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Apps for Android |OT|
- Thread starter Divvy
- Start date
Monkeylord
Member
My GF and I recently got a Galaxy S4 each, and today we each received an email with a code for £25 of Play Store credit.
Anyone got any recommendations for what we can download?
I try and keep music downloads to stuff that's hard to find/expensive or download only.
We're not interested in games as we both have DS's and 3DS XL's.
Not sure about books (don't really want to have to read them on my phone, and through a website could be awkward) or apps though. Don't really know what I'd use that I don't already have for free.
So indecisive. lol.
Anyone got any recommendations for what we can download?
I try and keep music downloads to stuff that's hard to find/expensive or download only.
We're not interested in games as we both have DS's and 3DS XL's.
Not sure about books (don't really want to have to read them on my phone, and through a website could be awkward) or apps though. Don't really know what I'd use that I don't already have for free.
So indecisive. lol.
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
Pocketcast if you like podcasts
That pretty much narrows it down to nothing. In this case, it's more of a usage-based scenario. I wouldn't buy anything just because people recommend it, especially if they're apps and not books/games/music. I suggest that you think about what you could possibly use your phone that might make your life easier, whether it's a better calendar, email client, weather program, finance calculator, etc. etc.
That said, I recommend SwiftKey as just the bare minimum requirement when i comes to efficiency + texting, but even Google Keyboard is pretty good, aside from its word-suggestion algorithm.
Schrade
Member
No such thing on the store. Did you mean Pocket Casts?
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.com.shiftyjelly.pocketcasts
Shame it's pay :-/
When you guys recommend stuff make sure to mention if it's paid only or not!
phillipgessert
Member
What I found is that when I first got my phone, there were tons of paid apps that I felt were 'essential', but now they just sit in my All Apps tab uninstalled. The vast, vast majority of apps that are truly useful day-to-day have been free ones. So if I were you, I'd just sit on those gift cards as long as possible. That said, the paid apps I have installed are:
Swiftkey
ADW Launcher Ex (almost certainly not going to be useful for anything past Gingerbread)
1Weather
Timer
Plex
Gstrings
Solid Explorer
Tasks
Timer
and a couple games that I won't bother listing.
The Faceless Master
Member
people really love Pocket Casts, but there are free options
Volksempfänger (alpha)
Hipstacast
AntennaPod
and if you have a Samsung, Kiescast
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
I thought the point was to recommend part stuff since they got that free credit? 
Monkeylord
Member
That's my problem exactly. I totally see myself getting a load of stuff thinking they'd be useful, but will only end up using them once or twice. That's why I asked, because I figured the people posting in this thread would have a good bead on stuff that actually IS really useful and get used on a constant basis.
I had swiftkey preinstalled on my last phone (Galaxy Ace... hence the upgrade) but didn't really get on with it. Ended up just going back to the default keyboard.
As for email and calendar, I find the default Google apps more than sufficient.
I was kinda hoping there may be some suggestions for stuff that I frankly wouldn't even know would be useful. Currently I read emails, do the odd text or phonecall, and listen to a bit of music.
Because my last phone had such woeful storage I didn't even bother looking at apps because even if I could run them, I didn't have enough space to keep them. Stuff like Facebook would wipe out what little storage I had.
Now I have some space and enough grunt to run pretty much anything available, I'm at a somewhat overwhelmed and spoilt for choice.
Really don't want to just sit on this voucher and have my phone going to waste. It's a pickle indeed!
I used to use AntennaPod, and would recommend it in a heartbeat if someone just wants something free and that works. But I switched to Pocket Casts (which is absolutely amazing) because of the simple fact that AntennaPod doesn't actually delete downloaded episodes after they're played, even though the setting is turned on.
Bboy AJ
My dog was murdered by a 3.5mm audio port and I will not rest until the standard is dead
It was recommended to someone with store credit.
The Faceless Master
Member
I thought the point was to recommend part stuff since they got that free credit?
i thought the point was just to recommend the best options and if someone then clarifies that they want free options, to respond with free options.
Podcast Addict & Player.FM are also pretty good free options (especially the former).
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bambuna.podcastaddict
Free Swiftkey on the Amazon app store today:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nav_sap...WWVM|B005J0VPNC&rh=i:mobile-apps,n:2350149011
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nav_sap...WWVM|B005J0VPNC&rh=i:mobile-apps,n:2350149011
Schrade
Member
This is the non tablet edition, if anyone wondered.
OfWhiteSkinOnRedLeather
Member
That Paper Camera app looks cool.
Victory Red
Member
Can someone recommend a quick, no-frills, Notepad type app?
My phone came with S Memo and while it has tons of features, its a little too slow for me. I'm looking for something similar (see "boring") like the iOS notes app.
My phone came with S Memo and while it has tons of features, its a little too slow for me. I'm looking for something similar (see "boring") like the iOS notes app.
The Faceless Master
Member
Google Keep?
Keep would be my recommendation too. Especially since it's now integrated with Google Now.
A Human Becoming
More than a Member
Anyone here familiar with Freenote? I want to know if it has two features I might not be seeing.
Also, anyone else recommend some handwriting notes apps?
Also, anyone else recommend some handwriting notes apps?
The Faceless Master
Member
For what device?
A Human Becoming
More than a Member
Nexus 7 2013
OfWhiteSkinOnRedLeather
Member
This actually is really cool. Makes every pic you take look rotoscoped.
What's the difference? I grabbed it and it's working fine on my Nexus 7.
OfWhiteSkinOnRedLeather
Member
What's the best app to use my Droid Bionic as a webcam?
The Faceless Master
Member
they have slightly different layouts and options
Ah, well I must have been using the non tablet trial before because it's exactly the same.
Please don't tell me that Google removed the ability to install and uninstall apps from your phone from the desktop. Years of Android means that my app list is pretty tedious to go through on the phone. The current desktop My App section is just a listing with big cards. Separating the list by what is and is not install on each device was extremely helpful.
A Human Becoming
More than a Member
Nothing?
phillipgessert
Member
Yup, the site went from being a pretty awesome administration panel to being somehow LESS useful than the app for this. There's nearly no reason to use the site at all now.
A Human Becoming
More than a Member
Ugh I wish I could get the writing functionality of Freenote in Lecture Notes so I could create Notebooks. :\
Edit: Getting closer, but not quite there.
Edit: Getting closer, but not quite there.
Patrickv27
Member
is there an LED strobe light app that has multi-tasking function?
EDIT: Nevermind, I found one. Called strobily
EDIT: Nevermind, I found one. Called strobily
Isn't iPhone group messaging imessage only? Would SMS users know they're in a group chat on iPhone?
Hmm maybe it is exclusive to iMessage.
no, but it is a client issue. iirc from my old android phone, you can see that it is a group message but only if you go to something in the menu that shows you the list of recipients -- otherwise it just looks like a text-only MMS. Depends on what UI you're running, obviously. On iPhone, messages in a Group MMS conversation are all grouped together as a new "contact" just like with Group iMessage conversations
I don't think changing the app you use to send messages will have any impact, since it is a display issue on the other end
The problem I experienced just now. I sent a group message to 9 of my friends, I was hoping that the replies from them would be grouped in the conversation I started, instead I received the replies in each individual's conversations. In iMessage the replies would be grouped in the group conversation I started, instead of receiving them as replies in A B C person's conversation.
Using GoSMS if that helps, maybe I just don't have something ticked.
Use a true messaging service, like Whatsapp, GroupMe, kik, etc. iMessage is this, only it works so 'magically' you don't even notice you are not really sending sms texts. Yes, I know this is not what you want, but I think there's no solution for what you want.
Victory Red
Member
If I'm using WhatsApp, do the other people i'm texting have to have it also?
Yes they do.
MrPink93485
Member
Asked this in the HTC one thread, but does anybody have issues with Words With Friends being really slow and unresponsive? All in all, the HTC one works great, but this app doesn't even run a tenth as smoothly as it did on iOS with this phone.
I do use Whatsapp, just needed a solution for those users that don't use it. Thanks for the input anyway guys.
FormallyMegadrive
Member
Anyone know why or is there a discussion somewhere about Samsung devices seemingly unable to play video 90% of the time for Snapchat? I've checked around and if they have official forums, I can't find them.
The Faceless Master
Member
get an iPhone.
Pretty much.
Horseticuffs
Full werewolf off the buckle
Hey guys, I have a friend who INSISTS that she used Facetime on her iPhone with a friend who has an Android. Is there some way that this is possible? I can't imagine Apple doing that. Clearly, it sounds like she's mistaken but lord knows I've been wrong before!
You can video chat with hangouts or something else but its not facetime to android.
Skype or Hangouts. I find both to be superior to Face time anyway.