Your smartphone is likely the one thing you can't live without, while simultaneously being the thing that causes you the most stress. You might know that the app Burner allows you to text people without using your real number. Now, the Burner app can stop your phone from ruining your life, too. Unless you put your phone on silent, and turn it face down, it's pretty difficult not to get distracted by the dinging, flashing, and buzzing that happens when you get a notification.
While you could choose to just ignore that noisy device demanding your attention right now, it's not always easy. And, sometimes something else happens that can be just as distracting as your phone. Instead of being in the present moment, you might be thinking: I should really see who's texting/calling/emailing me. What if it's important?
Nine times out of 10, it's your bestie sending a funny dog picture from Instagram, which is totally not an emergency. But, wouldn't it be nice to know for sure before you stop what you're doing and check your minder, err your phone? So, how can you find some lagom with your smartphone?
Burner — the same app that can disguise your phone number so you can text with someone without them having to give out your actual digits — can help you redefine your relationship with your phone. Let's face it, your phone has been running the show for way too long, and it's time to take your life back.
Show Your Phone Who's Boss
The Pew Research centered reported that 54 percent of smartphone users admitted that their phone was a distraction, and 46 percent said they couldn't live without it. The love hate relationship people have with their phones is complicated.
The thing that makes the latest Burner updates totally boss is the ability to assign different numbers to different tasks, mute certain calls during specific times — like during dinner, and automate responses. Here's how it works: Let's say you're on a dating app and you want to move the convo to text, but you've been burned in the past by an aggressive texter.
Burner lets you use its Ghostbot to create a free disposable number just in case that person from OKCupid turns out to be OKCreepy. Ghostbot is also great if you're selling something on Craigslist, or you need a number for your side hustle. If you are subletting your pad, or renting it out on Airbnb, Burner's Hostbot can set up auto replies for common questions from potential guests so you don't have to reply to every single query asking if the rental has Wi-Fi.
What's more, if you want important people, like your boo, to be able to reach you but you don't want your boss to interrupt your dinner, you can use the new Burner mute or filter feature to either send those calls to voicemail, or have an automated message reply for you. It's kind of like having an assistant to screen your calls. Finally!
Make Your Phone Earn Its Keep
Your smartphone is probably one of the most expensive things you own, so really it should be helping you more than stressing you. Ask and you shall receive my friendlies. Another new feature, Burner Connections, can synch with certain popular apps to make your phone time way more productive.
For example, with Evernote you can set up an interactive, auto-text response. If you're a web dev diva, Burner can access Developer and allow you to enable incoming and outgoing webhooks so you can actually develop content on the app. You can also user Burner to automatically save voicemails and pictures to Dropbox, or use Burner to synch your voicemails to your SoundCloud account where they can be shared and commented on.
If you use Slack on the regular, Burner allows Slack teams to communicate to customers or non-Slack users by connecting a Burner number to a Slack channel. If Google Drive is your go to, Burner lets you back up your contacts and text messages to a Google Sheet, and your picture messages and voicemails to Google Drive. And, finally, Burner can connect to Nomorobo to automatically filter out those annoying AF calls from spammer and telemarketers on all of your Burner lines.
If you watch a lot of procedural dramas, or Ray Donovan, then you've likely heard the term "burner phone." A burner phone is most often used by a suspect or mark who doesn't want to be found by those who are pursuing them. The name of this app is no mistake. Burner basically does two things really well. It turns your smartphone into a burner phone with a brain, and it functions as your personal assistant, both of which are nothing short of genius. Download Burner, and get your life back. Your deserve it.
