Latest Articles
I'm using fewer apps than ever before, and I don't know how to feel about it
Has app development devolved over the years?
The appeal of mobile applications lies in innovation. App developers provide a service to fill a need that the common user didn't even know they had, as well as emulating other tasks with greater convenience. From services that track fitness to those that simulate traditional board games, innovation keeps our trusty Android phones useful, or at least, it did. These days, the more I engage with my smartphone, the fewer apps I use, and my enthusiasm for exploring new Play Store content is at an all-time low. Genuinely interesting apps are nigh impossible to find due to laziness, unoriginality, and homogenization. When was the last time you went scrolling in the Play Store for fun?
5 open source alternatives to Google apps
Escape the Google comfort zone with these open source gems
When you purchase a new phone, there are certain quality-of-life applications that you expect to see, features that cater to the daily tasks that we've come to consider the bare necessities. Gallery, web browser, navigation, and calendar apps could all be expected software features on our respectable Android phones; their absence would be confusing. Google's ecosystem provides useful renditions of the above examples, all preinstalled and ready for use upon startup. But users don’t have to settle for all of Google’s baseline services, thanks to the Play Store’s healthy open source app library.
Roblox is one of those apps that shines in the background, constantly trucking along with new and improved content. Roblox has reaped success as a gaming platform thanks to its thriving community and the sheer creativity of its registered users. It doesn't matter if you play on a PC, iPhone, or a sleek Android gaming phone; everyone can join and contribute to this wonderful community.
If you're looking for a gaming handheld alternative to the Steam Deck, the ROG Ally might be right for you. This handheld is a portable Windows 11 gaming PC built for running games on the go. It has superior speed and an impressive 1080p/120Hz resolution that easily beats the Deck. Still, faults, crashes, and device-damaging errors occur. Knowing how to perform a factory reset is handy, whether you're starting from scratch or getting ready to sell it. Here's AP's guide for factory resetting a ROG Ally to keep your favorite gaming device alive and ticking.
How to sync your Xbox Wireless Controller
Easily connect your Xbox Wireless Controller to any device
Connecting an Xbox Wireless Controller with your Xbox might seem simple, but multiple controllers, new consoles, and connection issues can cause problems. While a foolproof way to connect your Xbox controller to your console is with one of the best USB-C cables, wireless connections avoid the frustrations of tangling with cables. We show you how to connect your Xbox Wireless Controller with your Xbox console.
These are the battle royales you should be playing instead of Call of Duty Warzone Mobile
Smash the competition in these awesome battle royale games
There are times when being attached to a highly regarded franchise is more of a problem than you'd expect, given the hefty standards of fans; Call of Duty Warzone is a textbook example. The FPS battle royal has been critically panned on Steam by fans who feel it doesn't stack up to what was expected, given its subpar graphics, frequent crashes, aggressive monetization, and horrible interface. To the surprise of absolutely no one, the mobile port, Call of Duty Warzone Mobile, has had an equally lousy reception on the Play Store, sitting at a pitiful 3.3 review score at the time of writing. Outside the off-putting monetization features that plague Google's platform, the game is just an unremarkable battle royale with nothing special to set it above the rest.
The Google for Games Developer Summit update is just more ways to shove ads in our faces
More ads are not what we wanted
The recent Google for Games developer summit update has brought some new features to the Play Store, which focus on four major areas: in-app purchases within the Play Pass subscription service, video ads on the store page, multiple account subscriptions for individual games, and the imminent inclusion of PC games. While Google has framed all these changes as very positive, the majority are blatantly ad-centric. But this isn't Google's usual lack of restraint regarding sponsored content; this update zeros in on users with targeted advertisements and promotion of games riddled with in-app purchases. This whole update displays how Google is more dedicated than ever to flooding your phone with ads.
The genesis of mobile gaming was a beautiful time, a traditionally isolated activity combined with the interconnected cloud exploited by mobile devices; to say it changed how we approach gaming would be an understatement. The HTC Dream and the devices that followed opened a whole new world for game developers, using touch control interfaces to explore new angles of game design. True, mobile gaming had been around long before the Play Store, but the 2008 advent of modern mobile games changed the landscape forever.
Chrome has become so popular, that it's practically synonymous with the web browser — it’s already common for us to call a browser search “Googling it” in casual conversation. While Google’s search engine has more than earned its popularity, its ever-growing feature list has started to make things overly complicated, especially for a service whose appeal lies in casual use.
The golden age of Nintendo emulators on Android is over
Nintendo emulators need to tread cautiously from now on
I have always been a big emulation aficionado, and that interest has been indulged with the great emulation apps available on the Play Store, a wonderful selection of nostalgia for your trusty Android phone. While the majority of these apps are attractive, Nintendo console emulators are definitely the most notable, given the company's colossal library of beloved classics that people are champing at the bit to relive. However, recent litigious incidents between Nintendo and certain big names on the emulator scene have cast a worrisome shadow over the future of Nintendo emulation apps on the Google Play Store.
Google TV needs to get better, and it needs to do it now
Ditching Android 9.0's UI design sure would go a long way
Since the Google Play Movies & TV app’s discontinuation in late 2023, the heat has been on Google TV to fill the gap with a polished new app providing a quality service for enjoying movies and TV shows. As an up-to-date version of Android TV, Google TV is a decent hub platform for all your streaming services, whether you use an external Chromecast dongle or a Smart TV. However, there are some things the app could improve on, especially concerning presentation, convenience, and user agency.
People love smart devices right now; everything from sunglasses to fridges has upgraded counterparts that integrate with other technology to improve the user experience. We can't seem to avoid appliances that want to connect with our reliable Android phones. But while many of these devices are cool, their smart feature lists often aren't very substantial, especially when considering their hefty price tags.
Noise-canceling headphones are a common and highly popular style of hardware for good reason. Their application for convenience, improved audio quality, and relaxation is exceptional across multiple brands. There are more specific reasons for investing in noise-canceling headphones, from improved gaming experiences to optimized study sessions. Here are AP's top reasons to get noise-canceling headphones.
5 things the Google Play Store desperately needs to improve
Ads galore, poor quality control, and fake reviews make up a few of Google's issues
One of the most vital apps on our Android devices is the Google Play Store. It's the beating heart of the Android ecosystem that serves as an open marketplace for applications and games, both good and bad. So you would think that such an important service would be kept in good standing with its users and developers, keeping devs and users happy and engaged, which makes the Play Store's decline even more glaring. Google has let the service slip into too many bad habits, from a lack of quality control to aggressive use of ads, making the user experience a nightmare as a result.
5 of the strangest devices you can use with Android
Check out these fascinating oddities that indeed run and work with Android
Android support is popular enough to be found in all sorts of different places, and we aren't just talking about your favored Samsung watches. Android can be utilized in many different ways, even by connecting to or even running on appliances that can range from interesting to extremely odd, especially ones based on things we all use every day. These products range from cool to completely absurd; nobody was expecting to run Angry Birds on their toaster, after all.
Sharing spreadsheets created on different programs can be a struggle. Use Google Sheets to export spreadsheet projects, adapt them to other file types, and share them from the app. This can be essential for organizing your spreadsheets into file categories required for tasks like accessing features on different software or adhering to job specifications. Here are the best methods for exporting spreadsheets on Google Sheets.
Gaming on the go has never been more accessible, thanks to emulators that allow you to play classic console and arcade games on your Android device. Whether you owned an NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, or another system, today's emulators can return those fond memories with smooth performance. It's like taking a trip down memory lane! Sure, there are some fantastic modern Android games available, but can you really pass up the opportunity to play old-school favorites like Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog, Street Fighter, Chrono Trigger, or GoldenEye 007?
5 best plant identification apps on Android in 2024
Decipher what plants are living around you with these great apps
For nature lovers and botany enthusiasts, recognizing different types of plants can have serious applications in daily life, both for understanding what you are looking at and assessing whether it is dangerous. Googling useful information on the fly using our bargain Android phones is almost second nature these days, basically having the entire internet at our disposal wherever and whenever we need it. Plant identification apps take this one step further, capable of identifying plant life via simple observation through your device’s camera.
.JPG?q=50&fit=crop&w=430&h=300&dpr=1.5){kind=tracking}
How to quickly reset your network settings on Android and iOS
Unexpected network glitches bugging you out?
A quick way to fix an error on your budget Android phone is a reset, the process of closing a bugged or glitching app and reopening it. Android, Pixel, and iOS phones allow quick app resets, closing down software with one or two swipes. The settings that govern Wi-Fi connections and Bluetooth pairings can cause problems when they go wrong, which is why understanding the step-by-step process of resetting your device's network settings is important.
The top 12 Crosh commands for Chromebooks
Discover your Chromebook's stats with these Crosh commands
For the most part, even the most affordable Chromebooks are extremely easy to use and maintain. As long as you regularly update ChromeOS, you can run the Chromebook's Diagnostics app to fix other issues. But if you'd rather take matters into your own hands, Crosh will let you tinker to your heart's desire. Crosh displays information about your ChomeOS system, including battery health, memory stats, error troubleshoots, and more.