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Posts tagged ‘App’

8
Feb

Screen Off Pro (Screen Lock) – Certainly locks screens. [Review]


Overview

Screen Off Pro does what it sets out to do; it locks your screen at the push of a software button, negating the use of the hardware button for this use. There are a number of other options within the app, including assigning vibration, sound and animation to the screen off function, but many of these are hidden behind the paywall of the $0.99 ‘unlock’ version.

Developer: Yogesh Dama

Price: Free (Unlock: $0.99 / Unlock + Tip: $1.49)

Highlights:

  • Turn off and lock screen without use of a hardware button.
  • Various icons to stay consistent with your theme.
  • Floating Screen Off Button. (Unlock only)
  • Vibration, animation, and vibration options. (Unlock only)

Setup

Screen Off Pro requires minimal effort to set up. The app guides you through the process, which is as follows:

  1. Tap ‘Create Screen off Shortcut.’
  2. Activate Device Administrator* (Tap button, tap ‘Activate.’)
  3. Choose Icon and Label.
  4. Tap ‘Create Shortcut to home screen.’
  5. Enjoy.

* See below.


Opening splash screen.

Opening splash screen.


Tap the first option to allow Administrator Privileges.

Tap the first option to allow Administrator Privileges.

Features

As far as Screen Lock apps go, Screen Off Pro is pretty full-featured, if limited. Unfortunately, many of these features are hidden behind the paid version of the app. These features are not marked in any way as pro features; you’re only informed of such once you try to use them. At best, this is a minor inconvenience. Below is a list of the features as provided by the developer. My annotations follow in parenthesis.

  1. Number of best Screen off Shortcut icons (FREE)
  2. Change the label, name of the screen lock shortcuts (FREE)
  3. Play sound you like on screen lock (Pro Only)
  4. Vibrate on screen lock if you like (Pro Only)
  5. Lock with style, Choose the best animations (Some options free, most Pro Only)
  6. Notification shortcut to easily lock the screen from anywhere  (Pro Only)
  7. Floating screen off button over all apps, with option to set transparency and size of floating Screen off button (Pro Only)
  8. Best UI design with minimal option for simple use

This app also requires Administrator permissions, which may be concerning to some. To see if it was an isolated incident with this particular app, I downloaded a number of other screen off apps – they all require Administrator permissions, in order to turn off the screen. Looks like if you’d like this functionality, you have to play ball. I also ran into a number of instances where the app force-closed on my Nexus 6P, possibly due to inactivity.


Lots of icon choices.

Lots of icon choices.

Conclusion

Screen Off Pro does what it sets out to do; provide an app that turns your phone’s screen off without using the hardware button. However, I find the app description and, indeed the app itself, to be misleading in that it does not mention that many features are hidden behind a paid app. If you’re looking for a free app that turns off your screen and little else, this app is for you; if you’re looking for a free app that does the features described, you’re out of luck.

Google Play Store – Screen Off Pro (Screen Lock)

The post Screen Off Pro (Screen Lock) – Certainly locks screens. [Review] appeared first on AndroidGuys.

8
Feb

Instagram confirms multiple account support is coming this week


The ability to post from multiple accounts inside the Instagram app is a feature users have begged the company to add for quite some time. After making an appearance in both the Android and iOS apps, the tool will go live this week. In addition to making things official today, Instagram says you’ll soon be able to add up to five accounts to the app. Of course, this means that you can toggle back and forth without having to log out and log back in each time you want to switch. What’s more, you’ll be able to receive notifications from each, so long as you have them turned on. It’s about freakin’ time.

Source: Instagram

8
Feb

Vallie offers to charge your EV before parking it in London


After a small test in the heart of London, Vallie has started to expand its on-demand valet parking service. At least a little bit, anyway. The app now covers a slightly larger patch of the city, stretching as far as King’s Cross St. Pancras station in the North, Whitechapel in the East and Marble Arch station in the West. It then drops down towards the Thames and snakes along the Northern edge of the river, never quite encroaching Southwark or its surrounding boroughs. Vallie now claims to cover “all of central London” — we’ll let you decide whether that statement is accurate.

As before, you can use the app to call a pre-checked driver who will arrive on a kick scooter and take your vehicle to one of Vallie’s partner car parks. Starting today, however, you can also pay for additional services while you’re occupied with other tasks in London. That includes getting an MOT check, electric charging, petrol refills and car washes. In other words, the service isn’t just about parking anymore, but taking care of almost any little chore related to car ownership. Which could be useful, if you’re a busybody that doesn’t mind paying a premium for the convenience.

Source: Vallie (Blog Post)

5
Feb

iPlayer now lets you search shows from your iOS home screen


Boot up your iPhone or iPad today and you’ll notice a fresh BBC iPlayer update in the UK App Store. The latest version adds support for Spotlight search, meaning you can swipe down from the top of your home screen and type in favourites like Doctor Who, Dickensian or Match of the Day. Available episodes should appear right in the feed, making it easier to kick back with some on-demand video. In addition, the BBC has enabled Apple’s Handoff feature today, making it easier to pause a programme on one device and pick it up again immediately on another. Nifty.

Source: BBC iPlayer (iOS)

5
Feb

Pocket’s premium users can customize their fonts and layout


Pocket’s latest update for iOS comes with an awesome treat for its premium users. Besides giving them access to a permanent library, they can also start customizing their reading experience. They can adjust a page’s margin width and line-height spacing to their heart’s content. Plus, they can choose from seven new reading fonts or switch to Dyslexie, a font that makes it easier for dyslexics to read. Pocket also threw in a feature called Auto Dark Mode that automatically changes the app’s theme, depending on the ambient lighting it senses. Its premium subscription isn’t cheap at all at $4.99 a month — but if these features make it worthwhile, you can upgrade in-app anytime.

Via: iClarified

Source: iTunes

4
Feb

Select Twitter users are seeing a dedicated GIF button


Twitter has begun testing a new feature for fans of reaction GIFs. Some users have spotted a dedicated GIF button in their Android apps, smack dab in the middle of the camera and poll icons. Bank of the Ozarks Director of Marketing Phil Pearlman was able to test it out for TechCrunch and discovered that the new button is a portal to a selection of trending GIFs. It also categorizes entries based on moods, so you can easily find Captain Picard if you want to facepalm. A lot of people, including Pearlman, only had access to the button for a short while, though — it disappeared from their apps as quickly as it came.

Twitter will probably work with GIF sources (such as Giphy) like Facebook does if the feature gets a wider release, but only the company can say for sure. TechCrunch tried to ask for more info, but a spokesperson merely responded with an apt Justin Bieber GIF. Despite the lack of a longer response, we know Twitter’s fond of testing experimental features. This might make it to everyone’s apps in the future; for now, you’ll have to continue scouring the internet for reaction GIFs of your own.

Source: TechCrunch

3
Feb

Podcasts are showing up in Google Play Music for some users


Yesterday, HBO’s Bill Simmons tipped the arrival of podcasts in Google Play Music this month, and the launch appears to be close at hand. In fact, Android Police reports that podcasts are showing up inside the app for a few users. Google revealed its plans to bring the episodic audio content to its app back in October, but there was no word on a launch date or how they would work with the existing software. Thanks to an apparent server issue during the test phase, we now have a pretty good idea of what to expect.

As you might expect, the Podcast section looks like the rest of Google Play Music. Shows are arranged in a card-like interface with artwork and detailed descriptions. On the show screen, there are controls for playing the most recent episode, subscribing or reading all of the info on the podcast. If you opt to subscribe, the app will ask you if you want to automatically download the five most recent episodes or receive notifications when new material is posted.

When you begin playing an episode, the interface offers those skip ahead and skip back 30 seconds buttons that are a must alongside the usual play/pause and skip controls. There are some other features we’d like to see in the final version (like playlist controls), but the integration looks pretty straightforward. We just hope the selections aren’t limited to a collection of popular shows. Podcasts will also show up when you search from the main menu, so you don’t have to navigate to the dedicated section in order to hunt for one. There’s still no word on when this will go live for everyone, but it looks like Mr. Simmons may have been correct after all.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Android Police

2
Feb

SoundCloud adds stations to encourage music discovery


It’s no secret that SoundCloud is aiming to roll out its audio streaming service this year, and the company is laying the groundwork with new features. With an update to both the Android and iOS apps, SoundCloud added a new stations feature to encourage music discovery. The continuous play tool will help you find songs that aren’t available anywhere else by starting an endless mix from any track. And yes, it’s a feature that the likes of Pandora, Spotify and Apple Music already offer.
The stations feature uses your listening habits and the tracks you’ve liked to determine the mix. All you have to do tap the three-dot menu next to a track and select the “start track station” option. After the first song your station is based on plays, you’ll still get the title under what’s currently playing to you’ll know where you started. You know, in case something really strange pops up. If you find mix you like, you can revisit them from the “recent stations” under the “likes” section of your profile. The feature is live in both the iOS and Android apps now, but it hasn’t made it to the web just yet.

Via: The Next Web

Source: Google Play, iTunes

1
Feb

The #2015bestnine Instagram meme was made to help launch a dating app


There’s a decent chance you saw — and might have gotten annoyed by — a slew of #2015bestnine photo collages mucking up your Instagram feed just before the new year. Well, it turns out 130,000 people using the #2015bestnine app were doing more than just making collages — they were signing up for a secretive new service that turned out to be a dating app called Nine.

While we wonder what those 130,000 people make of Nine’s true raison d’être, some were suspicious from the start.

I really wouldn’t use that “2015 best nine” Instagram site if I were you.Just remember you’re connecting some entirely random website to all the information in your account.

Posted by Richard Lawler on Tuesday, December 29, 2015

The three-image-by-three-image collages that people posted on Instagram turned out to be Nine’s profile pictures. Co-founder Yusuke Matsumura told BuzzFeed that the power of those grids is how they show off more of a person’s character and personality than the usual headshots we swipe left and right on. It’s a neat thought, and despite the fact that apps like Tinder already let people upload multiple photos, Nine might have a shot because of its focus. The service proudly identifies itself as a way to help people meet other “interesting Instagrammers”. Nine’s App Store listing is quick to confirm that you don’t just have to talk about photos, but dang — wouldn’t it be special to find someone who’s just as meticulous about picture selection and filter choice?

Source: BuzzFeed

29
Jan

Reddit starts testing its official Android app


Reddit is finally developing an official Android app, and it has started its closed beta testing phase today. CEO Steve Huffman has announced the development in the middle of a long post talking about how Reddit has changed over the past year and what’s in store for its users. Unfortunately, you can’t sign up for the beta testing phase anymore, and only those who volunteered to test it back in December have gotten access today.

9to5google and Android Police both had the chance to try it out and posted a number of screenshots showing the app’s blue/white (day) and black (night) interface. They both agree that like other software and apps still in beta testing, it still suffers from bugs and could benefit from more features.

Huffman didn’t say when the app will be released to the public, but there’s no shortage of third-party Reddit applications you can use till then. He did reveal, however, that the company’s also developing an iOS version. It’s unclear if that one’s completely separate from Alien Blue, which Reddit snapped up and turned into its official iOS app in 2014.

Source: Reddit

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