Today’s upgraded technology has led businesses to create some of the most useful and entertaining applications people have seen in years. Everything from resourceful tools to mindless games are just a click away.

Previously, cell phones just came with the standard necessities – calculator, calendar, address book and similar applications. Some older phones even had the beloved snake game, but for the most part, our phones were for making phone calls.

Now people are addicted to their phones, not just for texting purposes, but for social media networking, planning trips, looking up information on the internet, playing high-definition games and even watching television.

According to CBS review specialist Brian Bennett cell phones have become the most crucial personal technology purchase someone can make. Not only do cell phones act as mini-computers but by adding applications, cell phone senses can personalize their own handheld device to fit their daily life.

The cell phones of today have become one of the most used technology sources around.

Erick Hughes, 32, believes that applications serve a purpose when they are designed well and serve a real purpose in streamlining daily activities.

“There are so many applications these days, but the ones that are the most useful will always be around. I love connecting with friends and family with just a click of a button and without applications I would actually have to dial their number and talk to them on the phone,” Hughes said. “No one likes their family that much.”  

Though some people might use their applications to stay the perfect amount of connected and disconnected, applications really serve a great purpose for people in their every-day life.

Applications can be seen in various forms: utility, entertainment, games, news, productivity, search tools, social networking, sports, travel and weather.

The most used and useful applications fall under the social media networking, games and search tools categories.

Forbes reporter Parmy Olson has deemed Facebook as one of the top social messaging site that keeps people connected in the viral world.

For gaming, there is everything from slicing fruit like a ninja to throwing angry birds across construction sites in hopes of damaging the stacked wooden crates.

But the most popular game application lately seems to be Candy Crush.

Full-time medical assistant and mother Nicole Carlson, 25, has seen her whole family partake in playing this game.

“Just the other day I was visiting my parents for dinner and my mother, who is 55, was standing in the middle of the kitchen playing Candy Crush while the water was boiling for the pasta,” Carlson said.

Carlson said that the game is extremely entertaining for not only older people but for young ones too.

User-friendly apps seem to be the most successful when it comes to the popular utility applications The utility type apps, such as Google Maps, can help anyone find point A to point B while the Southwest Airlines app can help you check in for your flight as well as your hotel.

UC Davis student Ann-Marie Wise, 28, finds that searching the Internet is the best application there is.

“I can look up local happy hours in the Midtown scene while looking up my work and school schedules at the same time,” Wise said.

For students, Safari is incredible. You can look up homework assignments, listen to music, buy clothes or household needs all in just one place.

It’s the ultimate universal application.

With all the applications available for iPhone, people can stay connected through Facebook, play great games like Candy Crush, research using Safari and so much more.