Essential Android Apps

[mrk]

The new Facebook Messenger app has improved again, they've added a newer look, more vibrant blue and the layout closer resembles Skype which is no bad thing. It's a mix of strong blue mixed with Holo's UI on a white BG:

Spoiler

^It's also easier to see who's active on what platform as well and it handles SMS which appears to be the direction they're all heading now as Google+ does the same as well as a few other big social apps.

I really like it, the chat heads (bubbles on top of other apps) are really nice nicely animated and smooth and the little sounds are iPhone-like and minimal, non intrusive and pleasing to the ears.

 

[rogueblade]

Is Bloons TD 5 the best tower defence game out there?

 

[TheVoice]

The new Facebook Messenger app has improved again, they've added a newer look, more vibrant blue and the layout closer resembles Skype which is no bad thing. It's a mix of strong blue mixed with Holo's UI on a white BG:

Spoiler

^It's also easier to see who's active on what platform as well and it handles SMS which appears to be the direction they're all heading now as Google+ does the same as well as a few other big social apps.

I really like it, the chat heads (bubbles on top of other apps) are really nice nicely animated and smooth and the little sounds are iPhone-like and minimal, non intrusive and pleasing to the ears.

It's far smoother than the previous app, but I can't help but think the look and feel of it is more iOS7 than Android. The new icon, especially.

The Google now widget does weather really well, along with google now

I find BBC Weather is better, it knows what village I'm in whereas Google Now only ever seems to show the nearest town which is about 20 miles away.

 

[shaffaaf27]

It's far smoother than the previous app, but I can't help but think the look and feel of it is more iOS7 than Android. The new icon, especially.



I find BBC Weather is better, it knows what village I'm in whereas Google Now only ever seems to show the nearest town which is about 20 miles away.

I guess being in London it's different. Me each towns weather. Even if it's a couple miles apart

 

[tals]

On my n4 it is showing that I have 1GB free and using 4gb so the maths isn't adding up. Is their a good data management tool that allows you to see how much space is taken up by each folder so I can find the culprit

 

[benjo]

Google Now updated to bring the GEL launcher to all 4.1 devices

http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/1...y-fixes-gel-on-tablets-and-more-apk-download/

Also has conversation mode!

I'm running 4.4 on my S3, and the battery usage for Google Now seems to be a bit better too.

 

[benjo]

Also, if anyone is using the Google Experience Launcher and wants to change dock icons, you can use Desktop Visualizer

 

[molinari]

In case anyone is interested, Football Manager 2014 is now out for Android .

 

[photoshop]

Anyone know how to stop notifications from latest Google Now showing up in the notification centre? I want them to stay in the app rather than pop up in the NC....things like the weather for example

 

[Stevio]

Anyone know how to stop notifications from latest Google Now showing up in the notification centre? I want them to stay in the app rather than pop up in the NC....things like the weather for example

Google now > settings > notifications > untick Show updates from Google Now should do it

 

[GTanny]

In case anyone is interested, Football Manager 2014 is now out for Android .

does this work fullscreen on tablets as i had 2012 but when i downloaded it on my nexus 7 it just stayed phone size with black borders

 

[AndyCr15]

Can anyone recommend a decent slow motion video/camera app?

 

[da_mic_1530]

Google Now updated to bring the GEL launcher to all 4.1 devices

http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/1...y-fixes-gel-on-tablets-and-more-apk-download/

Also has conversation mode!

I'm running 4.4 on my S3, and the battery usage for Google Now seems to be a bit better too.

Is this safe to install on my touchwiz s3? Im happy to wait if Google are going to push the app update out later...

 

[Christmas themed thank]

speed test.net for all us geeks .

 

[DarkShadow]

On my n4 it is showing that I have 1GB free and using 4gb so the maths isn't adding up. Is their a good data management tool that allows you to see how much space is taken up by each folder so I can find the culprit

Disk space should do the trick.

 

[tals]

I went for this https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.diskusage&hl=en very good but it did highlight that my System data (CM 10.2) is using 6.2GB of space which seems a lot!

 

[Scam]

Is anyone using Hangouts for SMS now? I'm just trying it out as I was interested how it looked/worked. Seems ok but it really annoys me the way it's plucking random people from Google+ (which I don't actively use). Can you turn that off?

I prefer the look of it to my standard HTC Messages app but I may have to give up on it. I doubt I'll ever use the video calling or anything to be honest..

 

[rogueblade]

works just fine for me; people text me, it appears in hangouts, not sure what else to think of it?

 

[Scam]

works just fine for me; people text me, it appears in hangouts, not sure what else to think of it?

I think I'm a bit confused as to how it was used before it supported SMS

Is it an IM app? Am I always 'online/visible' to people whilst using it?

If I go to do a 'new hangout' it has a list of 'suggested people' which is full of people I practically never speak to. Seems to be plucked from FB/G+ and not my SMS or anything else sensible. I dunno, I think I just need to get used to it. If I want to send an SMS to someone I don't often scroll through my old conversations, I'd just go 'new message' and start typing their name. I guess Hangouts doesn't want me to do that.

 

[rogueblade]

Do you use Gmail on a desktop? It's basically a mobile app of your Google Chat on the left hand side of your Gmail. So yes it has an online/offline indicator like in Gmail. That only works for other people using the app/gmail as well.

Hangouts was once a slightly separate port of Google Chat used on Google+ but they combined it into one seamless product across Gmail, G+ and mobile.
Now the new part is it has the ability to pull and push your text messages and simply tells you if a message you have received is a text or not. When you respond it will respond as a text (sms).

I think that's about all there is to it.

edit: when you press 'new hangout' it will pull in all your sync'd contacts I believe, so if you are syncing all your garbage Facebook contacts and stuff (something everyone goes through since the 4.0 days or so) you're gonna get a lot more people that your normal address book. What you can't get away from it seems it is suggesting people in your circles on G+ which no one really uses...