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3 Apps That Are Great #LifeHacks

Book a photographer, schedule your beauty appointments and get wine on demand

By Samantha Francis

Is there an app for that? The answer, more often than not, is yes. We’ve sussed out three newly launched apps to make your life much, much easier.

1. Book your beauty appointments with Vaniday

VANIDAY Interface - 1. Welcome screen copy

Any well-groomed individual knows that a regular hair trim or a facial, is par for course. However, calling up individual salons to make appointments can be a complete hassle at times. Enter Vaniday, a mobile app and website which promises to make your pursuit for beauty, far easier.

With over 800 salons listed in categories from Hair to Nails and even Barber, Vaniday comes with an easy-to-navigate and intuitive interface. It’s got everything you would expect in a beauty appointment booking app. There are price comparisons, customer reviews, as well as the ability to search for salons according to their location.

A scroll through reveals some of my favourite salons like Manicurious and Blowplusbar.

The most nifty part about the app is the real-time booking system which allows me to pick my preferred day and time slot, with the additional option to add comments and even pick the stylist or aesthetician of my choice.

My only gripe is that if I knew which salon I was looking for, I had to spell out its full name before it appeared in the search. Also, it’d be great if they could allow me to seamlessly sync my appointments with my phone calendar.

Vaniday is available on Apple Store, Google Play Store and here.

Reader perks: Use WEEKENDER15 at checkout to get $15 off. Conditions: Valid with Online Payment only, applicable for first-time users only, minimum spent of $30, valid until May 15.

2. Shop for photography services with Kodakit

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To put it simply, Kodakit is like a marketplace for photography services. Taking out the guesswork and endless searches, the newly launched app by Kodak allows users to book a photographer in real time.

Users can select the type of photography they want, review photographer portfolios, check customer ratings, book a photographer and receive their images in a private cloud afterwards, all via the Kodakit app. Photographers on the other hand, can access the Kodakit website to create their profile, upload portfolio images and specify their availability for services.

Think Kodak and nostalgic images of yellowed photo albums come to mind. Today, the imaging solutions company does look like it is finally keeping up with the times. Browsing through the app is a breeze, with more than 200 Singapore photographers listed in categories like Wedding, Events and Product. Simpler yet is the booking process — all I had to do is pick a time and date, see who’s available and select them. Once the photographer confirms the booking, it’s all set.

But is it as simple as it sounds? As a freelance photographer, I couldn’t help but wonder about the potential problems. What if the client or even the photographer (the horrors), doesn’t show up for a booking? What if the photos are not up to the client’s expectations?

Nonetheless, bearing all these in mind, here’s probably the quickest way to find a photographer when you need one — sans all the google searching and emailing.

Kodakit is available on Apple Store and Google Play Store.

3. Wine on demand with BottlesXO

BottlesXO Phone App (2)

Here’s an app for all your wine-related emergencies. Are the conversations dwindling because the drinks are running out? Or is the wedding party running out of champagne?

With BottlesXO, you never have to worry. The app, which was originally started by three tech-savvy wine lovers in Shanghai, has now made its way to Singapore. With a few taps of the finger, high quality European wines can be delivered in less than 60 minutes to wherever you are. The app uses next generation technology – ordering via mobile APP, GPS tracking and advanced logistics, to enjoy you get your tipple delivered to you at the perfect drinking temperature.

While the app takes awhile to load, its clean cut graphics made up for it. As you scroll, you’ll find that the image of each bottle is paired with the image of foods that complement it best. The visual effect makes it much easier for one to select a wine their choice. There are also categories: Red, White, XL and Sparkling if you already know what you want.

For the wine enthusiast, this is the cherry on top of the cake – there is no minimum order or delivery fee.

BottlesXO  is available on the App Store and Android.

Reader perks: Use BXOWKD at checkout to receive a complimentary mystery bottle. Conditions: Applicable for your first order only, valid until May 31.

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