Apps are made for the comfort and ease of accessibility that they provide, but now, due to self-isolation these apps have become even more beneficial due to their multipurpose use of providing for our needs in a new light. From ease in communication, gathering information and delivery, to bill payments and keeping records, apps have assisted in evolving our day-to-day life during quarantine and kept us well equipped for our needs and wants.

Delivery Apps

Delivery apps for food have have always been prominent in the market. However, in recent times due to social distancing other delivery services have also picked up rapidly. Talabat, Deliveroo, Zomato, UberEats are a few food apps that have always been doing a great job at having food delivered to us under hygienic conditions. However, apps like InstaShop and ElGrocer have taken it a step further by also providing delivery of daily essentials and groceries at our doorstep. Brands such as Kibsons and Farmbox provide apps for people who prefer healthy food box delivery services containing fresh, organic ingredients and meal recipes across Dubai for a cook-at-home fiesta. Supermarkets like Carrefour and Union Co-op have their own apps for online shopping. Furthermore, apps like Fetchr and Shipa offer a local pickup and delivery service to help deliver gifts and packages to your friends and relatives during quarantine.

Home Cleaning & Personal Care Apps

Service providers have taken things to another level! Apps such as Justmop & Mr.Usta provide home cleaning and disinfection services, so you don’t have to worry about keeping the house spotless and germ free on your own. Moreover, UrbanClap is UAE's largest at-home service provider that helps users hire from window and sofa cleaners to carpenters and technicians. For clean and ironed laundry, Washmen extends its services to your doorstep with their easy-to-use mobile app that includes home pick-up and drop off option across Dubai, so you don’t need to leave the house. With majority of the repair shops closed it is difficult to get anything fixed from work laptops, mobile phones to any other gadgets used for personal or professional purposes. Helpbit however, has realized the need and is available through their mobile app for any gadget repair services. CAFU, a utility service provider is offering contactless delivery of fuel for automobiles around the city. All you have to do is log in your car’s location details and information on the app and leave the rest to CAFU.

Cooking Apps

Ordering food can get tiring after some time. We often need a change in either the delicacy or cuisine from the wide scope of variety food has to offer, sometimes even venturing to cook our own meals at home after being influenced by various cooking videos online. Technology as it always has, comes with an offering for even those of us wanting to try something new in the kitchen. Cooking apps like BBC Good Food, Big Oven, Jamie’s Recipes, Tasty, Yummly have just what you need. From a variety of easy and quick recipes to a step-by-step process on baking and cooking nutritious, healthy and even comfort meals, these apps are a food heaven for beginners and expert chefs alike.

Reading Apps

If you consider yourself a bookworm and love all forms of literature, there are various reading apps that will ensure your favorite books are always with you, especially in quarantine when you can't run to the closest bookstore or library to grab the book you want to read. BookFunnel is an app that offers a great way to discover new authors with freebie chapters, short stories, and even novels. FB Reader is another reading interface that supports most popular e-book formats, and is extremely customizable, so that you can create your own online reading environment. Moreover, there are various reading apps that allow you pay for a book subscription. These apps include Kindle, Audible, Nook and Kobo.  Many of them are fairly affordable!

Money Making Apps

Working from home is no doubt a convenient and comfortable form of earning a living. However, this can easily become a boring cycle for those of us with the same set of tasks to complete on a daily basis. Making money may not be easy but it can be made fun at the same time, the added advantage of having more free time on our hands provides a window for experimentation to find new and fun ways to earn money on the side and have something to look forward to after working hours.

Mobile apps like Etsy and Foap are some examples of apps that can help do just that. The former is an app offering a platform for people to sell and buy customized goods like handmade art, hand printed designs on leather items, handmade jewelry, embroidered clothing and customized presents for special occasions. The latter on the other hand is a platform that allows its users to explore their photography skills and upload and sell their best shots or take part in various photography missions in a bid to win some cash. While cleaning and organizing your home in quarantine, if you find things you don't need anymore, download the Dubizzle app and sell any old but well-kept items around the house, from cars and furniture to gadgets and jewelry. Meltoo is another app where you can sell pre-owned items including clothing, fashion accessories, electronics and more.

Make the best use of the ease technology has to offer! #StayHome & #StaySafe.