Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android applications, games, and live wallpapers that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous 2 weeks or so.
Please wait for this page to load in full in order to see the widgets, which include ratings and pricing info.Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.
Featured App
Expense IQ - Expense Manager
This week's roundup is brought to you by Expense IQ - Expense Manager from Handy Apps. This amazingly complete expense tracking system has a solid and colorful UI, and just about every possible checkbook, alert, and tracking feature you could want. Everything you input can be saved and exported for personal backup and expense reports, and all your data is synced via Dropbox, making Expense IQ a snap to use across multiple phones or tablets. Bill alerts, a PIN lock, and even a homescreen widget are all included in this app's bag of additional goodies. The basic version is free, but to get access to advanced functions you'll need to pay for the full $6.99 version via in-app purchase.
Expense IQ is the long awaited successor to EasyMoney - the number one money manager app that combines an expense manager, a bill reminder, a checkbook register and a budget planner. Expense IQ – Expense Manager provides a rich, detailed window into your personal finances and daily money management needs. Track and manage daily expenses quickly & easily. Business expenses, personal expenses, travel expenses etc can all be managed rapidly using Expense IQ’s simple and intuitive user interface. Interactive reports & graphs let you analyze income, expenses, cash flow and balance over various date ranges and accounts.
Apps
Inbox by Gmail
Android Police coverage: Google's 'Inbox By Gmail' Email Replacement System Is Live, But Invite-Only For The Moment
Inbox is kind of a big deal as far as Google is concerned - it appears to be the new status quo for the company's email system going forward. The app and web service are beautiful, but it's not all animations and bold colors: Inbox takes a new look at the way users actually interact with email. It treats each one like a task on a to-do list, and automatically groups them together for simple completion and dismissal. You still need an invite to use Inbox, but at this point they aren't all that hard to come by.
Inbox by Gmail requires an invite. Email inbox@google.com to request one. Your email inbox should help you live and work better, but instead it often buries the important stuff and creates more stress than it relieves. Inbox, built by the Gmail team, keeps things organized and helps you get back to what matters.
• BUNDLES - Similar messages are bundled together so you can deal with them all at once. And get rid of them with one tap.
• HIGHLIGHTS - Get the most important information without even opening the message. Check-in for flights, see shipping information for purchases, and view photos from friends right up front.
• REMINDERS: More than mail, you can add Reminders so your inbox contains all the things you need to get back to.
• SNOOZE: Snooze emails and Reminders to come back when you are ready to deal with them: next week, when you get home, or whenever you choose.
Google Fit
Android Police coverage: Google Fit App Goes Live In The Play Store As Your New Activity Tracking Fitness Hub [Update: Website Too]
Google Fit has been a long time coming: it's Google's answer to Apple's HealthKit (though they probably don't appreciate the comparison). This app basically turns your phone into an activity tracker, plotting out your walking, running, and biking activity in the background. It works with Android Wear as well. Unfortunately it's rather basic at the moment, especially if you want to input historical data.
Make a healthy change in your life by becoming more active, aware and motivated.
- Just carry your phone and get access to your walking, running and cycling activity.
- Set goals based on either duration or steps and see your progress throughout the day.
- Receive performance-based recommendations for activity goals.
- Connect third party devices and apps to Fit and we’ll show you all of your fitness data in one place.
- Compatible with all Android Wear devices.
- Also access Google Fit on the web at http://www.google.com/fit and on your tablet.
djay 2
Android Police coverage: Algoriddim Releases Popular Turntable Music App djay 2 On Android With A Fix For Audio Latency
We've seen DJ apps for Android before. That's not a big deal, though this one in particular was a big hit on iOS and integrates with Spotify, a very big deal for music lovers. No, the most important feature of djay 2 is that it manages to work around a slight sound input lag that's been plaguing Android for years, at least for pro-level audio recording. (It works on Jelly Bean or higher, so long as you have some decently powerful hardware.) Other cool tweaks abound, though you'll probably only care about them if you've got some recording experience.
djay transforms your Android device into a full–featured DJ system. Seamlessly integrated with Spotify and all the music on your device, djay gives you direct access to mix your favorite songs and playlists instantly. You can perform live, record mixes on–the–go, or enable Automix mode to let djay create a seamless mix for you automatically. Whether you are a professional DJ or a beginner who just loves to play with music, djay offers you the most intuitive yet powerful DJ experience on an Android device.
PCMark for Android Benchmark
Android Police coverage: Futuremark's PCMark Arrives On Android To Provide More Allegedly Useful Performance Metrics
Want to know how powerful your shiny new phone or tablet is compared to your friend's? How about compared to your computer? Futuremark has already released its 3DMark gaming-focused benchmark software for Android, and now the more practical PCMark is also available. (I suppose it's something of a misnomer at this point.) The app is free, and it works on Android 4.1 or higher with devices that have at least 1GB of memory.
Use PCMark for Android to benchmark the performance and battery life of your smart phone and tablet. See how well your device performs, then compare it with the latest models.
- Benchmark the performance of the whole device, not its isolated components.
- Tests are based on everyday activities, not abstract algorithms.
- Scores reflect real-world performance, not unachievable maximums.
- Tests use real applications and native APIs whenever possible.
- See every test in action instead of watching progress bars.
- Our guide tells you what is being measured and how scores are calculated.
- 100% free. No ads. No in-app purchases. No restrictions.
Sideload Launcher - Android TV
Android Police coverage: Chainfire's Sideload Launcher Lets Android TV Users Easily Start Their Sideloaded Apps
Android TV can run side-loaded Android apps, but it doesn't have a dedicated app launcher - the system really isn't set up for anything except video content and games. The venerable Chainfire (of SuperSU fame) has a solution, a very basic icon-based launcher that plays nice with a remote control. You don't even need root to use it.
While certainly not as streamlined or seamless as the average user would wish for their TV, many apps can still function on some level on these devices if you sideload them, but they don't show up in the Leanback Launcher (the Android TV homescreen). So for that there is this app, the Sideload Launcher. A simple app that shows you the normal app launcher icons that a phone or tablet would show you, but which are hidden on Android TV, allowing you to launch any sideloaded app.
TIDAL
Android Police coverage: Premium Subscription Music Service Tidal Launches Android App With 25 Million Uncompressed Tracks, Music Videos, And More
For audiophiles, Tidal is a godsend. Compared to other premium music services, it's not all that innovative, but Tidal hangs its hat on offering music that's completely uncompressed. It's also unusually wide with 25 million tracks in its library, not to mention an additional 25 million videos. The service offers the usual curated playlists, plus a few extras like downloaded tracks. It's quite expensive compared to competitors at $20 a month.
Tidal is the world’s first music service with High Fidelity sound quality, High Definition music videos and Curated Editorial by music journalists, artists and experts, making for a simply superior experience. Try it out and see for yourself. No compromises. Just pure sound. With our lossless audio experience, you can enjoy your music the way the artists intended. Unlimited access to over 25 million tracks.
Disney Movies Anywhere
Android Police coverage: Disney Movies Anywhere Brings Digital Copies Of Frozen (And Maybe Some Other Movies Too) To Your Phone Or Tablet
Got a bunch of Disney Blu-Ray discs? Then odds are pretty good that you've also got some vouchers for digital copies of those movies. You could redeem them for the Play Store version of the same movie before, but now you can get some free stuff for doing it in the Disney-specific movie app. Disney Movies Anywhere also includes links to the Play Store for digital only-purchases (also good for points), not to mention the usual trailers and clips. Connect your Disney and Google accounts to get Wreck-It Ralph for free.
With Disney Movies Anywhere, you can enjoy your Disney, Pixar and Marvel movies anywhere you go. It's free to join -- no subscription needed. And when you sign up and connect your digital movie accounts, you get a FREE movie on us. You also get exclusive videos, special offers, and earn reward points for all your eligible digital purchases. And it’s great for kids, with parental controls built right in.
NOOK Audiobooks
Android Police coverage: NOOK Audiobooks App Brings A Spoken Word Selection To Any Android Phone Or Tablet
Surprisingly, Android users don't have a lot of alternatives when it comes to audiobooks. There's the Amazon-owned Audible and a bunch of indies, but no real options with big libraries (including the Play Store). Now Barnes & Noble has made its NOOK audiobook selection available to all, and it's a welcome addition. The app itself is pretty sparse, but it works, and you've got thousands of books available as a straight purchase (no subscription) at decent prices.
Thousands of bestselling audiobooks are just a tap away – and no subscription required. Welcome to the BETA version of an exciting listening experience for Android tablets and smartphones. Sample audiobooks FREE, or download entire audiobooks to listen via the NOOK Audiobooks App ™ in your car, while you’re walking the dog, exercising, lounging on the beach, or doing other activities.
ASUS Remote Camera
Android Police coverage: ASUS Releases ZenWatch Manager, Remote Camera, And Wellness Apps For Its Upcoming Android Wear Device
Surprisingly, this app doesn't go in the manufacturer section of this roundup. That's because ASUS released it with wide compatibility with most recent phones, and the shutter control app it remotely installs can go to any Android Wear watch. So if you've got an LG G Watch or G Watch R, a Gear Live, or a Moto 360, you can try it out now. It's too bad that the "shake to fire" shutter mechanism is so awkward.
ASUS Remote Camera is a companion app for your ASUS ZenWatch or other Android wearable that turns it into a remote control for the camera on your smartphone or tablet. Remote Camera opens up new photographic opportunities by displaying your smartphone's camera viewfinder remotely on ZenWatch, freeing you to take photos from creative angles where the viewfinder would be difficult to see, such as when holding the phone overhead at a concert or other crowded event.
Circle for Bitcoin
Android Police coverage: Bitcoin Wallet 'Circle' Comes To Android To Make Magical Internet Money Less Confusing
Bitcoin dominated the international news in 2013, despite the fact that it's still hard as hell to actually buy anything with the "cryptocurrency." Circle hopes to take the mystery out of it by managing your Bitcoin encrypted file for you, making transactions (at least those that are possible) as automatic as PayPal transfers. Converting from Bitcoin to US Dollars is simple, as is sending or requesting money to third parties via email.
Circle lets you store and use bitcoin. We believe that bitcoin is the future of money, and we want to make it approachable and convenient for anyone to use. Our new Circle app is full of well-designed features:
- Connect your bank account and credit cards to easily move money to and from your Circle account.
- When you convert money from a linked bank account to bitcoin, you don't pay any fees.
- Send bitcoin to contacts via email.
- Scan bitcoin QR codes to make instant payments.
- Request bitcoin from contacts via email.
- Generate your own QR codes to receive bitcoin from others.
- Get started with a new Circle account in minutes.
- Set a PIN code for easy access to the Circle app once you're signed in.
- Get timely help from our friendly support team.
Goldstar: 50% Off Live Events
Android Police coverage: Goldstar App Comes To Android So You Can Go Out On The Cheap
Goldstar is a combination event directory and coupon app. That is to say, for at least some of the events in its 27-city directory, the app can offer steep admission discounts as well as basic "what's happening" information. Use it regularly and it will learn your interests, suggesting new events that fall within your pattern. Of course, all of that doesn't help if you happen to be outside of the service area.
Goldstar: An event discovery app with the most half-price tickets to live entertainment in the world. Use it to experience more and spend less on the hottest tickets to concerts, theater, nightlife, comedy events and more in your city. Never miss out on the best events happening near you or in any of the 27 cities we serve. You can cheer on your local team, go to that must-see concert tour, hit up a show, take in a food and social event and so much more.
Journeys & Notes
Android Police coverage: Microsoft's Journeys & Notes Wants You To Leave Breadcrumbs Along Your Way For Fellow Path Travelers
Good God, Microsoft is releasing a ton of Android apps. The latest one is halfway between a social network and a geotagging app, which allows you to leave notes at specific locations for other users. It also functions as a basic travel journal. Journeys & Notes is light on utility but high on charm, and it syncs with the Microsoft Garage web service of the same name.
Journeys & Notes, a Microsoft Garage project, is a delightfully curious social app for the space between an origin and a destination. Whether you're taking the bus to work across town, or jet-setting across the globe, checking-in to your trips with Journeys & Notes unlocks a community of people who have traveled the path you're on. The road may be long and lonely, but we help connect you with others along the journey.
Next Lock Screen
Android Police coverage: Microsoft's Next Is A Lockscreen That Really Wants To Be An Agenda And An App Launcher At The Same Time
Here's another one from Redmond. Next Lock Screen is part agenda, part launcher... but it lives on your lockscreen for some reason. If you're looking for something that gives you a little more functionality than Android's built-in widget function, this could be it... but there are a few drawbacks. First, there's no way to add widgets as well, and second, there's no embedded security. So if you want a PIN, password, or pattern lock with Next, you basically need two lockscreens.
Next Lock Screen, a Microsoft Garage project, saves you time with quick app launch and access to the information you need. It’s a time saver lock screen built for busy professionals. See your calendar, missed calls and text messages all at a glance. Connect to a conference call in a single tap without unlocking your phone. Next Lock Screen even surfaces the apps you use most based on your location.
Primer: Marketing for Startups
Android Police coverage: Google Releases 'Primer: Marketing For Startups' App To Help Small Teams Get Their Brand Out There
Trust us when we say that there are a lot of people who don't know how to promote their business. The Android Police inbox is like a Death Valley of poor pitches. If you need some basic marketing pointers, install this official Google app for some introductory techniques for marketing, PR, and advertising. Every little bit helps. Here's a free tip from us: if someone didn't respond to your email the first three times, they probably don't want to get a fourth.
Made for busy startups, this no-nonsense, jargon-free app quickly teaches you how to promote your business, build your brand and get new customers. Each lesson takes 5 minutes or less and gives you best practices, case studies and interactive quizzes.
IN THIS VERSION, YOU’LL GET PRIMED ON:
- Content Marketing
- PR
- Search Engine Marketing
- (More topics coming soon…)
Greyhound Lines
Android Police coverage: Official Greyhound Lines Android App Arrives At The Google Play Terminal
Flying sucks. I will drive for about a thousand miles just to avoid the airports on either end of the journey. Often a bus trip can be cheaper and more comfortable, albeit much longer. The official Greyhound app lets you check routes, find stations, book tickets, and accrue rewards for multiple trips. And no one tells you to throw away your water bottle because it's bigger than three ounces.
The Greyhound mobile app is here. Put the booking experience in the palm of your hand with all the features of the website including searching schedules, booking a trip, accessing Road Rewards, saving with our discounts, finding your terminal location and more. Users can only book trips originating in the continental United States on the app.
Bitmoji - Emoji by Bitstrips
Android Police coverage: Bitstrips Releases 'Bitmoji' Android App So Your Comical Avatar Can Express Itself
This is an app that creates customized avatars for use on social networks and chat apps. Yeah, it basically lets you make personalized smiley faces or "emoji," if you really insist. Speaking as a writer, I think resorting to a cartoon to express your feelings betrays a poor grasp of the written word. Speaking as a blogger, I know this app will get a metric f#$^-ton of downloads.
Bitmoji is your own personal emoji.
• Create an expressive cartoon avatar
• Choose from a growing library of moods, stickers and comic scenes - featuring YOU.
• Put them into any text message, chat or status update
If you’re one of the millions of people with a Bitstrips avatar: Just download and sign into the app with Facebook – your unique collection of Bitmoji is already waiting for you.
Asparagus - My Cookbook
We've seen a lot of cookbook apps on Android. Asparagus (why? Why would you name your app after the world's least desirable vegetable?) doesn't really change the recipe, but it adds in a ton of extras that make it more interesting. Material Design UI? Check. Backup and syncing across devices? Check. Android Wear support for cooking without holding a pound of plastic? Check. Cooking-slash-Android enthusiasts should definitely check it out.
Asparagus is your new personal recipe collection manager. Your digital cookbook. Beautiful modern design, simple interface according to the latest Android design guidelines (Material Design). App features seamless between all of your devices and automatic backup to the cloud. If you own Android Wear or Pebble smartwatch, you can even cook with Asparagus on your wrist.
Sickweather
Here's an interesting idea: a live map for disease. Sickweather scans health reports for unusually high levels of especially infectious diseases like the flu and whooping cough, then displays them on a map a la a weather report. It also issues notifications when you enter a "sick zone," letting you know to be more careful. This could be a great tool, especially for parents and medical workers, or anyone with a particularly susceptible immune system.
See what's going around with Sickweather, the world's first Doppler radar for sickness. As featured on the Today Show, Sickweather provides real-time alerts whenever you enter a Sick Zone: areas where others have recently reported being sick. Be alerted for Flu, Norovirus, Pink Eye, Whooping Cough, and 19 other illnesses. Sickweather uses a patent-pending process to track and map reports of illness from social media in addition to crowdsourcing directly from our user community.
Hype Machine
Despite the look, Hype Machine is not, in fact, a subscription music service. Nope, it's a well-known "MP3 blog," focusing on independent music from a wide variety of artists-slash-bloggers. The app functions as a jukebox in any case - you browse the music that's been uploaded to the site with each "blog" working something like a hyper-personal playlist. The interface is pretty good too, especially considering how much is actually going on behind the scenes.
Discover the most talked-about music from blogs around the world. This is Hype Machine in your pocket. Every day, thousands of people around the world write about music they love — and it all ends up on Hype Machine. We watch for new posts on over 800 of the most interesting blogs and make it easy to follow this chaotic world. You can listen to the newest tracks posted just minutes ago, the most popular tracks of the day, and check out what your friends have discovered on the service.
Piktures - Photo Album Gallery
There is no shortage of gallery apps available in the Play Store, but this one combines a unique interface with gesture-based commands to make something a little different. Images can be browsed by the usual filters plus a location-based city view, and there's a simple but attractive "calendar" screen that apes the usual layout of a paper photo calendar. Best of all, the "share" function includes the capability to re-size photos for quick uploads before sending.
Meet Piktures by DIUNE. The first gesture-based Gallery app to manage your photos and videos. It's Fast, Simple and Free with no ads.
What makes our app so great:
■ Free, Fast and Beautiful
■ Gesture-based, you just have to swipe and slide
■ Calendar view, scroll vertically for fast browsing
■ Location view
■ Resize pictures before sharing
■ Hide albums
Sloth Launcher
Hey look, another one of those side-swipe launcher thingies! Sloth Launcher distinguishes itself with specific sets of apps that are triggered by locations and other events (some of which are only available via the $2.50 premium IAP): GPS points, Bluetooth or WiFi connections, even Tasker states. There are a lot of theming options, starting with the vaguely Material-style default. It's an interesting implementation, but I think I'd prefer a static list - it takes a lot to drag me away from SwipePad.
Sloth Launcher is a sidebar-overlay which allows you to quickly access the right apps at the right time. It is displayed on top of your screen when triggered and works with your existing launcher. Features:
• A contextual overlay gives you quick access to your apps for the right situation
• NEW: Assign quick-toggles to your szenarios (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Silent mode, Flashlight)
• Intuitive user interface (Material Design)
• Create endless scenarios using 8 different Trigger types
• Ad-Free
• Theme Editor: customize your Sloth Launcher overlay to match your style (Premium-Feature)
• Woks with your existing launcher
Mad Genius Radio
Mad Genius Radio uses the same basic idea as Pandora with more granular controls. You can mix and match a station's genre with a series of sliders like an equalizer, and each "thumbs up" rating can be from one to five, with higher ratings affecting the dynamic playlist more heavily. "Professionally curated" stations and user-created playlists are included. The subscription costs either $5 a month or $48 a year after the trial period.
Mad Genius Radio is the ultimate personalized radio. Unlike radio services that only gives you thumbs up and down options, Mad Genius Radio lets you rate songs and artists from 1-5 (plus skip and delete), mix genres, control how much new music you hear, and even make Requests for your favorite artists and songs--similar to calling into an FM radio station in the “old days.” We have more than 50 professionally curated radio genres that you can personalize as much or as little as you wish.
SnapDonate
SnapDonate is kind of like WordLens for donation. By that, I mean that it scans advertisements for various charities with your camera, recognizes the logo, then matches it up and offers you a direct way to donate money. It's an impressive application of the advertising principles of an "impulse purchase" paired with mobile tech. Unfortunately only some charities in the United Kingdom are onboard for the moment.
SnapDonate enables you to quickly give money to your favourite charities on the go. Simply point the app at a charity logo and it’ll automatically recognise it. Even offline. Donations are all securely handled by JustGiving, the world’s top fundraising platform. SnapDonate takes no fee, stores no personal data, and shows no ads. Pure and simple. This free ‘magic lens’ lets you make impulsive donations without signing up for a direct debit or marketing blurb. Snap a charity’s logo -on a poster or plastic bag- and donate.
Truedialer by Truecaller
Here's another in a long line of dialer replacement apps. This one has a few good ideas, though: if you've still got T9 skills from the days of dumb phones you can use them for quick lookups, and the app connects to the Truecaller database of caller ID/directory numbers that you can access for incoming calls. Editing the information in the app's contact list should sync said data with your Google account.
Truedialer is a smart phone dialer unlike any other. Replace your old, slow and boring dialer for the quickest and most convenient way to find your contacts. This dialer uses a simple and easy to use numeric pad to help find numbers within your phonebook, and beyond your phonebook with Truecaller integration. Truedialer gives you instant access to relevant information about people you are about to call, and lets you save the information quickly into your phonebook for later use. And the best part? It’s completely FREE.
Trustable by Bluebox
Trustable isn't a security app, per se, it's more of a security awareness app. The idea is that it scans your phone or tablet for known vulnerabilities in Android, in software supplied by your manufacturer, and in "insecure configurations caused by the device user" (read: dumb stuff you did that made you less safe). It's an interesting report, though the app's "trust score" is an amorphous construct less useful than the point-by-point breakdown. Root users, prepare to be given a poor score. Update: the developer contacted Android Police to say that in fact, Trustable has an 'expert' mode that will not lower the score based on root privileges alone. Potentially insecure root-enabled apps will still be identified and lower the score accordingly.
The Trustable by Bluebox app provides Android mobile phone and table users, and any interested parties, with a security trust score illustrating how trustable the device is for security and protection of data.
- Provides a consistent and on-going method to measure the security properties and trustability of a device, including any known vulnerabilities
- Computes a security-centric trust score in a range of 0.0 to 10.0, based up on all discovered information, including the analysis of various configuration and settings information
- Provides specific instructions for users to improve their device trust score
- Enables users to make informed decisions on which vendors/devices make below-average or above-average security decisions
D-Vasive by John McAfee
Here's another app that caters to your irrational fear, though this one has a more personal appeal: it lets you know when your camera, microphone, or wireless connection is activated. That's useful if you think some app is snooping on you (or just activating portions of your hardware when it shouldn't be). The pro version can lock down the camera, microphone, Bluetooth and WiFi connections to trusted apps only.
Stop apps from spying on you. Alerts when your Camera, Mic, Bluetooth and WiFi are activated. There are many invasive apps out there that discretely collect your personal information as well as track your location, record your conversations and even video record you. D-Vasive Anti Spy is the 1st Antispy App that will help protect your privacy from these invasive apps by alerting you if an application is trying to spy on you, using your phone's Camera, Microphone, Bluetooth or WiFi connections. And even better, it works.
Intel® Easy Migration
Do you need a migration service for a Chromebook? If you're a regular user of the desktop version of Chrome, almost certainly not - Google takes care of that for you. But this official Intel app will sync other stuff, including photos, contacts, bookmarks, and as much music and video as your Google Drive space allotment can hold. Of course, it can only sync the contacts and accounts that are actually on your phone.
One-click migration from your old devices to your new Chromebook. Chromebooks are cloud based devices; getting your stuff from your phone or PC to the Google Cloud has never been easier.
- Migrate all your device / Hotmail / Yahoo contacts to Google Contacts.
- Migrate all / selected photos and videos to Google+ Photos.
- Ability to pause and resume the migration process
- Real time visibility on your Google Drive space consumption
My Apps
This is not an app. It's a sort of window to a series of web apps, all of which accept the Windows Azure login system. I suppose it could save you some time, though whether that's worth having to deal with a separate app instead of Chrome is debatable.
This app provides single sign-on to thousands of cloud applications using a single user account. You may already use the My Apps page to access the apps that you need at work or school if your organization uses Azure Active Directory. My Apps for Android allows you to access those same apps from your Android devices. To use this app within your organization, contact your system administrator.
Bubble Cloud Widgets
The other AP editors were split on whether to include this. It's basically just a copy of one of Apple's preview interfaces seen on the as-yet unreleased Apple Watch, adapted into a very basic launcher. Each "cloud" can be populated with contacts, apps, or web bookmarks. I'm not a fan, but for certain interfaces (maybe even standard Lollipop) the bold colors and amorphous layout really work.
Place apps and bookmarks in AppleWatch style "circle clouds" on your homescreen → What looks silly on a watch face makes perfect sense for our homescreens. But there's a twist.
THE TWIST? "THEY ARE ALIVE"
- bubbles in the clouds change size dynamically: they grow with use
- clouds can auto populate by Play Store categories or Contact groups [see below]
- new bubbles appear in the center of the cloud
- unused bubbles shrink to become dwarfs and can eventually disappear
- you may add and remove bubbles manually
- when a widget is removed, its contents can be retained and used in another widget
GoToWebinar
This app from Citrix of GoToMeeting fame allows you to attend webinars (that's what the business types call live presentations that use your computer) without a full PC. Allowing that these things aren't ideally suited for mobile in the first place, it looks like Citrix is working hard to make it as painless as possible, complete with both standard dial and VOIP compatibility. There is even some basic interactivity, though it looks like there's no two-way voice option at the moment. You probably won't install this on your own unless someone asks you to attend a webinar.
Being away from your computer doesn’t mean you have to miss out on online events. The free GoToWebinar mobile app lets you not only see and hear webinars, but take part in them as well. No matter where you are, you can ask questions, take part in polls and more.
• Join with just a tap.
• Listen in using one-touch dialing or VoIP.
• View the event speaker’s slide presentations up close.
• Participate in polls, raise your hand and ask the event speaker a question.
• View active speaker's webcam.
Networkr
If you've ever used "network" as a verb, this app is for you. It's basically a dating app for professionals (without the dating part).
Networkr is establishing dialogues between professionals at events and nearby. We are doing this by matching professionals based on a mutual interest, this means that professionals you match with in Networkr are not only interesting for but also interested in you. The perfect beginning of a valuable new dialogue. In the Nearby Mode you can swipe through professionals that are close by. Swipe "Connect in Networkr" if you would like to talk and "Maybe Later" if you are not interested at the moment.
Taco Bell
Android Police coverage: New Taco Bell Mobile Ordering App For Android Lets You Get Your Chalupa Without Waiting In Line
Saints preserve us, Taco Bell made a mobile app. This app allows you to order your food before getting to the alleged restaurant, making the hyper-fast preparation time even quicker. You can also redeem rewards for multiple trips. Just watch out for the food poisoning. (That's not a joke. I've been poisoned by Taco Bell food before. Seriously, go anywhere else to get your quote Tex-Mex unquote fix. Even if they don't have an Android app.)
Taco Bell® Mobile Ordering is Here. Customize. Order. Pay. All from the new app. Now you can easily select a local Taco Bell, customize your favorite items and pay for your order. No need to select a pick-up time. We make your food when you arrive because just-prepared food is the best. Then skip the in-store line like you own the place. Plus, reordering your favorites is as easy as a twist of the wrist.
Manufacturer And Tie-In Apps
HTC File Manager
Android Police coverage: HTC Copies And Pastes Its File Manager Into The Play Store
This is HTC's proprietary file manager app. It's notable because not all Android manufacturers have one (including Google's AOSP code). It's also pretty basic - pretty much any of the go-to managers in the Play Store are more capable. It's a free download, but only for HTC phones running Android 4.4 or higher.
Easily browse files on your smartphone, memory card and USB storage, and create folders and rename, copy, move and manage your files efficiently.
Phone 2 Go
Android Police coverage: Phone 2 Go Android App Lets Time Warner Cable Phone Customers Take Their Home Lines Away From The House
Do you have Time Warner Cable? Do you pay extra for a home phone line? (Why?) Well if you do, now you can take it with you on your Android phone or tablet. Without using Google Voice. But seriously, I think the people that are still using landlines are the ones who are also still using "dumb" cell phones, so I doubt there's much demand for this.
Phone 2 Go transforms your Home Phone experience by allowing you to use up to 5 mobile devices to access your TWC Home Phone—you can make and receive calls, video calls, and text messages at no extra cost. Phone 2 Go allows family members to use your Home Phone account from anywhere on earth to make calls globally from their smartphones and tablets, too, at low-cost home phone rates. You can make calls from anywhere in the world just as though you were in the comfort and economy of your own home.
PS4 Remote Play
Android Police coverage: Sony's PS4 Remote Play App For Xperia Z3 Devices Is Live On The Play Store
This app will let you play PlayStation 4 games on your phone! If you have a Sony phone. Specifically an Xperia Z3 or the compact or compact tablet version. And you happen to be on a Wi-Fi network. With an Internet connection (no offline play). And of course you'll need a PS4 to play them. And a PS4 controller. You know what, maybe it would be easier just to install Twitch, tap on the screen, and pretend to play a streaming PS4 game.
The power of PS4 streamed direct to your Sony Xperia smartphone and tablet*. Connect your Xperia smartphone or tablet to your home Wi-Fi network, grab a DUALSHOCK®4 wireless controller and continue your PS4 games on your Xperia device away from your TV screen. Use of this feature requires a PlayStation®4 system, DUALSHOCK®4 wireless controller, Sony Entertainment Network account and high-speed Internet connection. Use of your home Wi-Fi network is recommended.
SmartBand Talk SWR30
Android Police coverage: Sony Hits The Play Store With A Companion App For The SmartBand Talk SWR30 And A Bunch Of Extensions
Sony's SmartBand isn't an Android Wear device, though it does a lot of the same things - it's basically Sony's take on the Samsung Gear Fit. This app allows it to receive some incoming notifications and install some of the proprietary apps (or extensions), as well as access the core "lifelog" functionality. The description says it's for Sony devices only, but I'm seeing a few scattered exceptions, including the OnePlus One.
This is the official Sony application for SmartBand SWR30. With this app, you can decide how your SmartBand interacts with your smartphone and which life logging functions are enabled. For the best SmartBand SWR30 experience, we recommend that you install Lifelog, an innovative and animated life logging app from Sony. Lifelog lets you playback your day, set activity goals, track logged activities and view and edit life bookmarks.
Voice Note smart extension
Android Police coverage: Sony Hits The Play Store With A Companion App For The SmartBand Talk SWR30 And A Bunch Of Extensions
This "extension" for the new Sony Smartband turns it into a little voice notation machine... kind of like the "take a note" command on Android Wear. So, with a little imagination you use it to pretend to be Dick Tracy or a really unsubtle CIA agent. You'll need the SWR30 and a compatible phone to use this app.
This is the official Voice Note application for your Sony SmartBand™ Talk. Voice Note works with Evernote. With this app you can record a voice note on your SmartBand™ Talk and upload it to your Evernote account. When you have installed this app, it will not appear on your home screen. Instead, it will be integrated into the SmartBand™ Talk dedicated Sony app installed on your Android smartphone or tablet. SmartBand™ Talk dedicated Sony app required.
Microsoft Health
Android Police coverage: Microsoft Health Hits The Play Store, And There's A New $199.99 Fitness Band To Go With It
Microsoft came out of nowhere with its own fitness tracker that the company pushed onto the market. That's not all that surprising - everyone's jumping on the bandwagon. What is surprising is that they're doing what their competitors at Apple and Google aren't - making it compatible with competing platforms. Yup, the Gear Fit-style Microsoft Band works on its own or paired to Windows Phone, Android, or iOS.
Live healthier and be more productive with Microsoft Health for Android™. Achieve wellness goals by tracking your heart rate, steps, calorie burn, and sleep quality. Maximize your fitness with Guided Workouts, 24-hour heart rate monitoring and automatic activity counting. Be more productive with email previews and calendar alerts at a glance. Personalize your Microsoft Band and get new features as they roll out. Mobile app also available for Windows Phone® and iPhone®.
Motorola Flip Case
Android Police coverage: Motorola Flip Case App Supports The New Window Case For The DROID Turbo
Motorola's high-powered DROID Turbo launched as a Verizon exclusive last week, and it looks like Moto is using the phone as testbed for its own S-View style window case. Early adopters can grab one of these pricey add-ons and see notifications and calls through the cover, with a few basic functions like voice commands, answering and declining calls, and taking photos accessible without opening it.
The Motorola Flip Case keeps your DROID Turbo protected while keeping you in the loop. A window lets you glance at notifications, take photos and more -- all without having to open the cover. This service enables the following features when using the Motorola Flip Case on a Motorola DROID Turbo:
• Glance at incoming notifications with Moto Display
• Launch the camera and tap anywhere on the Flip Case window to take a full screen photo.
• Say your Moto Voice launch phrase and ask a question, or take a selfie.
• Answer or ignore phone calls with the cover closed.
• Get a heads-up when an application is trying to get your attention, such as an incoming video call. Simply open the cover to take action.
• Press the power key to view remaining battery life, time and date, and your next alarm.
ASUS ZenWatch Manager
Android Police coverage: ASUS Releases ZenWatch Manager, Remote Camera, And Wellness Apps For Its Upcoming Android Wear Device
This is the primary support app for ASUS' yet-unreleased ZenWatch. Technically you shouldn't need one of these (the official Android Wear app stands alone), but the Manager app lets you select from some genuinely cool watch faces with customized information displays. There's also a remote presenter function and a few other goodies, like an unlock token. You won't be getting these apps (at least in their proprietary form) on non-ASUS watches.
ASUS ZenWatch Manager is a companion app to your ASUS ZenWatch that provides advanced smartphone integration and extended functionality, enabling you to get the most out of your wearable device. ASUS ZenWatch Manager helps you set up your ZenWatch, change the watch face to match your personal style, and use a variety of convenient features such as Cover to Mute, Unlock My Phone, and Find My Phone.
ASUS Wellness
Android Police coverage: ASUS Releases ZenWatch Manager, Remote Camera, And Wellness Apps For Its Upcoming Android Wear Device
You can't actually buy ASUS' ZenWatch yet, but if you're really excited for it, you can download this fitness manager and pretend that you have one. While the app itself is pretty, it doesn't really do anything more than other apps in a similar vein, with the possible exception of the traveling timeline view. This app can be downloaded to any phone (but not tablets), but it's not much use without the watch.
ASUS Wellness is a companion app to your ASUS ZenWatch. It serves as a personal wellness manager that tracks a variety of wellness statistics, such as heart rate, step counts, and relaxation levels to help users keep their lives in balance and achieve personal fitness goals. A fancy app that measures your relaxation levels.Using the built-in bio sensor on ASUS ZenWatch, you can measure relaxation levels anytime and anywhere.
RE
Android Police coverage: HTC RE Android App Hits Google Play So You Can Manage Content And Actually See What Your Camera Is Recording
HTC's oddball RE Camera actually works on its own, but if you'd like a remote controller or viewfinder, you'll need this companion app. It also transfers videos and photos directly to your phone, keeping the device's MicroSD card storage free for disconnected shooting. Despite being manufactured by HTC, the camera's companion app can be installed on any Android 4.3+ device... though you can't actually buy it at the time of writing.
The RE app makes it easy to control your RE camera remotely with your Android phone. The app serves as both a content browser and live viewfinder, mirroring what the camera is seeing. After the initial pairing of the devices, all you do is launch the app and all of your photos and videos are instantly and magically available on your phone. Once you find the ones you like, the RE app makes it easy to share your favorites via email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and many more.
Know A Worthy New App? Let Us Know!
If you have an application in mind for the next issue of the roundup, feel free to send us an email and let us know.
Important: there are 2 requirements in order for the app to be considered, listed below.
- the app's launch date has to be no longer than 2 weeks ago
- it has to be original, ground-breaking, well-reviewed, interesting, fun, etc - the cream of the crop
Now, if and only if the above requirements have been satisfied, fire up an email to this address: oh.no.its.the@androidpolice.com.
1 sponsored placement per week is available (your app would be featured at the top and marked as sponsored) - please contact us for details.