Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android applications and live wallpapers that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous two weeks or so. Today I have an awesome wallpaper app from Microsoft as well as a companion app for the company's Surface Earbuds, not to mention a COVID tracker from the Australian Department of Health. So without further ado, here are all of the new and notable Android apps released in the last two weeks.
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Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.
Apps
Bing Wallpapers
Android Police coverage: Bing Wallpapers app launches with daily updates to your background (APK Download)
Bing may not be known as the best search engine around, but it sure is the prettiest, thanks to the service's gorgeous landing page photos. Seeing that many third-party devs offer these photos through their own wallpaper apps, I suppose it's about time Microsoft got in on the fun. So that's exactly what Bing Wallpapers brings to the table. Best of all, the app is completely free to use, so if you're looking for a new wallpaper app, Microsoft has you covered.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
COVIDSafe
COVIDSafe comes from the Australian Department of Health, and so it's an app that's not available outside of the country. More or less, this is a government tracking app designed to trace users through bluetooth in order to assess who the coronavirus spreads to through contact. Of course, the app will ask for your mobile phone number, name, age-range, and postcode, which may not gel with everyone, but at least the option to opt-in is available for those that would like to participate in the tracking program in Australia.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Specialist - Video Calls with Experts
Since so many people across the globe are self-quarantining, it can be tough to find someone to fix issues around the house. In comes Specialist, a video calling app designed around connecting users with the helpers and professionals they need. So say you'd like to fix a leaky pipe but don't know how to go about it. You can use this app to connect with a plumber that will walk you through the process over live video.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Money Tree Finance Manager
Money Tree Finance Manager is just that. It's a finance app for tracking and cataloging your personal spending. You can expect all of the typical functions of such an app, and it stores all of your data locally, so you won't have to worry about account sign-ins slowing you down. Best of all, the app is free. So if you've been looking for a finance tracker that won't break the bank, this release is a solid option.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
PopTag - Tag your friends
PopTag is a simple app for those of you that would prefer to tag your pictures without the use of social media. Much like how Facebook can automatically add user tags to photos by auto-recognizing people through its algorithm, you can add in your own user tags to your photos through the use of this app, and they look just as professional Facebook's tags. Best of all, you won't have to worry about some AI scraping all of your pics.
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
Mail App (powered by Yahoo)
Mail App is the third Android mail app from Yahoo, and it does not appear to be installable in the US. Who this app is for is anyone's guess, since Yahoo doesn't feel it's necessary to detail such info in the app's description. More or less, this email client looks to offer similar features when compared to Yahoo's other email apps, though your guess is as good as mine as to who this release is actually for. Thanks for the clarity Yahoo!
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
TVUsage - Digital Wellbeing and App lock
Digital wellbeing apps have been all the rage for the last few years, and so someone has created a wellbeing app that works with Android TV. If you find that you can't control your TV time, this app will let you set up custom watch times, and can also automatically shut down your TV. So if you'd like to keep track of how much you use your TV, or would like to set up specific watch times for yourself or your family to limit use, TVUsage is the app you're looking for.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $4.99 a piece
Image and Video Date Fixer
Image and Video Date Fixer is just that, an app that can fix your picture's dates after moving them in bulk. Basically, your images will display the last edited date, and when they are moved to a new device, the date of this move will take precedence over the creation date. So in comes Image and Video Date Fixer, an app that can revert your pics back to their creation date so that you won't have to worry about an out-of-order collection after a bulk move.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $1.49 - $6.49
Quick Cursor: one hand mouse pointer
Quick Cursor is an app that can serve up a one-handed mouse pointer on Android devices, and it's currently in early access. More or less, if you wish to pull up a cursor for finer input on large-screen devices, this app will allow you to do so by simply swiping from the edge of the screen. Of course, many of the app's features are locked behind a few in-app purchases, though I can appreciate that you can take the app for a spin for free to see if it's worth the asking price.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $2.49 - $6.49
Manufacturer And Tie-In Apps
Surface Audio
Surface Audio is an app from Microsoft that serves as a companion to the company's Surface Earbuds and Surface Headphones. As you would expect from such an app, you can adjust your volume settings as well as your equalizer, and you can even update your hardware through this release. Of course, you'll also be able to check your headphone battery level, so that you'll never run out of juice while on the go.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Boost Call Screener Premium
Boost Call Screener Premium is a new app from Sprint that's for its Boost MVNO. If you couldn't tell by the app's name, this is a call screening app where you can block any number you like. This comes in handy if you're experiencing numerous spam calls daily, though you'll want to keep in mind that if these numbers are using a local prefix, blocking them can actually ban the legitimate numbers that are being spoofed.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Droid Depot
Droid Depot is a tie-in release for Disney's theme park. Basically, Disney built a new section at Disney World that's themed around Star Wars, and so this app can connect to the buildable Droids at the park. Think of this app as a way to connect to products similar to what you would find at a Build-A-Bear Workshop, but instead of building bears, you'll build interactive Droids.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Live Wallpapers
Cover Live Wallpaper - Automatic parallax effect
Cover Live Wallpaper is a slick live wallpaper app that can add a parallax effect to any image. This way, you can design your own live wallpapers, or simply throw up a photo of your dog, and the image will move around as you move your device. Sure, there are a few apps that already offer similar features, but Cover Live Wallpaper is the newest, and luckily it works as advertised, so don't miss out.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $0.99 a piece
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.
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