With more than 1 million apps
available, it’s little wonder that the Google Play store is filled with an
incredible variety, ranging from terrible crapware to genuinely funny to useful
apps and games. Yet for every popular favorite such as Kindle or YouTube,
there are just as many new, underrated or plain overlooked gems such as the anonymous social network Secret. Check out 12 apps you’re not using but should that can be found in the Play store.
there are just as many new, underrated or plain overlooked gems such as the anonymous social network Secret. Check out 12 apps you’re not using but should that can be found in the Play store.
Ask
Me Anything (Free)
Reddit’s regular Ask Me Anything or
AMA sessions feature community-led interviews of notable people such as
politicians, actors, scientists and more, with everyone from Barack Obama,
Peter Dinklage, and Neil deGra$$e Tyson participating in online interviews
where Redditors ask them anything. The official Ask Me Anything app allows
users to participate in active AMAs, as well as discover archives of AMAs by a
variety of guests from just about every field under the sun.
Twitch
(Free)
Gamers will recognize Twitch as the
incredibly popular game streaming site that allows anyone to watch live and
recorded streams of just about every video game under the sun, from the latest
MOBA and esports events to indie hits, first person shooters and strategy
games, all played by amateurs and professionals. The Twitch app allows you to
view Twitch streams from your favored mobile device, ranging from recorded
games to live events, as well as interactive shows by developers and games
publishers. Users can follow particular games and channels, as well as engage
in live chats with other viewers.
Unclouded
(Free, in-app purchases)
Unclouded is a neat cloud storage
management tool that allows users to quickly view details of multiple cloud
storage accounts. Users can get quick breakdowns of how much space they’re
using in each account, as well as how much storage different categories of
files (pictures, documents, etc.) use. Users can search for individual files,
identify duplicate files (within the same account only) and download files from
the cloud to your phone. The app supports Drive, Dropbox, BOX and OneDrive, and
the free version allows users to manage two accounts. In-app purchases or
premium upgrades can provide for unlimited account support, pa$$word/PIN
protection for the app, and a dark theme.
Smart
IR Remote – Anymote ($4.99)
If you’ve got an IR blaster mounted
inside your smartphone (HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy S5, LG G2), try Anymote. This
little app turns your blaster-equipped smartphone into a universal remote for a
wide variety of appliances, from TVs, set top boxes, DVD players or just about
any device that accepts IR commands. The app has a lot of cool features, such
as the ability to create custom remotes that bring together commands from
different devices into a single screen (for example, turning on your TV, DVD
player and sound system on with a single tap) and the ability to create custom
macros.
Flynx
(Free)
The pop-up style browser pioneered
by Quickly and LinkBubble has seen a lot of development, and one of our current
favorites is Flynx. As with other pop-up browsers, Flynx pre-loads links in the
background with a floating on-screen indicator while continue operating your
other apps without wasting your time watching pages load. Once done, you can
then tap the indicator, with Flynx displaying the Web page pop-up style, with
multiple tab support. Flynx also adds a lot of neat features, such as an
intelligent ad-blocker, double-tapping links to save pages for offline viewing
and easy link sharing.
To
Be Or Not To Be ($5.99)
Imagine William Shakespeare’s Hamlet
as a choose-your-path gamebook app, and you get Ryan North’s To Be or Not To
Be, which has you playing the part of Hamlet, Ophelia or Hamlet Senior on their
insane adventures. Powered by Tin Man Games’ Gamebook Adventures engine, the
app takes full advantage of the digital format by accompanying the text with
music, sound effects, hilarious achievements and an end-game Haml-o-Meter and a
statistics page that compares your choices with the Bard’s. A particular
delight is the wealth of illustrations by a variety of Web comic greats such as
Kate Beaton (Hark, A Vagrant), Zach Weiner (SMBC) and Matthew Inman (Oatmeal).
Incredibly hilarious and brilliantly executed, To Be or Not To Be is a great
addition to your app drawer.
RockMyRun
(Free, in-app purchases)
RockMyRun delivers specially
designed music mixes with consistent energy and tempo to help you make the most
out of your running and exercise routine. Mixes run the whole gamut of genres
and time periods, from hip-hop to rock, 90s to Oldies, and dubstep to
cla$$ical. Another neat feature is “myBeat” technology that can adjust each
mix’s energy level to your step pace, heartbeat or through manual adjustment.
The app integrates with other exercising apps such as Runkeeper and MapMyRun,
allowing you to record your runs while RockMyRun keeps going. The free tier
provides mixes of up to 45 minutes, and is ad-supported. A premium subscription
removes ads and provides longer workout mixes.
U
Messenger (Free)
There are a lot of free messaging
apps out there, but U Messenger does some interesting things that help make it
stand out. U Messenger covers all your free messaging basics, with text, photo,
voice and video messaging, stickers, group chats, messaging history and more.
Where U Messenger stands out are its Recall features, which allow users to
recall photos, text messages, and other content sent to other users devices,
even after they’ve been sent and viewed. There’s also a Break Up feature that
can automatically take back all content sent to another user, as well as
removing the each other from your respective contacts list.
IF
by IFTTT (Free)
If you find yourself wasting a lot
of time with repetitive internet tasks, or if you just want to automate tasks
on your phone, try IF by IFTTT. The app allows users to create customized
“recipes” or tasks built around the structure If This, Then That (from which
the app takes its name). For instance, you could automatically receive your
favorite team’s recent game score when ESPN posts it. IFTTT employs a wide
variety of triggers and actions ranging from websites, apps, to even other
devices and peripherals. You can even browse through other people’s trending
and featured recipes, as well as themed collections and all-time favorites that
you can install or modify.
Google
Opinion Rewards
Who doesn’t like getting a little
bit of store credit every once in a while? Through the free Google Opinion
Rewards app, users can answer short marketing surveys in order to win up to $1
in Play store credit. Users start out by answering a basic questionnaire about
themselves, and then the app will send you a notification if you’re eligible
for a survey. You won’t get rich off of it, but Google Opinion Rewards is a
great way to get a little extra spending money for Play store content.
RetroArch
Retrogaming emulators allow users to
run cla$$ic video games by emulating obsolete game consoles and handhelds on
modern devices. Instead of having to download a different emulator for each
console you want to emulate, RetroArch functions as an all-in-one app that
bundles together numerous free and open source emulator software in a single
package. If you’re hankering to relive the glory days of the NES and SNES, the
PSX, or even the Atari 2600, RetroArch has a built-in emulator that’ll do the
job.
Helium
– App Sync & Backup
The excellent Helium – App Sync
& Backup (formerly Carbon) is ClockworkMod’s excellent entry into the
mobile backup app space. What sets Helium apart from apps like Titanium Backup
is its ability to provide app and data backups without having to root your
phone. Unrooted users will have to install an extra desktop app to work with
the mobile app when plugged in to a PC. Helium also includes a paid premium
version that offers cloud uploading of backups, backup scheduling and no ads.
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