Never Have FOMO Again: 6 Awesome Social Media Apps
FOMO or “fear of missing out” is the fear that someone, somewhere may be doing something more interesting or exciting than you are. Millennials who’ve spent the majority of their lives connected to technology especially feel the effects of FOMO. Luckily, new apps are being created every day to make sure we’re always up to date and connected. Never miss a funny story, cool picture or group invite with these cool apps.
Image via Flickr by Jason A. Howie
Facebook is the most well-known and most obvious answer, but it needs to be mentioned. Being on Facebook is like being in the phonebook used to be. Kids seem to be getting profiles earlier and earlier. Even fetuses have profiles made on their behalf while in utero. Facebook is the granddaddy of Social Media, so It’s had a lot of time to build up steam.
It’s also one of the few that allows users to build a profile with all sorts of personal information, like where you went to school, who you’re dating, and what you like. Since it’s been around so long, a lot of people have been using it as a sort of virtual photo album. It so easy to upload and share pictures instead of having a traditional photo album in your home.
Vine
Vine has recently exploded on the screen with an interesting hook, 6 seconds of video. That may not seem like a lot of time, but it has really brought out the innovation and imagination of its rabid fan base. To make a successful Vine, you have to be funny. The funnier your Vine, the more it’ll spread like, well, a vine, through all of social media land. Celebrities are catching on as a way to give shout outs to friends, family, and fans, as well as give a little glimpse into their secret celebrity worlds.
Pheed
Pheed is a social media app that lets you create, share and follow all forms of digital content. Instead of being limited to just pictures or videos, Pheed allows users to share text, video, photos, voice-notes, and audio. Each user gets their own “channel” that they own and control. This means they can choose to hide their subscribers counter from everyone, add, remove, and share at will, and even charge users a monthly subscription fee for access to your channel.
Snapchat
Unlike the other social media sites that archive every detail you enter, Snapchat prides itself on its in-the-moment messaging. Friends can send a picture or a video and choose how long the recipient is able to view it, with a maximum view time of 7 seconds. You’re also able to write and draw on the photos before you send them, but once the time limit is up they’re gone forever. Technically, it is possible to take a screen shot before the picture disappears (just see the hype around the iOS 7 screenshot change for Snapchat), so be careful what you send.
Chatterbox-Social TV
Chatterbox is an app that takes the relatively solitary act of watching tv, and makes it into a group affair. The app isn’t for watching TV on your smartphone or Lenovo tablet, you use it WHILE you watch TV. You use the smart TV guide to find the show you want to watch, or check out what shows your friends are watching. Checking out the “trending” and “featured” sections help you find new content. Once you find a show you’re interested in, you check in and then take your pick of any number of interactive features, like chat rooms and, trivia games.
The Chatterbox marketplace even features discounts on merchandise from brands and retailers associated with the show.The more you participate, the more points you accrue and badges you earn. You can even redeem your points for prizes like discounts and gift cards.
BlingBoard: Social Widget
BlingBoard is a widget that combines all of your missed calls, texts, Gmails, and social media alerts like Twitter and Facebook, into one convenient location. It’s simple and easy to use, and you can put it in a central location, like your home screen, so you don’t have to toggle back and forth between apps. The widget also allows you to call, text, launch Gmail, and respond to messages from the same place.
We live in a fast-paced world and if you don’t stay connected, you could miss out on the next big thing. No one likes to fall behind, so keep yourself ahead of the curve by using some of these cool apps.
Author Bio: Calvin Sellers is a mobile tech and social media writer and graphic designer from Tampa, FL. He has been on a mission to find the right technology to eliminate the need for a laptop. Currently he is testing a Lenovo tablet and Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone combination..
