Best widget for Android: Beautiful Widgets
Beautiful Widgets is a full complement of home screen widgets,
including weather, time, and battery. Though Android includes many of
those natively, the real selling point with is that Beautiful Widgets
has a whole store full of styles to chose from. Combination widgets
which include multiple data types, such as weather and clock, can use
different themes together to create a really unique look.
Best live wallpaper for Android: Muzei
Muzei is a simple, gorgeous way of livening up your wallpaper
rotation. By default, the background is blurred, and with a double-tap,
it leaps into focus. You can set how long it takes for a new wallpaper
to come in, or decide to leave the wallpaper permanently in focus. An
open framework allows other extension apps to find and pick wallpapers
for you, either based on your location, social network, cloud
collection, and many other sources.
Best keyboard for Android: Swiftkey
Swiftkey has established itself as the leading virtual keyboard on
Android thanks to its smart usage-based prediction engine. There’s a
custom tablet-optimized feature that allows users to split their
keyboard in two, which is great when typing with thumbs in landscape
orientation. It has evolved to include swipe-based typing and a handful
of color schemes to suit your tastes, but at its core remains a highly
accurate, comfortable typing experience for any Android device.
Best podcast app for Android: Stitcher
Stitcher is the easiest way to catch podcasts on Android. There’s a
vast library of shows, split up by category. You can listen to live
streams, or store locally, and mark episodes to listen to later. If you
have to duck out mid-show, your spot is remembered in the app. A player
is built into the notification tray so you can see at a glance what
you’re listening, and make use of playback controls.
Best arcade & action game for Android: Super Hexagon
Super Hexagon is in all likelihood the hardest game you will ever
play. Players tap left and right to rotate a triangle around a central
shape to avoid walls that are perpetually collapsing inwards. The
spinning, bouncing perspective and intense speed make this a particular
challenge, especially once you start getting to the higher stages.
Simple, elegant controls, thumping soundtrack, and intense pace make
Super Hexagon a classic.
Best brain and puzzle game for Android: Dots
Dots is a casual, easygoing and sharply-designed puzzle game. Players
very simply have to draw lines connecting same-colored dots on a grid
in order to collect them. Those dots can then be spent on power-ups
which can help further in the dots-collecting endeavor. Bonus dots are
awarded for completing full loops, and there are game modes available
with limited time and limited number of moves.
Best cards and casino game for Android: Zynga Poker
Fans of Texas Hold ‘em will likely be familiar with Zynga Poker.
Sporting full online support, players enjoy custom stakes games,
tournaments, and banter over the built-in chat. There are even fun
virtual gifts you can send to fellow players. More in-game currency can
be bought through in-app purchases, or you can hold out for a free spin
at the slots to get some starting funds once you’re out.
Best casual game for Android: The Sims FreePlay
Sims FreePlay puts players in charge of a whole town full of people.
You need to tend to their basic human needs, manage relationships, build
careers, and outfit a home. Over time, you can have kids, watch them
grow up, and in turn guide your first Sims through old age. Though
freemium elements such as premium currency and timers are employed, for a
laid-back game like this where just about every measure of progress is
an issue of vanity anyway, it feels well-balanced and appropriate.
Best racing game for Android: Asphalt 8
Asphalt 8 is an over-the-top, white-knuckled racing game for Android.
Power-ups litter the fantastic courses set in real-world locations,
which can help you launch off ramps for amazing (and physically
unlikely) stunts. Hopefully in the process you can trash some of the
competition in explosively cinematic crashes. Some freemium elements are
employed, such as purchasable currency and premium power-ups, but on
the whole, the game is entirely playable without spending a cent.
Best sports game for Android: FIFA 14
FIFA 14 offers all of the excitement of a live footie match to your
Android device. Teams work their way through leagues, players progress,
and managers upgrade their home stadium and sponsors. Controls include
the standard virtual button and joystick layout, or you can try out some
great finger-friendly gesture controls. No doubt soccer fans will
appreciate the top-notch graphics and real player models.
Your favorite Android apps?
Those are our picks for the very best apps for Android, but there are
a lot of apps out there and new ones are coming out all the time. Leave
a comment with your favorites!
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