Hi I’m Matt Galligan, Co-founder & CEO of Circa, a mobile news company. Welcome to my home screen! It’s dedicated to the apps that I use most during the day and the ones I simply couldn’t live without.
Here’s what I’m using and why:
1. Circa: Obviously as the CEO I’d have my own company’s app on my home screen but it’s in this spot because it’s the way that I stay on top of headline news while on-the-go. We break down the big news stories of the day into something more like CliffsNotes than annoyingly long articles. The idea behind Circa was to have a quick and easy way to read and stay on top of the news while moving about. Apple and Google Play also named us one of the Best Apps of 2013, which was awesome. [iOS/Android]
2. Humin: This is an exciting new app that’s replacing both the Phone and Contacts app on my iPhone. It’s super smart about who I may want to get in touch with by keeping track of my calendar, as well as where I may be located in the world. [Invite only]
3. Reminders: It’s like having a bunch of post-it-notes all put neatly together into a convenient app. Plus, it sync’s with my iPad which is awesome. [iOS]
4. Photos: Pretty self-explanatory. [iOS]
5. Google Maps: The biggest reason I have Google Maps on my homescreen has got to be mass transit directions! [iOS/Android]
6. 1Password: I use 1Password to create highly complex and secure passwords like XJixB.e6uWnHw6$z and use a different one for each site and service I use. Because of that, I need something to keep track of them and 1Password does that dutifully! [iOS/Android]
7. Kindle: Rather than waste a bunch of time in random apps, it’s pretty easy to just read a chapter at a time of a book I’m enjoying with this app. The best part is that it sync’s to my Kindle that I leave at home. Perfect for subway reading when I’m traveling in NYC too! [iOS/Android]
8. HipChat: We use this to communicate with everyone at Circa. It’s especially useful when big breaking news occurs, allowing me to drop into the “news room” and see what our writers are covering! [iOS/Android]
9. Instapaper: I don’t always have time to read long articles so I like to save them into Instapaper so that I might read them at some point in time later on. Plus, it strips everything down to just text which makes it nice on the eyes! [iOS/Android]
10. Dropbox: Almost every file I work with on my desktop is sync’ed to the cloud with Dropbox. Having Dropbox on my phone (and iPad) has meant that I can stay connected to my important files no matter where I’m at or where I’m going—it’s one crucial part of how I work. [iOS/Android]
11. Facebook Messenger: I try to steer clear of the distraction of the main Facebook app, but definitely still communicate a lot using their messaging service so thankfully there’s a purpose-built app for that! [iOS/Android]
12. Tweetbot 3: The main Twitter app isn’t too bad, but because I manage a few accounts, like my own (@mg), and my work’s (@Circa), I prefer the way that Tweetbot handles multiple accounts. Plus, after iOS 7 came out it’s really swanky. [iOS]
13. Sonos: Sonos is the most amazing way to listen to music at home—a bunch of speakers all connected to each other and getting music from the best services out there like Spotify and SiriusXM. This app allows me to control each of the speakers I have in my apartment. From when I wake up in the morning to when I go to sleep, my Sonos speakers are blaring and this app ensures they’re playing the right tunes. [iOS/Android]
14. Spotify & iOS Music: I tend to flip back and forth between these apps a lot, but the gist is that I listen to music all of the time while on-the-go. Just pop in my headphones, load up a playlist, and jam out. [Spotify iOS/Android]
15. Flipboard: I could sit and read stuff in Flipboard all day long. New gadgets, news about my city (San Francisco), fashion, movies, video games, etc. etc. If I’m looking to kill time, this is one of my go-to apps. [iOS/Android]
16. Path: Sharing and staying in touch with my closest friends is so much better with Path. It’s more intimate than Facebook, and was built from the ground up with phones in mind, so it’s not nearly as bloated as some other social networks. In short, it’s an absolute delight to use and something I check every day. [iOS/Android]
17. Messages: Well, this one’s pretty obvious. I text a lot. [iOS]
18. Sunrise: A calendar replacement. It’s ridiculous how much better Sunrise is than the iOS Calendar app. It integrates all of my calendars, plus Facebook events, all of my contact information, etc. to give me a super clear idea of what my day consists of. Plus, it’s nice on the eyes! [iOS]
19. Mailbox: I’m not sure where I’d be without Mailbox. Certainly less organized in my email, that’s for sure. Mailbox enables me to keep up with the constant barrage of email, making sure that nothing goes unseen. Plus, there’s this awesome feature where I can “snooze” an email if it’s not relevant for right that moment. It’s also worth noting that integrating with Dropbox means I can easily share files to everyone I email! [iOS]
20. Safari: Again, pretty obvious. I need a browser and Safari is pretty damn good at that. [iOS]
