New essential Android apps thread

kona786 · 14 Oct 2020 at 11:38

Google has absolutely butchered the Google photos app, more specifically the photo editing section. So many extra clicks and scrolls required now. Such a backwards step. Not happy.

benparker · 14 Oct 2020 at 12:09

james.miller said:
Not according to the description. Have you tried it?

Found it, didn't see the markings because of white image I was using. Thanks seems like a very good app.

IC3 · 14 Oct 2020 at 12:56

kona786 said:
Google has absolutely butchered the Google photos app, more specifically the photo editing section. So many extra clicks and scrolls required now. Such a backwards step. Not happy.

I think their main issue is trying to minimize the amount of options in view, they're definitely going down the 'minimalistic look'...

unwashed potato! · 16 Oct 2020 at 01:51

Anyone here use the outlook email app? Just trying it on my pixel 5 for the first time, and it's forever notifying me that I have new mail when I don't. Like the notification is hours old or something. I've since replied and moved the mail to a folder but the app notifies me again later.

Orcvader · 16 Oct 2020 at 13:09

Apex said:
Anyone here use the outlook email app? Just trying it on my pixel 5 for the first time, and it's forever notifying me that I have new mail when I don't. Like the notification is hours old or something. I've since replied and moved the mail to a folder but the app notifies me again later.

Is this using a Microsoft email account? It should be near instant. For Gmail and other services they will use IMAP/POP3 instead, and there should be a sync period setting in the account settings.

On the other hand, I've been using Nine mail app instead which also supports adding accounts via exchange activesync. An expensive email app but it's been working really well for me so far.

AndyCr15 · 16 Oct 2020 at 21:32

What graphically intensive/pretty games can anyone recommend?

I've just had a play of 'Shadowgun Legends', on a recommendation from a different thread (I think) and it's pretty good. I tried to run 'Elder Scroll Blades', but I'm getting an error... oh, I've literally just got that to run, so will try that now

smokedog · 16 Oct 2020 at 21:38

AndyCr15 said:
What graphically intensive/pretty games can anyone recommend?

I've just had a play of 'Shadowgun Legends', on a recommendation from a different thread (I think) and it's pretty good. I tried to run 'Elder Scroll Blades', but I'm getting an error... oh, I've literally just got that to run, so will try that now

Genshin Impact?

benparker · 22 Oct 2020 at 23:03

I really hate the new YouTube update, can't tap on the progress bar to jump to a different section of a video.

unwashed potato! · 23 Oct 2020 at 01:18

benparker said:
I really hate the new YouTube update, can't tap on the progress bar to jump to a different section of a video.

Gate rhus too

Orcvader · 24 Oct 2020 at 12:24

benparker said:
I really hate the new YouTube update, can't tap on the progress bar to jump to a different section of a video.

A modded version of YouTube called Vanced recently added an option to fix this: https://vancedapp.com/

I can see Google did this to prevent "accidental" taps but I used it often to jump to certain points of the video.

unwashed potato! · 25 Oct 2020 at 01:14

Anyone know how to force android to make the notification bar show in black text when viewing the home screen? I have a wallpaper with a dark bottom and it has white overcast clouds the top 40 percent of the image that is so bright its basically white, however the clock and notifications are still white so I cannot see them.

Orcvader · 25 Oct 2020 at 12:37

Apex said:
Anyone know how to force android to make the notification bar show in black text when viewing the home screen? I have a wallpaper with a dark bottom and it has white overcast clouds the top 40 percent of the image that is so bright its basically white, however the clock and notifications are still white so I cannot see them.

You will need to use a custom launcher. Nova has the option to set the icons to dark mode.

unwashed potato! · 25 Oct 2020 at 13:27

I use nova. Where does it allow that?

unwashed potato! · 25 Oct 2020 at 13:27

Orcvader said:
You will need to use a custom launcher. Nova has the option to set the icons to dark mode.

Found it thanos

doodah · 18 Nov 2020 at 13:03

Bit of an odd one but with a growing amount of my family passing away this year, reminded me I should start recording my/our lives especially with my memory.

Any apps that act as a life diary (I don't want to write daily journals about how someone was mean to me) where you can note and record major milestones, add pics and share with others?

petridish · 18 Nov 2020 at 23:24

doodah said:
Bit of an odd one but with a growing amount of my family passing away this year, reminded me I should start recording my/our lives especially with my memory.

Any apps that act as a life diary (I don't want to write daily journals about how someone was mean to me) where you can note and record major milestones, add pics and share with others?

I don't think it's quite what you had in mind but the Google photos auto assistant has done a good job in the past of capturing some of my major events, as that's when I take the most photos. Plus it's always amusing to see what it picks as the highlights with no knowledge of what's worth keeping and what's rubbish.

I believe you can make your own collections of photos (possibly called stories?) Which you can add a few more details to, but haven't looked into it personally. It also gives me notifications to "look back at this day in 20XX" which has been a nice reminder to actually go back and look at my photos every once in a while

AndyCr15 · 19 Nov 2020 at 07:45

doodah said:
Any apps that act as a life diary (I don't want to write daily journals about how someone was mean to me) where you can note and record major milestones, add pics and share with others?

Wow, this was actually an app idea I had this year, which I was going to call something like 'Milestones' or 'Tentpoles' (what TV shows was that from, Friends?) Doesn't help you, sorry, but maybe it will push me to actually getting it written at some point!

UnworthyBean · 21 Nov 2020 at 21:29

Probably a niche request but do any 3rd party gallery apps support motion photos on Samsung phones/photos? Google photos only seems to play them if you turn on backup.

Kamakazie! · 23 Nov 2020 at 10:58

AndyCr15 said:
Wow, this was actually an app idea I had this year, which I was going to call something like 'Milestones' or 'Tentpoles' (what TV shows was that from, Friends?) Doesn't help you, sorry, but maybe it will push me to actually getting it written at some point!

doodah said:
Bit of an odd one but with a growing amount of my family passing away this year, reminded me I should start recording my/our lives especially with my memory.

Any apps that act as a life diary (I don't want to write daily journals about how someone was mean to me) where you can note and record major milestones, add pics and share with others?

I like this idea. Something like OneNote could work for you for now.

I collate my photographs in folders around an event or holiday but being able to write notes, tag people etc would be great.
Sounds similar to a photo book but not sure if there are apps for digital ones?

slipd · 25 Nov 2020 at 21:26

A remote device control app? Free ideally as not for me but a tall ask I know...

Something along the lines of Teamviewer. TW appears to let you have 1x free go and then the remote app becomes "screen share" only. There's no mention of pricing but the desktop version isn't cheap so I'm guessing the mobile app won't be either.