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The 50 Best Apps for Parents, 2012
Whether we’re using our smartphone to organize play dates or handing over the iPad to keep the kids entertained, we can’t live without our mobile gadgets. But with more than a million apps available in Apple’s iTunes Store and Android’s Google Play market, our smartphones and tablets are useful for a lot more than calls and games.
From baby monitors to vacation planners to virtual assistants for mom, our annual guide to the 50 best apps for parents has everything you need to get the most from your iPhone, iPad, or Android smartphone. Best of all, most of these apps are free or available with free equivalents, so you can give them a whirl without having to put a dent in the family budget.
We hope you have as much fun checking out these apps as we did testing them. Be sure to tell us about your favorite apps, too — we can’t wait to see what you find! — Aaron Burgess
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Giftly
Rankings:
Unlike most gift card services, Giftly doesn’t bind you to a single merchant’s catalog. Instead, the app lets you enter any item or experience your recipient might love, from any vendor you choose, and package it as a virtual gift card. (Think of it as sending someone money, but suggesting a place for them to spend it.) The app delivers the personalized “Giftly” to your recipient via text, email, or Facebook notification, and notifies you when it’s been redeemed. So, yeah, Grandma or the kids can technically use their Giftly dollars wherever they want to, but with this app, it’s more the thought that counts.
Get it for iPhone + iPad, Free
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