, or anyone you know, are in the endless cycle of buying clothes for growing children, this is a brilliant place to buy and sell them. My daughters use it ALL the time for my gang of grand-girls’ wardrobes.

I happily admit to being a bit of a flirt when it comes to fitness apps. I’ll fall for one, then after a while get bored and move on to the next. Tuby is my current crush. It’s an app that turns fitness exercises into interactive games and it’s very clever! You put your device in front of you - I do tend to do it on my iPad just because the screen is bigger, but having it on my phone means I can use it when I’m away from home - choose a ‘game’ depending on whether you want to work your arms, legs or abs and how long you want the game to last, then line yourself up with the outline on the screen and AI magically translates your body movements into game controls on your screen. It’s a brilliantly entertaining way to exercise almost without realising it.

I promise I’m not just recommending the Boom Radio app because you can hear me on the station every Thursday at 1130 having a chat with presenter David Lloyd’s on his daily morning show. But of course, if you do download the app, and you do happen to listen at that time…….just saying……

What I particularly love about having the app on my phone is being able to listen to the brilliantly eclectic, cleverly curated selection of music - old and more recent - the station plays throughout the day when I’m out and about, especially when I’m walking through the lovely woods near my home. Of course the only problem is when I realise I’m singing along out loud and some poor stranger is treated to an unexpected burst of whatever happens to be playing before I realise!

This last recommendation is different from the others, in that you have to pay for it, and it’s far more niche. But it is the one I currently use the most, and one that, if you’re a bridge player like me (by which I don’t mean a bridge player as poor-to-average as me! You’ll enjoy it as much, if not probably more, if you’re a decent/experienced player) is well worth the subscription fee.

If you didn’t know that Omar Sharif was an internationally ranked, and obsessive, bridge player, you do now. I don’t suppose he had any involvement in creating and developing this app which carries his name - Omar Sharif Bridge - on which you can play Chicago or Rubber bridge, or, if you’re of a competitive bent, take part in tournaments. You can use the app not just to play hands, but also, critically for me, to learn from, because you can ask it to show you the right card to play at any given time, or get it to play automatically so you can watch the correct run of cards. You can also review and replay hands or points at any stage. So although, for someone of my level it can be a bit disheartening that the app never plays anything other than perfectly, it’s a great learning and practice tool. And, be warned, dangerously addictive (I’m not going to admit to how many tube stations I’ve missed getting off at because I’ve been so absorbed in it. But it’s more than one…)

You can download all the apps I suggest wherever you normally get your apps. I’d love to know if you have any recommendations to add to the list.