Now that we are in the lull after the holidays and before the Patriots' victories in the post season we can pay some attention to our new phones and tablets.  Their newness should have worn off by now.

These apps are some of my favorites and used nearly every day.  Unless noted otherwise they are available at the iTunes store for Apple products or https://play.google.com/store/apps for Android platforms and are free downloads.

Lookout - Security and Backup for the devices.  Helps locate a lost device.  Indicates if the WiFi you use is secure.  Checks running apps for malicious processes.  Aids in backing up your device.  Remember, devices can be subject to malicious interactions.

Dropbox - Access files and pictures on your device that live on your PC.  You can also add folders. Most importantly, you can indicate who can share access to the file. This app is critical for access to frequently used files that are references: critical work documents and spreadsheets, legal documents, etc.  Great for sharing photos with only some people, versus sharing with all friends on Facebook.

Pocket - Read saved web pages on any device.  Quite often we want to be able to access a saved web page but don't have Internet access.  This app permits you to save a web page and read it on your device, without the need for Internet connectivity.  Useful when waiting for something to catch up on download web articles.

pic2shop - Scan bar codes.  Get the price at different vendors.  Comparative shopping.

Euronews, Euronews Express - An alternative to CNN, Fox, BBC, etc.  News articles and features include the US, but more foreign coverage. Many videos. One of the more interesting features is called 'No Comment', videos without voiceovers.

Notability - (iPad only, $1.99).  The Swiss Army knife app.  Create text files, with voice narration and freestyle pictures.  Make sketches, add pictures and insert comments on both, etc.  Great for note taking with related figure drawing, plus can orally record information.

WolframAlpha - ($3.99) Totally geeky but great for the technically inclined.  Probably banned by high school and college math teachers since it will symbolically solve equations, integrals, differential equations, graph functions in three dimensions, do matrix operations, etc.  Does basic statistics, chemical and physics equations , etc.  General Knowledge categories: time zones, foreign languages, star charts.  Great for surfing.