Six Great Apps for Couples

Ask any of your single friends and you'll find that technology is the new cornerstone of modern romance. Our love affair with technology has given singles and newly dating a new way to navigate their love lives with online dating sites, not to mention the number of people connecting (or reconnecting) on social sites like Facebook and even Twitter. And in the early stages the technology continues with sexy text messages, chronicling your first few dates on Foursquare , and video chats for the long distance lovers. But what about those of us in long-term relationships or *gasp* married - is there technology out there for after the initial heart-thumbing phase is over. Well to quote the Apple commercials- it seems there is an app for that too.

Below is by no means an exhaustive list nor can I promise that you will love them all but here are a few apps that seem to be designed for the more seasoned relationship. From funny translators to burgeoning mixed media publications this list offers you and your sweetie a good reason to bring the cell phone (or laptop) to bed again.

2forCouplesThis multimedia app is a new magazine for and about couples. Offering funny animated shorts, articles highlighting real couples, and links (via their twitter feed) to information on everything from celebrity weddings to tips on how to deal with difficult in-laws. In addition to the magazine content, which includes video, images, and text, this app also has a journal feature called 2life where you can record personal data about you and your significant other and track new date ideas, dream vacations, and even projects you want to do together. Currently only available for iPad.

Kindu Developed by medical students, this app is designed to give couples a less intimidating way to talk about sexual fantasies and new ideas. Boasting over 800 ideas, the app lets you each (privately) rate a wide variety of adventures- some sexual and some not- then it matches your answers and compiles a list of things that you both may be interested in. Some suggestions are not for the easily embarrassed and others, like breaking into someone else's hottub, are clearly illegal but the conversations that it could generate may be spicy enough. There is a Lite version available for free in addition to the paid version for iPhone, iPod Touch, and Android.

Love Dare This is app is based on the book, The Love Dare, which uses Christian principles to encourage couples to work at their relationships. Covering topics from trust to patience, it offers couples useful tidbits for many common relationship concerns. Although based on biblical scriptures, non-Christian couples may enjoy doing the 40 dares and using the underlying message of each as a starting point for discussing relationship challenges. In addition to the 40 dares app, there is an ebook and a daily reminder app. All are available for iPhone.

DateSmart After being together for a while the well of dating ideas may be dry and that's where this app comes in. Offering a random sampling of date ideas, this app is designed to help spark some fresh ideas when date night rolls around. Simply select from a few different categories such as valentine's day or outdoor and then pick a price range to get some suggestions of things to do. While not every idea will be easily accessible, the app does link to the iPhones navigation system to locate the nearest venue for whatever date idea you choose. Available for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.

Girlfriend Keeper Still forgetting anniversaries and birthdays after all these years together? Or maybe your busy schedules have left you longing for a little more connection. This may be the app for you. Designed probably with the forgetful boyfriend in mind, this app collects some basic information about your partner and then sends automated text messages or emails to them for you. The frequency of messages can be adjusted and the messages are customized based on the "seriousness" of the relationship. While automated messages are not the most romantic idea, the process may add a little humor and increase your daily interactions anyway.

RelationTips This app allows you to define multiple relationships, including children and spouse, and then provides tips for improving them. Not specifically designed for couples, this app sill offers a wide array of information for your relationship. In addition to providing date ideas and tips for communicating more effectively, it also enables you to record specific information about the important people in your life. You can keep track of birthdays and anniversaries as well as things like favorite color or favorite foods. It also allows you to track custom information which may be a great way to track things like clothing sizes or gift wish list. The advice given is specific to each relationship and is broken into three categories- dates, words, and actions. Available for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.

Couples Retreat Translator Really a promotional tool for Universal Studios movie, Couple's Retreat, this app is a funny "translation" tool to help couples decode what each other really means. If you can don't mind the movie trailer at the beginning, the translator will tell you what your significant other really meant when they said "I'm fine" or "do what you want". Clearly designed for fun not function, the app might serve as a good laugh between you and maybe even a lighthearted way to break the tension when you really wish you did have a translator in your relationship. Available for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.