FIND HIDDEN FEATURES IN BIG APPS 

Nic Blais, a marketing manager, likes bringing games with him when he travels, “for the boring parts”. And one particular source he turns to, surprisingly, is Netflix. 

“You can download amazing full-fledged mobile games that work offline through the app. I was playing Civilisation V (a strategy game) on my phone on the endless flight from Singapore to Canada,” he said.

Don’t like the existing games out there? Create your own. That’s what Alex Boulton, a consulting executive and father, does. “I made a children’s word search game using ChatGPT. I built it to keep the kids entertained, during airport waits and flight delays, with something interactive, versus relying on YouTube,” he said.

Just make sure you input a detailed prompt, so you generate something worth playing, he shared. His included details like “build a polished, mobile-friendly kids word search app themed around movies. Use a bright, playful design … include a hint button, progress tracking, encouraging feedback, and a celebratory win screen.” Hey presto, the kids have a new favourite educational past-time, created by someone who knows exactly what they’ll like.

LOSE YOURSELF IN MEMORY WIDGETS

Call me sentimental, but the best spur to plan your next holiday is getting nostalgic about journeys from years ago. But who has time to look through old photo albums, even digital ones? 

That’s why I love simplistic features like Facebook Memories (the only reason I use Facebook anymore) and Apple Photos’ self-curated albums. Almost every week, I’m prompted to scroll through memory lane. In minutes, I’m getting misty-eyed over old backpacking expeditions in Ecuador or languid meals in Lyon’s Old Town. More often than not, I end up muttering to my wife, “Honey, isn’t it time we go back to…?”