Is a little fear of technology app-propriate?

I used to be somewhat afraid of heights.

If I went to the edge of the Empire State Building, I would get all wobbly in the knees.

But that was nothing compared to my fear of apps.

Everywhere I go, some business is telling me I need to upload their app. RetailDive.com reports that a 2023 study — the M-Commerce Audit by the Acquity Group — noted that "46% of retailers surveyed had an iPhone app, which is an increase from 23 percent in 2011, and 33% of retailers had an Android app, up from 10 percent in 2011.

No big surprise there. Everybody's doing it.

I know I should just embrace it, but it's hard when you get all wobbly in the knees.

Have you paid your car insurance lately? I am sure they told you if you uploaded their app, and then let them follow you every time you drive, you ultimately could save money.

Somebody watching me every trip, and every move I make, now that is scary. And that's what many apps do. They track you. And some share the information about your habits ... where you go, who you see, what you buy.

Then again, I am living in a world where without them, and especially as we move into the future, life can be difficult.

I learned that when I needed some entertainment while flying across the country. You can't watch those in-air movies without the app. When you sail away on a cruise and go to dinner, you are supposed to call up the selections by opening your app and scanning a bar code. Can't you just hand me a menu?

Speaking of a bar, you use an app to play the jukebox. Don't want to wait in line at McDonald's, you can order your burger before you get there with an app.

And for full disclosure, we have an East County Observer app as well.

So I have to buckle down and let go. I am going to walk up to the rim of the Grand Canyon, and let in the app world.

I will start with these two.

Manatee County clerk offers new app

The office of Angel Colonneso, Manatee County's clerk of the Circuit Court and comptroller, rolled out a new mobile app on June 26 that she said will provide county residents with a convenient way to access Clerk and Comptroller services.

It sounds like a great deal that can save you trips to downtown Bradenton. The app will allow you to search for court records and official records; submit a public records request; make online payments; receive clerk news and updates in real time; and access the clerk's complete office directory. The app — search for Manatee clerk app — is available for download in the Apple Store and Google Play Store.

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Colonneso said the bottom line is her office is trying to bring services to the people.

"We have seen other clerk's offices in Florida have success with this," Colonneso said. "It's just a quicker way for people to navigate the services. Offering a mobile app just makes sense."

In the release for the app, Colonneso said customers will receive real-time updates from her office as well.

Colonneso said her office is more than willing to send a representative to a community meeting to help those who, like me, might be uneasy with apps. If someone wants to organize such a session, and has verified the desire in that neighborhood for such a session, they can call the clerk's office and Colonneso will work it out.

"We would love to go to the retirement communities," she said. "We could show them some things about the app."

After all, the idea of putting the app together in the first place was to make things easier.

"I do think it is going to be very easy to use," Colonneso said. "You're going to go to the app and hit a button, and you will get a directory. We wanted to make it very accessible for people who wanted access to things such as finance reports."

Lakewood Ranch unveils new app

While the clerk's office was putting out an entirely new app, Lakewood Ranch has launched a redesigned app — myLWR — developed by the property technology firm Cecilian Partners.

Lisa Barnott, the director of marketing and communications for Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, said the tool underscores Lakewood Ranch's commitment to creating an exceptional resident experience.

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Philip Worland, the cofounder and chief product officer at Cecilian, said SMR wanted an app that "would allow the residents to more easily engage with a complex community."

SMR's Rachel Gray, director of community marketing, said the former app did not connect with the MyLWR website. The new app will. Both the app and the website will have the same user login credentials.

Gray said SMR researched what other master-planned communities were doing with apps.

"But we were unique in size," she said. "We needed our app to be customized because it's not one size fits all."

App users will have full access to the calendar of events as well as information on parks and community facilities. The myLWR app will have a connection to organizations in Lakewood Ranch, including clubs hosted by Community Activities. It will allow users to volunteer in the community through the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation, Lakewood Ranch Community Activities, and the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance. 

Upon registering with a home address, users will be linked to HOA contact information and will be provided with specific utility service information. 

“With MyLWR, we're excited to provide a more streamlined and user-friendly experience for our community,” said Keith Pandeloglou, president and CEO of Lakewood Ranch Community Activities, in a release.

More than 4,000 residents and 1,500 nonresidents already have registered for the app.

Pandeloglou said it will provide valuable data to help improve community amenities and programs.

Gray said the new app streamlines some services, such as getting a dog park membership. All the needed applications can be uploaded at once.

The process of renting parks facilities also has been streamlined. Gray said the new process has eliminated the "back-and-forth."

And Gray said, for people like me who aren't tech savvy, the website (MyLWR.com) will be available as always.