The Android Useful Apps thread: Q & A

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1049 posts

Uber Geek

#2140607 6-Dec-2018 14:40

I've been using this for a few years and had no issues with it.

ES File Explorer

alexingram

38 posts

Geek

#2140706 6-Dec-2018 17:36

Seeing as I’ve now found some new useful apps, time to give back :)

-Dream Lab - uses your phones processing power to crunch calcs to aid cancer research while on charge - you can select wifi and data limits.
- Flamingo - alternative to Twitter app
-Gaspy - use to find cheaper petrol if on a road trip, buy at home or on route.
-Glympse - share location etc, let’s family know where I am and when should be home when on long drives.
-LastPass - password manager, great cross device app, one of the few things I actually pay for :)
-Authy- to compliment strong passwords with 2fa
-Mix, Layout, photo & picture resizer, THETA+, for various photo things.
-NZ tides - tide times
-Tile - thought this would be just a gimmick when I was given a Tile, but attached to my keys it’s helped me find them a few times :)
-TransferWise- just started using this to transfer money overseas, very impressed so far with speed and ease. Just made it easier for NZ based people too.
-USB audio player pro, lets you bypass android system for better sound quality if using a headphone amp.

Keep new suggestions coming

d3Xt3r

687 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#2140753 6-Dec-2018 17:49

WyleECoyoteNZ:

I've been using this for a few years and had no issues with it.

ES File Explorer

I wouldn't recommend ES - has ads and bloatware. It was fine a few years ago (back in 2013) but then the dev sold it to some group and then it all went downhill (as per tradition).

https://www.androidpolice.com/2015/11/28/after-adding-a-bunch-of-bloat-to-the-free-app-es-file-explorers-3-pro-version-will-take-some-of-it-it-away/

https://www.androidpit.com/this-is-why-you-should-not-use-es-file-explorer

https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2016/10/android-users-its-time-to-stop-using-es-file-explorer/

My recommendations are, in order:

1. Solid Explorer (no bloat, not free, but IMHO the best)

2. X-Plore (kinda ugly looking but more suitable for power users, no bloat)

3. Files Go by Google (if you really need a storage manager / cleanup tool)

landcruiserguy

765 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2140904 7-Dec-2018 08:21

+1 on tile app and tiles in general.

I tried last pass but wasn't that happy. My recommendation would be safe in cloud. The advantage is you just pay for the app instead of a subscription service and it's developed by a independent software developer not a giant company. Instead of storing your data in a central web site like last pass it stores in as an encrypted db in whatever cloud provider your choose. While nothing is unhackable this means that there is no central web site to hack. Last pass got hacked at one point in time and that invalidates the whole concept of having a password manager.

HcoNmeM

182 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#2140913 7-Dec-2018 09:01

Here's some of my useful apps..

* Smart Tools

* Fing

* Wifi Analyzer

* Tesla LED (torch widget)

* Cam To Plan (this one's good for mapping out floor plans using AR)

frankv

5680 posts

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#2140957 7-Dec-2018 09:57

+1 for F-Droid, Gaspy, WiFi Analyzer

Navigator -- car navigation, with downloadable maps

Windy -- weather forecast, especially longer range than MetVUW or MetService

AndFtp -- Android FTP client. Handy for moving stuff to/from the phone via WiFi. It appears in the "Share" menu from photo Gallery.

Automate -- Free automation of your phone (e.g. start playing music when BT connects to your car)

jonathan18

7413 posts

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#2141132 7-Dec-2018 12:32

My most used app by far - Podcast Addict. Almost too customisable (at the expense of ease of use). An app I've purchased solely to support a good product, even though I coped for years with the free (ad-supported) version.

As far as 'automation' apps - I had been using Llama for a few years, but I think it development stopped and it didn't work on my new phone. Tried a number of alternatives, and I have found nothing as user-friendly - or an app that just simply works - as one called MacroDroid. I use it for a range of tasks, eg:

- automatically silencing my phone when at work (using a geofenced area)

- if password entered incorrectly twice the phone will take a photo using the front camera and email it to two addresses (as well as warn user visually and aurally)

- auto-rotate certain apps (eg Youtube)

- read out texts when wearing headphones

- record five minutes of audio if the phone's shaken vigorously

Free version is limited to four or five macros, but the paid app is only a few bucks.

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Batman

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#2170342 30-Jan-2019 19:00

Thanks all so far, got 2 more requests

1. A simple app with no strings attached that kills all background processes with one click. It's for my buggy android tv.

2. If you want to take photos of receipts and instantly store it and file it away and you can access it when you collect them all, what's the best way or app to do that?

dafman

3925 posts

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#2170345 30-Jan-2019 19:08

Batman:
2. If you want to take photos of receipts and instantly store it and file it away and you can access it when you collect them all, what's the best way or app to do that?

Google drive app has a scan option using your phone camera which is super quick to scan receipts. Scan and it's saved to Drive. I then move to a folder named 'receipts'

jonathan18

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#2170393 30-Jan-2019 19:48

In a similar vein, Microsoft has OfficeLens, which is great for straightening and auto cropping photos of stuff like receipts, and has a fantastic mode for whiteboard images (really useful at work!).

I see that the OneDrive app for both iOS and Android has the OfficeLens functionality built in.

Edit - specifically for receipts, I use a fairly functional app called Camscan, as this let’s me attach “reciept” to the start of each file name, meaning it’s easy to manage and locate just those files.

MurrayM

2455 posts

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#2170544 31-Jan-2019 08:20

dafman:

Batman:
2. If you want to take photos of receipts and instantly store it and file it away and you can access it when you collect them all, what's the best way or app to do that?

Google drive app has a scan option using your phone camera which is super quick to scan receipts. Scan and it's saved to Drive. I then move to a folder named 'receipts'

Yup I use this method too to save receipts. The Drive app seems to automatically remove the background behind the receipt so you normally don't need to do any cropping. The scan then gets converted into a PDF and uploaded. However you do need to rename the file in order to make searching later easier.

Lostja

239 posts

Master Geek

#2170550 31-Jan-2019 08:35

MurrayM:

dafman:

Batman:
2. If you want to take photos of receipts and instantly store it and file it away and you can access it when you collect them all, what's the best way or app to do that?

Google drive app has a scan option using your phone camera which is super quick to scan receipts. Scan and it's saved to Drive. I then move to a folder named 'receipts'

Yup I use this method too to save receipts. The Drive app seems to automatically remove the background behind the receipt so you normally don't need to do any cropping. The scan then gets converted into a PDF and uploaded. However you do need to rename the file in order to make searching later easier.

Wow, have always wanted something like this but never knew Drive had this.. Thanks!!

landcruiserguy

765 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2170974 31-Jan-2019 18:25

I use CamScanner for receipts as well. I find it useful to segerate receipts from all the other clutter in Google drive. I always name then predict X from retailer Y so it's easy to search them.

Batman

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#2210054 3-Apr-2019 11:27

Anyone knows why I can't get newpipe to work? It shows the screen of many videos but when you click on the video it comes up with a whole page of error lines.

Looking for a way to grab YouTube videos preferably without ads.

updated, works!

Batman

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#2210055 3-Apr-2019 11:30

On my Huawei there is an ad free weather app that gives me hourly weather forecast.

On my Samsung the app gives me 4 hourly forecast which is no good as I need to get on my bike.

What's a good clean weather app that has no ads?

I tried to copy the app across but it doesn't end up copying. Not rooted otherwise I can use my dormant titanium backup.

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