The smartphone has turned many of our technology-based fantasies into reality. Not only can we track our travels with GPS, browse the Internet at a moment’s notice and speak to people across the world with just one device, we also have countless helpful apps at our fingertips to make life a little easier. From time to time, however, our day-to-day lives suffer from lulls, and we find ourselves daydreaming. You may even find yourself longing for the excitement of the life of a spy. But can your smartphone really help you live like James Bond?
We’ve compiled a list of the 7 best apps to incorporate your espionage endeavors into your everyday life. You may not get to be James Bond, but you can certainly give your world a much-needed dose of 007.
Top Secret Audio Recorder ($0.99 for iPhone) – Have an important meeting you need to sit in on? Don’t feel like taking notes? Bring out your inner spy with this app. It will transform your iPhone into a top-secret voice recorder. You can even customize the backgrounds, disguising the app from your coworkers.
Top Secret Video Recorder ($0.99 for iPhone) – Like its sister app, it records the events unfolding around you without drawing attention. It, too, has customizable backgrounds, to disguise your activities from others. It even has a mini view of your camera that can easily be hidden if you catch anyone trying to spy on you! It can also be programmed to record when you’re not even in the room.
Night Vision Scope ($0.99 for iPhone) – What would a super sleuth be without night vision goggles? The Night Vision Scope app helps you shed some light on the matter at hand in every low-light situation, an essential for every agent.
Top Shelf Drinks ($0.99 for iPhone) – Whether you’re trying to impress your new love interest, or simply trying to get that inept bartender to make you the correct cocktail, this app lays out the components of many well-known drinks. Just make sure your martini is shaken, not stirred.
Google Search (free for iPhone) / Google Goggles (free for Android) – More than just a mobile version of the search engine, Google Search allows you to search items simply by taking a picture of them. It can also help you keep your acquaintances organized with a contact list and the Google Goggles feature, which allows you to take a picture of the business cards of international associates as you travel the globe. (Note: The Google Search app for the iPhone includes the Google Goggles feature. For Android, Google Goggles is its own separate app.)
Burn Note (free web-based service) – Give your daily communiqués a sense of urgency with Burn Note. The site allows you to send time-sensitive, secret messages to your colleague that self-destruct once they’re read. It’s perfect for missives with information that you don’t want someone to keep for very long, or for assigning tedious tasks with a humorous twist (“Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is replacing the toner in the copier. This message will self-destruct in 60 seconds.”).
TieSight Go ($0.99 for iPhone) / TieSight ($0.99 for Mac) – The face of James Bond has changed over the years, but his impeccable sense of style has remained. If you’re truly going to embody Bond, you need to look the part. This handy app uses the camera on your iPhone, iPod Touch or Mac to guide you through the steps of tying the perfect knot. It even gives you the option to get the bow tie tutorial for all of those international black-tie events you’ll be attending.
Do you know a 007-worthy app that we failed to mention? Let us know in the comments, or send us a tweet as you spy on us on Twitter. You can also check out our past app favorites.
