The Top 3 Auto Apps of the Holiday Season

By the time you’re reading this, panic mode may be setting in. If you’re the sort of person who gets all their Christmas shopping done well in advance, you’ve probably never looked at a gift guide in your life. So by reading this, we know you need help.

We’ve got you covered.

There’s no way you’re going to the mall at this point. That place is a trap. It’s the commercial version of tragedy of the commons, so you’ll want to steer clear.

You need to do your shopping online, but not on Amazon. No way. That thing you want to get for that person? It’s on back order for weeks, and there’s no Prime membership that will get it to you in two days. What you need are gifts that don’t run out of stock.

You need apps. Apps are easy because all you have to do is install them on a person’s phone.

Here’s our list of the top three auto apps this holiday season. Also remember to stop by Leith Nissan in the Raleigh area for any service and repairs before your holiday travels.

3. TrackR

If you know someone who is always misplacing their car keys or purse, this is an app they sorely need. There is an additional hardware requirement, but it’s what makes the whole thing work. You can attach a TrackR pendant to whatever you’re most likely to lose – wallet, pocketbook, dog, and so on – and then locate it whenever it leaves your site via the app on your smart phone. The app supports more than one item, so you can keep track of all the important things in your life.

2. XLR8

Get it? If you know anyone who desperately wishes they drove something cooler, hook them up with this app from 2XL Games. It’s simple. Plug the phone into the car’s audio and listen to the roar of a V8 engine. The app uses feedback from a phone’s accelerometers to realistically generate the exhaust note from a selection of supercars. Engine samples are Hollywood quality, so it sounds totally authentic and totally cool.

1. Waze

In terms of crowdsourced traffic apps, Waze is the biggest and best of its kind. Claiming that “traffic is more than red lines” on a map, this app pulls traffic information from other users on the road in real time. It can even gather data from you just by leaving it open while you drive.