AppDate: Keep tabs on your teen’s driving

In this AppDate, SEAN BACHER highlights My Max Speed 2.0, MySidekick with emergency feature, MyAccountant, Star Wars: Commander and Corobrick’s builders companion app.

My Max Speed 2.0

Using a phone’s accelerometer, My Max Speed 2.0 logs a car’s speed and location every five seconds and makes the data available for exporting to a spreadsheet. The app can be used in two ways. Firstly to monitor a teen’s driving habits and to provide an accurate record with which to argue against speeding tickets. And secondly, it can also provide a location history or send a message if the phone carrying the app travels outside a preset location.

Platform: BlackBerry OS 10 and above.

Stockists: Visit BlackBerry World

Expect to pay: R55

MySidekick now with emergency feature

The MySidekick shopping application now has an emergency feature that helps users quickly find numbers for emergency services. The numbers include ambulances, police stations, the poison line and the automobile association. The app is neatly laid out making it quick and easy to find the emergency number needed. In addition to emergency numbers the app also helps locate ATMs and petrol stations.

Platform: Android, iOS.

Stockists: Visit the store linked to your device.

Expect to pay: A free download.

MyAccountant

The MyAccountant app converts a smartphone into a pocket accountant. The app is a financial tracker that will help manage budgets. It’s not wildly exciting, but it is very useful for expense tracking. Once all expenses have been recorded for the month, the app is able to export them to a PDF or Excel format for submission to the accounts department.

Platform: Android, iOS, BlackBerry

Stockists: Visit the store linked to your device.

Expect to pay: R20

Star Wars: Commander

Star Wars: Commander is a mobile strategy game very similar to the popular Clash of Clans. The game takes place between the original Star Wars movie and The Empire Strikes Back. In it players can join the rebellion or the empire to drive the other side out of the galaxy. Like other mobile strategy games Star Wars: Commander allows you to build up bases and resources, raise armies, and both defend your bases and attack the other side’s bases strongholds.

Platform: Windows Phone 8 and above.

Stockists: Visit the Windows Phone Store.

Expect to pay: A free download but with loads of in-app purchases.

Corobrick mobile app

The Corobrick mobile app gives builders an easy-to-use interface that allows them to plan construction projects. It provides the builder with important information like how deep a wall’s foundation needs to be, how much cement is needed when laying a concrete screed and where waterproofing material needs to be used. The app also works out how many bricks will be needed for a wall, and displays the current weather conditions.

Platform: iOS devices

Stockists: Visit the Apple App Store from an iOS device.

Expect to pay: A free download.

* Sean Bacher is editor of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Twitter on @SeanBacher