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3 Vancouver apps that are (literally) making the world a better place

We recently shared THIS LIST OF 5 of the best mobile apps that'll make your life in Vancouver easier, and today I am proud to present these three that are actually changing the world for the better.

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We recently shared THIS LIST OF 5 of the best mobile apps that'll make your life in Vancouver easier, and today I am proud to present these three that are actually changing the world for the better. Not only are these game-changers globally, but they're made by Vancouver companies by humans who live here. Double amazing!

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It would be a disservice to you readers if I didn't share the app that myself and millions of other people use multiple times a day. It's Hootsuite!

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Celebrated globally for being the best social media management system available, we use the online dashboard ALL DAY to update and track our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and MailChimp accounts, and I always have the Android app running to tweet and track Twitter when I'm on the go. 3 years ago when I wrote that TELUS had helped our @VIAwesome account become Vancouver's 3RD BEST TWITTER (according to readers of the Straight), I should have noted that we were using Hootsuite at the same. Check out THIS POST from 2010 to see Hootsuite in action on an old Motorola Backflip! And THIS recent post when I lauded the Galaxy S4. Of course the image is of my phone with the Hootsuite mobile app open.

The work we do with V.I.A. isn't even a ripple in the change that Hootsuite is causing globally with its 8M+ users, and HERE is an infographic they recently released showing the evolution of social media and some of the roles they've played in that very change. This year they attracted a Canadian-record-setting $65M venture capital investment and they just might be the biggest social media players beyond Facebook and Twitter themselves. Boom.

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You wonder what our mayor is talking about when he says that we've got a robust tech scene here? Well, these other two apps are developed by a couple of the more hidden players in that game.

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First is our friend Yoyomama's On the Go Kids app! Well, the software that makes it go, that is. It's built on a system called Eventbase which was produced by Xomo Digital here in our fine city, and it has powered festivals the likes of South By Southwest, Lollapalooza, Sundance Film Festival and hundreds of others. Check out what Yoyomama is doing with it locally, connecting parents with kid-friendly events here.

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Second in the "hidden players" game is an overlap from our first list, PayByPhone parking! Not only do they make parking in our city easier but their proprietary system is being picked up by tons of other municipalities (in the USA, Canada and Europe) and they've become the go-to for this type of technology. That AND their app is available for iPhone, Android and Blackberry. As they say, "parking will never be the same".

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Best Buy Mobile offers the best choice of phones and networks, informed and impartial advice, and a free upgrade check. You can now find Best Buy Mobile at all Best Buy stores and as standalone stores in malls across the country. Learn more at BestBuyMobile.ca