It can be pretty challenging to stay productive and social when you are 24*7 stuck indoors. But as a responsible citizen, we must stay home to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In light of this global health emergency, various apps are developed so that you can stay connected and updated right from your home. Following are our few picks that you can use during the lockdown -
Zoom:
Zoom is a video calling platform that can be used to connect with your friends and family. Zoom has a basic free plan which has a time limit for the video calling of 40 minutes. You can create a video meeting invite and send it to your friends. You can set a password to the meeting for a more secure experience. You can also set virtual backgrounds during a call to hide your messy surroundings or just for fun.
JioMeet:
JioMeet is a collaborative video conferencing solution by Reliance Jio to make it easier for people working from home. JioMeet is an effective video conferencing app for business settings and you can conduct hassle-free office meetings right from your home. The free version of JioMeet allows up to 5 users to connect on a video call. If you are a business user you can connect up to 100 people in one call. Unlike Zoom there is no time limit for either of the versions. If you experience call drops you can get this app as it works effectively even on lower bandwidths.
Aarogya Setu App:
This app is developed by the Indian Government to fight the COVID-19 virus more effectively. The app helps prevent the spread of the coronavirus. This app will keep you informed if you have crossed paths with individual who has been tested positive for COVID-19. If you ever get such alert you can follow the self-isolation procedure and other safety measures explained on the app. The app will access your location and using Bluetooth will create a social graph and will alert you on your interaction with COVID-19 positive patient. Using this app you can avoid falsely spread rumors and can update yourself on the COVID-19 with accurate information.
Check out our review of the Aarogya Setu App.
HealthifyMe:
Staying indoors with no physical contact with the outside world can take a major toll on your mental and physical health. To prevent that you can get this app to stay fit both mentally and physically. HealthifyMe is the first app which gives you calorie count for Indian dishes. You can track your calorie intake and burn calories accordingly to stay healthy. Staying home with no much physical movement can hamper your health. Using this app you can create healthy work out at home routine for yourself. This app recommends you many free exercises as well. You can also get the premium version to get special packages and coaches for more customized workout plans for the targeted goal.
Hotstar:
Amidst the work from home routine or no routine whatsoever you can spend some of the time binge-watching on OTT apps like Hotstar. We recommend this app as it has premium Indian content and beats the rest in terms of pricing. You can watch the latest Bollywood movies on Hotstar and global content from premium channels like HBO, Showtime, Fox, etc. Hotstar offers a free trial of seven days for new accounts. After that, you can get either Hotstar VIP or Hotstar Premium. If you are a movie buff who usually watches Bollywood movies you can get Hotstar VIP to watch the best of Bollywood movies, popular Indian TV shows, Hotstar originals, etc. If you wish to watch US TV shows and other Hollywood Blockbusters. You can also watch the best picks of Disney as Hotstar is now streaming 500 popular movies from the house of Disney.
These are just a few of the apps that will get you through Quarantine. You can explore the internet for more options and get apps that will enhance your skills or soothe your stress.
Guest post.Editor's note: The guest post writer has mentioned Zoom app. However, several agencies have raised security concerns related to this app. The Ministry of Home Affairs, India has also issued an advisory for Zoom users
