Reviews - 44/71 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Aug

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 8] Overvi3w Provides Intuitive, Feature-Rich Experience In A Discreet Package

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

Overvi3w from Unfairware is our next entry in the Mobile Security App Shootout, bringing a nice set of features for free (and a bevvy of other features with a subscription) in a lightweight, battery-friendly package.

At A Glance

Unlike the past two apps in the Shootout, Overvi3w relies on an online interface to remotely control and receive data from your phone. The app itself installs pretty quickly and is out of your hair after that - it automatically hides itself after setup (if you reboot), making it more secure against clever thieves.

The online interface has much the same aesthetic as the phone-side app, providing a slick orange-and-grey look that is pretty much self-explanatory as far as utilization is concerned.

Aug

[Game Roundup] 5 Hidden-Object Games That Bring Mystery And Suspense To Android - Play Detective On-The-Go

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Game Reviews, Games

One of the most basic and (relatively) inexpensive genres of games, hidden-object games ask the player to find, well, hidden objects in a given scenario. Generally this involves some level of problem-solving and combining objects to find the next clue.

There are myriad hidden-object games developed for Android, but we've picked out five that we think are worth checking out.

Mystique

First up is Mystique, a hidden-object game that comes in three parts - only the first of which is free. It's a fairly standard experience for this genre, and places the player in a grotesque bathroom with blood, bandages, and an electric shaver.

Aug

[New Game Review] Sprinkle HD Looks To Drench Lesser Puzzle Games With Its Awesome Water Physics

Posted by Matt Demers in Game Reviews, Games

Some of my favorite mobile games for the mobile platform are of the puzzle genre, because it tends to lend itself well to the array of controls that are provided. A new THD game that just landed in the Market today, however, combines simple controls and some quirky physics to give you a unique puzzling experience.

In Sprinkle, you are put in charge of a small village's fire department, who are in turn in charge of extinguishing fires that are caused by falling meteorites. Since the citizens of this village live in thatched-room huts (despite having the technology for a high-powered hose), you can imaging that fire is pretty bad for them.

Aug

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 7] Where's My Droid Will Help Find Your Lost Phone, But Probably Won't Do Much If It's Stolen

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

Utilizing the same phone-centric implementation that we've just covered with PhoneLocator, Where's My Droid by alienmanfc6 is a light-weight, free security app that promises to help you recover your lost Android device.

At A Glance

As with most other security apps, Where's My Droid sets up with ease, asking only your name and zip code, and automatically using the email address of the Google account connected with your device. Likewise, WMD uses your Google account to push information to your phone once it receives an SMS containing a keyword for the desired command. The implementation of ads into the app was off-putting at first, but it's no hassle to bypass them with a single button press.

Aug

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 6] PhoneLocator Pro Ditches Online Interfaces For SMS-Based Controls, Offers Detailed Reports And Advanced Location Tracking

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

PhoneLocator is the latest entry in the Mobile Security App Shootout, coming to Android users from the developers at RVO. Another loss/theft-focused app, PhoneLocator has most of the normal features that we've seen before, but with a slight twist in functionality that may make or break the app for some users.

At A Glance

The app comes at a very low one-time payment of €1.99 (or about $2.84) and installs very quickly. The twist I mentioned earlier is that PhoneLocator has no online interface and therefore relies on your email address or a second phone number to relay information and receive commands.

Aug

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 5] Prey Anti-Theft Pairs Basic Security With An Innovative Approach And Coverage For Multiple Devices (Including Laptops And Tablets)

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

Prey Anti-Theft is an open source cross-platform app focused on helping you monitor and locate your lost or stolen device that offers a very unique set of features among its competitors, and implements those features in an even more unique manner. One very important note about Prey is that it offers support for all your devices - not just Android, but Windows, Mac, and Blackberry as well. This makes it a very apt solution to protecting all your devices. Prey also offers trial functionality that allows the budget-conscious user to use just about everything it has to offer, but allows a limited number of "reports" and supported devices (more on reports later).

Aug

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 4] TekTrak Offers Basic Security Controls And Unique, Sophisticated Location Tracking

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

Fourth in our lineup of Security apps is TekTrak, from the developer of the same name. TekTrak exists as one of the lesser-known security apps, but nonetheless delivers on its promises of finding and controlling a lost or stolen device.

At A Glance

Function-wise TekTrak operates as a no-frills security app. It has all of the basics, but not too many of the really interesting features (snapping photos remotely, recording audio, root support) that we've come to love from other apps. The installation process is similar to other security apps, asking for an email address (as your username) and a password before granting access to the online controls.

Aug

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 3] Cerberus Faithfully Guards All Your Devices With Ease

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

Developer LSDroid has raised the bar in our Security App Shootout series with the popular security app Cerberus. Another app looking to help those who dread the thought of their lost or stolen device out there all alone, Cerberus brings a lot to the table while maintaining a relatively low price point.

At a Glance

Playing off the name of the guard dog of Greek and Roman myth, Cerberus’ name alone gives a good first impression among security apps. Installing is your standard procedure -- choose a username and password and, well, that's it. As with the other apps we’ve covered so far, the real functionality of the app comes into play at the online dashboard.

Aug

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 2] SeekDroid Sooths Your Lost-Device Woes With Clean Interface And Excellent Functionality

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Mobile Security App Shootout

Next in line for our Mobile Security App Shootout is SeekDroid, an app that has no problem standing out in the crowded security app arena thanks to its sleek interface, smooth functionality, and manageable price tag; not to mention the adorable James Bond - style Android on the splash screen.

At a Glance

From the moment I saw the icon for GTMedia’s SeekDroid app, I suspected I had a winner on my hands -- and I haven’t been let down so far. The application itself is centered totally around helping find your lost or stolen device, so it won’t get you out of the woods if your handset is infected with malware.

Aug

[Review] ApzOrb: Funny Spelling, But A New Skin For An Old Snake

Posted by Matt Demers in Game Reviews, Games

Not all classics need to be updated. Sometimes, an adherence to simplistic (yet addictive) game design will win out over flashy graphics any day.

The Pitch

ApzOrb is an update of the traditional "Snake" game that most of us have played on monochrome cellphone screens. However, instead of entertaining us with different shades of grey, this game has made color a vital part of how the game plays.

Instead of having to eat apples to extend the length of your block-snake, you seek out squares of similar colors. When consumed, your snake assumes that color; if you're navy and consume a sky-blue block, your color will shift accordingly.