10 Apps to Enhance Your Offline Experience

With the increase in popularity of smartphones, apps have exploded onto the market. Aside from just games, apps can enrich our lives by providing us with ways to experience art, culture and the world around us like never before. From augmented reality apps, which help us see the world in a whole other dimension, to apps that guide us to our next great meal, here is our list of top ten apps that will surely enhance your off-line experiences.

1. Movies by Flixster
    Platforms: iPhone, Android, Palm Pre, Blackberry
    Cost: Free


Movies by Flixster is the only movie app you'll ever need. Not only can you quickly find showtimes or movies currently showing in theaters nearest you, Flixster joined forces with Rotten Tomatoes so that you can read reviews without moving off this app. You can also watch trailers, browse movie photos and keep up-to-date on upcoming films and DVD releases. The user interface is uncluttered and well-organized.

2. OpenTable
    Platforms: iPhone, Android, Palm, Blackberry, Nokia
    Cost: Free


Making restaurant reservations is a piece of cake with OpenTable's app. You can search a restaurant by name or find open reservations at restaurants nearest you that fit your requirements (time, date, party size). Also, read diner reviews, peruse menus and get directions all in one easy-to-use app.

3. AroundMe
    Platforms: iPhone, Android
    Cost: Free


Running out of gas? Need to pick up some wine before your dinner party? Never fear, AroundMe is here. This app helps you quickly find local businesses you often need the most - banks, gas stations, supermarkets and more, and then maps a route to them. Using geolocation, the app finds helpful services around you in a simple and effective way. Perfect for anyone traveling around a new city.

4. All City Art
    Platform: iPhone
    Cost: Free


If you're a fan of urban street art, this app lets you be a part of the movement. Upload and discover street art, brush up on artists by reading their bios and then share the artwork you find with your friends. This app even uses your phone's GPS to help you find some street art near you. A great way to explore your city.

5. Epicurious
    Platforms: iPhone, Android
    Cost: Free


Have you ever wanted to plan a gourmet-style meal while you're at the market? Epicurious is for you. Search through over 30,000 recipes from food magazines like Bon Appetit and Gourmet as well as recipes from world renowned chefs. Easy step-by-step instructions will help you make a delicious meal in no time.



6. 20 Minute Meals - Jamie Oliver
    Platform: iPhone
    Cost: $7.99

Though there are currently only 60 recipes in this app, Jamie makes cooking a wonderful experience with his high quality photos and videos. Inside you'll find cooking tips, techniques, an interactive shopping list and even voice-prompts from famous chef and health food activist Jamie Oliver himself.

7. Yelp Mobile
    Platforms: iPhone, Android, Palm Pre, Blackberry
    Cost: Free 9


Yelp Mobile is a great app that uses location-aware technology to help you discover new restaurants, bars, and more. Sort by highest rated to find the best restaurants in your area. Yelp also has an augmented reality feature called Monacle which uses your camera to virtually show places around your area.

8. Google Goggles
    Platforms: iPhone, Android
    Cost: Free


Within Google's Mobile App you'll find Google Goggles, an app that lets you visually learn more about objects like landmarks, logos and book covers by just taking a photo of it. Launched as an Android app last year, this handy app recently became available on the iPhone. Use it when traveling around the city to learn more about what's around you or snap a picture of a business card to add that person directly into your Google Contacts database.

9. Google Sky Map
    Platform: Android
    Cost: Free


Using your phone's camera, this augmented reality app will give you a great appreciation for your universe by showing you, in real-time, what stars, planets and constellations are above you. You can also search for a planet or star and the app will guide you to it. Currently, this app is only available on the Android platform.

10. Wikitude World Browser
      Platforms: iPhone, Android, Symbian, Bada
      Cost: Free


This augmented reality app uses your camera to scan your surroundings and then brings up relevant data. This includes useful Wikipedia information that could enhance your travel experiences by giving you a deeper understanding of important points of interest. Great for traveling or for getting to know your city a little bit more.

What app would you add to the list? Let us know below.

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Alice Yoo is the founder and editor in chief of My Modern Metropolis, a place where trendspotters and art enthusiasts come to connect over creative ideas. After graduating from UCLA with a Bachelor's in Economics, Alice received her MBA, worked in advertising for MTV and Outdoor Channel and then started My Modern Met in 2008. With over 2.5 million page views per month, My Modern Met has become an art, culture and lifestyle destination for the modern man and woman.