Category: Apps

The latest selection of Android apps, both free and paid, are found right here. If you were looking for that fresh list of trending Android apps, we have you covered on a daily basis. Want to know the newest Android application releases first? Want to know which Android applications are free for a limited time?

Whether it’s Gmail, Google Calendar, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram, or lesser known apps like Nova Launcher, Trello, Sling TV, and Philips Hue, you will know the best Android apps at all times.

Got a suggestion for a new app you think we should check out? We are all ears and regularly accept user-submitted applications, so that you won’t pay until you know if we approve.

HBO Max Launches May 27 and It’s Going to Tempt You
AT&T announced this morning that its new streaming service, HBO Max, will launch on May 27. Like Netflix or Disney+, HBO Max is yet another monthly service you’ll be tempted to sign-up for, thanks to a large library of quality content.

HBO Max includes all of HBO, Warner Bros. library, and a bunch of original content. That means you get HBO series like Game of Thrones and Curb Your Enthusiasm, as well as Friends, Big Bang Theory, Rick and Morty, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, and more.

The HBO Max will have more than 2,000 movies to watch within the first year and will add more shows like Southpark and The West Wing within 12 months. Some of the movies will include The Matrix, Lord of the Rings, The Goonies, all the LEGO movies, and the DC film collection (ex: every Batman and Superman).
- RELATED: These AT&T plans get HBO Max for free
Because this is HBO and Warner, they are pulling from not just HBO, but New Line, DC movies, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, Looney Tunes, a selection of classic films curated in partnership with TCM, and more.

In the originals department, there are going to be at least six new HBO Max exclusive shows at launch to watch. One of those shows is a comedy series called Love Life with Anna Kendrick. We are also getting new Looney Tunes cartoons, which might be the biggest news of all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZp_g271jpo

Again, HBO Max goes live on May 27 and costs $14.99 per month.

Sign-up for HBO Max

// AT&T
April 21, 2020
This Could be the New Physical Google Pay Card

Less than 8 years after shutting down its physical Google Wallet card, Google may be close to launching another card for consumer financial use. Potentially dubbed the Google Pay card, a new leak has revealed a major feature that could be coming soon to your Google Pay app, one that could help Google provide some competition for the Apple Card.

The folks at TechCrunch landed the details that show what the physical Google Pay card could look like, the app, some of its features, and how detailed transactions would be.

The card, which you can see below, would be a chip-equipped debit card (powered by VISA) attached to a bank account that could be used for old school swipes or contactless payments in stores. It would also be stored virtually within the Google Pay app, where it could be used for online payments, moving money around, and sending cash to others. It’s not necessarily unlike your current bank card, until you dive into some of the features that come as a part of the app experience.

In the screenshots below, you can see how this Google Pay card might live on your device. You would be able to pull up lists of transactions with details, see where purchases were made with shortcuts to Google Maps, and potentially call those locations if you need to.

You would be able to add funds to your account through the Google Pay app, see card numbers and bank account info, specify the types of notifications related to Google Pay you’d like to receive, setup PINs or lock cards, order replacement cards, enable/disable contactless payments, and more.

The app would essentially provide a one-stop financial info solution within your phone that might not require you to maintain both Google Pay and a separate banking app. That could be cool!

A lot of this info seems to tie-in nicely to the report from last November that suggested Google was looking at ways to become your checking account provider. At the time of that report, Google confirmed that they were working with Citi and Stanford Federal Credit Union, which they suggested again to TechCrunch without denying that a Google Pay card was in the works.

What’s the play here with Google and why take another stab at a physical debit card? I’m sure Google would love to collect info related to personal financial transactions and potentially take small cuts as a financial partner to banking institutions. If they can find a way to convince both partners and you and I that this would be a win, which might not be hard if the Apple Card is having any success, this could be big.

// TechCrunch

April 17, 2020
$6 Hitman GO is Free Right Now on Google Play

Major good news alert: Hitman GO is free right now on Google Play. This title is typically priced around $6, so free is a pretty sweet deal.

If you haven’t tried any of these “GO” games, they are absolutely sweet. Paired with excellent music and nice graphics, each level is a puzzle that you must complete to move onto the next chapter. In this particular title, you play as Agent 47, using distractions and weapons to eliminate targets. It really is fun and if you don”t already own it, get on this.

Enjoy, gamers!

Google Play Link

April 17, 2020
Google Play Gets a “Kids” Tab With Teacher Approved Content

Google is launching a new “Kids” tab over the next few days on Google Play that will highlight content that has been marked as “Teacher approved.” The plan wasn’t for this new section to launch this early, but with our kids all at home and the need for safe and/or appropriate content greater than ever, here we are.

The new section will be titled “Kids” and can be found by opening Google Play on your phone and swiping across the top list of tabs (just under the search bar) until you see it. Right now, it might say “Family,” but should soon switch to “Kids” and provide an updated UI (see above).

Google is suggesting that “everything” in this new Kids section is teacher approved, which means that the app or game has been given an approval badge through a team of academic experts that Google worked with. These apps and games meet a specific quality standard and are rated by age-appropriateness, quality of experience, enrichment, and delight. The listing for teacher approved apps also list out exactly why the app was marked (below).

Again, the change to Google Play is rolling out over the next

// Google

April 15, 2020
Oh Great, Google Added a “Google” Logo to Gboard (Updated: Gone?)
At some point yesterday afternoon, Google’s popular Gboard app picked up a new addition. I don’t believe it came from an update, as the Gboard app itself hasn’t updated recently, so this could be some sort of server-side switch thing that Google is so fond of doing. Either way, the spacebar in Gboard now proudly says, “Google.” At all times.

I have this new logo on at least two phones with every single one of my devices running the Gboard beta version 9.2.8.303055874. Again, I didn’t recently receive an update, so Google must be pushing this change in another way.

I’ve looked through every single setting I can find and this appears to be a permanent change that you aren’t allowed to get rid of. Long pressing on the logo’d keyboard, swiping over it, nothing performs a Google Search as it sort of suggests. It’s just a logo. It’s not a great look, if I’m being honest, as I don’t need to be reminded of the keyboard I’m using at all times.

Oh, Google also seems to have taken away that “G” or Google Search shortcut that remained in the top left corner of the keyboard for quick Google Searches. Not that I used it much, but this looks like Google removed functionality while adding a belly tattoo you can’t remove.

The semi-obnoxious change was pointed out to me last night, just as I was noticing it, but now the world is seeing it and not exactly happy.
- UPDATE: I think Google…pulled it already. It’s gone on all of my phones. Great work, friends.
April 10, 2020
More Games Headed to Stadia Soon, Includes République and West of Loathing

Stadia has likely gained a few users recently, you know, with it being open to everyone now and Google providing 2 months of Pro access for free. If you’re on Stadia now, you might want to know about the new titles on their way to the service. Google has detailed three new games coming soon, with the titles being West of Loathing, République, and Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom.

If you’ve been around for a bit, it’s possible you’re familiar with République. It’s been available on Google Play for years and is rated very well as a puzzle, stealth, action title. West of Loathing is a black and white stick figure game (trailer below), and Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom is an action-adventure game where you help a young hero defeat challenging enemies, discover hidden locations, and upgrade powerful equipment.

We don’t have exact launch dates yet, but it should be soon. Keep your eyes peeled, Stadia users.

West of Loathing

https://youtu.be/1lU0aFZr1R8

République

Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom

https://youtu.be/mbYE6QfTLv8

// Stadia

April 9, 2020
YouTube TV Gets a Dark Theme!

The YouTube TV app on Android has forever been one of the whitest of all Google apps. It’s astoundingly white and without a dark mode, which is weird, because the app is one of Google’s more supported apps that gets frequent updates. If I were a betting man, I’d have put money on it being one of the first to go dark. It finally did, this week.

There is a YouTube TV update rolling out right now that arrives sans changelog. That’s no shocker, as Google is terrible at telling us what they have included in anything, but the update does include a dark theme.

Now, you won’t find this dark theme as a toggle within the app. Instead, it’s a system-based theme, where it’ll only show dark if you have your phone set to a dark or night theme. Why no manual toggle? You are asking for consistency from Google and that, my friend, is comedy.

The update should be available to everyone – go grab it!

Google Play Link: YouTube TV

April 9, 2020
Not That It Matters, But Hangouts Meet is Now Google Meet (Updated: Chat Too)
Hangouts Meet, a Google video conferencing/meeting service from 2017 you likely have never used because it has been an exclusive to G Suite customers, will operate under a new name going forward. Say hello to Google Meet.

Google made a quiet announcement for Google Meet this week by changing support pages from “Hangouts Meet” to “Google Meet” and also promoting the new name on its Google Cloud blog. It all comes as a part of a fresh push for customers (including those in a classroom setting) to consider using Meet for their video chatting and conferencing needs during this pandemic.

Google says that the branding of “Hangouts Meet” is or will soon be retired, but that the new name will slowly rollout. Name a more obnoxious duo than Google and slow rollouts.

What does this mean for you and the future of Hangouts? Nothing really. Hangouts still exists for regular ol’ consumers, while Hangouts Chat is still a G Suite service that I doubt many use. Some day, Hangouts Chat could be available to consumers or maybe Google will rebrand it as well to “Google Chat.” They probably will do that, but nothing has been announced today.
- UPDATE 4/9: Google confirmed to The Verge today that Hangouts Chat is now Google Chat. Why was this so hard?
To recap, Google’s Hangouts Meet, which you probably weren’t using, is now known as Google Meet.

// Google Cloud | Android Police
April 8, 2020