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TapTap.io explained: How to install and navigate the Play Store alternative
The Google Play Store isn't the only place to download Android games
TapTap.io has been on the rise over the last few years, holding exclusives to non-Western (developed) games like Torchlight: Infinite during alpha testing, and even Valorant Mobile. These games should eventually come to the Play Store, but if you'd like to pre-register for similar listings well ahead of time, TapTap is the answer. Not only does TapTap offer early pre-registration perks, but you also gain access to many great games the Play Store may get late, or even possibly never. Exclusives are very much the reason why TapTap is a great alternative to the Google Play Store for Android games.
Google Translate's long-awaited Material You revamp is now finally showing up (APK Download)
The first real Translate UI revamp in years
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One Google tool that you can count on while traveling is Translate. It’s got by far the widest language support and the translation accuracy is among the best in business. Despite being a pretty darn useful tool, the Translate app for Android hasn’t received the love it deserves, lagging severely behind in design. With a Material You facelift for Translate on the cards, things are seemingly changing for good, and we now have a better look at how the interface will work on the new app.
What's new in Chrome 95, coming to Android 12 in a new Material You look (APK Download)
Secure Payment Confirmation, Eyedropper support, web app improvements, and more
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The Pixel Fall Launch event and the Pixel 6 may have overshadowed anything else going on in the Google cosmos, but the company also launched Chrome 95 to the stable channel on the same date. If that seems fast to you, it's because Google has accelerated its releases from a six-week cycle to a four-week schedule. And as such, there are fewer new features to be seen this time around. Let's dive into what's up.
Google splits Play Protect into a dedicated app, but it’s not yet clear what's in store for it
You'll need Android 12 to even install the app
Play Protect has always been a background service as part of the Play Store that helps to keep your phone safe from nefarious apps. It’s been around for several years and scans billions of apps (even the sideloaded ones) every day without you even noticing it, unless it catches a piece of malware and notifies you about it. Google is now breaking out this safety tool from the Play Store and giving it a dedicated app. However, what new capabilities Play Protect has received as part of this change is still up in the air.
Firefox 93 for Android wants to become your new password manager (APK Download)
The latest browser version can act as an autofill service across all of Android
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The last few Firefox releases haven't exactly been exciting on Android, but that's changing with version 93 — if you use Firefox as your password manager, that is. The new release can serve as your password autofill service across all of your apps on Android, much like Mozilla's own Lockwise app (or any other competing password manager, for that matter).
Google Messages' Material You design makes it to beta (APK Download)
It is still clearly a work in progress
After Google Calendar, Keep, Docs, Sheets, and Slides, it is now Google Messages' turn to get a Material You revamp. The latest Messages v9.7 beta update introduces a new Material You-inspired design, though it clearly looks like a work in progress.
Gmail for Android gets 'chips,' helping you narrow down search results
The feature was first introduced in Gmail desktop in 2020
Gmail on Android has always felt rather neglected compared to its desktop counterpart. To this date, it isn't possible to set up and change filters for incoming mail in the mobile app, and you can't use custom inboxes. While we've given up on ever seeing this functionality in the app, Google has at least budged to bring a more minor but still useful feature to Gmail on Android. The company shared that you'll soon be able to use search filters in mobile Gmail, dubbed chips.
Google Calendar is early for its Material You appointment
Its redesign is now available ahead of schedule
At this point, anyone running Android 12's beta on their phone has been flooded with Material You. As we're approaching a stable launch for Google's next major OS update, all of its apps are getting splashes of color, alongside some more extensive redesigns for certain services. Calendar's update was scheduled to arrive on Monday, but as with any good planner, it's arrived early to the party.
Aliens are now invading PUBG Mobile in the 1.6 patch (APK Download)
Royale Pass Month 3 starts on September 17th
It's been two months since PUBG Mobile received its last update, and today marks the launch of patch 1.6. As expected with each patch, 1.6 offers new content, new tweaks, new bug fixes, and plenty more. There's a fresh mode called Flora Menace, where players will have to survive an alien plant invasion. Plus, quite a few maps and modes are making a return. There's also a new social feature debuting today that should make it easier to view and share player stats, and month three of the Royale Pass will begin to roll out soon, starting on the 17th.
Latest Telegram beta adds group read receipts to stop you from ghosting your friends
How are you going to avoid your social plans now?
Group chats make setting up plans so much easier, no matter whether you're choosing which restaurant to reserve a table at or arranging an entire week-long vacation. Sometimes it's not enough to just speak with your friends — you need to know who has or hasn't seen a specific message. It's a feature supported by apps like Facebook Messenger, but up until now, something Telegram has completely lacked.
Android 12's Material You Clock app works on older versions (APK Download)
Too bad those new widgets don't
Unless you have a spare lying around to be your real phone, I wouldn't recommend installing beta software on a device that you depend upon. But that's what we're here for! Android 12's version of the reliable Clock app is looking good in the latest beta. And it turns out that it looks pretty good on Android 11, too, because you can install the new APK from the updated version on older builds.
Your high school math teacher probably once claimed you wouldn't always have a calculator on you to solve complicated algebra equations. Not only were they completely incorrect, but Google's calculator app is one of the best ways to add, subtract, and multiply to your heart's content. With Android 12 just weeks away from bringing Material You to the masses, it seems a redesign is finally in order.
Firefox 92 launches with support for your 2FA USB security key (APK Download)
The update is now rolling out on the Play Store
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Ever since the redesigned Firefox for Android landed back in 2020, development has stalled a little. Mozilla has only added a few new features to the browser since, like improved tracking protection, a small interface lift, and improvements to HTTPS connections. Unfortunately, Firefox 92 doesn't change much about that. The latest version of Firefox is now rolling out to the Play Store, and it only brings a handful of features to the table.
Nova Launcher 7 goes live with a visual refresh and new features in tow (APK Download)
Widget corner radius, swipe down gesture, and more
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Nova Launcher has always been among the most popular third-party launchers, even with great alternatives like Niagara popping up left and right. After what felt like months of stagnation, the latest visual refresh and rewrite of Nova is finally starting to roll out on the Play Store, dubbed Nova7. It's based on the latest AOSP launcher code and comes with new animations, styles, and features.
It feels like Google is bumping up Chrome's version number every other day, with one release following right after the other, but things are about to get even worse. As the company announced in March, new Chrome releases will come to our devices every four weeks from now on instead of every six. Chrome 94, which has just been released to the beta channel, is the first version to live on that fast four-week cycle. You can download it over at APK Mirror right now.
This Google Discover hack has us yearning for the Google Now of old
Remember when the feed was actually useful?
Once upon a time, the screen to the left of the homescreen on Google's Nexus phones and tablets was called Google Now, and it was a genuinely useful feed full of contextual information about things like your commute, upcoming calendar appointments, package deliveries, and so on. This eventually went away as the screen, now Google Discover, was turned into a news feed. There's now a way to get it back, but it's unfortunately limited to those using Xposed on a rooted device.
Telegram has created a whole new social experience for you to dread with 1,000 person video calls
Plus screen sharing, new animations, and more
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It was just a couple of days ago that we first got our hands on Telegram's latest beta, adding screen sharing, video speed controls, and new options for clearing out your chat history. If you gave that version a spin only to find it seemed a bit buggy, you're in luck. Telegram 7.9 is already making its way out to users today, and it's got all of those beta features and a whole lot more.
Telegram's latest beta includes a screen sharing tool: here's how to try it out
Plus video playback speeds and more
It's no secret that Telegram development moves at 10x the speed of other messengers. No sooner had we learned about some new features than we discover there's a newer update with even more interesting things to try. This is the case today with an update to Telegram beta, which brings a bunch of interesting additions like video playback speed controls and screen sharing — though the latter seems very buggy for now.
Gboard's clipboard suggestions are getting smarter and smarter
They automatically detect links, dates, times, and numbers
Clipboard and autofill suggestions as one of the best features of Gboard. You tap a text field and the keyboard immediately offers to paste something you're likely to write — either a piece of text you just copied or a login/password. But there's always room for improvement and Gboard is now taking its clipboard suggestions to the next level by automatically detecting the most important bits of a larger copied text.
What's new in Chrome 92 (APK Download)
Better performance meets more security and tons of new features
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Google releases new Chrome builds every six weeks, and the latest version to launch is Chrome 92. The new browser is available for download since yesterday, and it comes filled to the brim with interface experiments, security improvements, web app enhancements, and performance upgrades. Here's what you need to know.