APP SPECIAL...................... 5 apps that will keep you off your phone

5 apps that will keep you off your phone





If you can't just switch off your phone, trust these apps to keep you away from it

We're all addicted to those little gizmos that sit in our pockets and bags (and on the dinner table too). But that doesn't mean you have to give in to the temptation without a fight. There are apps for iOS and Android that can help ease the pain, turning off your phone's most distracting features.Of course, nothing works like turning off your phone.But we are humans afterall.Acknowledging that, and the irony of these apps, here are five of the favourites:

Flipd

Instead of manipulating an individual feature or two, Flipd completely takes over your smartphone. It replaces you r lock screen with something more basic, offers easy auto replies for text messages, and lets you build a list of emergency contacts in case you really need to make that call. The whole system can be turned on in spurts up to 12 hours long. You can even lock other people's phones to keep your kids in check (or your screen-addicted significant other). Right now it's Android only, but an iOS version is on the way.Available for free

Moment

Taking a slightly more kidglove approach is Moment, wh ich t r ack s how much you are using your phone and tablet, creating a pastel timeline of your daily screen-gazing.You can monitor how many minutes you spend staring at each device, how many times you pick it up, and whether or not you're meeting your goals. You can even have Moment deter usage after you enter the red zone by giving you constant alerts that make checking e-mail so tedious you'll give up.Available from $5

AppDetox

It's time to get specific.

Really specific. AppDetox lets you tailor your mobile us age to keep you on t ask when you need to fo cus and to let you roam free when it's time to chill out.You can restrict Facebook during business hours while leaving Outlook totally untouched. Conversely, you could always turn your work e-mail off for the weekend -dare to dream. Settings are flexible, letting you manage the number of times an app can be opened, what times it can be used and how much time you can sink into it.Available for free

Offtime

Sometimes you want to filter out the unnecessary, rather t h a n c ut t i n g you r c on ne c tion altogether.Offtime lets you block out contacts you want to ignore and restrict the apps that are cutting into your productivity, all the while displaying your results in easy-to-read charts and tiles. It also keeps track of notifications you're missing due to restrictions, so you can address them later.The only downside is that the app is so beautiful you may want to stare at it for way too long, defeating the purpose altogether.Free with paid options

Screen Time Control

Screen Time Control might be a parental control app, but you can use it to keep yourself in line too. It limits your overall time us ing the device and gives granu lar readouts of what apps you're using most, what you're opening constantly, and how your behaviour changes over time. The interface is colourful and makes it easy to turn the controls on and off as you need them. You might have the passwords, but no cheating ! Available for free .

-Bloomberg