Long gone are the days of staring into space while you're sitting on the john. Like it or not, our smartphones and tablets have become bathroom companions, keeping us company as we take those ever-important breaks in the day. But what app do you tap open once you sit down? The perfect bathroom app needs to have enough content to entertain but can't distract from the task at hand. Whether you use the time to catch up with friends, check out the news or play a quick game, these apps will help you pass the time while you're passing something else.
Why not use your bathroom break to catch up on your favorite news and entertainment? Flipboard is a publication for the digital age, aggregating content by topic and organizing it in a graphical, magazine-like format that's perfect for quick reads. You can even share your favorite stories by creating your own Flipboard magazine, adding your favorite articles and sharing them with family, friends or the Flipboard community.
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Bathroom breaks don't usually afford enough time to dive deep into an immersivegame, but a game like Candy Crush Saga is a great way to spend a few minutes. Users complete challenges of increasing difficulty as they move through the map, swapping colorful candy bits to connect groups of three or more. With over 100 levels, each with unique challenges, you may not want your bathroom time to end.
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Just because you're going to the bathroom doesn't mean you need to be alone. Use the time to check your Facebook timeline and tune into all the fun and antics of your friends and family. Why not make a post on an old friend's wall? It's about time you got back in touch. Just remember: sometimes the best status updates are about what you're thinking, not what you're doing.
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It can be hard to squeeze reading time into your busy schedule, but the Kindle app allows you to read your favorite books and novels almost anywhere. The quietseclusionof the john is the perfect place to read a few pages, slowly chipping away at that list of books you promised yourself you'd read. Book progress is synced to every Kindle device, using Amazon's free Whispersync, so you can pick up right where you left off once you've finished your business.
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Open up Ridiculous Fishing next time you're on the loo if you need a quick fix of casual gaming delight. What other game lets you dive to the depths of the oceans, snag as many fish as possible, then shoot them all with high-powered guns as they fly hundreds of meters into the air? First, avoid fish to get as deep as possible, then snag as many undersea animals (except jellyfish!) on your way up, then shoot them to earn cash. Time will really fly with this addicting game.
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They don't call Reddit the "front page of the Internet" for nothing. Alien Blue is the powerful Reddit client that will help you get your fix of cats, memes and all the content that's fit to print (or good enough to make the front page). You can dive even deeper by exploring subreddits, sections of the website dedicated toindividualtopics, or spend some time in r/new, protecting the front page from the rise of bad content as a Knight of New. Just make sure not to post anything that's already been shared.
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Sometimes you need a break from your productive day to justoglepretty things. The Fab app brings the entire Fab catalog to your smartphone or tablet, allowing users to get lost in the endless amount of design-focused products. Browse through furniture, home accessories, art, jewelry and products for men and women, each selected by the Fab team for its unique design or feature set.
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If you're settling in for a longer stay, you might want to open up the HBO Go app, which brings the premium cable channel's content directly to your smartphone or tablet. Catch up with the latest episode of Game of Thrones or enjoy the in-your-face journalism of VICE. Plus, thanks to HBO Go's syncing, you'll be able to pick up where you left off if you don't get through an entire episode.
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Why let your bathroom break interrupt Thursday night prime time? With a Slingbox (starting at $179), your favorite shows are always at your fingertips, whether you're traveling abroad or taking a trip across the house to visit the WC. There's two components to the Slingbox: the hardware that serves as a pass-through between your cable box and your TV and the mobile app, which can stream content or manage your DVR remotely. Why wait to see if your favorite star is voted off The Voice the next time nature calls?
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For every game you didn't get to watch live, there's MLB At Bat 13. This mobile app lets users keep track if their favorite baseball team with live scores, video highlights and key moment replays. These quick and easy-to-consume bytes of information are perfect for your few spare minutes in the washroom. Premium members ($2.99 per month or $19.99 per season) can stream full games on their device, but let's hope you won't be in the bathroom that long.
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