4 Software Programs I Use Most Often

1.  Google Chrome

Google Chrome has been my web browser of choice for quite some time now.  Previously I used Internet Explorer, however I felt it was becoming overly complicated and "clunky" and I was looking for something new.  I was already using Google as my main search engine, and decided to give their browser a try.  I instantly liked it better than IE and I've been using it since.  It feels cleaner, sleeker, and faster; I also like that I can save my settings and favorites to my Google account and then retrieve that data from any computer that has Chrome installed.  That way I never have to worry about keeping a separate list of my favorite websites.  It's also rather nice being able to search just from typing in the address bar.

2.  Webroot Secure Anywhere

This isn't necessarily a "get things done" program that you use for productivity, however since it is always running in the background of my laptop I feel that it's worth mentioning.  Secure Anywhere is an all-in-one program that protects your computer from viruses, worms, and malware, as well as maintaining a firewall.  You can use it to manually scan specific files, your entire computer, or just leave the real time shield active and it is always monitoring things in the background.  The settings can also be setup to scan your computer at specific intervals, like most virus protection programs.  Although I haven't used it, the program includes 25 GB of cloud storage and a handy "System Optimizer" tool which cleans up unnecessary junk files and data to save hard drive space.

3.  Textra

Since I send a lot of text messages on a day-to-day basis, it is only fair to include this Android phone app as well.  My phone came with a texting app installed but at one point it stopped working.  None of the messages would load and I got stuck with an infinitely lasting "Loading..." message.  Since I didn't feel like dealing with tech support at the time, I looked around on the Android Market and found an app called Textra.  Mostly good reviews, so I installed it and I've been using it ever since.  I would even go as far as saying it's better than the phone's stock messaging app.  In addition to having all of the standard features one would expect from a messaging app, this one feels a bit faster to me.  I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wanted to try a different texting app on their smartphone.  Great app for keeping in touch with friends and loved ones.

4.  Calendar App on Phone

The stock calendar app on my Android phone has proven itself useful time and time again.  I use this to help keep track of my work schedule, appointments, and other important reminders.  I can set certain events to repeat at specific intervals and also set alarms to go off prior to events as a reminder (such as a reminder before an appointment somewhere) so I won't forget about it.  Another nice feature of this app is you can set events to occur (such as a work schedule) for a period of time and it will warn you if you try to schedule another event at the same time.