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Pack your swimming trunks – or: the best apps for the summer
30. August 2022 Published by Raphael DoerrJust twelve weeks, if we’re lucky: Summer in Central Europe is short. That’s why many of us extend it by going on vacation in the spring or fall. Yet, especially in the time of coronavirus, holidaying is not always the fun experience it should be. Various regulations, canceled flights and entire hotels under quarantine make life difficult for anyone seeking relaxation. As a consequence, one-fifth of Germans want to change their holiday plans for 2022 because of the pandemic or even scrap them altogether. So it’s all the more important to enjoy the warm season at home to the full. Our apps for the summer will help you do just that. Have fun with them!
Apps for the summer no. 1: Weather Radar app – Live Maps
What sets the summer apart from the other seasons? Ideally, the good weather. There are countless weather apps – and every smartphone has one preinstalled. But forecasts are forecasts and may turn out to be accurate – or not. Yet one app clearly stands out. That’s because it focuses on short-term rain forecasts. And it makes the little meteorologist in us burst into life with its real-time weather map animations and the fact that it shows rain, snow, clouds and wind, as well as temperature, humidity, pressure and current. This app tells you pretty reliably whether it’s going to rain soon. Or to put it better: It helps you decide whether it’s worthwhile going to the bathing lake or firing up the barbecue. And that’s worth its weight in gold in the summer!
Apps for the summer no. 2: Seenrast – Bathing lake water temperature
Talking about bathing lakes: Is there anything better when the sun is shining than jumping into a crystal-clear lake? To avoid any nasty surprises about the water’s temperature, we recommend the Seenrast app. It supplies the water temperatures of over 7,000 bathing sites all over Germany. All kitesurfers and windsurfers can also check whether there are ideal wind conditions for their sport at the lake of their choice. So pack your swimming trunks and get going – to the lake with the best bathing temperature.
Apps for the summer no. 3: SteakMate
Just like swimming, summer wouldn’t be the same without barbecuing. But preparing the perfect steak is a challenge. So it’s a good thing there’s an app for that, too: SteakMate. Simply enter the type of meat, its thickness and the desired degree of doneness – and this app will tell you the optimum grilling time. You can find many more grilling tips in the Gigaset blog article “How the smartphone becomes the chief master barbecue assistant.”
Apps for the summer no. 4: Bandsintown Concerts
The summer is festival time. That’s why many people travel around to follow their favorite bands. After all, an open-air concert is a special experience, and not just in times of the coronavirus. But you can also go about things differently – and wait for the musicians to perform near you. That’s exactly what Bandsintown Concerts is for. The app notifies you about your favorite artists, concert listings for each city, and touring dates. The special feature: You can connect the app with Last.fm, Spotify and Google Play. That means it recognizes your musical preferences and recommends concerts to match.
Apps for the summer no. 5: Husteblume – The allergy app
What good is the summer in all its splendor if you can’t enjoy it. For example, because you suffer from hay fever and allergies. Medication can help, or you can try to stay away from allergens. Husteblume – the allergy app from the health insurer Techniker Krankenkasse – helps in that by offering pollen forecasts for the most common pollen allergens. You can also keep an allergy diary. This helps you recognize patterns and thus get through the summer better.
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