9 Lifelogging Apps to Log Personal Data

Think about when you're out with friends, and someone says, "We come here all the time." Or you look at the clock before bed and think to yourself, "This is the earliest I've gone to bed all week!" Or maybe you're deciding what to do for Halloween, and you wonder, "Where did I go last year?"

Are you ever curious if your perception matches reality? A closer look out our routines might reveal surprises in the way we live our lives, and even help us make decisions for the future.
Wouldn't it be great to have a log of your past; not scribbles in a notebook, but a searchable database?
If you like the concept of journaling but don't have the time, or want to get to know yourself better, you might enjoy the following apps that fall under the umbrella of lifelogging — or, "passive journaling."

1. Step

Step lets you journal with emojis instead of words. The icons in this app are not traditional emojis, but are similar in that you can communicate what you're doing (or eating) with a few pictures.
You can add text to your update as well. Step lets you sign in with Facebook and tag Facebook friends in your post (i.e., I'm at work with Annie), but the journal is private so your friend won't receive a weird notification.

Image: Step The app sends a daily reminder to check in, which isn't as useful since it isn't likely I'll be doing something interesting at the same exact time every day. It's currently available on iOS, and will be available on Android soon.

2. Day One App

Day One is an app that syncs between your smartphone and your computer, so you can update your journal on the go or at your desk. The app also syncs with iCloud and Dropbox, which is especially helpful if you're worried about losing an intimate journal because you lost your phone.
However, the syncing does seem to weigh on your battery if you don't have a great connection.

Image: Day One The app also auto adds weather, location data and timestamps on photos when they were taken.
Day One is available on Mac and iOS.

3. Inflow

Are you happy? Are you angry? You might not feel the need to post your emotional status in a Facebook update, but perhaps there's purpose in tracking this information.
Inflow wants to map both your emotion and energy level to discover patterns. You also can add a picture, your location or tag a Facebook friend in each update.
Presumably, the more check ins you add, the more likely you are to get good tips. That way, the app can predict how you might feel in a certain situation.

Image: Inflow The idea has potential, but it would be great if it worked with a lot of other services. I imagine that I'm happier on days when I exercise, but the truth may be that I'm more tired on those days. If Inflow could connect with Runkeeper, for instance, I could better track my emotions.
Inflow is available on iOS.

4. Shadow

Journaling, in its simplest form, is answering the question, "What did I do today?" But Shadow takes a different approach: "What did I dream last night?"
Sharing dreams is a popular pastime among friends, but actually remembering them is often a fleeting moment you have with yourself in the morning. Later in the day, you may recall that your dreamt your mother-in-law riding a glowing unicorn, but not much else.
Shadow is an app that wakes you up slowly, and then allows you to record your dreams by voice or text. Sure, you could write your dreams on a notepad or record with your phone, but Shadow helps you discover patterns and recurring themes.
The app's makers are currently raising money for the app on Kickstarter.

5. Chronos

Journaling gets even more passive with Chronos. I tried the app for a day and was slightly disturbed to realize that the app already knew when I woke up — not when my alarm rang, but when I awoke earlier in the morning, checked my phone to see what time it was and went back to sleep. Chronos had recorded it.
The app also records when you're commuting, when you're at home and when you're at work. It will probably be able to detect the general neighborhood you are in, but you can go in and edit if you want to record your specific location (via Foursquare's database).
I was also surprised the app caught my 10-minute trip to the dry cleaners, just two blocks from my apartment. But it isn't perfect — an entire shopping trip was simply labelled "in transit" without catching where I actually was.
You can set goals, such as "Leave work by 5 p.m.," but unfortunately you cannot modify these, such as "Leave work by 6 p.m."
Like other apps, you can tag Facebook friends in each post, but unfortunately Chronos requires friends to also use the app in order to be tagged.
Download on Android or iOS.

6. Rove

Rove is similar to Chronos in the sense that it passively records what you do, but it's designed with vacations in mind. Have you ever been to a great restaurant and wished you had checked in on Foursquare, so you could find it again? That's essentially what Rove will help you do, because it records where you go, but you can go in and edit if you want to tag a specific venue.

Image: Rove Once you've given the app access to your camera roll, it will automatically pull photos you take with your camera app into Rove — which is an awesome feature while on vacation, but less so in daily life.
The app is available for iOS.

7. Moves

Image: Moves If the Quantitative Self gadgets, such as the Fuelband or Fitbit, appeal to you, but you don't want to make a big purchase, Moves does essentially the same thing. The app will track walking, cycling and running (as long as you're carrying your phone with you, obviously). Like with any of these apps that you leave running in the background, know that you'll need to charge your phone regularly.
Download on iOS or Android.

8. Narrato

Image: Narrato With Narrato, you'll record any number of entries each day. These entries can be text, photo, emotion or location-based check ins (although you can add text to any of the other formats). The app is a subscription of $4.99 per year, and is available on iOS.

9. Saga

In Saga, you can check in to a place and add a photo, and it will give you a personal stream of where you've been. The purpose of the app is to look for patterns in your behavior, such as how much time you spend at home (introverts, beware). You can also build a list of favorite places.