Reviews - 32/69 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Jan

[Hands-On] GBikes Is A Great Futuristic Racing Game, But Still Leaves A Bit To Be Desired

Posted by Brandon Lancaster in Game Reviews, Games

GBikes by Unchained Developers is a futuristic racing game that recently hit the Android Market. It features fast-paced, high adrenaline gameplay, along with some pretty stunning graphics. In terms of relativity, think Wipeout. This game is dangerously similar to the entire Wipeout series, but fortunately it is well-made and worth playing. There is, however, definitely room for improvement.

Gameplay

If you're looking for deep gameplay, this game simply does not have it, but that really isn't what titles like these aim for. Basically, we play games like these to race some anti-gravity crotch rockets at break-neck speeds, right? Well look no further, because GBikes has you covered with several different high-speed races across 6 worlds.

Jan

[Hands-On] Big Fish Games Brings Suspense And Adventure To The Hidden Object Genre With 'The Serpent Of Isis'

Posted by Brandon Lancaster in Game Reviews, Games

You may have already played this game on a computer or an iDevice, but it has recently made its way into the Android Market and is really worth a mention. We don't usually cover many hidden object games here at Android Police, but The Serpent of Isis by Big Fish Games really has something captivating about it. Not only is it challenging to find the objects you're looking for, but the whole game ties very nicely into an interesting and suspenseful plotline. While this is the idea behind nearly every game in this genre, not many can do it well.

Gameplay

The whole game is centered around finding The Serpent of Isis, an ancient Egyptian artifact that your grandfather found several decades ago.

Jan

[Review] Adobe Collage Creates Quick, Dynamic Mood Boards With Considerable Aesthetic Flair

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Applications

Up next in my series of reviews centering on Adobe's Touch Apps is Collage, a nifty addition to the Touch App family that allows users to make quick, yet sophisticated mood boards on the go. For those not familiar with the term, a "mood board" is essentially a concentrated collection of images, notes, and other media that convey the overall concept, or mood, of a project, from photo shoots to graphical designs, to interior decorating projects.

At A Glance

Adobe Collage is a relatively simple app, with relatively sophisticated functionality. What I mean by that is that the app is very easy to use (particularly if you're familiar with the other Touch Apps), but provides practical, quick functionality that helps accomplish your mood boarding goals efficiently and effectively.

Jan

[Quick Look] RingDimmer Automatically Adjusts Ringtone Volume Based On Ambient Sound, Saves Users From Embarrassing Disruptions

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Applications, News

Do you find yourself constantly adjusting the volume of your phone's ringtone, or wishing that the annoying buzz of your phone's vibration could be toned down a little? Looking to solve all of your ringtone/vibration woes (while making sure you don't miss a call), Michael Pardo has introduced RingDimmer to the Android Market. The app adjusts vibration intensity and ringer volume based on ambient noise, ensuring that you never miss a call, and never have to be disrupted by an inappropriately loud ring tone.

The first thing users will notice about RingDimmer is its simple interface. When I say simple, I mean the entire app consists of one screen and two checkboxes.

Jan

[Hunt For The Best Dialer, Part 9] exDialer Delivers Beautiful Theming, Simple Functionality In A Lightweight Package

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Applications, Hunt For The Best Dialer, Reviews

Modoohut's exDialer application, an extremely light-weight, easy-to-use, theme-able dialer app, brings a lot to the table as yet another alternative to Android's stock dialer, especially considering that it is totally free.

At A Glance

Though exDialer's theming options are impressive, the default theme itself (inspired by the famous MiUI ROM) is gorgeous, and I haven't exchanged it for another skin since first downloading the app weeks ago.

The app itself is exceedingly easy to use, and has a footprint of a mere 1.35MB, making it lightweight. The only drawback in this respect is that exDialer automatically installs exContacts, an app that basically serves as a shortcut to exDialer's built in contacts system.

Jan

Review And Comparison: Otterbox Commuter And Defender Cases For The Galaxy Nexus

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Galaxy Nexus, Other Reviews

Cases - some people love them, others hate them. Regardless of how you feel about them, there is one truth: they're useful and help keep your device in top condition. A quick look through eBay or Craigslist will prove the value of keeping your gear in a case - when trying to sell a device most users put "has been in a case since day one" or something similar (whether it's true or not). That assures the buyer that they are getting a near-mint condition piece of kit.

When it comes to top-notch device protection, one name often comes to mind: Otterbox.

Jan

[Review] Easy-Macro Lens Band: It's Not Every Day That A Rubber Band Blows Your Mind

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Other Reviews

A few weeks ago, we highlighted a neat accessory for your cell's camera called the Easy-Macro Lens Band. After reading our coverage of the item, the creator of it hit me up on Twitter to say thanks, and then sent me a few samples. I absolutely love macro photos, so I've spent the last several weeks playing with this little band and wanted to share my feelings.

What Is It?

For those unaware, the Easy-Macro band is an extremely simple solution for taking macro photos. It combines a rubber band with a macro lens, and it should work on any phone (Android, Blackberry, iOS, etc.).

Jan

[Review] SGP Kuel f60Q: It's The Cadillac Of Portable Chargers, With A Price To Match

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Other Reviews

While some manufacturers are doing whatever they can to increase battery life in power-hungry smartphones, most of us still have to find a way to make sure our gear stays charged on-the-go. Sure, extended batteries get the job done, but they add extra bulk to your device, and they don't help a bit if you have multiple devices to keep juiced. So, what's the most practical solution?

A portable charger.

We've taken a look at several portable chargers in the past - some good, some not-so-good. Today, we're going to check out one of the best portable chargers that I've ever used: the kuel f60Q from SGP.

Jan

[Hands-On] Osmos HD Floats On Over To The Android Market Bringing Unique Captivating Gameplay Along With It

Posted by Brandon Lancaster in Game Reviews, Games

Some of you may have already played Osmos on your computer or on an iDevice, but this quirky little number by Hemisphere Games has finally hit the Android Market for more to enjoy. For those of you that have never heard of Osmos, it's a physics-based game that has such a simple concept it may leave you dumbfounded. Basically you control an organism, or 'mote', and aim to absorb other motes through osmosis (see what they did with the title there?). As I said, it sounds simple, but it truly is an astounding game.

Gameplay

The reason Osmos works so well is because everything ties together to create an undeniably solid gaming experience.

Jan

[Hands-On] Half Breed Is A Fun Alien Shooter That Has Great Potential, But Could Definitely Use Some Work

Posted by Brandon Lancaster in Games, Reviews

Introduction

Half Breed, by iNoko Studios, is an alien-themed shooter that just landed on the Android Market today. As the title indicates, you play the role of a mysterious being who wakes up to find that he is now half-man and half-alien. If that wasn't enough, this creature has a whole arsenal of crazy powers, and is bent on seeking revenge against the people who made him this way.

Gameplay

There are two different game modes in Half Breed, story and multiplayer. Unfortunately, multiplayer isn't true online gameplay, as the only way to take advantage of it is to play with a friend over a Wi-Fi connection.