Free, Android and iOS
Pushbullet has grown a lot in the last year. What started out as a way to send links, notes, and files between your devices wirelessly has morphed into a powerful tool for both transferring information, and displaying your Android's notifications on your desktop, using the app and a browser extension for Chrome or Firefox.
This free app works well for sharing notes, links, checklists, files, and map locations from your computer to your phone or vice versa. You can also send those items to your friends who also use Pushbullet.
However, the main reason I use the app is to view my phone's notifications on my desktop. This feature is awesome for seeing who's calling, checking out what a text message says, or simply deciphering what's going on when my phone buzzes, all without taking my eyes off my computer screen. You can pick and choose which apps trigger a desktop notification, or turn the feature off altogether if you need a break from the pop-ups. Just a note that the iPhone app does not include this feature.
What's great: The app requires minimal setup, and it's dead simple to send items.
What's not: The Pushbullet app's design can be confusing at first.
