2020 Mar 29
With us Colombars being stuck at home for the foreseeable future and with us constantly meddling with our phones anyway, We at Pulse thought we’d bring to you a handy list of local apps you can download to make you day-to-day life more convenient, entertaining and hopeful.
APPS FOR ESSENTIALS
Quite a few stores, websites and community-driven organisations have taken to delivering essential goods during the curfew for which you can find a comprehensive list here but here are a couple apps you can download for convenience too.
PickMe Sri Lanka
Everyone’s favorite local taxi service may not be functioning in its traditional sense during curfew but they have teamed up with Litro Gas to deliver cooking gas right to your doorstep. Just download, pick your area and get cooking!
Daraz Online Shopping App
As of the 26th of March, Daraz Sri Lanka has started delivering essential goods in four easy steps. All you have to do it download the app, create an account, add the items you need to the cart and check out. You goods will be delivered right to your door as soon as time permits.
INFORMATION AND NEWS
Ada Derana/ TV Derana
Making news conveniently accessible, the Ada Derana and TV Derana apps bring you news and updates of the current situation on a daily basis. You can also subscribe to their text message alerts to stay updated and away from fake news by following the steps above.
WatchDog
Easily a favorite amongst the younger generation since the Easter Attacks in 2019, Watchdog is an app that verifies the authenticity of news floating around on social media to keep users informed with the truth. Both their app and their social media handles display all pieces of news being circulated, labelling them ‘Verified News’ or ‘Fake News’ and even allows you to submit pieces of news for verification.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
oDoc
With curfews being imposed across the country, getting to a doctor for regular consultations may be difficult but oDoc solves that problem by providing users with video, audio or chat consultations through their app. Be it a monthly check up for your diabetic parents or a toothache that appeared out of nowhere, oDoc is your go-to.
2six4 by Women in Need, Sri Lanka
With an increment in domestic violence during the island-wide curfew, 2six4 is a simple and reliable mobile app to combat gender based violence in Sri Lanka. The app will assist you in emergency situations and connect you with the right services in your area.
PAYING BILLS
My Dialog/ My Airtel / Mobitel Selfcare / Hutch Selfcare
With most functions shifting to online payments, there’s no better time to download the app offered by your mobile service provider to take care of mobile bills, pre-paid top-ups and any promotions or discounts they may be offering.
PayMaster
Reload Dialog, Mobitel, Etisalat, Hutch and Airtel pre-paid connections and pay Mobitel, Etisalat, Hutch and Airtel post-paid bills as well as electricity, water and fixed line bills all through the PayMaster app.
Nations Mobile Banking/ ComBank/ SC Mobile Sri Lanka/ FriMi/ HNB Mobile Banking
Most Sri Lankan banks have their apps available for download on both iOS and Android and makes life so much easier. Conveniently check you balance, transfer funds, and pay your bills with a few swipes on your mobile device.
SRI LANKAN APPS TO KILL BOREDOM
Dialog VIU/ cliQ
Both Dialog VIU and cliQ by Hutch Sri Lanka are currently offering unlimited shows on unlimited data plans during this lockdown – what better way to catch up with terrible but lovable local TV shows than with these handy apps?
Helakuru
A much-loved Sinhala typing app, Helakuru lets you easily transliterate your texts to make them sound funnier or more ironic. Don’t trust us? Try saying ‘social distancing’ in Sinhala letters. You’re welcome.
Sinhala Sticker Store
Bored of using words to express yourself through text? Communicate through Sinhala stickers for WhatsApp by the Sinhala Sticker Store and bring in funny faces of local politicians, celebrities and friends to better express your current mood.
Omi the Trumps
Don’t have four omi-savvy people in your household to play every Sri Lankans favorite card game? Worry not, Omi the Trumps is available in both Sinhala and English and will fill your days with this much-loved card game.
THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO
Sri Lanka Calendar 2020
With us Lankans not having much to look forward to anymore, now is probably a great time to plan your long weekends three months from now (just to be on the safe side) and keep the hope alive. Sri Lanka Calendar 2020 lets you see which holidays are public, bank and mercantile and lets you plan out the rest of your year accordingly.
Redeem
Be it a salon discount or discounts on dining, Redeem gives you great promotions at all your favourite stores and after curfew is lifted, we anticipate more and more retailers coming onboard to catch-up for all the business that was lost. Here’s more ways to plan out your days and keep the hope alive!
With that, we hope we’ve made your lives a little easier and the lockdown a little more bearable. If we’ve missed any local apps that make life better, let us know in the comments below!
