Android-Apps - Android Community

Tagged: Android-Apps

Desperate measures: BlackBerry Playbook developer giveaway extended by two weeks

By Michael Crider
on 13 Feb, 2012

Remember that stunk that BlackBerry maker RIM pulled to get Android developers to submit their apps to the BlackBerry App World? You know, the one that essentially gives away the company's one and only tablet to anyone willing to jump ship? After an excited initial response from Android developers, RIM has decided to extend the promotional program by two weeks. Devs, get those fingers in gear and head on over to the BlackBerry FAQ to get the skinny - you've got until March 2nd to submit your app, but only until February 15th (Wednesday) to sign up.

Free app downloads NASA photos for changing Android backgrounds

By Michael Crider
on 10 Feb, 2012

I've often considered that the only reason that the infinite reaches of space exists is so that nerds can have awesome photos to set on their computer desktop backgrounds. There's any number of options for Windows and Mac users to choose from, but when it comes to quality space wallpaper for Android, the selection is a little lacking. If you're looking for real photos from the Hubble Space Telescope and other astronomical hardware to put on your Android phone, look no further than Astronomy Picture of the Day ("APOD"), a free download from the Android Market.

Steam updates for performance and stability, 3rd-party apps return with new names

By Michael Crider
on 8 Feb, 2012

While PC gamers like yours truly were ecstatic when Valve finally released its official Steam app on the Android Market, the software itself left a little to be desired in its initial version. Of course that's to be expected in a beta release, but the combination of closed access and slow, protracted animations even on high-end phones made for a frustrating experience at times. Valve solved one problem when it opened the beta app up to everyone, then another today, with the application of its latest update.

StyleTag app brings out the fashionable side of your Android phone

By Michael Crider
on 7 Feb, 2012

Believe it or don't, not every Android users gets all of his or her clothes from the prestigious Sam Walton Collection. (Well, I do, but I know not everyone does.) For those with an eye towards both fashion and social collaboration, StyleTag combines the elements of Flickr's tagging system, Pinterest's photo-based social networking and Picasa's instant uploads. Their free app, "StyleTag: FashionSNS", has an admirably advanced user interface with tens of thousands of entries for the sartorially obsessed.

LibreOffice Android port progresses to prototype

By Michael Crider
on 6 Feb, 2012

A few months ago we brought you news that LibreOffice, the open source offshoot of popular free office suite Open Office, was headed to Android. While it would be wrong to say that the team of developers is making rapid progress, progress is nonetheless being made. The prototype app for Android tablets (Honeycomb and Ice Cream Sandwich) was recently shown off in a single screenshot. Without passing too much judgement this early in development, I can say this: for those frustrated with the relatively sparse feature-sets of mobile office suites like Google Docs, it'll be well worth the wait.

Android Community App of the Week: Nova Launcher Beta

By Michael Crider
on 3 Feb, 2012

There's a lot of options out there when it comes to third-party Android launchers, AKA homescreens. But when making the jump to Ice Cream Sandwich (whether through a new device or an updated ROM) all of them seem to leave something to be desired. I've tried out all my favorites on my Galaxy Nexus over the last two months, and the one I keep coming back to is Nova Launcher. It's not that other launcher's don't work - it's that Nova Launcher works better. This modified version of the open-source stock launcher comes from a familiar face: TeslaCoil Software, maker of the popular lock screen replacement Widget Locker.

iOS apps crash more than Android, says recent data

By Michael Crider
on 3 Feb, 2012

"Oh, I'd never use an Android phone - those things crash too much!" This mantra is often heard from those cradling their iDevices, basking in the self-satisfied glow of the latest incrementally updated iPhone Designed by Apple in California (and Made by Foxconn in China). But is it true? Recent research from mobile analytics firm Crittercism says no. Based on data collected in November and December of last year, iOS apps crashed at a significantly higher rate than Android apps - more than three times as much for top selling apps. Don't panic, Apple faithful, just keep repeating this soothing chant to yourself: "It just works."

New “Dark Google Apps” mod saves battery on OLED phones

By Michael Crider
on 1 Feb, 2012

Screens that use organic light-emitting diodes, better known as OLED and AMOLED, have a unique method of image production. When instructed to display a "black" color, the individual pixel cells are physically turned off, providing the stunning blacks seen on OLED-equipped devices like the Galaxy S II, DROID RAZR and the original Nexus One. Interestingly, this also means that displaying a mostly black image on an OLED screen also draws less power than a white or full-color image. To take advantage of this technological quirk, an intrepid modder on XDA has set about modifying all of Google's core Android apps to save the maximum amount of battery on OLED phones, via the simple expediency of reversing the color scheme.

BlackBerry Playbook gets Android apps after February 6th

By Michael Crider
on 31 Jan, 2012

Got a BlackBerry Playbook? If the ales figures are anything to go by, probably not - but hey, maybe you've got a friend or a boss who was brought low by a Staples salesman. If that's the case, be sure and tell him or her that the handful of apps huddling together for warmth in RIM's app store will soon have some welcome company. The company's Developer Relations team posted today that the long, long-awaited OS 2.0 update will hit in February, with the BlackBerry Runtime for Android included in the package. It's almost as welcome as a real email client. The service has been in closed beta for some time now.