So, another week passes. As I sat here collating the editors apps for this week I stopped to ponder for a moment and realised we've been doing these (near) weekly pieces for almost five months now. I went back through our recommendations and lo and behold - with this weeks apps we've reached 50 app recommendations. Since that's such an irresistably round number I thought we might do a quick recap and throw all these awesome apps into one piece, just in case a few escaped your notice.
First up we'll have our new wee crop of much loved apps for this week, and then just drop the rest right afterwards. Enjoy!
First off, here are this weeks apps:
Nik Turner - Quell
Quell is a quiet, unassuming refuge from the noisy, bright, and obnoxious games that so plague mobile platforms. With its muted, antique colour palette, gentle music, and relaxing gameplay, it’s a very different take on a casual game. Gameplay involves solving puzzles by sliding a drop of water around a maze on a windowpane to collect pearls in as few moves as possible, avoiding obstacles, traps and pitfalls. Bonus features include secret levels, whimsical in-game achievements, the option to unlock hints for trickier puzzles, and a making-of slideshow. The concept is simple, and executed elegantly – controls are as simple as swiping the screen in the intended direction of movement – yet it keeps me coming back for more and more.
When learning to play, advancement consists of merely completing levels, but once mastered, completing them in as few moves as possible is the real trick. It’s one of very few Android games I’ve actively puzzled over when away from my phone – some of them are very tricky to solve perfectly, and take a bit of forethought. With eighty levels in total, Quell is well worth the single dollar entry fee, although some are very short. The game really earns its place on my phone and tablet through its almost-meditative qualities – developer Fallen Tree Games calls it a ‘Zen puzzler’, and I’m inclined to agree. It’s a delightfully peaceful distraction on a stressful day, offering 30 seconds of relaxation instead of 30 seconds of the frantic and loud monster-shooting, coin-eating, or obstacle-dodging that normally defines casual mobile games. That, coupled with the addictive challenge in completing each level to perfection, has made it a firm favourite in my Android gaming arsenal ever since I discovered it.
Perhaps most crucially, Quell is unlikely to turn off older gamers. Its puzzle style makes it accessible to a much wider audience than the majority of games on Android, perhaps even reaching towards the niche of consumers that play endless games of solitaire on their Windows PCs (Okay, I haven’t convinced my grandfather to try it yet). Since publication, Fallen Tree Games have pushed out a sequel, Quell Reflect, which I’ve not yet tried – if it’s anything like the first, however, it’ll be well worth your time too [Editors note: the sequel Quell Reflect is one of the apps in the current Google Play launch sale so grab it while it's cheap!].
Anita Paling - Lightbox Photos (Free)
I've recently installed Lightbox to see if it fills the gap for Android users who are keen on Instagram, which currently isn't available for Android.
What I like about Lightbox is you can use your own camera app, or you can Lightbox's camera. You can grab that separately from the market.
I'm still coming to terms with the full functionality of the app. It's fairly extensive and I know that in my limited use over the week I'm really only scratching the surface.I've been able to "follow" others, you can connect to people from Facebook and Twitter, and other third party apps.Importing your photos is pretty straightforward, but I'd love if you could select multiple photos rather than import them one at a time.
There's a Lightbox website too. This is handy if you've got photos on you computer rather than your phone to import.
Because I've linked my Facebook and Twitter accounts with the app all photos uploaded to those places I can view from within the Lightbox app. It's really quite handy to have them gathered in the one spot.
Last weekend Murray was uploading photos taken during The Wall concert. I had to click a link to each of them. But in Lightbox I could see them all without needing to do more than just swipe through them. Much more convenient.
So with the photos you view you can share them, you can "like" them, see how many views they've had, read comments that have been left. Navigating to the originating website where the belongs is a piece of cake too. Talking of food, I'm following Food Port. OMG, the food is just so delicious. A warning, do not view the photos when you're hungry, or trying to stay clear of foods rich in empty calories.
From the main app UI you can switch between Home, Just me (those are the photos you've uploaded) and Liked. So if you like a photo and want to view it quickly then liking it is a very time-saving feature.
Notifications will appear when someone follows you, or has some sort of interaction with your photos.
While this is quite a community type sharing app, you can select to have your photos made public or not, whether they are uploaded only when connected to Wi-Fi and what notifications you want to be alerted to.
You can also "Explore" and this is where you can view public photos other Lightbox users have uploaded. As well as a selection of photos being displayed, you can easily select from different categories to view photos. If you select the Photography category for example, one of the users is the National Geographic. And everyone knows they take amazing photos from around the world.
When you do take a photo from the phone you can choose which camera app to use, and you can set a default. Once you've taken your snap and chosen to save it, you're presented with a bunch of different "effects" to apply, you're able to rotate and crop the photo at the same time as well as reverse the image. If you crop the photos you're presented with a number of different aspect ratios or you can drag the frame to select the portion of the photo you want to keep.
Once you've titivated with the photo and pressed OK you are taken to the area where you can Save and Share the photo.
Here's a photo of what that section looks like. And in keeping with a review on a photo app, a picture speaks a thousand words:
When I select the photo from within my collection (the area is called My Lightbox) I can share, edit or delete the photo.
I feel like I've sold this app short with the brief review. There's a ton more stuff that is worthy of mention but in fairness a post really could be dedicated to a full-on review.
So far there's just one thing missing which I've observed from Instagram photos, and that's selecting a different frame. Of course I'm assuming Instagram allows you to select a frame, or perhaps others use another app to apply the frame and then upload that image to Instagram to share. Who knows, I love Android
Murray Winiata - Wind Up Knight (Free, $5 in-game purchase to open all levels)
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| Prepare thyself for many frustrating hours of keep-coming-back-for-more gameplay :) |
So what is Wind Up Knight, and why is it so good? Well, Wind Up Knight is a 'continuous running' game - your character is in perpetual motion and relies on your reactions to save him from all manner of fiendishly designed traps. You may well be familiar with the genre, there are a number of this style of game out there, but none that I've liked even remotely as much as Wind Up Knight.
There are a few things that make Wind Up Knight stand out. It's production values are flawless, whether it be the sound, the graphics, the difficulty gradient and learning curve, or the immaculate level design - everywhere you look it's quality shines through. Naturally all of these things are rather pointless if the gameplay just isn't there, fortunately it is. Not only are many of the levels challenging just to complete in the first place, you attain ranks for the levels depending on how many of the coins you collected in the level, and whether you also collected the playing card hidden in each of the games levels. If you collect an "A" for every level within on of the games four sections you'll unlock the Knightmare level for that section too, just in case it all seemed a bit too easy up until that point. There's still even more to do if you're a gamer with a slightly obsessive streak, and lets face it, that describes many gamers - you'll relish the challenge of attaining the lofty "S" rank for every level by collecting the card and all coins in just a single run-through.
If you haven't checked out Wind Up Knight head to the Market and grab it, you can start playing for free and then purchase the full game if it takes your fancy, so you've got nothing to lose.
Murray Winiata - TubeMate (Free)
Given Google's ownership of YouTube and income from advertising clicks, it should not surprise you to find that TubeMate is not available on the Android Market (or is that Google Play?). Head over to Slideme to grab yourself the APK for this must-have app.
OK, so that's our current weeks apps, here are the other 46 to keep you busy:
Gianpy Belaunde - ColorNote Notepad Notes (Free)
While you can use this as a 'list' app, I find the widgets to be the most useful part of the application for me, since I can post these on my home screen and read them easily, no matter what I may be doing. This constantly reminds me of what I have to do, so it gets done.
Some other notable features are that you can organize your schedule into a calendar format, which should be helpful most people that have several commitments at once. In order to tell notes apart, you can organize them by color, as I do with my school-related and errand-related notes.
For those of you that need time-based reminders, ColorNote has you covered as well - you can set the time, date(s) and even include repetition. Even though the app has a lot of features going for it, I keep to the post it notes on my home screen. They may be simple, but they are essential for me.
As I'm accustomed to saying, try this one out - it's free and it's helpful. What more could you ask for?!
Anita - SanDisk Memory Zone (Free)
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| This is a nice tidy view of how I'm using the memory of my phone, and how I'm using shared services with other Synchronisation applications (Cloud services). |
I'm not going to spout off too much about this because there's a short little video on YouTube that will give the a pretty good overview of the value of this app. But to whet your appetite this is what you'll get.
You can select from the pre-defined Online services which include:
Dropbox
Box
Google Docs
Picasa
SugarSync
You log into these services in the usual manner and then the information about your data usage is included in the list. If you're not registered with one of the Cloud Services listed, you're able to create an account from within the app.
There's an option to "Upgrade memory card" which quickly takes you direct to Amazon where I was faced with a 32gb MicroSDHC Card. I'm not sure what you'll be offered (if anything) if you're currently using a 32gb MicroSDHC card. Anyway, as cheesy as it is, it makes it incredibly easy to add the card to your basket and purchase.
What I really like about this app is how much I better understand my memory management by being able to visually see it. I'm not going to lie, sometime I get confused by what is displayed as USB storage (which is your Internal memory) and what is SD Card.
I mean come on, why is USB Storage your internal memory? I guess because that's the way in which you can copy/delete/move files from the internal SD. But you can use the USB as a method of doing the same with the External SD. Enough of that anyway.
when selecting the Internal memory a graph appears displaying the % of space free and how much space is used by:
Music
Phones
Videos
Documents
Apps
Other files
Clicking on any of these categories takes you to the full list of what those items are. So I click on Apps and then I receive a list naming all of the (162) apps stored on my Internal Memory.
Each time you open the application it goes though the process of indexing the content. Right now I'm still synchronising my Dropbox so it's madly trying to keep up with the changes. From the screen shown above you can press any of the services and then you're taken to another screen divided into sections of what is classified as Music, Pictures, Video and other files. The other files include Adobe and Office files.
Right now it's scanning Dropbox and "calculating" which has removed my ability to do anything with the app. Not so great since I wanted to carry on and do things to complete this review. Now the calculating has completed I get a view of the number of files and how many files have been updated. There's a nice progress bar. At least now I have some idea how long it's going to take until I get access back of the application. I only wish I didn't have close to 2,000 files though.
You can change from viewing the files in ascending and descending order. You're able to search, select all, multi select or select none. There's no tick box, you simple press the file or files and the line will darken to indicate the file has been successfully selected. Long press on a selected file allows you to download to Memory Card or to Delete the selected file(s).
Anyway, I could go on, but there's that YouTube video I mentioned, and a fairly nice looking Help icon that gives an overview of the UI. Enjoy.
Murray Winiata - Wallbase (Free ad supported version or $2.39NZD Pro version)
This is probably going to sound odd coming from a self-confessed phone nut, but I've never been that into wallpapers. Sure, I've found the occasional live wallpaper like the one bundled with Uber Music that's stuck around for while, but it's never been something I've felt at all invested in. As often as not I've just tended to have a completely black background as my wallpaper. It came as quite a surprise to me then when I decided to give Wallbase a try and loved it.
It's a pretty simple app, at it's heart. It scrapes a website for images and you can look at random selections, popular wallpapers, wallpapers by tag, or simply search for whatever. What's so great about it is that the images are uniformly of an extremely high quality, which really makes a difference if you're looking for wallpapers for your tablet or HD smartphone, and the UI is just really nice. It doesn't hurt that it's theme is quite dark, which is something I always look for as someone who mostly owns AMOLED screened devices.
I now find myself regularly browsing it for new wallpapers and switching them up quite often, which I suppose means I've finally fallen into the obsessional wallpaper trap that I've seen so many others consumed by. Oh well, as long as you've having fun right?
A final note: While I now 'get' wallpapers, I still don't get why people want to have images of scantily clad women (or men) adorning their homescreens. If you on the other hand like a bit of soft porn on your phone to titilate bystanders/public transport commuters/your teacher, you'll be pleased to know that Wallbase has an option to make 'sketchy' images available too. Go nuts.
...and here is my current Wallbase'd wallpaper, this time an uber-tasteful and theme-fitting grey-wood panelling image:
Murray Winiata - Widgetsoid ($1.60NZD)
When I got my Galaxy Nexus that was one of the first aspects of the user experience I just couldn't get on with, sure you can pull down the drawer, press a button to open settings, go to the appropriate part of settings and toggle whatever, but the immediacy was gone. The number of actions needed to get stuff done just ballooned inconveniently.
Being Android though I just figured there had to be a way around that, so I started looking. I found Widgetsoid. Widgetsoid, at a first glance, isn't so different to other toggle-widgets you may have come across. If you delve a little deeper though you'll find lot's of extra depth - a veritable plethora of options in fact. Somewhat unfortunately Widgetsoid's UI isn't the most intuitive, so it takes a little while to work out exactly how to leverage it's power. If you bear with it a little though you'll be rewarded.
You can of course add a toggle widget bar to the notifications tray ala TouchWiz, but you have as many options as you deem practical for the width of your screen, including the option to have shortcuts to apps or contacts if you desire, or even multiple widget rows in the notifications drawer. Even better you can choose the colour of the widget elements, handy if you're a bit precious about everything being 'just so' with your theme and homescreen setups. While you can typically get similar functionality on custom ROMs, the beauty of this is that none are required. Heck, you don't even need Root.
Apart from Widgetsoid's (initially) cumbersome UI, I haven't come across many other issues. One notable one is the inability to toggle GPS from the widget from Gingerbread upwards. This isn't Widgetsoid's fault, it's because Google set it up so only system apps can turn GPS on and off in that fashion (if you're a Tasker user you'll have already struck that rather annoying limitation if you've moved up to an OS version above Froyo). If you're a Rooted user you can presumably make Widgetsoid a system app to workaround that issue, as you can in Tasker, although I haven't actually tried that myself.
Anyways, even despite these few strikes against Widgetsoid I'd recommend it highly to those looking for this sort of functionality - particularly users without Root who'd like to unleash a bit more of the power and flexibility their Android has to offer.
Nik Turner - Ice Breaker! (Free)
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| Addictive! |
The explosives come in a number of different varieties, all of which need to be mastered. From a single shot to time-bombs to spheres that drop multiple explosives which need triggering with the next salvo, there is plenty to keep you engaged. The mechanic is simple, and thanks to the targets’ icy nature and pleasant cracking sound effects, very satisfying. It’s a simple game mechanic that kept me coming back for more until the game was finished - it’s currently rather short, clocking in at 45 levels. There’s replay value in returning to perfect those three-star ratings, however, and its smaller, more manageable nature makes it a more appealing prospect to this gamer than the sprawling nigh-infinite sameness that Angry Birds itself has now become.
Brief, charming games like this are exactly what I feel casual mobile games should be. Single-handed operation, that pick-up and put-down factor that lets you play it any time you have a spare minute, and a satisfying challenge combine handily here. It’s free (What with all the ads, that’s to be expected), so I do recommend giving it a shot. Those charming ice sculpture graphics, ranging from dragonflies to chess pieces to celery, will be dust in no time.
Strangely, the app seems to be missing from the market at present, so in the meantime, here’s the apk to sideload.
Andy Carruthers - ScummVM (Free)
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| Manic Mansion: Day of the Tentacle, on the Transformer Prime |
ScummVM is a basically a virtual machine designed originally to allow these DOS based titles to run on PCs running Windows 95 and up, but since ported to other platforms like Linux, the Mac, iOS and now Android. And the coders have done a sterling job in keeping the look and feel totally authentic, right down to the cheesy MIDI music, blocky animated sprites and most important, the genuine period interface. You'll think you're still in 1993, assuming you were born by then.
Besides the main ScummVM app, you'll need to also install an appropriate free plugin game engine to match the maker's own, although in the case of the LucasArts games, for example, the plugin supports all of their many series and the individual game titles within each.
So if like me you have a media tablet (however temporary), lots of 1990s vintage RPA games scattered hither and yon, then dig 'em out, dust 'em down and indulge in a retro gamer puzzle fest. There's many a good laugh and awful pun to be had and who needs sleep anyway?
Brilliant!
Anita Paling - WeatherBug (free version or $2.61NZD Elite version)
This is such a nifty weather app. I really like it.
Fellow AndroidNZ editor Nik dropped into work and showed me his Motorola Razr phone and the first thing I noticed was the temperature in the status bar. It was that I was most impressed with, not his fancy much geeked up Android phone.
I'd have been as happy as a pig in mud if all I got was the ability to display the temperature in the status bar, but oh no, there was so much more that I could tap into.
As you'd expect there's preferences you can configure, including changing from Fahrenheit/Celsius. You can have a widget if that's your thing and you can add other locations as well. You're not limited to just your country. I've got Chester, UK and Auckland NZ, both places where we have family.
The middle image shows the screen as My Location, if I swipe to the left I get to view the other locations I've saved. There's a number of different options accessible at the bottom of the screen. You can access pictures of your location, view weather warnings, a map of your location, more in-depth analysis of the weather conditions (Temperature, Precipitation, Wind, Sun, Humidity, Pressure), Pollen (only available in the US), a National Outlook (which loads a video – and there's nothing "national" there, it's a video from the US).
As a cyclist the wind is something I keep a keen eye on. I find it helpful to mentally prepare for what is typically a headwind cycling home.
Apparently NZers have a weird fascination for the weather. I'm not sure if we do or not. But as you can see, at the height of Summer, February being the warmest "Summer" month for Christchurch, we're sweltering in the staggering high teens (in case it wasn't clear, I was being sarcastic). Maybe that's why we fuss over the weather, always dismayed at what is meant to pass as summer.
There's a paid version of the app too. Just a mere NZ$2.61. As is typical of a paid version, it's ad free, as well as providing some enhancements to existing functionality available in the free version and a few new things. You'll notice the words: Enhanced, Detailed, Unlimited, Additional – it's what you get with the paid version.
You can pick up this cool (free) app from the Android Market here. Meanwhile I'm off to grab my bikini and make the most of the last moments of the glorious weather we're enjoying (sarcasm again).
Besides the main ScummVM app, you'll need to also install an appropriate free plugin game engine to match the maker's own, although in the case of the LucasArts games, for example, the plugin supports all of their many series and the individual game titles within each.
So if like me you have a media tablet (however temporary), lots of 1990s vintage RPA games scattered hither and yon, then dig 'em out, dust 'em down and indulge in a retro gamer puzzle fest. There's many a good laugh and awful pun to be had and who needs sleep anyway?
Brilliant!
Anita Paling - WeatherBug (free version or $2.61NZD Elite version)
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| Weather in your notification tray, lovely. |
Fellow AndroidNZ editor Nik dropped into work and showed me his Motorola Razr phone and the first thing I noticed was the temperature in the status bar. It was that I was most impressed with, not his fancy much geeked up Android phone.
I'd have been as happy as a pig in mud if all I got was the ability to display the temperature in the status bar, but oh no, there was so much more that I could tap into.
As you'd expect there's preferences you can configure, including changing from Fahrenheit/Celsius. You can have a widget if that's your thing and you can add other locations as well. You're not limited to just your country. I've got Chester, UK and Auckland NZ, both places where we have family.
The middle image shows the screen as My Location, if I swipe to the left I get to view the other locations I've saved. There's a number of different options accessible at the bottom of the screen. You can access pictures of your location, view weather warnings, a map of your location, more in-depth analysis of the weather conditions (Temperature, Precipitation, Wind, Sun, Humidity, Pressure), Pollen (only available in the US), a National Outlook (which loads a video – and there's nothing "national" there, it's a video from the US).
As a cyclist the wind is something I keep a keen eye on. I find it helpful to mentally prepare for what is typically a headwind cycling home.
Apparently NZers have a weird fascination for the weather. I'm not sure if we do or not. But as you can see, at the height of Summer, February being the warmest "Summer" month for Christchurch, we're sweltering in the staggering high teens (in case it wasn't clear, I was being sarcastic). Maybe that's why we fuss over the weather, always dismayed at what is meant to pass as summer.
There's a paid version of the app too. Just a mere NZ$2.61. As is typical of a paid version, it's ad free, as well as providing some enhancements to existing functionality available in the free version and a few new things. You'll notice the words: Enhanced, Detailed, Unlimited, Additional – it's what you get with the paid version.
You can pick up this cool (free) app from the Android Market here. Meanwhile I'm off to grab my bikini and make the most of the last moments of the glorious weather we're enjoying (sarcasm again).
Nik Turner - Gesture Search (Free)
With gesture search, you simply draw letters over the app with a finger, and it’ll bring up any results that contain that letter. A swipe backwards deletes a mistake, and the app learns your preferred results as you use it. While most Android devices will have either a dedicated search button or some other convenient shortcut to the good ol’ functional Google Search app (Which recently received an update http://www.androidnz.net/2012/01/google-search-update-brings-new-ui.html ), that method of searching is much easier with two hands, and needs a keener eye to pick out the desired search result. Additionally, Google Search is more commonly used to find web content, and to actually ‘search Google’, while Gesture Search is both designed for single-handed input, and dedicated to searching on-phone content – Contacts, Bookmarks, Apps, Music (In Google Music), and Settings. There’s an API for developers to plug their own apps into it, though I’ve yet to see this in action. Interestingly, the Settings search can take you to some places it’s rather hard (And in some instances, impossible) to reach through the normal settings shortcut. Things like the advanced WiFi options that many miss on a first pass. Give it a shot, see what you can find.
The app can be triggered either through the standard press-an-icon option, or through a built-in double-flip action. Turning that feature on will automatically launch Gesture Search if you flip your phone over twice in quick succession, the sensitivity of which can be adjusted if need be. I tend to leave this off as I prefer to launch it manually, and it’s worth noting I’ve heard it can drain precious battery life (Though I cannot confirm this claim). If neither of these launch options works for you, there’s a third-party app to launch it from either the notification bar, or instead of Voice Search when long-pressing the search key if applicable - https://market.android.com/details?id=googoo.android.gesturebar. Finally, Google have set up a somewhat-dated page showing off Gesture Search’s functions (It features the Nexus S & original Motorola Droid, although, to be fair, the app hasn’t been updated since May of last year). Check that out here if it takes your fancy: http://www.google.com/mobile/gesture-search/.
Download it from the market here, or click on the QR code below.
Murray Winiata - Voodoo LOUDER (~$1NZD, free compatibility check, Root required)
Those in the know will recognise the Voodoo-prefix in the apps title, and realise that this one comes from one of AndroidNZ's favourite developers - Supercurio. He's a guy who knows a little about sound (as in A LOT, enough that Anandtech have started using him for the audio parts of their reviews, which speaks volumes). He is after all responsible for the app Voodoo Sound, which took the original Galaxy S and Nexus S sound quality from good, to simply unrivalled in the mobile phone world. Sadly Samsung went with an inferior Yamaha DAC in the Galaxy S II and Note, and it simply isn't possible to make a Voodoo Sound for them, much to the chagrin of many owners of these handsets. Myself included.
Fortunately, it is possible to increase the volume output via headphones without decreasing the sound quality, so that's exactly what Supercurio has brought to the table here. In the case of the Galaxy S II you'll get a +6dB increase, and in the Note a stunning +10.5dB (the S II has a louder output to begin with, so S II owners needn't fear they are getting a raw deal here). To put those number in perspective a +10dB increase equates to a perceived doubling in loudness, which is obviously quite an achievement.
Even as I type that I can hear some dissenting voices. 'But you shouldn't listen to music so loud, so what's the point in increasing the volume', and 'It will damage your hearing, you shouldn't increase the volume like that'. In fact both of those statements do actually have some merit, especially if you only listen to music with in-ear-microphone type headphones (like the ones that come stock with all these devices, for example). Those headsets are designed to be very sensitive and easy to drive, given their purpose is to be suitable for use with mobile devices which are typically a bit lacking on the amp front. If you were to max the volume with Voodoo LOUDER with that kind of headphone, I would indeed have fears for your impending hearing loss.
So what then is the point of this large increase in output? Well, if you're listening with high quality headphones, particularly over-the-ear cans like my recently acquired LCD-2's and HE-400's, then you actually need more power to drive them than the either the S II or Note can provide. The HE-400's were claimed by their manufacturer to be sensitive enough for use with mobile devices, sadly however the reality doesn't live up to the marketing-speak. I tried them on my Note without Voodoo LOUDER and found them very quiet indeed at maximum volume. With Voodoo LOUDER the volume was loud enough for easy listening, and there was enough power to drive them to an enjoyable level (obviously it's still poles apart from listening via a proper amp or DAC, but until Google adds support for USB DACs in ICS living with some compromises for the sake of convergence is just a reality on the sound quality front). Basically the app saves you spending $20+ on getting a headphone amp and saves you from having to carry around another device with your supposed convergence device. I mean, if you're at the point where you're buying something like that, you might as well just buy a dedicated portable DAP and be done with it. Right?
The initial download for Voodoo LOUDER is free, and the app will run you through a compatibility check to ensure it will work on your ROM/kernel configuration. After that the app will take you back to the Market to purchase it for it's paltry asking price (fair warning though: you can't refund this purchase).
If you're an S II or Note owner who has some higher quality, harder to drive headsets lying around the home that you'd love to use with your mobile from time to time Voodoo LOUDER is a no brainer. Get it now.
What I like is that you can so quickly (and easily) send a voice text message. I'm not a very patient person so anything that can save me a few precious seconds is welcomed.
Ok so I only have 3 contacts. Each one of them has mistakenly thought they were sending a voice message. But each forgot to read the instructions. You must keep the orange button held down while you record your message.
If you need to leave a lengthy message then this app wont serve the purpose. There is a limit to how much you can record. Just think of Twitter where you have to get your point across in 140 characters. I'm sure men all around the world are applauding this time limit, which I haven't determined, but have exceeded a couple of times. You'll receive a message if you reach said limit.
You can also replay a received message which will, by default, notify you by sound and display in the status bar.
Here's a link to the the FAQ website.
This app uses data, but it saves you voice call minutes (and precious time Swyping/pecking a text message).
Murray Winiata - DeskSMS (Free 14 day trial, then $5USD annual subscription)
Like the first this one also comes from a legendary Android dev, this time around it's Koush. If that name isn't already familiar to you then I can only presume you're new to Android, or you're at the wrong site and these aren't the iPhone app recommendations you're looking for. He's the creator of Clockworkmod recovery, which is one of the most important Android apps in existence for Root users. Now that we've established his credentials, let me tell you about the app.
Basically, as the title suggests, this is another desktop SMS client. Previously I had used and been relatively happy with SMS2PC, but the relative lack of updates, and issues with WiFi connection got me looking elsewhere.
DeskSMS is, in a word, awesome. You don’t need to connect to the PC at all, set up is a breeze, and the real kicker is the level of integration. Want to send them from within your browser? Done. Want a Firefox or Chrome extension instead? Done. Want to have SMS conversations from right within Google Chat? Done. Not only that but you also get a polished and attractive UI on the web version and the browser extensions.
If you’re a person who finds themselves sitting in front of a PC a lot, and let’s face it, that’s an awful lot of us, then this app is really worth looking into. I love my phone to bits, but given the choice I’d obviously rather send type texts with a full keyboard. Everytime. I’d be willing to bet that a good many of you do also.
Andy Carruthers - WRC 2011 (Free)
There's also the happy circumstance that the current Production World Rally Champion happens to be Kiwi ace Hayden Paddon, so it's a great way to keep tabs on how his career is evolving.
So what else does it offer? Besides the obvious 'available anywhere' advantage over the PC browser solutions, WRC 2011 has all that the website does with virtually none of the advertising that plagues its pages.
The app handily covers the main WRC, SWRC, PWRC and Academy categories with daily updates available between events and realtime competitive information delivered via telemetry from the cars during competition.
There's also in-app video, live txt, and the folks at Rally Radio deliver their commentary and stage interviews with the drivers as they happen. So you can plug in your ear-buds and get all the latest info live, including stage split times, positions and the all-important off-road excursions that make WRC rallying the great sport that it is. It'll eat your battery though, so having a spare would be handy.
Produced as it is by North One Television, the producers of the official WRC TV coverage, you'll see in-car footage as well as helicopter and land-based video of many special stages. It's truly the next best thing to being there.
The app supports English, French and Spanish, features sections for News, Videos, Photos, Championship Standings, Driver and Co-driver biographies, Hall of Fame and Team overviews, plus the full calendar of events, up-to-the-minute stats plus Twitter and Facebook links. Phew...
If you have a Droid handset, be aware that comments from the app download page suggest that you may have problems. For the best performance, I'd also suggest that running Gingerbread is preferable, although FroYo seems to be fine for most.
The WRC rally season has ended for 2011, so the app, once updated, will reappear as WRC 2012. I believe that you will be automatically updated to the latest version if you choose to try now, so download it and have a look. It's free and there's a lot to like about this handy WRC portal. Recommended.
Nick Monrad - Viber (Free)
You might think 'is it really free?' well, yes but with the following caveats:
- Firstly, you must have a data connection; either Mobile Data (3G/4G) or WiFi
- Secondly, the person you're trying to contact must also have Viber installed
As for the interface; this leaves a lot to be desired and appears to be a straight clone of the iOS version of the app. This means by default when a notification comes in it pops up above everything else instead of just appearing in the notification bar. Thankfully that option can be turned off. There are other issues with some bugs such as persistent notifications, even after checking messages and some other issues around contact syncing.
Overall, in some circumstances the good outweighs the bad and I use Viber as my daily messaging app - mainly because I only have 300 texts a month.
Anita Paling - Evernote (Free)
The number of times I'll bake a Carrot Cake for work, then be asked for the recipe is more than I can count on all digits (it's not my own recipe). I found the recipe on a website. When I look to share the recipe I go back to do a search on the Internet, the details at home in OneNote isn't accessible to me at work. With Evernote I'll be able to grab the URL right off my phone.
When you select a note from the phone you have the ability to share it. There's a long list of different apps you can chose as the share method. Using the scenario I've given, sharing by email would be the best way. The email arrived with a snippet of the recipe and a link. Clicking the link opened up the recipe. There's even a link for the recipient to "Get Evernote" Clicking the Details link shows you the details from the 2nd image above. There's the original URL from the site I nabbed the recipe from.
In carrying out this write up I've also sent the screen capture to Evernote and it smoothly arrived on their Website application as well as showing on the phone. After all I'm synchronising between the website and the Android app.
The one thing I can't figure out yet is how to add a tag from the Website. At this point I'm locating the note in the Android app and adding (easily) the tag there. Then of course it shows in the website. Obviously with this app being hot off the press to my phone there's a good deal more to figure out. But I know already this app does what OneNote didn't. Allows me to seamlessly share notes with others.
And it's a breeze to copy the OneNote notes with copy and paste to the website. It'll keep me busy for a while given the amount of notes I've taken, but it'll be worth it. The website will give some details about the other types of uses others have for Evernote. I'm not sure I'm forgetful enough to need to note where I've parked the car. But you could.
There's a widget for Evernote as well. It's new to them, not just to me.
Evernote is more than text. You can upload photos, create check lists, attach PDF files. There's a lot of things to do. And it seems to be a hit in Education too. The ability to share notes with others (and as you can see from the screen shot, there's Facebook integration too) is popular.
There's a free version which Evernote admit is likely to be sufficient for the masses, or a paid subscription. Free is good, and if it doesn't quite meet your needs, then check out the extra you get with the subscribed version.
Gianpy Belaunde - Slingplayer (US only $29.99 for the app)
Nowadays I rarely do such things as I no longer live with my parents, but running my own errands has become much more bearable thanks to the SlingPlayer app - a video streaming application which works in conjunction with your home TV. Unfortunately, this solution is quite pricey but I definitely think it is well worth the money.
In order to use the application you must have the SlingBox Hardware installed on your cable box or satellite box. Whatever you can watch on your TV will be streamed to your android device through either 3G or WiFi. This allows me to watch live TV straight on my device, being streamed from my home. Since you're already paying for your cable content, there is no reason why you should have another monthly bill for mobile TV.
The $29.99 price on the app is one-time, so while the first month may empty out your wallet, subsequent months will be free. As I stated before, you will need hardware in order to use the app - you have the option of purchasing the Slingbox Solo ($179.99 or the PRO-HD ($299.99), the HD model outputting 1080i video. While the initial investment will run you over $200, the benefits outweigh the heavy cost.
In terms of quality, using a WiFi connection will give you much clearer and buffer-free video, but a solid 3G connection can still suffice and output viewable video. This is an ideal solution for when you are in a stationary spot. I've tried watching content whilst in a car, which could cause buffering when your 3G signal fluctuates as you drive past cell towers.
Overall, I've been nothing but pleased with the application, and although it has a couple of minor annoyances and carries a hefty price tag, it's definitely made boring times more bearable.
Murray Winiata - Slice It! (Free, ad supported)
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| Annotation isn't a feature, it's a way of life |
Slice It! is a game that's been on the Market for ages, and well received too, I had just never got around to checking it out before. While checking the "S-Choice" apps on my Note the other day to make sure there weren't any killer apps out there that I had neglected to try for the S-Pen part of the Note review (it's coming soon, I swear!), I saw Slice It! and decided it's time had come.
I think part of the reason I had never checked out before was the thought that this was just some derivative title, designed to cash in on the popularity of Fruit Ninja. I couldn't have been more wrong!
Like a great many excellent mobile games Slice It! has a very simple premise. In each level you are served up a shape to divide into a given number of equal sized pieces, and a limited number of slices with which to achieve that end.
Sounds easy right?
The first few levels certainly won't do anything to dissuade you of that notion, but soon enough you'll have real brainteasers on your hands. Fortunately you can earn hints by 5-starring levels, so if your mental acrobatics just aren't up to the task (possibly because there is a little too much blood in your caffiene-stream, a pernicious and ongoing problem for me that perhaps some others are affected by too), the judicious use of some precious hints can perhaps give your brain the jog it needs to pass the level.
If you like puzzlers then Slice It! is well worth a go, all for the low low price of free (like a good many other titles in the Market this one is free by way of ad-support, so expect relatively non-annoying pop-ups here and there). Note owners in particular would do well to grab this one and check it out - the S-Pen will give you an advantage your friends will envy!
Nik Turner – Not Always Right (Free & ad supported/Paid $0.99US)
To make a change from my past posts on utilities, I thought I’d branch out into something a little less practical this week. (The Customer Is) Not Always Right is the official app from a site that I’ve found worthy of a chuckle or two on many an occasion, as have many in customer-facing industries. The parent site http://notalwaysright.com/ functions similarly to the likes of http://bash.org or http://qdb.us, in that its content is entirely user-submitted. In this case, the content consists of employees’ experiences with crazy customers from around the world, with a surprising number of them coming from little ol’ New Zealand. From the embarrassing to the ignorant to the outright silly, they’re a great way to cool off after a rough day if you’re unlucky enough to earn your crusts in a service industry, or even to extend those bathroom breaks at the office (Not that we’d ever condone such a thing, of course).
The app itself is pretty basic, with a scrolling list of the latest stories, and a menu-press is required to switch to the next page, or to access the top-rated, . Once you’ve been using it for a while, you’ll probably appreciate the random story feature, as it’s good for a quick belly laff. Also included is the ability to submit your own undoubtedly-hilarious stories, so it’s one of them fandangled apps for the so-called prosumer audience, i.e. you’re not just a passive couch/desk potato chortling away at herpy-derpy people, and can actually contribute.
My use of the app does generally revolve around flicking it open on a coffee break, checking for new stories, and failing those, hitting the refresh button on the random story page a few times. It’s a time waster, not a time saver - but let’s be honest, so many functions of our little pocket computers are about filling up those empty pockets of time we find ourselves in on a daily basis. You could certainly fill that time with worse things than amusing stories of customer experience gone wrong, and that’s why Not Always Right is my App of the Week.
Anita Paling - Christmas HD ($1.99NZ)
This is me new favourite app. It's also my very first Live Wallpaper on my phone.
Who doesn't love Christmas? No, don't Bah humbug! Christmas if full of joy and promise and children squealing with excitement and a chance to eat way too much and not feel guilty about it.
I love Christmas.
But back to my pick for this week.
I read about this app on Saturday morning and wasn't at all put off by the small price of NZ$1.99. I must have it I thought. It's way cool!
Almost every part of this wallpaper is customisable. Right down to picking the type of gift wrapping, and the bow. You can pick colours for the lights on the trees, the coloured decorations, whether you want tinsel or beads. You can choose to have candles on the mantel piece and at the window (which you can't see from my screen capture). Then there's the names on the stocking. The middle name ends up in a note to Santa (if you want to show it) and you can pick if the note says you've been naughty or nice. Nice of course! You can choose from two different types of snowflakes. Do you want to see that countdown calendar? What about having a photo over the fire place. That's my cats in case you're wondering. Right down to whether or not the photo should have a frame.
But the fun doesn't stop there because the wallpaper is interactive. You can touch the tree ornaments and they'll jiggle. Touch the fire place (watch how you explain that to small children when you've been convincing them it's hot!) and the flames will enrage. There's more frost on the windows too if you touch those.
I feel like I'm about as excited about this little live wallpaper as the boys are about their games.
In case you feel like you want to see all this goodness in action, and not quite sure just how to configure all the details, watch the video which SmartKeitai has created. It will give you the low down.
Basically, if you love Christmas, then this app is a must have. It's so much fun!
PS this image was taken on on my ASUS eee Pad Transformer. I've also got this on my Samsung Galaxy S2. You can't get too much of a good thing.
Gianpy Belaunde - BLN control (Free, Pro $3.49NZ)
One of the major disadvantages of being a Nexus S user is the lack of a notification LED. I'm not usually a person that gets massive amounts of email or messages, but I still like to be notified when one has come through. For this reason, I was jealous of BlackBerry devices for quite a bit of time. Looking to resolve this issue, I search around the web and came across BLN (Backlight notification) control.
This app does 1 task and does it well - it simply turns the capacitive buttons on your device into a notification LED. When you receive a tweet, message or alarm - the keys will turn on and stay on, letting you know that some kind of notification has been received with the visual alert.
For the Pro version, you have the option of allowing the lights to blink, which produces a more noticeable and eye-catching effect. Unfortunately, the app is only available for a small selection of phones, which are basically the Google Nexus S and all variants of the Samsung Galaxy S [and S II, Ed].
Getting the app on your device is a little more difficult than simply downloading it and installing it, a kernel with a BLN mod is necessary to run the app, so you must be rooted and have the kernel installed onto a rom.
The free version should get the job done for most people, but for those that want some more options available, the paid version is available for $2.89.
The app has come in greatly handy in situations where I can't use sound notifications to let me know if I received a message (such as in a meeting), the simple lighting up of my buttons lets me know something is waiting for me. If you feel similar to how I used to feel and have a supported phone, you gotta try this one out!
Nick Monrad - Zedge Ringtones and Wallpapers (Free)
Zedge is a content portal app that offers access to an insanely large library of wallpapers, ringtones and notification tones for your Android devices. Right now on my SGSII it provides access to over 50K wallpapers, 500k ringtones and 78k notification sounds. With such a lot of content it could be quite easy to get lost in it all. Thankfully you can search by keyword, browse by category and sort by a number of other criteria to find the content that you want.
Once you find something you like you can then download with one press and then set it with a second. It’s super simple. It also has a great little feature that allows you to automatically update your wallpaper every hour, 12 hours or once a day.
If you’re the type of person that likes to change their wallpaper or ringtone frequently then Zedge is a godsend and you should go download it now!
Murray Winiata - gReader Pro ($6.99NZ Pro version, Freemium ad-supported version also available)
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| Apologies all, I really cannot stop myself annotating everything I capture on the Galaxy Note! |
If there is one thing I can’t do without, it’s a great RSS reader. A while back another RSS fiend and I were talking about our mutual love for RSS readers, so naturally we took a look at each other’s weapon of news readership choice (with a view to affirming the superiority of our own selection, of course). Sadly it was not my turn to be vindicated however, and gReader Pro easily trumped NewsRoom - an app I had been using happily for some time by that point I might add!
So, what are the things that sold me so quickly on gReader Pro?
Firstly, it has Google Reader 2-way sync. That’s a biggy right there. Even if you’re not a Google Reader user presently I think you can probably appreciate how much easier it is to find and add feeds on your PC.
Secondly it has a much more granular level of control over what kinds of content it downloads – from everything including images for offline reading, to mere stubs of articles. Great flexibility to match your needs. On WiFI at the airport pre-flight? Grab everything! Running close to your mobile data limit? Get stubs!
Futhermore it has an excellent list view, a curious omission from several RSS readers out there (including my now-jilted former RSS love, NewsRoom). There are several ways of viewing your information on offer, and while the list view isn’t the best looking out there, it is certainly the most functional – something you’ll appreciate when your feed counts start to climb and you want to quickly weed out the chaff. Once you have sorted the good stuff, you will of course want ways to organise it, and gReader has your back there too with ready access to favourite/read/unread/save and so on.
Being an Android app it goes without saying that it has excellent sharing options, but it goes beyond the usual Android sharing dialogue, and has it’s own mechanisms for sharing to services like Read it Later and Instapaper – a boon since you can share to your other screens without needing additional apps on the phone.
...and it might only be a small thing, but it has a dark theme, which I just love on my AMOLED screens for it’s aesthetics and power-saving.
I could keep going on about gReader Pro and why I love it so much, but really if you’re an RSS fiend you should just do yourself a favour and get it now. Sure, there are others that look purtier, but if you’re anything more than a casual RSS user then you really functionality and usability to win out (and hey, it’s not as if gReader Pro is actually bad looking or anything, only that looks are not it’s primary concern like other prominent RSS apps out there).
Anita Paling - Currency Converter (Free)
I'm not sure about you folks, but I prefer to shop online. I'm also not bothered about buying overseas, though I'd rather New Zealand had a better selection of the items I tend to purchase, as I prefer to help our own economy - but I digress.So I shop online, I shop overseas, and like most, I want to know what it will cost in my currency.
Enter Currency Converter. This app does just what its name says: It converts currency.
It does more than that, however. You can read articles about changes in the currency selecting which currency you want news about, and select a date range to view the fluctuations, which shows graphically.
Another nice touch is the ease with which you can switch between the two currencies you are converting. See that little graphic between your chosen currencies? Simply tap it to swap which way you are converting. There's a really extensive list of currencies too.
My use is pretty basic. I'm only after an understanding of what the item is going to convert to in New Zealand Dollars (NZD), and this app does the job really well. The cost will almost definitely be different from what appears on my credit card bill, due to the date the purchase is billed and the bank's commission fee, which they'll call a 'conversion fee'.
If you're looking for a fairly accurate guide, then this app will certainly do a good job - And the real conversion when the purchase hits your credit card is not a failing on the part of the application.
Gianpy Belaunde - Iris (Free)
Today I wanted to bring you guys a novelty app, which I use for fun and a good laugh rather than to get some real work done. As you all should know, one of the iPhone's most prolific features is the voice assistant Siri, which lets you set alarms, meetings and reminders all through voice chat.
The folks over at Dexetra did not want to leave us Android users in the dark, so they decided to make their own version of the assistant, sarcastically named "iris". The app is currently in alpha, so I wasn't expecting much of it. I even heard the developer wrote it all in a period of 8 hours!
The app can be useful at times, but also extremely humorous every once in a while. Through my testing I've found that you can ask it for information on geography, people and also have it call a friend. These work well most of the time, however there are still some voice recognition issues, so the app sometimes has difficulty recognizing what you say, which can be frustrating.
The overall interface of the app is simple but clean, a large circular button is located near the bottom of the screen, holding down the button initiates the 'ask'. From here you simply ask her what you need, but you can also start a general conversation with her, which usually leads to some giggles. The dialogue will appear on screen, with her response to follow after a bit of searching.
The main voice actions stated by the developer are that you can call someone, text someone, search for something and look up a contact - calling and searching work pretty well for me, but texting and looking up a contact is different affair, usually proving to be fruitless.
For an alpha release, iris is definitely an app you'll want to try out - it's free on the Android Market and the developers promise to update the app until it is fully functional, which is something I'd really love to see!
Nick Monrad - Meteor Blitz ($1.99USD on Android Market, $0.99USD on Amazon Appstore)
While released in 2009 for iOS, Meteor Blitz has only been available for Android since the beginning of 2011. Despite not being new or particularly cutting edge, Meteor Blitz is a pretty sweet space shooter. While the graphics in the screenshot don’t look impressive, the game actually looks pretty slick in motion. You control a small ship with only the protection of a one hit force field and some serious firepower to protect yourself from hundreds of asteroids and other enemies. This game is clearly inspired by the classic Asteroids game from the late 70s, but definitely brings some modern ideas to the mix.
First off; the onscreen controls are excellent with the left thumb stick controlling your ship, while the right fires and controls the direction of your weapons. You can also switch between 3 different types of weapon (ice, fire and a green cannon) depending on the type of enemy you are facing. You get a couple of oh sh*t tools; the self-recharging boost which acts somewhat like a teleport to move you out of bad situations, and the bomb, which basically destroys everything on screen and comes in very limited supply. Another cool weapon in your arsenal is the gravity gun, which you can use to pick up asteroids and fling them at other asteroids or enemies.
As you play through the game you will earn rings that you can redeem to upgrade your ship. These upgrades come in a number of forms:
- Upgrade your Fire,Ice or Cannon weapons
- Speed up the normal thrust of your ship
- Reduce the cooldown on your boost
- Improve your gravity gun so it can pick up larger pieces of asteroids
On the audio side, the sound effects are acceptable with deep booming noises when you blow things up, but it is a little strange not having sound when firing your guns. The music soundtrack is pretty frantic and goes along nicely with the style of gameplay where you are constantly under attack.
One last kind of cool feature of this game is that when you stop touching your screen, the game automatically pauses. This is really handy for those times when you have a few minutes to kill but may need to suddenly stop playing.
Anyhow, I’d better stop rambling and give you a chance to go buy this neat little space shooter!
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| Android Market link |
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| Amazon Appstore link |
Nik Turner - Speed Test.Net Mobile (Free)
Continuing my trend of utilities, I thought I’d devote a moment this week to the Ookla SpeedTest.Net application. It’s useful to know the latency, download, and upload speeds of your connection for a number of reasons, and this app does so in a hassle-free manner with a rather nice UI.
Just like its parent site, the app will select the most appropriate server to test based on your current location, although you can choose one manually if you fancy going a little more in-depth. There are options of displaying speeds in kbps, Mbps, and kB/s, as well as a slider to increase the animation quality at the cost of performance on lower-end devices. Most usefully, the app keeps a handy history of your speed test results – these are separated into tests over WiFi vs. tests over mobile data, and can be ordered by date, upstream, or downstream performance.It’s a simple app, yet one I keep on hand. Being a flash-a-holic, I tend to update my Galaxy S II as soon as new ROMs and radio firmware become available, and find it very helpful to know which revision gives the best network performance (KI3 is pretty good). It's handy being able to check and compare mobile network performance in various different locations, too, especially important if you’re considering switching carriers - Not that I am, as the screenshot demonstrates. I also use it to test the speeds of my home broadband connection, just in case something’s gone awry - and to make sure I'm getting what I pay for.
Of course, I can’t lie, apps like these do have a certain element of bragging rights inherently built into them, but that’s just part of the fun. Complaining that your provider’s speeds are terrible? Want proof that that missed headshot was due to lag? Showing off how much faster you can upload those dreadfully important photos to Facebook? If, for any reason whatsoever, you need to test your network speeds, I see no reason to look beyond Speed Test, and that’s why it’s my app of the week.
Murray Winiata - Parcels (Free)
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| No, this isn't a screenshot from my phone (you call tell because a MacBook is in the list) |
Parcels is not an intricate app, all the app does is track your parcels. If an app is going to have a narrow focus and do just one thing, I've always though it had better do it well. Parcels exemplifies this principle.
Parcels works for many different postal services and couriers, and of course all the bigger players like Fedex, DHL, UPS, and Royal Mail are represented (if you catch the QR-code Market link below you'll be able to check the full list of supported services).
Enter your tracking code, set the refresh interval, set the notifications, and you're away. In the home screen you'll see all your present and past packages, and for ease of use each company is colour coded differently. If you click on the item you'll get a detailed view with more information, and can even click on an item to see it's location in Google Maps. In particular the scheduling of tracking information retrievals is what makes the app for me. I can set it, and forget it, secure in the knowledge that if anything changes I will know about it in no time flat.
Enter your tracking code, set the refresh interval, set the notifications, and you're away. In the home screen you'll see all your present and past packages, and for ease of use each company is colour coded differently. If you click on the item you'll get a detailed view with more information, and can even click on an item to see it's location in Google Maps. In particular the scheduling of tracking information retrievals is what makes the app for me. I can set it, and forget it, secure in the knowledge that if anything changes I will know about it in no time flat.
I need to point out here that in order to get Parcels in many countries you'll need to use the Root app Market Enabler to fake a network carrier from the US. That said a quick perusal of the Market reveals there are now lots of apps of this kind that you could try as alternatives - the most highly rated ones being Parcel Trace, Package Buddy, and the paid app Package Tracker Pro.
Gianpy Belaunde - Astrid (Free)
Up to now the large majority of my app recommendations have been based on games, which is a bit misleading as my phone reflects my life directly, a part of which is focused on productivity and tasks.
This week I want to talk about my all time favorite to do list application, Astrid. Only a couple of months ago I started my first year of university, this led me to look for ways to make my life easier, as I knew I'd be getting a large workload. After constant struggle looking for the right app, I came across Astrid To-Do list on the Android market.
A free download, Astrid is a simple application that looks to solve one problem, organization. It is designed to help you get work done or remind you of something you need to do. Creating a task is easy and you then get a list-view of all your active tasks with 'due-dates'.
Some noteworthy features of the application include optional notifications, ability to sync with Google tasks and also widgets that can be placed for additional convenience. This is an application that can be as simple or as complex as you need it do be.
You can also add tasks via voice dictation, which is useful for people who type slowly or just want to add something quickly.
Overall, the application is definitely worth trying, you've got nothing to lose since it's free. Try it out and see just how much easier it will make your life!
Andy Carruthers - SVOX ($3.39)
Using turn-by-turn navigation software on your Android device? Audio notifications? E-book reading aloud? Other text-to-speech like having your emails or texts read to you while you're driving? Yeah? Well I have good news for you.
You can finally park that oh-so-synthetic PICO voice that you've been putting up with and replace it with something decent. More than decent, actually.
SVOX Classic Text To Speech is a runtime TSR that you can install for free on your handset which allows you to use various highly realistic voices, male and female, in your native language. You can install UK English, Aussie English and American English, or any of more than 25 other languages – some with male and female versions. That's the good news.
The slightly less good news is that each voice you download and install will cost you some hard-earned dosh. And some languages, specifically Maori and other Pacific Island languages, are missing in action. So it's not the perfect app. Yet.
The better news is that the voice files are actually quite cheap, considering how really excellent they are. You'll pay $3.99 South Pacific Pesos for each.
I went for the English “Victoria” accent, not just because it's a sexy one, but also because it's easily understood, and a female voice has more cut-though in a noisier environment such as a car or motorcycle. Or a fighter jet – the military also chooses female voices for its audio notification systems (“Bitchin' Betty” as she's known to American airmen) – and the “Pull up, pull up” terrain warning voice on commercial airliners is similarly female.
The best news though is that the voice transforms the audio experience of your apps. Annunciation and pronunciation are excellent, modulation is amazingly consistent and the voices are just so darn pleasant to listen to.
So why wouldn't you pony up the paltry four bucks that it'll cost to reap these awesome audio benefits? You don't use any apps that offer voice augmentation? That'd be a reason, but probably the only one.
This app is one of my favourites - I can't imagine Maps or Navigon without it. Get it and you'll enjoy your phone even more. Four out of five stars from me.
Nick Monrad - Google Sky Map (Free)
Google Sky Map. It lets you explore the night’s sky in a truly amazing way. Essentially you just point your phone up towards whichever part of the sky you’re interested in and it shows you the names stars, planets and constellations. As you move around to view other parts of the sky, Google Sky Map moves with you. It also has a night mode to dim down the screen so that your view of the night sky is less diminished.
If you want to find something in particular you can search for it and then you’ll have arrows guiding your hand to view the right part of the sky. You can zoom in and out with multi-touch gestures to hone in on your favourite constellation.
Some of the other cool features are:
Gianpy Belaunde - Astrid (Free)
This week I want to talk about my all time favorite to do list application, Astrid. Only a couple of months ago I started my first year of university, this led me to look for ways to make my life easier, as I knew I'd be getting a large workload. After constant struggle looking for the right app, I came across Astrid To-Do list on the Android market.
A free download, Astrid is a simple application that looks to solve one problem, organization. It is designed to help you get work done or remind you of something you need to do. Creating a task is easy and you then get a list-view of all your active tasks with 'due-dates'.
Some noteworthy features of the application include optional notifications, ability to sync with Google tasks and also widgets that can be placed for additional convenience. This is an application that can be as simple or as complex as you need it do be.
You can also add tasks via voice dictation, which is useful for people who type slowly or just want to add something quickly.
Overall, the application is definitely worth trying, you've got nothing to lose since it's free. Try it out and see just how much easier it will make your life!
You can finally park that oh-so-synthetic PICO voice that you've been putting up with and replace it with something decent. More than decent, actually.
SVOX Classic Text To Speech is a runtime TSR that you can install for free on your handset which allows you to use various highly realistic voices, male and female, in your native language. You can install UK English, Aussie English and American English, or any of more than 25 other languages – some with male and female versions. That's the good news.
The slightly less good news is that each voice you download and install will cost you some hard-earned dosh. And some languages, specifically Maori and other Pacific Island languages, are missing in action. So it's not the perfect app. Yet.
The better news is that the voice files are actually quite cheap, considering how really excellent they are. You'll pay $3.99 South Pacific Pesos for each.
I went for the English “Victoria” accent, not just because it's a sexy one, but also because it's easily understood, and a female voice has more cut-though in a noisier environment such as a car or motorcycle. Or a fighter jet – the military also chooses female voices for its audio notification systems (“Bitchin' Betty” as she's known to American airmen) – and the “Pull up, pull up” terrain warning voice on commercial airliners is similarly female.
The best news though is that the voice transforms the audio experience of your apps. Annunciation and pronunciation are excellent, modulation is amazingly consistent and the voices are just so darn pleasant to listen to.
So why wouldn't you pony up the paltry four bucks that it'll cost to reap these awesome audio benefits? You don't use any apps that offer voice augmentation? That'd be a reason, but probably the only one.
This app is one of my favourites - I can't imagine Maps or Navigon without it. Get it and you'll enjoy your phone even more. Four out of five stars from me.
Nick Monrad - Google Sky Map (Free)
If you want to find something in particular you can search for it and then you’ll have arrows guiding your hand to view the right part of the sky. You can zoom in and out with multi-touch gestures to hone in on your favourite constellation.
Some of the other cool features are:
- Time Travel – letting you view the sky as it was 1000 years ago, or 1000 years in the future
- A Gallery of amazing photographs from the Hubble Telescope – it even lets you find where in the sky the image came from
- Manual mode where you can use your finger to navigate the night sky
- Enabling/disabling of Stars, Constellations, Messier Objects, Planets, Meteor Showers, RA/Dec Grid and the Horizon
Essentially, if you’re interested in the sky at all then give Google Sky Map a go!
Anita Paling - Prey Anti-theft (Free)
I could use my own words to describe this application but their website does a really nice job, it's succinct and accurate: Prey lets you keep track of your phone or laptop at all times, and will help you find it if it ever gets lost or stolen. It's lightweight, open source software, and free for anyone to use. And it just works.
I've got Prey installed on the laptop, ASUS eee Transformer and my Samsung Galaxy S2. I've also installed it on my first Android phone, the Galaxy S.
Over the last week I've been in the midst of changing phone providers and that's meant swapping one SIM for another. What I'd forgotten was that Prey would recognise this difference and begin to track my phone.
There were two things that alerted me to the tracking. My GPS was active. It puzzled me until I got my first email providing a report of where my phone was currently located.
No doubt you've at least heard of apps that will track and locate a missing device. Some say they'll track to within X kilometres (or miles). I really can't remember what claims Prey make. What I can say is the reports they send, with a map of the location of my phone, have been absolutely accurate to the house.
I use another application as a virus scan and it will also locate a missing device. But I must have to manually trigger that.
What Prey does is manage all of that effortlessly, without any intervention from me. As soon as a new SIM is detected, and provided GPS is already on, the device is tracked. And great too that this application is also available for the laptop. You can have up to 3 devices on the one account for free.
You can also text the phone to start Prey. You can set your own phrase for the text. And once that text is sent then it will start Prey. Same for stopping Prey. You can choose a contact that will receive a text when a new SIM is detected which will advise the new phone number. Sounds pretty clever to me.
Obviously if you've misplaced your phone, or someone helped themselves to your phone, you're kinda stuck to manually start and stop Prey from the phone. That's when you jump on the website and set the device to missing. And then the reports start coming. On the free plan you'll receive a maximum of 10 reports for each device. Once you have 11 reports, the oldest one will drop off, leaving at all times a maximum of 10.
There's a short video explaining even more features than I've mentioned here. It's just a couple of minutes. I'm sure if you're interested in tracing a missing device, you can find the time to check this out.
Anita Paling - Prey Anti-theft (Free)
I could use my own words to describe this application but their website does a really nice job, it's succinct and accurate: Prey lets you keep track of your phone or laptop at all times, and will help you find it if it ever gets lost or stolen. It's lightweight, open source software, and free for anyone to use. And it just works.I've got Prey installed on the laptop, ASUS eee Transformer and my Samsung Galaxy S2. I've also installed it on my first Android phone, the Galaxy S.
Over the last week I've been in the midst of changing phone providers and that's meant swapping one SIM for another. What I'd forgotten was that Prey would recognise this difference and begin to track my phone.
There were two things that alerted me to the tracking. My GPS was active. It puzzled me until I got my first email providing a report of where my phone was currently located.
No doubt you've at least heard of apps that will track and locate a missing device. Some say they'll track to within X kilometres (or miles). I really can't remember what claims Prey make. What I can say is the reports they send, with a map of the location of my phone, have been absolutely accurate to the house.
I use another application as a virus scan and it will also locate a missing device. But I must have to manually trigger that.
What Prey does is manage all of that effortlessly, without any intervention from me. As soon as a new SIM is detected, and provided GPS is already on, the device is tracked. And great too that this application is also available for the laptop. You can have up to 3 devices on the one account for free.
You can also text the phone to start Prey. You can set your own phrase for the text. And once that text is sent then it will start Prey. Same for stopping Prey. You can choose a contact that will receive a text when a new SIM is detected which will advise the new phone number. Sounds pretty clever to me.
Obviously if you've misplaced your phone, or someone helped themselves to your phone, you're kinda stuck to manually start and stop Prey from the phone. That's when you jump on the website and set the device to missing. And then the reports start coming. On the free plan you'll receive a maximum of 10 reports for each device. Once you have 11 reports, the oldest one will drop off, leaving at all times a maximum of 10.
There's a short video explaining even more features than I've mentioned here. It's just a couple of minutes. I'm sure if you're interested in tracing a missing device, you can find the time to check this out.
Nik Turner - Screen Filter (Free, Girlfriend approved!)
That’s, well, it. Deceptively simple, and a great idea. There’s a slider to select how dim you want the screen to be, with example text to preview, and the option to enable or disable the button backlights where applicable. The app is launched with a single tap of the icon, and the settings are accessed via the notification display. Be warned, tapping the notification switches the app off, as does tapping the icon a second time – brace yourself for the glare. There you have it – Screen Filter is a simple utility that I, at least, find indispensable [+1 -Ed].
Nik Turner – Download All Files (Free)
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)
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.
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)
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.
 |
| Only gripe: what is with the low-res update status icon??? |
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!
Gianpy Belaunde - Flick Kick Football ($1.29NZ)
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!
Murray Winiata - Minus (Free)
Obviously since they're entering a game with a pretty major player already in place, Minus have to bring something new to the table. With that in mind the questions then become "what have they brought?", and "did they bring a knife, or a BFG to the gunfight?"
Firstly Minus are offering 10GB of cloud storage for free. That isn't a typo, they really are offering 8GB more storage for free than Dropbox. Furthermore, signing up your friends gets you both an extra gig of storage, up to a maximum of 50GB of storage. Again, that is not a typo. For myself just the amount of storage was enough to make me sign up and download the Android app, and am I ever glad I did.
The Android app does everything you'd expect, with a minimalistic look that belies it's slickness and capable feature set. It lets you upload to, and download from, Minus, as you would expect, but also has other tools like photo editing with options like rotating and cropping prior to upload. Minus itself also has a social streak - you can message other Minus users, and even subscribe to their "feed" of uploads, which makes it a really nice tool for collaborations that involve sharing common files.
So did Minus pack a BFG en route to the gunfight? It's a bit hard to say right at this minute, but I can definitely say they've fired a strong opening salvo. You sign up to Minus on your desktop here, and in doing so you'll score an extra gig of storage to boot (I noted with interest in my own sign up that Minus doesn't even require you to supply your email address, which is a really nice touch).
Gianpy Belaunde - Sporcle ($2.61NZ)
Priced at $1.99, the Sporcle app is a 3.4 megabyte download that is great value for money - providing entertainment in the form of short trivia quizzes based on categories such as sports, television and music. Because it's such a simple app, this will work on ANY android device running 1.6 or above.
The quizzes are well made and varied, but what separates this app from others is the fact that new quizzes are added on a daily basis, pushed directly to your device when you launch the app. I personally think this app is great for users that spend time commuting on bus or train, where you have more than just a couple of minutes , allowing you to spend time on each quiz.
Proud users can share their scores on Facebook and there is also a tracker that indicates your performance on the quizzes you've tried out. By now, all I can say is try out the app and see for yourself -
can you name all the countries in Asia?
Andy Carruthers - Navigon Mobile Navigator ($79.95NZ)
 |
| Lane assist is a boon on unfamiliar highways |
So I've been trying to divine the possible weaknesses in Samsung's sponsored Navigon Mobile Navigator in the guise of Aussie/Enzed “Select” version. Really, I have. Fellow AndroidNZ blogger Lokhor (Nick) and I have debated at some length the merits of this app versus Google's Maps Navigation, a not-too-shabby navigation program itself. And despite Nick's undoubted debating prowess, the Navigon app wins in my judgement.
Mainly because I can think of some actual drawbacks to Google's effort, yet I struggle to find one thing to criticise about Navigon's.
For those unfamiliar with the company, Navigon is based in Germany, builds its own hardware/software GPS solutions as well as providing software-only builds for Android and iOS. Recently Navigon was purchased by Garmin, the US GPS giant, so it certainly has the backing needed to keep up the standard that it's been achieving in its recent incarnations.
Its maps are from Navteq, a subsidiary of Nokia – itself a legend in mapping – and are updated every 3 months.
 |
| Multiple routes put you in charge of the trip |
To mention a few of Navigon's standout features, it comes with several voices including “novelty” versions (broad Scots anyone?), lane assist, stationary speed camera warnings, excellent local pronunciations (although there's still the odd laughter-inducing miss), places of interest, multiple waypoints, route planning, favourite destinations, a “Take Me Home” function, and quite simply the best turn-by-turn audio you're likely to find on any handset.
In fact, I could write several hundred words about the things this app delivers out of the box, but it's a more efficient use of AndroidNZ's bandwidth to list what's missing.
Nothing.
And what it does, it does very well indeed. This part of AndroidNZ isn't called app of the week for nothing. And it's without hesitation that I recommend Navigon Mobile Navigator to anybody who uses a Galaxy S, Galaxy Tab or Galaxy S2. Because it's also free for download on those Samsung devices. But even if you don't possess one of Sammy's finest, I recommend it for any equivalent handset – it runs brilliantly on my HTC Sensation – albeit at a price.
I can't do it justice in this short summary, so check out the Android Market here for a look at all the things this full-featured application offers. Brilliant app.
Nick Monrad - Aldiko Book Reader (Free/Paid version $3.99NZ)
Aldiko Book Reader has been my eBook reader of choice since I first had a Galaxy S device over a year ago. Since then I’ve been reading eBooks nearly every day, and Aldiko has never let me down.
It supports the popular ePub format as well as PDF and Adobe eBook DRM technology. I mainly use it with ePub files that I have converted using the PC application Calibre. You can either import your own files or buy new books using the included store. Although I have never bought books this way, others might find it useful.
What attracts me to Aldiko is the fairly vast array of settings; from font size to changing the background and text colour. You can even choose to turn the page with volume keys, which saves you from leaving finger smudges on the screen while reading.
While I use the free version, there is a paid version for $3.99 NZD although I couldn’t tell you what the difference is. If you like reading on your phone then I can comfortably recommend Aldiko. If you don’t, then you’re missing out on a very convenient way to read books!
Anita Paling - AlarmDroid (Free/Pro $2.62NZ)
AlarmDroid allows me to have multiple alarms as you can see. It’s easy to set up, and it’s dead easy to activate or deactivate an alarm.
I like that I can choose what sound file I want to wake up to. I don’t snooze the alarm. And I don’t set it to give me some mathematic equation, though both are definitely possible.
There’s even a countdown type Alarm. Yes I’m guilty of having a snooze mid afternoon on the weekend. The countdown is perfect for my Nana nap (Power Nap as it’s called in the app). I just set the amount of time I want to sleep and the alarm rings right on schedule.
The dev hasn’t had an update in some weeks but I haven’t found there’s anything missing, or not working as you’d expect.
And I’ve just realised there’s a widget. That was my one nit pick, that there wasn’t a widget. But my prayers have been answered.
Now, if only we could change the colour of the Droid to match the wallpaper theme.
Nik Turner - PowerAMP Beta (Free/Full version unlock $6.52NZ)
Nik is unfortunately in the midst of some pretty important academic work at the present time, so couldn't chime in with an app recommendation this week. He did find time in his busy schedule to post a piece on the new beta for PowerAMP earlier in the week however, so I thought we'd link to his piece here - I'd hate for any of you to miss out on THE premier music player for Android devices.
Here is a link to Nik's piece, and below is the video walkthrough for the beta that I made. Now you may have already read about the beta, which was widely publicised around the net this week, but I'd suggest Nik's piece is well worth a read - since Nik that actually broke this particular piece of news to the bloggisphere first.
Andy Carruthers - gStrings (free)
Cleverly written to display state of tune as an analog needle position on a dial, it makes nailing perfect pitch (assuming your instrument's capable of such perfection), a doddle. Even less capable instruments can be sorted easily thanks to the needle-dampening wizardry gStrings Free boasts.
Pleasingly, the developer has enabled this gem to scale to whatever screen size and proportion your Android device possesses without pixellation or distortion. And while on the topic of its appearance, it's tasteful and clear to read - portrait or landscape orientation, and boasts
seven skins to choose from.
seven skins to choose from.
There are settings for microphone sensitivity, the choice of six instruments to optimise for (from ukulele to double bass), three playback octave settings, orchestra tuning, more temperaments than you can shake a stick at, and even has a fix for the Xperia and Dell Streak sampling bugs.
Phew...
Hard to believe this miracle of modern musical metering can be free. But it is. And if I was able to award it, it would get five stars out of five. Dang it... five stars out of five it is. Oh, and if you want the version that's not ad-supported, it'll cost you a miserly NZ$1.81. A bargain.
Nick Monrad - ADW launcher Ex for Honeycomb ($3.95)
ADWLauncher EX has been around for a while and to be honest I never really used it when it was just for phones. Now that I have an Asus Transformer however, I found I needed something that was smoother and was more customisable than the stock Honeycomb Launcher.
After having a look around and finding that ADW Launcher Ex supported Honeycomb I swiftly laid down the $3.95 NZD that it costs on Android Market. Money well spent I must say.
Not only is the launcher buttery smooth but it has a huge number of customisation options and extra features that set it apart from the stock launcher. From changing the animation when switching screens to changing the entire appearance with themes, if you want to do it ADW probably can. For me the biggest feature is the dock bar that allows me to have easy access to a number of crucial apps without clogging up my homescreens with icons.
If you have an Android tablet running Honeycomb then I can strongly recommend that you get ADW Launcher EX
Anita Paling - Tweetdeck (Free)
Tweetdeck for Android works just like the desktop application. TweetDeck brings together Twitter, Facebook, Google Buzz and Foursquare all in one feed.
There’s so much more to describe but TweetDeck isn’t a complicated application. Notifications can be set up for each column. There are three different widgets for your Android phone homescreen.
What I wish TweetDeck did was make hash tags live. That way when you pressed the hash tag it would immediately search and provide the results. Other Twitter clients have this functionality and it’s very slick. I have tried other Twitter clients but find myself drawn back to TweetDeck. I like to see my social network information in one place and have the ability to update them all at once.
- Scroll through the feed and you’ll see the time each post was sent. Click the Home bar and you’ll be taken to the top of the feed and press again and TweetDeck will refresh.
- You can swipe left and right. From the Home page a swipe to the left takes you to your Mentions. This is where someone has replied to a Facebook item you’ve commented on, or where your Twitter name has been used in a Tweet. Swipe to the left again and you’ll find yourself at the Direct Messages screen. Direct Messages are private Tweets between you and another person. If you have any new unread items in Mentions and Direct Messages the grey circles will show yellow.
- Pressing this icon opens up a new window where you type your message. You can select to include the same message across Facebook, your various Twitter accounts, Buzz and Foursquare. Drag down the slide button to include more of your social networks. While you’re here you can paste URLs and shorten them, include other contacts add photos and share your location.
- In TweetDeck you’re able to set up your favourite contacts. There are 12 spots to allocate as you wish. If you don’t have a contact selected you can type a name in the “lookup Twitter Profile” search bar. Selecting a contact will provide a summary of their Twitter profile and other interesting information, like how many Tweets they post per day, a list of their followers, who they follow and their favourite tweets. You also have access to add a column for that profile. Here you can also follow the contact, send a direct message or send a tweet mentioning the contact.
- The plus button allows you to search, whether it is a Twitter name or a hash tag. Once the search is complete you can quickly add a column for that contact or hash tag. Each new column will show as a grey dot like you see in number 2. You swipe to the left to move through the columns. And swipe to the right to reach the home screen. Removing columns is easy too.
Pressing the Location button opens Google Maps. With GPS running your current location will be identified. Don’t forget you can add your location into the message screen and you can even search for a location.
While we're speaking Twitter, don't forget to follow @Android_NZ for all the latest updates from the team here!
Murray Winiata - Ubermusic ($4.51NZ)
One of the great strengths of the Android platform is the ability users have to replace any part of the stock UI with something that suits their needs better.
Nearly every Android music lover at one time or another has gone looking for a replacement music player, so I thought I'd mention a great, but lesser known, option today (I actually thought it was a well known player, but so many people were asking about the music player in my 64GB micro SDXC video that I thought I should put it out there, just in case).
Ubermusic comes from Frederico Carnales, a quality developer better known for his replacement launcher Launcher Pro. What you get with Ubermusic is the slickest looking music player you can find for Android, especially once you install the free Metro skin.
What you won't get is the most feature filled music player out there. There is LastFM integration, the ability to skin the player, change the highlight colours, select what action the player should take on headset detection and so forth, so it's not that its a slouch particularly, just that other players offer more.
The question of course is whether you need more. If you want features like equalisers, cross fading, and gapless playback, then PowerAMP is probably the player to look to (or perhaps the increasingly feature packed Player Pro). If a simple player is all you need then you can't really do better than this polished and silky smooth player from Frederico Carnales.
Hola!
Welcome dear reader to the end of our bumper apps recommendations special edition! Thanks for joining us here at the end!
If you're taken the time to get all the way down here perhaps you'd like to drop us a line? We'd love to hear about which of these apps you've tried and loved, and like you we always enjoy hearing about others app recommendations - let us know what's hot!
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