The Android NZ Apps of the Week 24/10/2011 [AOTW]

Our latest round of apps recommendations from the editorial team here at AndroidNZ, because everyone loves apps right?

Nik Turner – Download All Files (Free)

It is quite a measure of an app’s utility if it’s so seamlessly integrated that you forget it’s there. Such is the case with the aptly-named Download All Files, so much so that it initially slipped my mind when considering which app to make my first App of the Week. At its simplest, a plugin for the stock browser, Download All Files works as the name suggests - by allowing you to download any kind of file.

Now, to understand why this is useful, you must first understand how Android works. Those who’re familiar with Windows will know (And possibly dread) the ‘Windows can’t open this file’ dialogue.Windows allows you to download anything you like, and then lets you work out how to open it. Android, being a more compact mobile operating system, doesn’t do this – instead, if it doesn’t find an application that will let you open the file, it simply won’t download the file at all. If you’ve tried to download attachments from XDA-Developers, you’ll probably know the feeling – APK files attached to posts at XDA apparently don’t handle properly when opened in the stock Android browser, resulting in ‘Download Unsuccessful’. The same can apply when you’re emailed an attachment that Android doesn’t like. Download All Files fills this gap by quite ingeniously posing as an application that can handle any file extension. When you go to download a file and Android asks its collection of applications whether they can open that file type, DAF raises its hand like the best of teacher’s pets, leaving you free to open your favourite file explorer and tinker away to your heart’s content.

Chances are, this either sounds great to you, or you’re scratching your head wondering when you’ll ever be downloading a file that Android can’t open natively – If the latter, then this probably isn’t a lot of use, not least because stock Android doesn’t even include a file explorer. However, if you like getting into the nitty gritty of theming, modifying system files, or just emailing oddball extensions to friends and family for a good ol’ belly laff, then Download All Files is the app for you.

Anita Paling – Smooth Calendar (Free)

This application sits front and centre of my home screen.

Pressing the widget gives you 3 options
1.         Refresh
2.         Calendar
3.         Config

It’s a simple to use application.

As you’d expect, pressing the Refresh button will refresh the application.

You can pick which Calendar application you want to view when you press the Calendar button.  I’ve stuck with the stock Calendar application.

In the config you choose which calendars to display events for, and I’ve got a few!  I love Google Calendar.

You can choose the background, show the calendar icon, end time, whether to see the “Today” “Tomorrow” (as you see in my screen capture) and an array of other useful options.

You can even customise your own text colour and style as well as choose the format you want for Date and Time.

Simply put, you can make this your own.  I sway towards minimalistic so you wont see all the fancy bells and whistles in my use, but still it’s one of my favourite applications.

Nick Monrad – Doodle Bowling (Free)

Doodle Bowling is a gesture based bowling game with a twist. It has 14 different themes from the Doodle theme in the screenshot to one that has you playing in outer space. You can unlock all of the themes by earning points as you continue to play the game. The default theme has the look of someone doodling, hence the name Doodle Bowling.

The physics are realistic, but not to the point of destroying the fun; for example you can swipe on a ball that is in motion to give it a bit of spin. While being unrealistic, this addition to the game actually adds a bit of strategy to how you play. This also makes up for the fact that your equivalent of a swing is actually a swipe on the screen.

After each full game your score is recorded and the fact that the game has OpenFeint leader boards means it will satisfy those with a slightly competitive streak.

All in all Doodle Bowling is a great little game for when you have a few minutes spare or are waiting around and you’re the type of person who requires constant amusement (like me). It’s short, easy to play and most important of all, it’s fun.

Murray Winiata – Android Pro Widgets (Free/$2.50NZ for license key)

Only gripe: what is with the
low-res update status icon???

I stumbled on Android Pro Widgets a little while ago when looking for a way to replace the excellent LauncherPro Plus widgets for calendar and social networks. It’s not that there is anything wrong with the LauncherPro ones, quite the contrary in fact – they are so good that they were keeping me from trying out other launcher replacements altogether (and seriously, what self-respecting Android user wants to get tied down to using only one Launcher?). There is a very good free version of these widgets available to try on the Market, so I installed it to see if it could cut the mustard and help me wean off LauncherPro.

Suffice to say I’m glad I did – the Android Pro Widgets sets is a great replacement for the LauncherPro widgets set (in fact I think with the appropriate theme many people would be hard pressed to tell the difference between them). There is the usual plethora of sizing options and refresh intervals that one would expect, and you can perform many social network functions from within the widget without ever needing to open a dedicated app. If your launcher supports scrolling then these will scroll too. If your launcher doesn’t support scrolling in widgets then you’ll have to live with manually controlled paginated-type scrolling. Inconvenient. In ICS there is standard support for scrolling widgets, so I presume they’ll exhibit this behaviour in all of the upcoming phones bearing Android 4.0 and any current handset that gets graced with an update.

If you stump up the modest fee for a license then you'll get access to the myriad of free themes from the developer, given it's less than a cup of coffee I think it's well worth buying to support the dev (as an added bonus the license also grants you access to the full version of their excellent Google Reader widget). If however the finances are tight then at least I can reassure you that the standard themes in the free version are also perfectly attractive.

So, now that I’ve got my widgets sorted it’s time to play around with some other Launchers – perhaps readers have some recommendations?

Gianpy Belaunde - Flick Kick Football ($1.29NZ)

Apart from using my phone for social networking, I am a huge mini-game fan, which are basically apps that you can run for a minute or two, close them out and come back at a later point to finish where you left off.

This week I thought I'd cover an app that has entertained me on countless visits to the doctor, Flick Kick Football. Created by New Zealand based Pik Pok games, Flick Kick Football is a one-touch game where you are set in the shoes of a free-kick specialist. Your objective is simple, score.

Controls are easy, simply slide a finger towards the direction you want to kick the ball. More experienced players will shoot using a 'finesse' method, which adds a curvature on the ball to allow it to travel a wider distance. As you progress, defender walls become larger and more obtrusive, whilst the goalkeeper begins to pace side to side to make your margin of scoring even smaller.

The app features both a free and paid version - with the paid including arcade mode, bullseye mode, time attack mode in addition to the practice, skillshot and pass & play modes found in the free version. I highly recommend trying out the free app beforehand, as it gives you a good idea of what you can expect if you purchase the game.

The app itself is extremely easy and the replay value is high, you'll be wanting to return to the app and beat your previous scores - I sure know I have!