Android Articles Subscribe to this category

All Android articles can be found here. If you can’t find a topic in here, use the Search box!

How To Create A Rovio Account & Sync Game Progress Across Devices

by on
Leave a comment
Rovio-accounts-game-progress-online-save
Game Center in iOS has always played the primary role in keeping record of any game achievements, but it does very little beyond that. Sure, you can challenge friends to a fruit slicing competition in Fruit Ninja, see what’s the farthest they've run in Temple Run, or find out who knows more words in Letterpress. As far as saving game progress is concerned though, there are little to no options. In the event that you accidentally (or purposely) wipe an iOS device and restore it from a slightly dated backup, you may lose some or all of your achievements and game data. Having personally gone through such a situation where my game data was lost, I can relate to the sinking feeling of losing so much hard work. Rovio - the makers of the famous Angry Birds game that has spawned a broad line of merchandise and its very own animated series - have announced Rovio accounts that will allow users to sync their game progress across devices. Read More

Splay Launcher Redefines Android Home Screen Replacement With Unique, Pie-Like Navigation

by on
4
Splay-Launcher-for-Android
Let’s face it, single-handed operation on mobile phone with a screen size of over 4.3 inches gets a bit tricky and as you up the screen size further, it almost becomes a challenge. Developed by Else Ltd., the company behind the smartphone 'First Else' that never made it to the shelves, Splay Launcher for Android is another Home Launcher replacement, but what makes it stand out is its distinct interface that focus on single-handed operation. The app's interface may remind some of you of the the much popular Pie feature from the Paranoid Android ROM. Think of it as a semi jog-dial containing three menu levels that are accessible via some intuitive swipe gestures. The app requires Android 4.0 + to work. Read on after the jump, as we take a closer look at the app and its interface. Read More

Create Image & Voice Notes On Android & Export To PDF With ArcNote

by on
Leave a comment
ArcNote-for-Android
Note taking apps are common but most are limited to saving simple text notes. ArcNote is an audio and image note-taking app for Android from the developers of the famous Perfect365 image editing app for Android, iOS, Windows Phone and Windows. It’s a break from the normal text-based notes apps that you usually come across; you can directly take a camera shot or use one of the images already saved on your device for image notes. A single note can contain multiple images and audio recordings. Images can be edited so that only a particular user-defined area is highlighted. ArcNote isn't for jotting down a quick address, nor is it useful when you want to make a quick grocery list. It’s more suitable when you can take a picture of whatever information you need to save, like a business card, a poster or sign, or even a whiteboard, or quickly capture audio, for example an important part of a lecture, interview, presentation or just some instructions from your significant other before you go out shopping. While notes themselves aren't text based, you can add comments to any image in a note. Images can be edited individually, or even in batch. Read More

What Is TWRP Recovery & How To Install & Use It On Android Devices [Guide]

by on
Leave a comment
TWRP-custom-recovery-for-Android
Till just over a year back, ClockworkMod (aka CWM) was the go-to custom recovery for pretty much every mainstream Android device. Things have changed a lot since, with a newer player entering the game and gaining a lot of critical acclaim, as well as a huge user base. TeamWin Recovery Project – or TWRP for short – is a fully touch-based custom recovery that was initially developed for Nexus devices, but has since been made available for countless other smartphones and tablets as well, in form of both official and third-party builds. Just like we took you through a very detailed tour of ClockworkMod recovery and its features, we’re going to guide you through all the features of TWRP right after the jump. Read More

Switch to Windows Phone Finds WP8 Alternatives For Your Android Apps

by on
7
Switch-to-Windows-Phone-Android-Apps.jpg
Windows Phone has slowly started to establish its position as the ‘other’ smartphone platform, for people who have had enough of Android and iOS and want something different. You have to admit that Microsoft’s mobile OS is pretty unique and comes with a neat interface. Furthermore, it got a slew of new features with the release of WP8. A fair amount of users are willing to make WP8 devices their first smartphones but in order for the platform to grow rapidly, there's still a great need for more users to switch from competing platforms like iOS and Android. The biggest hurdle faced by Microsoft in getting these smartphone users to give WP8 a chance is the perception that WP Store lacks quality apps. This was true till a few months back, but Microsoft has lately been actively trying to dispel the notion. There are some pretty decent apps available for WP8 now, and you are likely to find an alternative for most iOS/Android apps if you are not too picky. To prove the point, Switch to Windows Phone has been released in the Google Play Store and WP Store. The app suggests Windows Phone alternatives to Android apps for people who are thinking about switching platforms. Read More

qrSend Lets You Scan QR Codes To Transfer Files From Windows, Mac & Linux To Android

by on
7
qrSend-Android-remote-file-transfer-Windows-Mac-Linux
Do you transfer a lot of files from PC to your Android device? What sort of connection you mostly prefer for the purpose? If it’s, Wi-Fi then today we have an impressive app for you that will make file transfers dead simple. qrSend is an Android app with desktop counterparts for Windows, OS X and Linux that lets you transfer files by scanning QR codes. That’s right - no more drag and drop or copy-pasting files around, because all you have to do is scan the QR code that's displayed on your computer and bingo, your desired item will instantly be transferred to your phone or tablet. Click the Read More button for the details. Read More

Contribute To Wikimedia Commons On The Go From Android & iPhone

by on
Leave a comment
Wikimedia Commons iOS
In today's world, it's considered almost impossible to go through college or professional education without a little help from Wikipedia. As you might already know, Wikipedia is a non-profit project, and has been running successfully for a long time because a lot of its users are also among the website’s major contributors of data. If you have ever submitted anything to Wikipedia, specially an article containing a media file, then you are probably familiar with Wikimedia Commons. The service allows users to upload photos to a platform from where anyone can access and use them without having to pay anything. The images that appear in Wikipedia articles are generally from Wikimedia Commons as well. Since the world is shifting to smartphones and tablets from computers, it seems like a perfect idea to have a Wikimedia client for major mobile platforms. It has taken some time for the organization to realize that, but the Wikimedia Commons app is finally here. The app has been released simultaneously for iOS and Android, letting users of both platforms upload images to their Wikimedia accounts on the ago. Read More

Identify Songs With SoundHound, Shazam & More From Android Lock Screen

by on
Leave a comment
Sound-Search-for-DashClock-Android-lockscreen-widget
No mobile platform beats Android when it comes to customization; you can tweak every single bit of the operating system – from replacing the home screen interface or the look of your lock screen to flashing entirely different ROM, it gives users complete flexibility and control over their devices. In the 4.2 Jelly Bean update back in November last year, Google unleashed another great feature by allowing users to customize the lock screen of their Android device with various widgets. This feature further extended Androids customization abilities and apps like DashClock quickly emerged in the Google Play Store to take it to the next level. In case you don't already know about DashClock, it’s an awesome alternative to Android’s stock clock widget, but that's not all; it allows adding several extensions to it for all sorts of other information like weather, Feedly, calendar, Gmail and more. Today, we've got an amazing DashClock extension for you called Sound Search for DashClock  that brings Google’s ‘What’s this song?’ feature to the lock screen, with support for several other popular sound identification services as well. Read More

Plan Your Vacation With Tripomatic City Guides & Maps For Android

by on
Leave a comment
Tripomatic-City-Guides-&-Maps-for-Android
Two things can spoil a perfectly good vacation; the repeated 'are we there yet?' question, and not planning the trip properly - the latter much more than the former. Whether they are meant for business or recreation, trips can turn into a nightmare if they aren't planned right. If planned well enough, you can always get more out of your time, or at the very least, ensure that you aren't exhausted before you leave, when you arrive at your destination, and when you return home. Tripomatic is a fairly famous service that helps you plan your trips, and it has just released its app for the Android platform. The app lets you plan your own trip from scratch by specifying your destination and picking the date of your departure, or use one of its many templates trips and change them to match your schedule. The app includes multiple destinations, landmarks and tourist points for different countries with details on each location. You can choose how many days you will spend at each location, and use the map to get to an overview of each one. Read More

Website Building, Hosting & Blogging Service Weebly Comes To Android

by on
Leave a comment
Weebly-app-for-Android_
After enjoying a good run with its iOS app, popular website building, hosting and blogging service Weebly has just released its Android app, which will allow you to create and edit new posts and publish them to your Weebly blog from within the app. Posts can be images, text or a combination of the two. The app lets you post images from your gallery or snap them from your camera and add a caption to the them. You can create a new Weebly account or a new blog from the app itself. The text editor allows you to add lists, bullet points, and hyperlinks. The app also lets you manage comments, view blog stats, and edit your blog’s theme. You can connect your Facebook and Twitter accounts with the app and automatically share your posts to these social networks upon publishing. Read More

Indigo Is An Android & WP8 Voice Assistant Capable Of Casual Conversation

by on
Leave a comment
Indigo-Voice-Assistant-Android-Windows-Phone-8
It is no secret that Windows Phone does not have as many alternatives to Siri as Android, and even the personal assistants that are available in the WP Store have their shortcomings. Speaktoit Assistant is good for having a fun chat every once in a while and has a very customizable UI, but you can’t get it to perform a plethora of useful tasks. Ask Ziggy, on the other hand, has often been accused of being a little too simplistic. So it is nice to see a new talking personal assistant that has been released at the same time for both Android and WP8. Indigo is a voice-controlled personal assistant that can entertain you while having the basic purpose of making your life easier. Read More

Easily Record Phone Calls On Android With MP3 InCall Recorder & Voice

by on
2
Call-recording-Android-InCall-Recorder
As smart as they are, many smartphones don’t normally ship with a built-in call recording support for the obvious reason that users might abuse the feature. In truth, the need to record a phone call is very real when you consider situations such as taking a phone interview, enjoying a long-distance phone conversation on a special occasion with loved ones, or just asking for directions over the phone. MP3 InCall Recorder & Voice is a free Android app that - as its name suggests - allows you to record phone calls in MP3 format. The app runs in the background and overlays a button on the phone app’s interface. When you make or attend a call, tapping this button instantly begins the recording. The app automatically stop recording when a call ends. The app also works as a simple voice recorder. All recordings are saved in MP3 format and can be played directly in the app. The free version of MP3 InCall Recorder & Voice features ads and does not allow you to email the recordings to yourself from within the app. Upgrading to the pro version removes ads and in addition, allows you to add notes to your recordings and enable the 'Record all calls' mode. Read More

How To Get Stickers In Facebook Messenger For Android Right Now

by on
1
Enable-Stickers-In-Facebook-Messenger-Android
After it was released in a pool of hype, Facebook Home instantly became the target of heavy criticism from tons of disappointed fans, most of which found the lock and home screen replacement app impractical as a daily driver. There was one feature, though, that was and continues to be lauded by users - the globally accessible Chat Heads. While Facebook Messenger and thus, Home, for Android were the first to receive this feature, it was soon rolled out for the iOS variant of the official Facebook client, but to select users and heavily tied down by the limitations of Apple's mobile OS. Perhaps to give their iOS userbase something to be happy about, Facebook included chat Stickers in the update, which can be best described as enlarged, glorified emoticons. Although Stickers are yet to make it to Messenger for Android officially, they've been discovered hidden away within the current version of the app, and you can get early access to them with a simple trick, discussed past the break. Read More

Capture HD Time-Lapse Videos On Android With Droid Timelapse

by on
2
Droid-Timelapse-for-Android
Time-lapse photography has become enormously popular during recent times, particularly since widespread DSLR adoption and the availability of some point-and-shoot cameras as well as smartphones that boast this feature. Even if the time-lapse option doesn't come as default on your smartphone, there are now plenty of mobile apps available on all major platforms that may turn anyone into a time-lapse photographer. Fresh in Google Play is Droid Timelapse – a new Android app that allows you to easily create time-lapse videos. The application is fairly feature-rich and powerful at what it does, letting you capture videos by specifying the total number of frames to be captured in a single second, resulting in a full fledged time-lapse sequence. Click Read More for our full review. Read More

Set A Photo Sphere As Panoramic Live Wallpaper On Any Android Device

by on
1
Photosphere-Live-Wallpaper-Android
Live Wallpapers are one of the perks of owning an Android device, and mind you, they’re not just animated wallpapers; they can make use of many other elements as well, including your phone’s gyroscope and accelerometer, and have several interactive elements that make them dynamic. In the past, we've covered our huge lists of the most beautiful Live Wallpapers as well as some of the most amazingly functional Live Wallpapers that fully showcase the capability of this feature. Would you like to have a wallpaper that reacts when you pick up your phone or when you scroll through the various home screens? How about creating a Photo Sphere, and setting it as your wallpaper? If this has managed to get you interested by now, keep reading, because this app is one cleverly executed idea. The app is called Photosphere Live Wallpaper, and is available for free on Google Play. Although Photo Sphere is a feature specific to Android 4.2 and above, the app can be used on any device running Android 2.2+, so go ahead and grab it for your device. You might be wondering "but if I cannot create photo spheres from my phone, what's the point of using this app?". Keep reading, for there's a workaround! Once installed, run the app, and it will display a helpful intro menu that guides you on what to do. Read More

[Ask The Readers] HTC Sense vs. Samsung TouchWiz: Which Android Manufacturer Skin Do You Like More?

by on
13
HTC-Sense-vs.-Samsung-TouchWiz
Last week, we asked our readers about which flagship smartphone they liked more: the trend-smashing, beautifully designed HTC One with its 4MP “UltraPixel” camera, or the more flexible Galaxy S4 with its microSD card support, removable battery and more interesting software features. The HTC One came first with 564 votes, but only very slightly – as the GS4 was right behind it with 486 (46%) votes. Our previous poll was more or less focused on the hardware aspect of these phones. In today’s Ask The Readers feature, we discuss the custom skins running on top of them – HTC Sense and Samsung TouchWiz. Read More

Doo Comes To Android; Provides On-The-Go Access To Cloud Documents

by on
1
Doo-for-Android-cloud-documents
Doo is a document syncing service with desktop apps available for OS X 10.8+ and Windows 8. It initially gives you 25GB of storage space to try out, and allows you to connect folders on your hard drive, your Dropbox, Google Drive, and Skydrive to it in order to make all your documents available in a single cloud-synced location. A user can selectively pick the folders that will be synced to Doo. The service has just released its first smartphone app, and it is for the Android platform. For now, the app allows you to view a list of your cloud files complete with thumbnails, and lets you download any one of them to your phone. The app does not support uploading any file from your device yet though. However, you can search for files, or view them by name, date, flag, companies, people, and other tags that Doo supports on its desktop apps. Read More

Share Articles From Pocket For Android & iOS Via “Send to Friend”

by on
Leave a comment
Pocket-iOS-Send-To-Friend.jpg
To celebrate a year since Read It Later was rebranded to Pocket, the service’s iOS and Android clients have just been updated with a useful new feature. Although the apps are meant to let users keep webpages bookmarked for their personal use, Pocket seems to be going a bit more social now. The newly added ‘Send To Friend’ option allows iOS and Android users to share any article with their friends pretty easily. You can even opt to have the app scan your phone’s address book to make finding contacts easier. The recipient of shared stories doesn’t even have to be a Pocket user to benefit from Send To Friend, since the app sends articles to others via email. To add to the feature’s usefulness, Pocket users get a notification whenever an item is shared with them by another user of the service. Read More

LinkedIn For iPhone & Android Gets A New UI & Customizable Navigation Menu

by on
Leave a comment
LinkedIn-iOS-Updates.jpg
LinkedIn’s Windows Phone update, which we covered yesterday, was pretty big, but it wasn't much compared to the complete revamp the social network’s iOS and Android clients have received today. The app’s interface has been overhauled to address a lot of aesthetic and usability issues. Not a lot of people have been huge fans of LinkedIn's mobile clients, but you should give the updated version a chance since it doesn’t look anything like its previous iterations. In addition to all the UI changes, the app has also gained the capability to let users like and comment on posts without ever leaving the main feed. You can also follow Influencers from within the app. The option to add sections of your choice to the navigation pane has been added to the mix as well. Read More