Not all apps are created equally. Some of them are much more powerful and useful and others. That isn’t to dismiss completely games or the plethora of image editing apps which all have a similar set of functions, but instead to point out that there are some apps which can truly revolutionize your smart device. This is true of both iOS and Android, but Android apps greater openness and customisation allow you to do even more than you can on iOS. With that in mind, here are a selection of absolutely game changing and revolutionary apps that will allow you to do things you couldn’t image doing without them.
1. Google Now
Although Google Now is on iOS as well, it is a shadow of itself on Android. On Android it is a complete personal assistant. It can tell you your next appointment, what the weather is like, how your sports team did and suggest blog posts similar to other posts you’ve read recently. You can also get location based suggestions when you are in a certain area such as good restaurants or a good photo location which really take advantage of Androids notifications and location based APIs (not to mention the quick appearance on Android wear).
Now Google Wear is adding in extra app support for tools like Uber, Wunderlist or Runkeeper. This is making Google Now become a tool that intelligently suggests content for you based on time and place. It’s not perfect, but it does a great job.
2. Instant
Instant is the ultimate “quantified self” app. If you haven’t heard of the quantified self, it’s basically the idea of measuring everything you do so you can analyse where you are spending time, how effectively you are using your time, and working out ways to improve that (it can apply to food and money as well, but time is much harder to measure effectively). It sticks to the principle of “if it can be measured, it can be changed.”
Instant lets you track your fitness, how many times you have unlocked your device, where you have spent time (you have to create places manually) and what apps you have spent time using. This is some pretty powerful statistics and you can even set up a limit of time to use your device, so you don’t waste too much time. It’s free except for the advanced app usage statistics which will cost you $0.99 a month.
3. Swiftkey (or similar)
Although you can get Swiftkey on iOS, it’s not the same as Android. On Android ,you can set swiftkey as your default keyboard so that it will always be available for you to use. On iOS, it can get a little strange and default back to the normal iOS keyboard. Swiftkey introduces gesture typing on your keyboard. Instead of pressing each key for every letter, you draw a line between letters to create a word. This allows you to sloppily, inaccurately, move your finger across the screen and still write the correct word. Once you get used to this different style of typing, you can type a lot quicker and save your fingers from the impact of hitting the screen.
There are alternatives such as Swyft and the default Google keyboard with different strengths or weaknesses.
4. Airdroid
Airdroid lets you control your Android device from your desktop. This adds in many of the features that appeared exclusive to Handoff on iOS and the Mac, such as the seamless integration and ability to take phone calls on you Mac or send a SMS.
But Airdroid actually goes further. Not only can you see and manage your notification, you can also backup your messages and applications, install applications from your desktop, and transfer files to and from a desktop (such as pictures) and also a share clipboard to let you copy and paste links between Android and your desktop. This really helps to make your phone and desktop more linked.
5. Pushbullet
Pushbullet is similar to Airdroid in that it helps you to link your device (but this can be smartphone, tablet and desktop). Pushbullet won’t let you manage your files on your Android device, it will sync your notifications, let you share a link, file, photo or note to yourself or someone else and also subscribe to channels on topics you might be interested in.
6. Action Launcher
Action Launcher is a replacement launcher for your device that includes some nice features. It includes the ability to move your icons around, change the theme of your icons to a custom set, and quickly access Google now by swiping left from your homescreen as most modern launchers do, but it has a few other standout features, too. These include the ability to customize gestures to access certain applications, settings, or even switch off the screen. It also has the handy action draw which provides a different method of viewing all your apps (alphabetically with quick shortcuts) and app covers which allow you to access an apps widget with a quick swipe up.
7. Aviate
Aviate is akin to Google Now in that it provides contextually based information except with your homepage. This includes basic information like the weather, but also adds in intelligently suggesting apps based on your context. So if you are at work and often use your todo app, then it will be on your homepage. If you are in a car and often listen to your music streaming service, then that will be suggested and so on. This helps you open up your phone and find the apps you need there.
8. Twilight
Twilight is an app that is designed to help you keep better sleep patterns even if you use your device. You see when you normally use your smartphone it produces a bright blue light, this light stimulates part of the brain that is used to keep you awake as the light mimics sunlight and daytime. Twilight adds a filter to change the colour so that it doesn’t keep you awake.
We’ve written more extensively about it before here and you can get it on iOS…if you jailbreak your device.
9. Tasker
Tasker is the truly crazy revolutionary Android app. Tasker let’s you automate your device to do different tasks. This could be removing the pin lock from your phone when you log on to your home network or connect to your car’s bluetooth system, or it could be something more advanced like setting up your home lights and thermostat so that when you are on your way home, it comes on and prepares the house for your arrival. It’s incredibly powerful and there are even more powerful plugins which allow you to extend taskers functionality. There is no way to do this with iOS.
So there you have it, some absolutely amazing Android only (or much better on Android) apps.
Eric Dye says
It’s interesting to see how some of the ‘iOS only’ features can be supplemented with stand-alone apps for Android. Great list, Chris!