Apps every RNC-watcher should have on their phone
Whether you're in Cleveland or following the Republican National Convention from home, here are 13 apps to up your GOP game.
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Conservatives, Donald Trump supporters and protesters are in Cleveland this week for the 2016 Republican National Convention.
The four-day affair being held at the Quicken Loans Arena, home of the champion Cleveland Cavaliers, is sure to be memorable this year. Protesters will try to shut it down. Silicon Valley investor Peter Thiel will speak. And, oh yeah, Trump, who chose Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his veep, will almost assuredly become the GOP's official presidential candidate.
If you want to follow all of the action -- and who doesn't? -- here are 13 apps you should have.
The 2016 Republican National Convention app will feature a live stream of the festivities and on-demand video.
RNC 2016: Official App
A must-have for those headed to Cleveland, the official app for the 2016 Republican National Convention features live streams of the event, a list of speakers and turn-by-turn directions inside the Quicken Loans Arena and surrounding areas. The app will provide "unprecedented access" of the proceedings, said Samantha Osborne, the RNC's digital director. The app is available on the Apple App Store for iPhones and the Google Play store for Android devices. (Free)
News aggregator: Apple News, Google Play Newsstand, Flipboard
If you want to stay on top of the GOP's latest, you'll want an app that gathers news from around the web and assembles it into a single, easy-to-scan feed. Apple News, Google Play Newsstand and Flipboard are three popular options. The apps let you search for specific topics, like Donald Trump, or broad categories, like politics. You can also highlight favorite sources, everything from Fox News to The Wall Street Journal. It can take some time and effort to get things set up the way you want, but Apple News and Flipboard promise to fine-tune the selection of stories based on what you read and share. (Free)
CBS News app
You can also head directly to your favorite news source for the latest on the convention and election 2016. Most major news outlets have their own apps for iOS and Android, and some even have standalone apps focused on politics and this year's election. The CBS News app features on-demand video clips and will stream CBSN's live coverage of the RNC. (Editor's note: CNET is owned by CBS.) The CBS News app is available for both Android and iOS devices. (Free)
PolitiFact
Now that you're caught up on the latest political utterances, use the PolitiFact app to "find out who's telling the truth and who's stretching it." PolitiFact, run by the Tampa Bay Times, fact checks comments made by politicians and rates their accuracy. The app features PolitiFact's "Truth-O-Meter" ratings, as well as report cards on politicians, political groups and pundits. It's available for iOS and Android. (Free)
Instagram
Still haven't downloaded Instagram? Now's the time to give in. The social photo-sharing app, which is owned by Facebook, is sure to be overflowing with pics from people attending the Republican National Convention. Trump's campaign has an account and will likely offer up at least a few good behind-the-scenes shots. Other GOP notables you can catch up with on the app include former President George W. Bush, House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, Sen.John McCain and newly minted Republican VP candidate Mike Pence. Instagram is available in the Google Play store and Apple App Store. (Free)
Buy Partisan
If you're the type of Republican who likes to put your money where your mouth is, then check out the Buy Partisan app. Scan the barcode of a product and the app will display "the political donations of the CEO, board of directors, PAC's and employees of the company you are buying from," according to its website. Buy Partisan says this lets people make purchasing decisions based on their personal beliefs. It's available in both the Google Play store and Apple App Store. (Free)
Podcast app: Overcast, Stitcher
Podcasts mean you can listen to your favorite pundits anytime, anywhere. Apps like Overcast and Stitcher will help you download and organize the latest episode of your favorite conservative radio shows, podcasts from Glenn Beck's The Blaze network and CSPAN, and just about anything you like to listen to in order to stay up to date with election 2016. Stitcher is available for both Apple and Android devices, and Overcast works with iPhones, iPads and the Apple Watch. (Free)
A true battle of the presidential candidates.
Countable
Countable is an app that aims to make it "easy and fun" to learn about laws being considered in Congress. The app summarizes upcoming trending legislation and lets you vote on them with a yea or nay. It then sends a message to your local lawmakers letting them know how you voted, and keeps track of how elected officials actually voted. Current legislation you can weigh in on include House and Senate bills about whether attacks against police officers are hate crimes and the Pentagon's $575 billion spending package for fiscal year 2017. Countable is available for both iOS and Android. (Free)
Congress+
You know Donald Trump. But what about your senators and representatives? The Congress+ app lets you put every US senator and representative in your pocket! Congress+ provides contact information for elected officials and their latest campaign moves. It also displays recent Facebook, Twitter and YouTube posts. The app is available for iOS devices in the Apple App Store. ($7.99)
Floppy Candidate
If you just want to kick back and have a little fun, there's no shortage for election-theme games. Floppy Candidate is spin on the hit game Flappy Bird. Instead of trying navigate a tiny bird through obstacles, you'll be feverishly tapping the screen to keep candidates in the air. The game on the App Store for iOS and on the Google Play store for Android devices. (Free)