Mobile apps are ubiquitous in 2016. Just about everyone has at least one mobile device with apps to make their lives easier. I have way too many apps and use almost all of them on a regular basis. My tendencies might be a bit extreme but it works. The main reason for so many apps is Las Vegas. At least that’s what I like to tell myself.
Not everyone is so app-obsessed but there’s so much happening in Las Vegas that there’s a practical use for more apps than your everyday life may require. Let’s take a look.
Travel
These apps include just about anything you could need when traveling to Las Vegas and in Las Vegas. The notifications on the Kayak app make it a great app to find cheap airfares. Just set a fare that you’d like to pay and the app will inform you when any airline Kayak tracks reaches your price. This is a set it and forget it kind of feature and a great way to find cheap airfares to Las Vegas.
Just about every Las Vegas casino-hotel has at least one app. Some properties actually have multiple apps if their players club isn’t included with their regular property app. While the property-only apps act mainly as a website, the players club apps integrate any offers you might be eligible for. I keep Station, Boyd and Caesars apps on my phone because I frequent those properties most often. Each of these apps is connected to the players clubs so I can see if there are any discounts or offers. Grab your favorites property’s hotel-casino and players club apps and use in Las Vegas or when you’re dreaming about Las Vegas.
The ridesharing apps are a must have. Uber and Lyft offer less expensive base rates (dynamic pricing on busy days might change that) than taxis. Uber just slashed their rates another 16% so the savings is even deeper. See this blog post on how to save time and money using Uber and Lyft for an overview of how great the services are.
Dining
OpenTable is a great app no matter where you live but it’s extra handy in Las Vegas. There are so many restaurants in Las Vegas that it’s almost difficult to choose where to eat. The information in the app is helpful but that isn’t the most important and useful feature. The app is great to make last minute reservations, especially on busy weekends. You may find open reservations available that people calling the restaurant aren’t privy to.
It feels as though there is a Starbucks location every few feet in Las Vegas. If you’re a loyal Starbucks customer you’re probably happy about the frequency that you’ll come across the coffee chain. Unfortunately, most of these stores are not mobile friendly. You won’t be able to make purchases with your apps which means that you won’t be able to earn or redeem stars.
Social
What fun is being in Las Vegas if you can’t share your visit with the world? This is prime time to use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Periscope. If you don’t use these apps often you might want to make sure you’re signed into the accounts when you get to Las Vegas. There’s nothing worse than having to spend time signing into an account when you only have a few seconds to capture the perfect moment to share. If you take a lot of pictures but don’t want to upload all of them individually you might want to make a collage. PhotoGrid is my collage maker of choice. It’s a free app and doesn’t force you to brand the image with their name.
Entertainment
Just about all hotel room in Las Vegas includes wifi in the resort fee so you shouldn’t shy away from using it. You might not want to sit in your hotel and watch Netflix all day and night but having the option to watch an episode of “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” might be a nice break.
My life has revolved around music for the past 20 years. There’s always time for some jams. Spotify always has my “Jams” playlist whether I’m using the service on my phone, tablet or laptop. There’s a playlist for just about every occasion from driving to showering. The 3 songs featured in your “Shower Jams” playlist might be the best way to get the day started.
