You already use plenty of apps. Android is a product. And your phone almost certainly came with Maps and Gmail. Honestly, you may think you have too many apps. But you’re mistaken. The apps pre-installed on your device are just the tip of the app empire. Android develops lots of apps beyond what comes with your phone. Some are good, some are bad, and some are surprisingly useful and intriguing. Here are 9 of our favorite apps you won’t find already on your phone.
Inbox by Gmail
The official Gmail app is good, but Inbox by Gmail was better. In typical fashion, Inbox by Gmail is designed to change the way you do email. It attempted to do this and succeeded by incorporating a slew of handy features. You definitely won’t get in any other email app. With Inbox by Gmail, you could do things like “snooze” messages for later. They would disappear from your inbox and reappear at a set time or when you enter a specific area. Organize messages into bundles, and add reminders to your inbox. The app also tried to auto-organize your messages by consolidating things like travel reservations and purchases. Inbox by Gmail isn’t for everyone, but it was worth a look. In 2019, Gmail closed the Inbox app and incorporated features into the Gmail app.
Opinion Rewards
Two words. Free money. Seriously, there’s no good reason not to have the Opinion Rewards app on your phone. This lightweight survey app is discreet; it just sits in the background until it has a survey for your demographic. The app will send you a quick notification when an eligible survey pops up. You’ll be asked to answer a handful of questions, often related to marketing advertising, none of which personally identify you. When you’re finished, the app will award you cash, up to $1. Which will then be deposited into your Play account. You can then use this free money to make purchases on the Play Store.
Translate
Translate is one of my favorite apps of all time. I first fell in love with Translate when they introduced handwriting input for Japanese characters. The app now supports handwriting input for 93 languages. Because it’s much easier to identify stylized kanji when you can write them down. And the app has improved, Translate now supports 103 languages and multiple input forms. Including the ability to translate text instantly via your phone’s camera. The instant camera mode lets you point your camera at any written text in 30 languages. And see the words translated before your eyes.
Sound Search
Google has its own Shazam-like song identifier in Sound Search. Sound Search is a simple widget that you can add to your home screen or your lock screen. Which is perfect for when you’re driving. A song comes on the radio. And you don’t have the time or dexterity to unlock your phone to open up Shazam or Soundhound. Sound Search is voice-activated through Now. There’s not much else to say about this app/widget other than that it’s quick and effective. It naturally links you directly to Play, so you can purchase identified tracks.
Goggles
Goggles were more impressive when they first came out but augmented reality reverse image searches weren’t as prevalent as they are now. But the app is still pretty neat and convenient if you’re trying to identify a famous image. Such as a painting or street art; it works best with two-dimensional objects. Although it can also identify landmarks and monuments. Goggles is essentially a convenient phone-oriented reverse image search. Snap a photo of the object you want to identify, and Goggles will comb its archive for a match.
It’s not all that useful if you’re in a museum since museums usually label their objects. Still, it’s great for when you want to identify a random picture on the wall of a restaurant. Or figure out which original painting a piece of street art was derived from. Side note: Goggles hadn’t been updated since 2014. In 2018 Google Goggles changed to Google Lens, with evermore features from the constant updates.
Snapseed
Snapseed is just about everything you could possibly want in a photo-editing app. It has tons of features, including the ability to stack different edits to create your Instagram-like filter. You can open and edit both JPEG and PNG files, and it’s free! For the less detail-oriented photo manipulators. Snapseed also features a collection of preset filters that you can easily apply to your pictures with a tap. It’s not quite Photoshop, but it’s pretty close.
Express
Express is Google’s answer to the tandem for practically instant in-home delivery services like Amazon Prime Now Postmates. It lets you shop at various stores. Including Costco though you must be a member. Target, Toys R Us, and Whole Foods get relatively fast delivery for just $5. How fast, relatively fast, actually, depends on your location. In some areas, like San Francisco s Angeles, the app offers same-day delivery. Still, in other places, you’ll see either overnight or possibly even 2- or 3-day service. Express might not replace Amazon Prime. But it’s still a handy app for when you want to shop at a specific store. And you know that you do not have to leave your house.
Trips
Travel a lot or at all; you also use Gmail as your primary traveling email account. You’ll find the recently-launched Trips app surprisingly helpful. Trips combine multiple travel-friendly features in a single app. It scours your Gmail account to pull out reservation confirmation emails. And offers information about each city you plan to visit. Including insider tips and things to do, it features curated lists of places to eat and drink. Complete with the location on maps and user reviews. In other words, Trips is like TripIt, TripAdvisor, and Yelp rolled into one cool-looking app. In 2019, Google incorporated Trips in the Maps. You now go to maps and can get recommendations of places and accommodations through the app.
Gboard
You’re an Android user, so you’re a pro for alternative keyboard apps. But the Googles keyboard app, Gboard, has something other keyboard apps do not; search. This makes sense because Google’s biggest strength is, well, search. In addition to search, Gboard has many other features for you to play with. Including glide-typing, the ability to modify or customize or turn off auto-correct, voice input. And even a built-in Translate module that translates your text in real time. So you can carry on long, confusing conversations with people who speak a different language. There’s also built-in GIF searching, predictive typing when you’re texting and when you’re searching. And plenty of free theme customization options. And it’s getting better all the time.
