Let your app help you pick the best rapids for a summer tubing trip.
Summer: A time of picnics, beach visits, road trips ... and gadgets? Although you may look to the summer months as a chance to cut the cord and get outside -- especially if you live in a northern latitude -- think twice before leaving your smartphone or tablet on the kitchen counter. These devices can run apps that can enhance your enjoyment of the precious summer sun.
Coppertone MyUV Alert
Slathering sunscreen protects against sunburn and reduces the risk of certain types of skin cancer. Take your defense against looking like an overcooked lobster to the next level by downloading an app that tracks ultraviolet exposure. Several apps, including Coppertone's MyUV Alert, compare real-time UV data from satellites and provides recommended exposure given your location, skin type and solar weather patterns. MyUV Alert is available as a free download for Android and iOS.
Cocktail Flow
Cold beer makes a great summer staple, but more complex cocktails may offer an interesting or elegant counterpoint to a summer cookout. Cocktail Flow, available for free for Android and Windows Phone 7, provides a comprehensive directory of cocktails, plus cocktails sorted by base spirits, events and colors. Input your current bar stock to get a list of drinks you can already mix; the app will also provide suggestions on what you should buy next.
Trailhead by The North Face
Dive into the back country with the Trailhead app by The North Face. This tool helps you find trails, hikes and bike routes -- based either on your current location or by browsing an index of more than 300,000 different trails. You can track time, distance and location, set waypoints, view maps and share your excursion on Facebook or Twitter. The app is free for iOS and Windows Phone 7.
Mom Maps
Keep the kids entertained around town or on road trips using Mom Maps, a free app for Android and iOS that draws from its database of more than 28,000 different locations to help you find child-friendly destinations including restaurants, parks, museums and playgrounds. Search by activity type or ZIP code.
Pandora Internet Radio
Keep the party jamming using Pandora Internet Radio. Simply input an artist and Pandora's software will generate a playlist of similar music to accompany your summer gathering -- no need to create your own playlists or fuss with MP3 players. Pandora offers a free app for Android, BlackBerry, iOS and WebOS; use of the app is free but limited with unlimited subscriptions to Pandora One costing $36 per year.
Poynt
Need to find a business in a hurry? Poynt provides location-aware weather, restaurant listings, business directories and movie listings with advanced search features like restaurants by cuisine and movies by genre. When you pick a destination, Poynt lets you map it from your current location or call it. Poynt is available for free for Android, BlackBerry, iOS, Nokia Ovi and Windows Phone 7.
On the Grill
Master the art of the barbecue with the Weber's On the Grill app for iOS and Android. Weber, a manufacturer of grilling equipment, offers a free app that contains more than 250 recipes, dozens of how-to videos, grocery lists and grilling timers. The app costs $4.99 from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Tags: free Android, available free, more than, MyUV Alert, Windows Phone
