Talk Android Apps of the Week: December 13, 2015
It’s Sunday, the time of the week when Talk Android brings you a report on some of the very best applications we’ve been using over the course of the past seven days. Today we’re focusing our attention on a fantastic organization tool, a reliable Roku controller, an amazing wallpaper database and an incredibly addictive puzzle game.
Google Keep
Organization is key over the Christmas season. It’s important to make lists not only for the gifts you want to buy, but for the groceries you need to pick up, too. I’ve never been a fan of noting down chores on a piece of paper because I always seem to lose them — so this year I’ve done all my preparation on Google Keep.
For those unaware, Keep is an in-house application developed by Google, which enables you to record notes, lists and even photos. Any files created using the service can also be shared with other users, making it extremely easy to collaborate and assign tasks to friends, family and even colleagues.
Android Wear compatibility also means you can view your lists on your wrist. This is great when you’re out shopping as you can simply browse through the items you need to purchase, checking them off along the way.
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Roku
If you own a Roku set-top-box, I’m sure you’d agree that its remote control is pretty shoddy and comes up short on the functionality scale. Due to its poor quality, the IR blaster has to be pointed directly at the box itself, which is a bit of a pain if you have all your third-party hardware neatly tucked away.
However, Roku recently updated its official companion application for Android to allow users to control their device over WiFi. In addition to having a fully-fledged remote accessible via their smartphone, adoptees will also be able to search for content and remotely open applications without having to trail through Roku’s long-winded menu system.
One of my favourite features, is the facility to push content from either your phone or tablet to your Roku box. I find this particularly handy when I’m having friends and or family round for dinner and they all want to see photos from a recent event or vacation.
Backdrops
As I’ve mentioned in previous columns, I’m quite partial to a creative background or two, and am constantly changing the wallpaper on my smartphone to suit my mood. This week, I think I may have discovered the best Material Design-inspired images database out there.
Backdrops is a free application available to download from the Play Store. It’s filled to the brim with tons of Full HD shots that have been handcrafted by a dedicated design and development team. There are even some device-specific renders stored inside the app, created solely to take full advantage of a handset’s color profiles, in order to produce the clearest possible picture.
ZigZag
If you have a weakness for a traditional puzzle games, then you’re going to love ZigZag. The title’s objective is simply to keep a ball on a wall. All you have to do is tilt your device up, down left and right to guide the ball along its path without allowing it to fall. As you progress through the game, however, the difficulty increases. Bends will appear more frequently, and the overall pace of the ball escalates.
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